Pictures!

Ok, so... Everyone has been asking to see pictures, and I realize that not everyone has facebook. I have created an album using Picasa. You will find the link to my pictures on my blog homepage under "helpful links". I will try to keep these pictures updated and post when I add new albums.  

A little update...

Things are going very well. Holly and I are slowly getting adjusted. We went into Monrovia today with Olu to do some shopping, and see some historical landmarks. Liberian English is becoming easier to understand by the day, and we are constantly meeting new people. Mally is a high school student here at Rick's who is going to help us learn to cook Liberian food, and wash our clothes in a bucket. We are very excited!

Look forward to more pictures soon!

Party Time!

Well... the party on Saturday night was really cool. It was a farewell party for Meg E. Riggs, who works at the US Embassy with education. The party was in the Embassy compound at Hannah and Graham's house. They also work for the US Embassy. The compound was right off the Atlantic coast, and we could hear the waves from the porch. This was a neat experience, and one that allowed Holly and I to meet some Americans who are living in Monrovia. They were all very friendly. Some of them had a hard time understanding why we would come to Liberia voluntarily for a year. Holly and I enjoyed telling them our story and why we are here. They have all heard of Rick's Institute, and speak very highly of the school. Meg and her husband, Gib, have been here for 4 years. They are moving to Washington DC for 6 months for language training before they begin their next assignment. We stayed at the party pretty late, and were exhausted when we got back to the guest house. 

On Sunday we slept until almost 1:00pm. This allowed us to catch up on all of our lost sleep from traveling. We came over to the school at 2:45 for Closing Convocation that started at 3:00pm. This was very much like a graduation ceremony, only without the diplomas. In Liberia, promotion is based on standardized test scores. There is a rule in place that no students are allowed to graduate until the test scores are received back by the school. So legally Rick's Institute was not allowed to hold graduation, since they do not have the test scores back. Olu was telling us that by having "Closing Convocation" it was like a protest. The students were each presented with an empty diploma cover, the senior class president gave his speech, and the ceremony went on like a normal graduation would. Olu and many other expressed their frustration, to the overly crowded room, about the law concerning the test scores. The argument is that the test should not be the only standard that determines if a student can graduate. Some of the students are A students but do not perform well on the tests, and therefore are not allowed to graduate. I will be interested to see how the testing process works this upcoming school year. 

Closing Convocation was an amazing experience! Holly and I were guests of honor, and we sat on the stage with the guest speakers and faculty. I spent most of the 3 hour ceremony "people watching" from my seat. From my seat you would see the graduates on the left, the school choir on the right and rows and rows of family of friends in the audience. People were so dressed up. Most of them were all in their native dress. The clothes are beautiful! We sang hymns, listened to speeches, and heard an amazing performance by the school choir. As people left the convocation, most of them were dancing and singing in their native language. It was so cool! I feel like this day formally began our time here at Rick's Institute!

This is my life now!

WOW! We are finally here, and thank God that all of our luggage made it too! We left Orlando at 12:40pm on Thursday, August 20th and arrived in Liberia Friday around 7:30pm via Chicago and Brussels. We were welcomed at the airport by Olu Q. Menjay, the principal at Rick's Institute, and his wife. We drove about 40 miles into Monrovia, where we ate at a Lebanese restaurant inside a hotel. Holly, Olu, and myself all ordered Chicken Liberian Style. That means Spicy! haha. It was actually very delicious. We got to Rick's around 10:30ish, and immediately got settled into the guest house. Holly and I unpacked a little and went to sleep. It had been a long 24 hours of travel and we were exhausted. However, it did take time falling asleep with no air conditioner. We are learning very quickly that life here is very different than what we are used to at home. 

This morning Holly and I woke up at 7:45am. We realized in a matter of minutes that there was no running water. This meant taking a "shower" with a bucket. This was definitely a new experience, and a challenging one. We also had an encounter with a HUGE spider. After about 15 minutes of getting over our fear, we finally killed it. We both laughed at the thought that we were already freaking out about a spider. It will be interesting to see where we are 10 months from now.

We met Olu at 9:00am and were given a tour around campus. We had seen many pictures, but it is amazing how different it looked in person. Later this afternoon we were taken to the grocery store in Duala Market. This was an experience!! People crowded the streets, going from vender to vender. Taxi's cut in and out of lanes, and police officers guided traffic. I have never seen anything like it. I will honestly say that I was a little scared, or maybe way outside my comfort zone is a better way to say it. 

Now we are back on campus, getting ready to attend a farewell party of a friend of the Menjay's. I will try to update again in the next few days, when I have more time.

Commissioning at College Park Baptist Church

Sunday was an amazing day! Friends and family were in town for the weekend, and I was commissioned along with 3 other people from CPBC. My grandmother reminded me that I was the 4th generation to be a member of College Park Baptist Church. This church family has made a huge impact on my life in so many ways. I am very grateful to have grown up in a church that values missions as a top priority. On Sunday I had the honor of being commissioned to Liberia by this amazing church. It was a very special day. I feel so blessed to have family and friends that are so supportive of my calling. 

My step-cousin Katie came from NC! Love her!

My mom and brothers!

My dads side of the family!

It is hard to believe that Holly and I leave in 3 DAYS! We are both very excited. On Sunday, I gave the church several prayer requests that I would like to share with you all as well. 

1. Pray for mine and Holly's health and safety while we are gone.

2. Pray that I will have patience and an open mind to learn in a culture that is very different than what I am used to. 

3. Pray that the Liberian government will remain stable

4. Pray that Christ will be seen in me as I build relationships

5. Pray that God will be the center and focus of all the we say and do.

Thank you so much for all of your love and support!!

It is all becoming REALITY!

Well, camp is officially over for both me and Holly. Holly got into Birmingham around noon today and leaves for Tampa (her home) tomorrow morning. It has been nice for us to spend the day together debriefing camp, and making plans for the next year of our lives. AAHH! Yes, the reality has finally set in. The "goodbyes" have started, tears come and go, but the excitement and anticipation only increases as we get closer to our departure date!

Holly and I will both be home in Florida for a few weeks before we leave. I will make the long drive to Orlando on Saturday with my dad, who is coming to help me move. The boxes and tubs are already taking over my apartment. I don't think dad knows what he is getting into! woops! I am excited about spending some time with my family and friends before this big transition. I am looking forward to a trip to the beach and some of Nanny's cooking! My extended family is coming in town for my commissioning service on August 16th at my home church, College Park Baptist. This will be a special time for all of us.

The big day has finally been set for August 20th. Holly and I will both fly out of Orlando, make stops in New York and Brussels, and then arrive in Monrovia, Liberia on August 21st around 5:00pm. Whew! Can't wait!

25 DAYS!! 

Can't Sleep

It is 2:00am. Why am I not asleep? I am lying in my bed, trying to take my mind off of everything I have to do in the next few weeks... doctors appointments, packing, saying goodbyes, etc. It is an overwhelming mix of emotions.

I just got back from camp late Sunday evening. Once again I was reminded that God works in mysterious ways... ways that I cannot even begin to understand. I left Crossville, TN with a support system that is beyond words. People that I have known for years, and people I had just met, were all so encouraging. I have realized over the last few months that asking for help is not always easy. I was amazed at the response I got when I finally said the words "I cannot do this alone. I need your help." People were stopping me left and right, wanting to know what they could do to support me. Since I got back I have received many emails and facebook messages from people that want to be involved in my journey. Jesus makes it very clear that we are to be fully dependent on God, and work interdependently with one another. I am learning this in an incredible way. 

Many of you are asking how you can help. To be honest, right now Holly and I are both in the middle of raising support. With the economy the way it is, it is hard to ask for money or to even think that people have the resources to give. I still don't know where all of the money is going to come from, but I am faithful. 

I would like to ask you all to please pray for Holly and I as we prepare for this 10 month journey together. Pray that we will be open to all that God has in store for us. Pray that the financial resources will be there, and that we will have all the materials needed to fulfill this position.

If you would like to help me or Holly by giving a financial contribution to our ministry, please see the below information:

 Please have contributions sent to:
 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
 ATTN: Becky Buice Green
2930 Flowers Road S
Suite 133
Atlanta, GA  30341
 
The project number 87602 needs to be ON the check – with a note attached that says Ann Elizabeth McInvale.   

Thank you to each one of you who are already supporting me! Words cannot describe how grateful I am. You are a blessing in my life!

Student.Go Orientation

Well... a lot has happened since my last post. My last day of school with my students was Thursday, May 21st. It was much harder than I ever expected. Very bittersweet! The last two years have been transformational. I feel so blessed to be a part of the Shades Mountain Elementary School family. I could not have asked to work with a more supportive faculty and administration. I know that some of them will continue to be lifelong friends. My students have inspired, challenged, and stretched me. I love them all, and have learned so much from each of them. 

After school ended, I didn't have much time to catch my breath before Student.Go orientation. We began with dinner on Wednesday, May 27th, and finished with lunch on Saturday, May 30th. There are 42 students/young adults serving through the Student.Go program this year. I really enjoyed making friends who are answering a similar calling. Many of them are volunteering in the following locations this summer: Miami (Touching Miami with Love), Arkansas (Helena), DC, China, Uganda, Brussels, Alabama (Perry County), Virginia, New York, California (Freemont), Liberia, etc. Please join me in praying for them.

Most of the weekend was spent getting to know our team. I feel so blessed to be going to Liberia with Holly Wegman (in the picture above). Holly and I both work for Passport camps over the summer, but have never been on the same team. Our friendship has developed and grown since February, when we both answered our call to this position. Holly will be teaching 7th-9th grade Math and Bible classes, and I will be teaching 2nd grade. These four days allowed us the opportunity to learn more about our personality types, set goals, pray together, and talk about preparations for the next year of our lives. After orientation, Holly stayed with me in Birmingham until she left for camp today. We had lots of bonding time! Please keep her in your prayers as she begins camp this week. She is the director of Passport Missions at Mercer University. It is an exhausting, but a very fun and rewarding job!

As for me... I am finally catching my breath and getting ready to begin my 5th summer with Passportkids on Friday, June 12th. Hard to believe it has been five years, but it is a ministry I love! 

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers as this journey is becoming reality! Keep the prayers coming!