Top 5 count-down begins!

I just read about an idea that I love! Over the last 10 days of this year, I am going to re-post some of the most popular blog posts that I've had over the last few years. What a great way to reflect --  this is going to be fun!

#5 - Originally posted December 11, 2010

(This one is appropriate as we are making our Christmas bundle deliveries, including an apple of course, this week.)

"An Apple Means 'I Love You'."

One of my favorite things about Christmas in Liberia is delivering gift bundles to the children. After weeks of planning, collecting, sorting, and wrapping, I get to see the shining smiles of the kids as they open their presents (usually the only one they will receive), try on shoes, and model new clothes. Originally, we included an orange with the Christmas bundles. A piece of fruit seemed to be a smart addition to the other sweets that are often included in Christmas celebrating.

However, last year, that changed. Throughout the year, we noticed that, every time a child was drawing an apple, they would start with a heart shape and add a stem. If we were giving out heart shaped stickers, they would thank us for the “apple” sticker. There seemed to be a distinct connection between apples and hearts. We started to wonder if the children in Liberia see apples as a sign of love, like children in the US see hearts as a sign of love.

To put our theory to the test, we substituted apples for the oranges in the Christmas bundles. At each home, the children’s names were called and bundles distributed so all the children could open their gifts at the same time. As the bundles were opened we started hearing gasps of joy. The gasps were not over the candy, a Hot Wheel car, or new tooth brush; they were for the apples. Faces lit up as children held their apples up to show their friends.

I then asked the kids, “Do you know why we put an apple in your Christmas bundle this year?” At every orphanage, they were quick to reply, “Because an apple means love.” 

They got it! 

Apples are definitely being included in the Christmas bundles again this year.
Follow this link to help spread some apple-love this Christmas.

Bundles!

Today I made 153 Christmas bundles to distribute to Orphanages this week. If you are curious what the rest of my week might look like watch this video from last Christmas.



Christmas in Liberia 2010 from Orphan Relief and Rescue on Vimeo.

Three Things

1) I was originally going to entitle this blog entry; "I'm fat, I'm fat... I know it."

I've been back in Liberia for a week now, after 10 amazing, wonderful, relaxing, cold, eat-everything-American-I-can-get-my-hands-on weeks in the states. And ok, yes, I put on a few pounds. This is something that every Liberian feels is their personal responsibility to remind me of. Of course here it is a compliment, they are telling me I look healthy and they are happy to see me again... yada, yada, yada. It is one of those things I know in my head, but every time a --wanting to do well-- Liberian mentions my weight, something inside of me recoils. The American in me can't let go of the stereotype. I want to laugh it off, often I can, but sometimes it really stings. Posting this is my attempt to laugh it off, so I am going to share some of the things my Liberian friends have said to me, in welcoming me home this week--
-You're fat-o!
-You looking fine.
-You really got fat in America.
-I'm enjoying your body.
-You really got body-o!
-You're coming up.
-You're ready to bust.
And my personal favorite--You're really trying to expand! (Apparently I'm not only trying to, I've succeeded. ha!)
 
2) Arriving back in Liberia the first week of December can only mean one thing-- CHRISTMAS!!!

I've already started sorting, organizing and planning this year's Christmas deliveries for the orphanages. Wanna help? Ok-- go to the Orphan Relief and Rescue Christmas page and donate a Christmas bundle (or two) to help bring Christmas love to an orphan in Liberia this season. As of today, we have 185 bundles donated, our goal is at least 250.

If you are looking for other options to give this Christmas, check out my friend (and fellow ORRer) Ashley's on-line Christmas sale. She is selling all kinds of hand made Christmas gift options. Believe me, they are beautiful and worth checking out.

3) And, I can't leave you without some new pictures of my kiddos. Here are a few of my favs from my first week back--
(My parents got me a new camera as an early Christmas present and I am pretty much in love with it!)

Some of my Danny Feeney girls.

Miracle!

Practicing the grand-finale of the new and improved Frances Gaskin Cultural performance.

Solomon's story

Solomon is about five years old. I say “about” because, as with many children in Liberia, no one bothered to keep a record of the day he was born. His mother died when he was a baby, and Solomon went to live with an elderly female relative who was unable to properly care for him. The situation took a turn for the worse when his caretaker’s vision deteriorated to the point of almost blindness. The day that Salome Gbaryou (director at Danny Feeney Memorial Orphanage) stumbled upon him, Solomon was crawling around on the dirt floor of the kitchen, dangerously close to the cooking fire. Salome rescued Solomon that day, and he now lives safely with the 36 other children at Salome’s home. 

Danny Feeney is just one of many orphanages that Orphan Relief and Rescue works with in Liberia and Benin, West Africa. We work tirelessly to be able to serve orphans like Solomon and help to give them another chance at life.

This Sunday, (November 6, 2011) is Orphan Sunday, a day set apart to remember the plight of orphans worldwide. In honor of this day, Orphan Relief and Rescue is having an Open House at our stateside office in Burien, WA. If you are in the area, please stop by any time between 4 and 8 pm to meet our staff, share our vision, and, most importantly, hear more stories like Solomon’s. If you can not join us on Sunday, please remember us in your prayers and consider donating to the work Orphan Relief and Rescue is doing today.

The Orphan Relief and Rescue office is located at 1416 SW 151^st Street; Burien, WA; 98166. Call 206-453-3158 for questions or directions. 

Deb in the USA

I've been back in the states for about 6 weeks and am just finishing up a month of traveling, resting, visiting friends and family and eating just about every yummy food that I can get my hands on over here. My plan is to head back to Liberia December 3rd. Just because I am not in Liberia right now doesn't mean there isn't stuff happening over there. Follow the Orphan Relief and Rescue blog to find out what is going on.

Pray for Peace in Liberia

Today the winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize were announced. Three women who have fought hard for peace have been awarded this great honor. Two of the women are from Liberia. One is the current president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. There may be many different speculations on the timing of this announcement-- she is up for re-election next Tuesday, but I am going to choose to use it as a reminder that Liberians can stand for peace.

A lot is up in the air and uncertain for the future of Liberia. The elections next week could go very badly, the country could easily fall back into the familiar pattern of war. But, and this is what I am praying for, the elections could go well, a leader could be chosen who can continue to lead them in peace. Whether that leader is Ma Ellen or not, hers is an example that I pray is followed by many.

I have a lot of friends in Liberia, not to mention the children I have been serving for the last three years. What happens with this upcoming election has the potential to drastically affect all of this. To use a Liberian phrase-- I beg you, please join me in praying for Peace in Liberia.

Going Home

Tomorrow I am starting the 30+ hour trek back to Washington State.

Going home.

I've been in Liberia for a year straight this time. Some people would ask "What's the big deal about a year?" But anyone who has lived in Liberia will understand-- I kinda feel like I am going insane. I love Liberia, and am coming back, but it is time for break.

It is always a strange feeling to leave a place that I have spent so much time, a place that has become home in it's own way-- to go home.

In years past I have fought against leaving Liberia to return to the states. This time, I am VERY ready. But, I am not without mixed feelings. It is difficult to leave people and places-- a way of life-- that has become so familiar. In a way, I am heading into a great unknown.

As much as we may try, I don't know what people back home have been through in the last year and they don't know about me. As my life has been going full force here, so has everyone's back home. I have found with some people it is easy to pick right back up, while with others it is more difficult each time I return. I find myself feeling very insecure about where or how I will fit back in to people's lives.

It is an awkward feeling to be sitting in a room of people I've known well, for years, and not know the inside jokes, the hurts and the celebrations of the last year. To not get the pop-culture references or be the only one at the table without an iphone. I've learned all this from past experiences, but I've also learned something else... it's worth it.

To reconnect with loved ones, to hear stories of pain, sorrows, frustrations, joys, happy-times, mediocre times. To be able to laugh, hug, cry, talk, whisper, walk, together over coffee, in a familiar living room, at the mall, on the trail, in a car.

This year there have been some horrible things that happened while I was gone, like the death of one of my closest friends, my dear Michelle. I don't know what life on that side is like without her. People have been hospitalized, become engaged, travelled to other parts of the world. I want to hear all the stories.

And so, as I pack up my Liberian life in a neat little package to carry back with me, I hope those of you I know on the other side of the Atlantic will want to hear my stories too. Let's be patient with each other, listen and learn from each other. We might not know or understand everything that has gone on in the last year of our lives, but we know and love each other. I think that alone, being in the presence of someone who loves you, who wants to know you more-- that is going home.