A day of LAUGHTER!

Thursday was one of the best days I have had in the last 8 months! I took six of my students to beach for the afternoon. Every period I try to take some of my students in town as a reward for their hard work, grades, attendance, and behavior. This time I decided we would go to Golden Beach and get pizza. Holly took 6 students in her advisory group also. The students were all so excited!

After the elementary tests on Thursday morning, we loaded the van and headed into Monrovia. When we got to the restaurant, we got tables on the sand so that we could see the ocean. After my students ordered their drinks, we headed down to the water. What started as just putting our feet in, turned into getting soaked. We laughed as we jumped over the waves that came crashing into the shore. A few of my students were eager to go in to about knee level and others were scared that the undertow was going to carry them out to sea. It is very common for the children (and adults) here to be scared of the ocean, and some of that fear is because most of them cannot swim. I was determined to help ease their fears, but also keep them safe. Two of my girls held my hands the entire time. The undertow was strong and sometimes we fell when the waves went back out. The girls squeezed my hands so tight and we laughed as we tried to stand back up. Needless to say, by the time our food came out we were soaking wet.

We sat down and enjoyed soft drinks, pizza, and french fries. This was the first time that my students have ever tried pizza. Some of them really liked it, and others not so much. The french fries were a hit! They were gone in about 5 minutes. It was so fun to just watch them eat. Although I used my hands, they all attempted to use their forks and knives, which I thought was so cute. Most of them gave up after the first try, but one of my little girls was determined. She leaned over to me and said, "Look Ms. McInvale! I am an American woman." Our whole table started laughing. She told me and the others that we were Liberians because we were using our hands. It was so much fun to just hang out with them outside of school. These are my favorite times with my students.

After we stuffed ourselves full, they were so eager to go back out and play in the ocean. This time Holly and the older students came too. We walked down by the rocks and took pictures. My students slowly started taking off layers of clothes. Some were down to their underwear. There are still times that I forget how common that is here. I was surprised to watch the older students sit down in the water in their uniforms. They were smart enough to bring a change of clothes, unlike the little ones. Oh well!

I felt like a little girl on Thursday. I didn't care about getting my clothes wet and dirty. We held hands and ran on the sand without a care in the world. It was so peaceful. No one wanted to leave. It was such a great day!

Check out my pictures!

Easter 2010: An Affirmation of Faith

On Easter Sunday we attended Monrovia Christian Fellowship with some of our friends. This church was different then any other church we have been to in Liberia. It was a much larger- close to about 400 people. The service only lasted for a little over 2 hours and included most of the basic elements that I am used to. There was no African music., but instead we sang and heard many contemporary praise and worship songs that are popular in the US. There was even powerpoint! For the first time, Holly and I were not the only white people in church. There were about 20 Americans and Europeans who attended the Easter service. My first impression of this church was similar to what I call a “mega church” in the US. I walked through the doors expecting a new and different experience. In some ways it was and in some ways it was not.

There was a part of me that really missed the little African church that I have become used to in the last eight months. There was also a part of me that liked the little things that reminded me of home. I loved being able to sing songs that I knew and follow along with unfamiliar songs on the screen. I really enjoyed having my own chair and not being super crowded on a wooden bench. I was grateful to have space so that I was not sweating the entire service. I was thankful that they only took up one offering and it only lasted about 5 minutes. It was both weird and amazing to sit in a Liberian church, led by Liberians, and forget that I was in Liberia.

My absolute favorite part of this church and this particular service was the choir and praise team. There are no words to describe African voices singing in unison. Although the songs were American, the voices were definitely Liberian. They sing so loud and so beautifully. Music has always been my favorite element of worship, and experiencing church in Liberia has given that a whole new meaning. I had almost forgotten that it was Easter Sunday, and then the choir sang “My Redeemer Lives.”

I have definitely had my share of “God moments” in the last eight months, but this one was unique. As I sat in my chair, with goose bumps down my spine, I had no doubt that Christ was present in that sanctuary, at Ricks Institute, and in the country of Liberia.

I don’t expect anyone to understand this, but I have felt closer to God in the last eight months than I have in my entire life, and this Easter confirmed that. There is something so special about this place that I am not sure I will ever be able to explain. To be surrounded by people who have experienced poverty to the extreme, absolute destruction caused by war, and real hunger, can sometimes be overwhelming. But to be in a room, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ with them, was life changing. I will always remember Easter Sunday in 2010 as a day that affirmed my faith.

The Ricks Olympics!

For the first time since the war, Ricks Institute hosted 16 schools from across the country to participate in the Ricks Olympics on March 26th and 27th! This two day event consisted of male football (soccer), female kickball, and male and female basketball. The theme for the event was to bring youth together through sports. The students were all encouraged to accept the results of the games and just have fun. They were told that the Olympics is not about winning and losing, but about coming together to support youth development. By doing this, they were all winners! The Ricks campus was packed with over 1,000 students ready to compete. The dorms and guest houses were full, and the excitement was unescapable.

There were two major sponsors that made this event possible. Lonestar Cell contributed close to $15,000 to the repairs of the basketball court and snack shop. They also provided scoreboards and prepared the fields for both football and kickball. Coca Cola set up stations around campus, selling cold soft drinks and water. All of the proceeds went to Ricks Institute. These two companies really played a huge role in the Olympics.

School was cancelled on Friday, and the games began around 10:30 am. The Dragons defeated their opponents in every sport on Friday. The Dragon pride was contagious. Friday night was the Kick-off for the Miss Ricks Beauty Pageant. The auditorium was packed with students excited to see the contestants show off their stuff. After a long day, we were exhausted, but ready for another full day on Saturday.

Unfortunately, Saturday was not as victorious for the Ricks Dragons. The football and kickball teams lost in the semi-finals, but both teams played hard and did well. Our girls lost their first basketball game in the finals of the tournament. We lost to N.E. Gibson, a team that was much taller, bigger, and stronger than ours. Three of our starters had just played in the kickball game minutes before, and needless to say, they were exhausted. The heat was draining and the energy level was low. Our girls played hard at the beginning of the game and were only down by 5 at the half. The second half just kind of went down hill, and our girls just gave up. There were a lot of factors that contributed to our loss, but we were disapointed in the way the girls played. I think the loss was good for our team. The girls needed a motivator to show them that they need to work hard at practice. They all left the game upset by the loss, but I am hoping that they have the determination and drive to improve. N.E. Gibson was a good team and they deserved to win the trophy, but I know that our girls can beat them. I hope that we will have a chance to play them again in the high school tournament.

The highlight of the Olympics was the finals of boys basketball. The Dragons male basketball team has been working very hard for the last month. They were determined to win the Olympics. All of their hard work paid off, and they won the final game by a large margin. The court was packed with spectators, and when the final whistle blew, the Ricks students celebrated with the team. It was a happy moment for the team and for the rest of the school. It was a great way to end such a great weekend. Go Dragons!