In this picture, I am sitting on more than 700 pounds of food (rice, beans, bulgarwheat, powdered milk, oil and flour). Ma Mary and I took this picture on the way to delivery food to 2 of our orphanage homes last month. Watch the video below to find out more about what we are doing with the ORR feeding program. Tuesday, February 17, 2009
700lbs of food.
In this picture, I am sitting on more than 700 pounds of food (rice, beans, bulgarwheat, powdered milk, oil and flour). Ma Mary and I took this picture on the way to delivery food to 2 of our orphanage homes last month. Watch the video below to find out more about what we are doing with the ORR feeding program. 
Monday, February 16, 2009
Back to the Future.
Our friends John and Leah planned an 80's themed Valentine's Day Dance/fundraiser for the expat community in Monrovia. The money raised is going to one of ORR's orphanage homes. So for one night, we all went back 20 years and partied "like it was 1999." It was a fun night of dancing, laughing and hanging out with friends to benefit a great cause. About $450 came in for the orphanage!
John and his girls. 
The ORR gang, ready to go. How can we all be representing the same decade?
My new friend Joan Jett (aka Jen).
John and his girls. I love this Pic! Phristy and Tatthew Tramer
(some names have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved.)
Lets hear it for the boys!
FAT GIFTY
I just received these pics of my girl and had to share them. I can't stop smiling. She is too much! Heidi says that she never stops laughing and loves to eat (which you can tell from those chubby cheeks, I can't wait to pinch them). She is getting 6 new teeth. Watch out!
Her MD's are hopeful for a liver transplant in the next few months. She qualifies for a partial liver transplant so she can receive from a live donor if the right one surfaces. I don't know all the details about that, but I know the donor has to be O+. I am waiting for more details from Heidi so stay tuned.
Until then, enjoy these. . .
Saturday, February 14, 2009
A boy and his dog...
Or in this case- kids and their dogs...
It's an international love.Happy Valentine's Day!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Jackson
Last Friday while I was making my rounds, checking in at one of our homes, I met Jackson. Jackson is 8 years old. As soon as I saw him I could tell something was amiss. The entire left side of his face was very swollen. The orphanage director told me he had a "toothache," but it was easy to tell it has gone far beyond that, to a more serious problem. I immediately called our friend Keith Chapman a dentist (one of only 4 in the entire country) who works at Trinity Dental Clinic nearby. He suggested starting antibiotics right away and then have Jackson come into the clinic Monday morning, once some of the swelling had a chance to go down. Monday morning the orphanage director carried him to the dental clinic. One of his upper teeth was so infected it had to be extracted.
I stopped by to check on Jackson on Wednesday. He was looking great. The swelling is almost completely gone and he was laughing and playing with the other kids. When I arrived he ran up and took my hand and did not want to let it go. 
I stopped by to check on Jackson on Wednesday. He was looking great. The swelling is almost completely gone and he was laughing and playing with the other kids. When I arrived he ran up and took my hand and did not want to let it go.
Today I was planning on going in to Trinity Dental Clinic to pay the medical bill for Jackson (a whopping 120LD or about $2US). Before I had a chance to go in Keith called and said that they had decided at the clinic that they were going to treat all our orphans for free! This is exciting! A few months ago, before Trinity Dental was operational I don't even know where I would have sent a child who needed dental care. Now we have a clinic close by and guaranteed care for all of our kids.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Armed Forces Day
Today is a national Liberian holiday called Armed Forces Day. I asked a Liberian what the history of the holiday was and why we celebrate it. She could not really give me an answer. So, as with most Liberian holidays we headed to the beach...
The difference this time is that we brought Mary and Piko with us. Mary and Piko are both ORR employees. Mary is our Liberian Ma. She keeps us fed and taken care of and helps with our feeding program. Piko is a monitor in 2 of our orphanages, watching the general goings on and helping them around the home. Mary and Piko have been friends since they were small girls. They have grown up together and stood by each other through more than most of us could ever imagine, including years of war and the death of loved ones. At times I have been mesmerized by their stories of the horrible conditions of living through the war and at other times I have been in tears laughing as I watch them giggle and share like the life long friends that they are. Not too long ago they were talking with Cramer about how much they used to love to "bathe in the sea" (go swimming in the ocean). Earlier this week, when I was asking Mary how she would spend her holiday she said "Maybe Matthew could take us to the beach?" And so the plan was born.
This afternoon both women arrived tentatively at the ORR house. They borrowed swimming clothes and plastic bags to protect their hair, and were trying to come up with excuses not to go in the water. As excited as they were to go to the beach with us, they were also nervous. Especially Piko, who had not even touched her toe in the ocean for 30 years! (Yet she lives across the street from the ocean). We all (Cramer, Jen, Andrew, Mary, Piko and I) piled into the car Liberian style and drove to one of our favorite swimming spots. The two Liberian women were very reluctant to go into the water. I had to promise Piko I would not leave her side. We walked into the ocean hand in hand in hand. Mary and Piko laughing all the way. About 6 inches in Piko was on all fours crawling through the surf and a few seconds later Mary was behind her. Then they were on their feet again, we got about waist deep and the waves were coming strong. Piko said she was in far enough, but I pulled her farther in. She was unsure, but off to the left Mary was diving face first into a coming wave. Not wanting to be outdone by her friend, Piko was soon diving in too.
We spent about an hour jumping and playing and laughing in the surf. I really think it was one of the best things I have done in Liberia. To see these two women, who I have come to love so much enjoying themselves like school girls in the surf, "bathing in the sea" like they did 30+ years ago before war and death and life changed things. It was precious, amazing and an honor to be a part of. It also was hilarious!
So, maybe I don't know why we celebrate Armed Forces Day in Liberia, but I know that today we celebrated. We celebrated overcoming fears and war. We celebrated life and fun and good friends. Boy did we celebrate!
The difference this time is that we brought Mary and Piko with us. Mary and Piko are both ORR employees. Mary is our Liberian Ma. She keeps us fed and taken care of and helps with our feeding program. Piko is a monitor in 2 of our orphanages, watching the general goings on and helping them around the home. Mary and Piko have been friends since they were small girls. They have grown up together and stood by each other through more than most of us could ever imagine, including years of war and the death of loved ones. At times I have been mesmerized by their stories of the horrible conditions of living through the war and at other times I have been in tears laughing as I watch them giggle and share like the life long friends that they are. Not too long ago they were talking with Cramer about how much they used to love to "bathe in the sea" (go swimming in the ocean). Earlier this week, when I was asking Mary how she would spend her holiday she said "Maybe Matthew could take us to the beach?" And so the plan was born.
This afternoon both women arrived tentatively at the ORR house. They borrowed swimming clothes and plastic bags to protect their hair, and were trying to come up with excuses not to go in the water. As excited as they were to go to the beach with us, they were also nervous. Especially Piko, who had not even touched her toe in the ocean for 30 years! (Yet she lives across the street from the ocean). We all (Cramer, Jen, Andrew, Mary, Piko and I) piled into the car Liberian style and drove to one of our favorite swimming spots. The two Liberian women were very reluctant to go into the water. I had to promise Piko I would not leave her side. We walked into the ocean hand in hand in hand. Mary and Piko laughing all the way. About 6 inches in Piko was on all fours crawling through the surf and a few seconds later Mary was behind her. Then they were on their feet again, we got about waist deep and the waves were coming strong. Piko said she was in far enough, but I pulled her farther in. She was unsure, but off to the left Mary was diving face first into a coming wave. Not wanting to be outdone by her friend, Piko was soon diving in too.
We spent about an hour jumping and playing and laughing in the surf. I really think it was one of the best things I have done in Liberia. To see these two women, who I have come to love so much enjoying themselves like school girls in the surf, "bathing in the sea" like they did 30+ years ago before war and death and life changed things. It was precious, amazing and an honor to be a part of. It also was hilarious!
So, maybe I don't know why we celebrate Armed Forces Day in Liberia, but I know that today we celebrated. We celebrated overcoming fears and war. We celebrated life and fun and good friends. Boy did we celebrate!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)