The last three weeks have been baffling. Honestly, the Friday that we arrived here in Monrovia I was not prepared for all my eyes would see. We pulled into a humble port, 100 meters long, surrounded by old and rusty, out of service ships. There were church choirs there to greet us and celebrate the arrival of hope for the people. Also, many members of their government were there to express their gratitude from the nation. It was extremely encouraging to be so warmly welcomed. The next morning I went out into the city on foot with a small group and the people would yell, “Mercy Ships,” and wave in excitement. Sparkling, sweat streaked faces were everywhere
As we walked, a young girl named Brighta joined us as she was on her way home. As we skipped along her sandal broke. She stopped with a look of despair, far beyond anything we would ever feel over a broken shoe. I had her hop on my back and we continued on toward the town where there is a sort of market. Skipping along we sang songs together, I taught her twinkle little star and she taught me a song about a spider. Finally, after about a mile or so we came upon a man selling flip-flops and I had Brighta climb off my back and choose a pair of shoes. She could hardly believe it. Her face lit up! Soon after we left the stand, I asked her where her house was and she pointed behind us. I laughed and she just smiled up at me with her bright shining eyes, I gave her a hug and sadly told her she must go home because her family was probably waiting for her. She insisted she didn’t need to go home, but I knew she couldn’t come with us any further.
Continuing on our journey into the town, we saw a group of people looking over the edge of a bridge. It seemed as though they were looking at an animal or something, so we peered over the edge only to see the most horrific sight I have seen in my life. A ten-year-old boy was lying lifeless on the river’s edge, belly up and naked. Shocked, I stepped back and cried out to God! What is going on? I didn’t understand. How did this boy die? Why wasn’t anyone doing anything about it? Why wasn’t anyone crying or screaming? Why were the people so calm? Don’t they see this is a dead little boy? I don’t understand God!
After talking with several of the Liberian people I was enlightened that these people have seen so much death and destruction in the past 16 years that they have depreciated their value of life. Death is not foreign to them, it is happening all the time. A woman said that it is not uncommon for a body to wash up there on the river, it happens all the time, and they will leave the body there until someone can come and claim it. Horrifying! Just past the gate of the dock where the Anastasis sits, ¼ mile from my bed there is a massive burial pit with over 3,000 bodies in it that remained after the devastation of the war. Unbelievable!
The war is still not the chief cause of death here in Liberia. With a life expectancy rate of only 39 years old, due to disease. It is painstaking to know that the vast majority of deaths are from a lack of sanitation. The streets are covered in garbage, there are no trashcans. They use the same creek to bath in, clean with, and use the restroom in. They actually have outhouses that are built hanging over the edge of the creek. What we look at as common sense is foreign to them; the people are simply not aware of the dangers that they face in such circumstances. There is such a need for education about the importance of clean water from wells and proper latrines.
Although this is all devastating and quite depressing to hear, there is yet hope for Liberia! Hope that children will be educated, hope that parents will be able to live to become grandparents, hope that they could rise up out of poverty. The unemployment rate here in Liberia is 85%. This is terrifying because there just aren’t any jobs to be had. The war and horrible dictatorship for so long have ravaged the economy, but yet there is hope!
Africa is blessed beyond measure in the area of natural resources. Their land is incredibly fertile for agriculture. Some of their chief resources include: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas, sheep, goats, diamonds and timber. However these resources go unused and jobs are not created because there are no businesses to employ the people.
This country needs a lot of prayer.
Just last week the elections were completed, in which the final two candidates comprised a former soccer player, George Weah (a man without a high school diploma) and the other candidate was a woman named Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (a well educated woman with experience in working in the government, however she had worked under the dictatorship of Charles Taylor). How would you vote? Can you imagine those are the two most qualified candidates for your nation’s presidency?
The votes came back with Ellen on top. My prayer request on the behalf of Liberia would be that Ellen would be a woman of noble character and be free from corruption. Pray that she will use her talents and abilities to bring this country a NEW DAY. A day where they will see their salaries rise above 4 dollars a day (if they are lucky enough to be employed), where they will have walls on their houses rather than sheets, where they will not doubt that they will be able to live to see tomorrow. By God’s grace alone will these things be possible so that Liberia can see a NEW DAY!
This update may seem incredibly sad, and it is, but I want to realistically convey to you the tragedies I have seen. This is the raw truth: child prostitution, lack of education, starving people, desensitisation, dirty water... It is heavy, so heavy that only our God can lift it!
Hebrews 6:18-19
…it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Authentically,
Jackie