Swimming, Basketball, and Bible Study... What A Great Week!

After a long and exhausting week, we got to spend all day Sunday relaxing at the Kendeja Resort. We went with Ottolee, her two children, and her mother. The resort has a special on Sundays for $25, that includes all day at the pool and unlimited access to the buffet. It is a great deal! We got to walk down on the beach, swim in the pool, and eat good food all day long. It is definitely what we needed after the week that we had.

On Tuesday, we took the girls and boys basketball team to Monrovia to compete in the Super Cup Tournament. After a good fight, the boys were defeated 60-66. I was so proud of the girls, who played an awesome game, and won 37-25. We have been working so hard to prepare for this tournament, and it all paid off. The girls played their hearts out, and fought until the very end. Isatta, one of our post players, made a shot at the buzzer, and the crowed went crazy. The team ran to the center of the court and celebrated together. I felt like I was re-living my high school days of competitive sports. Coaching the girls basketball team has been a very fun and rewarding part of my ministry here at Ricks. I am really enjoying building relationships with the girls, and investing in their lives on and off the court. Next Friday, November 6th, we will compete in the finals. We are playing a very good team that the girls lost to last year. Despite the nervousness of the girls and the coaches, I think we have the ability to bring home the trophy this year!

On Thursday night, we had bible study with the other women who live on Ricks campus. This was our third time attending. It has been a great way for us to form relationships with the women. We normally start by singing two songs (some hymns and some African songs), then have a time of prayer. Sometimes this can take an hour. Then someone delivers a short message from a particular passage of scripture. We have been talking a lot about different women in the bible, and how their stories can relate to our lives. Then we take up an offering. As we give our money, we also recite a scripture verse of our choice. We close the evening with more singing and prayer. I have enjoyed being a part of this group, but there are definitely times when a 2 1/2 hour bible study can be exhausting. This is another different experience that I am grateful for, but it has definitely taken an open mind and open heart. The best part about this weekly bible study has been the friendships that we are forming with the women!

Now it is Friday, and another week is over. Only 2 more weeks left of instruction in the second marking period! I am definitely ready for the weekend, and a break from waking up at 4:40am. Next week is going to be busy, and hopefully just as good as this week!

There are bound to be bad days...

The last two days have been very emotionally and physically draining. I think part of it is that we have been here for 2 months, and the excitement of being in a new place is slowly going away. This is starting to become home, and along with that comes all the “real life” emotions. It is hard to explain, but hopefully you get my point. We are beginning to experience some of the difficulties that are a part of ministry.

Some unexpected things have happened in the last few days that have just kind of caught us off guard. I find myself trying to be understanding and patient, but some days it is very hard.

Olu has been in the US for the last ten days, and the flow of things just seems off without him here. Holly and I are trying to deal with a problem that has been frustrating and out of our control, but fortunately we were able to get in touch with Olu for some advice. Although I cannot share this situation with you at the time, please pray that everything will work out, and that we won’t be faced with this issue again.

I am also learning that no matter where you go in the world, you will agree with some people and disagree with others. I wish we could just agree to disagree in all situations, but sometimes that is not possible. Please pray that I will be able to put myself in others shoes, and see from their perspective.

I think that these things have also caused me to get a little homesick. I think some of it is culture shock, and the fact that life really is so different here. I really thought this would hit when we first got here, but as we have gotten settled, things have become a little more challenging. Also, one of my best friends is getting married this weekend, and it is hard being away when all of my friends are celebrating together.

I knew that these things were going to happen while we were here, but there was really nothing to prepare me for it. I am learning a lot from this, but it is still not easy. Please keep praying that God will continue to show and remind us of our purpose here.

I know that I will be out of this slump soon, and that we will fall back into more slumps this year. It is a good thing that the good days make this all worth it! I guess that is just a part of ministry! Whew!

The Best of Days!

Monday was one of the best days that I have had. I took 5 of my students into Monrovia to get ice cream! These students made straight A’s for the first marking period. I was so proud of them, and told them I wanted to do something special to celebrate their hard work. So, on Monday after school we got in the van, along with Mr. Jayran and Rev. Kilby, and went to Monrovia. Even the van ride into town was a big deal to them. A few of them don’t ever get to go into Monrovia, so they were soaking it up. They moved from window to window, observing and commenting on all that was happening. They asked so many questions, and were so interested in all that they were seeing for the first time. Rev. Kilbry drove us by the University of Liberia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (where the president works), and Capital Hill. The students were so intrigued by these places.

Our final destination was the Mona Lisa, where we got ice cream. Their faces were priceless when they walked through the door of the restaurant. They were most excited about the big screen TV. We stood at the ice cream counter for about 10 minutes, observing all of the flavors. They each came up with some interesting combinations of flavors, but not one bite went uneaten. They LOVED it, and I loved watching them. We had a great time sitting and talking together. It was so nice to spend time with them outside of school. We talked about what they want to be when they grow up, and a little bit about where they are from. Most of the time they just looked around the room and commented on things that they saw. There was not a moment when we were not smiling. Several times during the conversation, one of them would say, “Thank you so much Ms. McInvale.” My heart kind of skipped a beat, and it made all of the challenging moments in class worth it.

The drive back was just as much fun. We stopped a couple of time so that Rev. Kilby or Mr. Jayran could run an errand. During one of those stops we bought some plantain chips and bagged water from a street vendor. It is so amazing to me how much the children know about buying things on the street. It is one thing that I am continuing to learn how to do.

I wish that I had the money to take all of my students out and do things like this more often. I realize that I cannot, but I think that will make the few times that I can more special.

Out of Town to Bomi County!

School was cancelled on Friday, due to the sports games being held at CH Dewey Central High School. Students from the kickball, soccer, and basketball teams, coaches, and teachers piled into vans and took a day trip to Bomi County to compete in the games.

Bomi Hills Highway is one of the only paved roads in Liberia. This highway runs all the way to Sierra Leone. We went through several checkpoints along the way. These were major checkpoints during the war, and now they are used by the United Nations Peace Keepers. The drive was beautiful. The roads were lined with rubber trees, rice farms, rivers, and villages. We went from flat land, to numerous hills and valleys. In Monrovia, the majority of the houses are made out of concrete, but the villages that we saw were not as developed. The houses/huts were made out of bamboo, reeds, and mud, with weaved leaves and branches as the roof. It was an amazing form of artwork that I would not know how to begin to build. This area was not nearly as populated as Monrovia. The villages were small, and had about 10-15 huts. When we approached a river, we saw women and children washing clothes, bathing, and getting water. The little naked children waved excitedly as we drove by. We past a few small markets, but none of them compared to the Duala Market. There were several women dressed in their beautiful native clothing, coming from the Baptist Women’s Convention. In the distance, we began to see a small town called Tubmanburg, named after president Tubman. CH Dewey Central School is also in Tubmanburg. After 1 ½ hours of driving, we arrived at the school.

As the students walked around campus, changed clothes for the games, and met other students from CH Dewey, Holly and I went with some of the teachers to Blue Lake. Some members of the Ricks staff are from Bomi County or have lived there at some point in their lives. They insisted that we go and see Blue Lake, where the Blue Lake mineral water is made. We drove for about 30 minutes, and arrived at the lake, where the water was so clear that you could see all the rocks at the bottom. We took several pictures, and walked in the shallow part of the water. It is the most beautiful place I have seen since we have been in Liberia. When the students found out that we went, they begged that we take them there. On the way back to Ricks, we stopped at the lake so the students could see it. We were also given a tour of the mineral water factory. We got to see how the water was filtered, and how the bottles were made and labeled. My favorite part was watching a tiny plastic tube expand into a water bottle as it was exposed to heat. It was very impressive!

The drive back home seemed really long, and everyone was exhausted. It rained almost all day, so the basketball game was cancelled, and soccer was played in the rain and mud. We got home around 7:00pm, ate dinner, and enjoyed sitting down after a day of standing in the rain.

Thunderstorms, Sunsets, and Pineapple... Some things are just different in Liberia!

All the students were home, campus was quiet, and there was not much to do this past weekend. Sometimes weekends like this can be relaxing, but for a busy body like me, it can get boring. Not having anything scheduled to do forced me to do a lot of processing.

Saturday night there was a beautiful sunset. The sky was a mix of blue, orange, and pink, with the silhouette of palm trees. It was a breathtaking moment, and Holly and I both got out our cameras, hoping to capture the beauty. The picture can't even begin to compare to the real thing. I felt like I was seeing a sunset for the first time, although I have seen hundreds before. Something was different on this night, but I don't know how to begin to describe it to you. There was a peaceful stillness, like everything in the world had stopped. For about 30 seconds I was in total and complete awe.

On Sunday afternoon there was a huge thunderstorm. Holly and I both sat in our room, watching the gray clouds roll in. We opened all of the curtains, and just sat in silence. The clouds appeared to be coming in from the coast, and gradually got darker as they circled around us. The thunder was louder than any thunder I have heard before, and it lasted for 30 seconds at a time. Finally, we heard the rain in the distance, getting louder as it got closer to us. Then it just poured for about 45 minutes. Holly read her book, and I couldn't take my eyes off of the storm. We have seen lots of rain since we have been here, but very few thunderstorms. It reminded me a lot of home, but yet there was still something different. Maybe it was the first time that I had stopped to just enjoy the rain, or maybe it was the fact that our windows were open and it was so loud. I don't know, but it was so relaxing and peaceful.

After the rain stopped yesterday, we were greeted with a knock on the door and a large plate of pineapple. We had heard so much about the pineapple in Liberia, and had been eager to try it for week. It is one of my favorite fruits! We mentioned this to Olu and Ottolee last week, and sure enough, a few days later, they had some sent to us. It was sliced into the largest circles of pineapple that I have ever seen. It was so sweet and refreshing! Although I have had plenty of pineapple in my life, this was better! To say that we have enjoyed it is probably an understatement. We have only had it for a day, and it is almost gone!

Somehow, this uneventful, "boring"weekend, turned into a much needed weekend of renewal. I was still very ready for Monday, but I am grateful for the experiences that don't happen very often.

Now I am off to go watch little boys climb palm trees, with their bare hands and feet, to get coconuts!

Pass or Fail?

The school year is broken up into 6 marking periods. At the end of each marking period there is an entire week of testing. The junior and senior high students take their tests on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The elementary students take their tests on Tuesday and Thursday. This week was testing week, so my students only came to school on Tuesday and Thursday. They had a test in Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, and Science. The days they do not come to school are supposed to be “study days.”

These tests make up 50% of the students grade. The other 50% is broken down by Quizes (15%), Assignments (15%), Participation (10%), and Attendance (10%). There are a lot of frustrating things about this grading system that I am still trying to understand. For example… their assignment grade is the average of 4 assignments. Assignments include class work and homework. If I have 10 assignments in one period, I am supposed to select the student’s top 4 assignments. If I have a student that gets a 100% on all ten assignments, clearly they deserve a 100% for their average. But if I have a student that failed 2 assignments, didn’t do 4 homework assignments, but got a 100% on the other 4, they clearly do not deserve a 100% for their average. This makes things tricky when I have to take the top 4 scores. In my opinion, it is not fair to the student that completes all their homework and does their best on assignments in class. I am still trying to understand this, while assessing my students fairly. So far, it has been a struggle.

I have been trying every day to find a way to motivate and encourage my students. I am surprised every day by the students that stay to get help on their homework or to ask me a question about something they did not understand in class. We spent last week reviewing for all of their tests this week. I made sure to give them every piece of information they needed to get at 100% on the test. The rest of it was in their hands. I knew that I would have some that would not study, and I continue to have some that don’t care. Although that makes me really sad and disappointed, there is not a lot I can do to change that.

Before each test the students say the honor code, which is “I promise that though out this test, I will not cheat, spy, ask for assistance, or share my answers with anyone. Any act contrary will lead to my immediate expulsion.” Yes, if they get caught cheating, they are expelled. Rick’s holds very high standards and has zero tolerance for cheating. Fortunately, none of my students cheated!

I was so nervous and excited to grade their tests. I was so proud to see so many 100’s! I can’t wait to see their faces when they get their test back with a big sticker! They love stickers!! I did have about 3 students in each subject area that failed, but it was because they didn’t study or made careless mistakes. Hopefully this will be a learning opportunity for those students, and they will try a little harder next time. Even with a few failed tests, ALL of my students passed every subject area!! I am so proud of them!

Mona Lisa!

On Wednesday night we went out to dinner with Olu, Ottolee, and the five students who ran for senior class president. The elections were last week, and very exciting to say the least. Every student at Ricks is part of one of the five political parties on campus. Each party elected a senior to run for student body president. The elections consisted of speeches, campaigns, and debates. I was so impressed with each of the candidates. The winner, Mohammad Dukley, gave a presidential address, and each of the other candidates gave a concession speech. They were all very respectful and did an outstanding job! Olu announced to the student body that he was going to take all of the candidates out to dinner. You could tell by the reaction of the room that this was a BIG deal.

We all piled in one of the school vans and went to a restaurant call Mona Lisa. It did not register to me that several of these students had never been to a sit down restaurant before. When the waitress brought us our menus, I was eagerly searching for something other than rice and beans. It was not until Olu said, “Do you all need help?” that I realized what was happening. Four of the students did not know how to read a menu. The expression on their faces was priceless, and we all started to laugh a little. I could tell right then that this was an experience they would never forget, and I felt so lucky to be a part of it.

After much discussion, we all decided what our stomachs were craving. Mohammad ordered chicken wings and fries, the other boys got boneless chicken, Rosetta got chicken fried rice, Ottolee and Samline split a pizza, Olu got a chicken sandwich, and Holly and I both got cheeseburgers and fries! It was delicious, and to top it off we all got ice cream!

The night was a lot of fun, and an opportunity for Holly and I to get to know some of the student leaders on campus. The topic of conversation primarily consisted of the elections. It was so inspiring to hear the intelligent conversations that were being had by the students. All though they disagreed on a lot of issues, they were still friends and supported one another. Mohammad Dukley will be a fantastic president, especially if he utilizes the gifts of these other four candidates.

We all had a lot of fun laughing and telling stories. I really enjoyed the Mona Lisa, and will definitely go back for more ice cream some time in the near future!

A LOL Moment turned into an Ah-Ha Moment!

Sunday afternoon Holly had a study session with some of her students in the library. I decided to walk up to the school building to use the internet and work on lesson plans. We ended up staying at the school for several hours, and decided that we would stay and have dinner with the students. As we were walking to the dining hall, in the pouring down rain, something hilarious caught our eyes. There were about 10 young boys playing on the basketball court in the rain…NAKED! It was one of those moments that we wished we had our cameras, but then we realized that would be kind of awkward, haha. As the dinner bell rang and the students began to walk to the dining hall, the boys ran to get their clothes. The fact that we were standing there, along with other students, did not seem to bother these boys at all. LOL!

They took their time putting on their clothes, and then very cautiously entered the dining hall. The boys are not students at Ricks, and live in one of the nearby villages. They took bags and crawled around the floor of the dining hall, hoping that some of the students would share their dinner with them. They scurried from one side of the room to the other, occasionally looking up to make sure no one saw them. Several of the Ricks students scooped some of their macaroni into their bags. Whenever the boys sensed that they were about to get caught, they ran quickly out of the building. This was the first time Holly and I had seen this happen, but we could tell it happened pretty regularly. I began to realize that these boys were fending for themselves – a free bath in the rain, and then the hope of some free food in their bag. The risk of getting caught in the dining hall seemed so small compared to the risk of not having food to eat. Ah-Ha! It began to make sense.

We had a good laugh! The thought of naked boys running around in the rain will continue to bring giggles and smiles to our faces. We also got a different perspective of what some of the children in the community go through on a day-to-day basis.