During the first week of our recent trip to Liberia we stayed with missionaries Gary and Tammie and their four young children in their home a few miles outside the capital, Monrovia. Gary is a Pastor from Michigan, USA but currently he is working in a variety of ways to improve the lot of the people of Liberia. He took us to see some of his projects including the Child Survival Orphanage, a desperately poor collection of semi derelict buildings where a Liberian couple are trying to raise 35 orphans (mostly dumped on their doorstep) without any official help whatsoever. We took to the orphanage a large sack of rice, 35 sachets of dried milk (which they suck from the sachet as a treat) and a football and we played football with them for half an hour or so. It was humbling to see how cheerful these children were - they never have enough to eat and have limited prospects for the future. Another project Gary took us to was the refurbishment (virtually rebuilding!) of a village school way out in the bush. The children really want to get an education as a way out of their poverty and, amidst all the dust and rubble, they gave us a great welcome. Gary and his family were informative, hospitable hosts who, despite the heat and humidity, were always cheerful - as the photograph shows. If you would like to help their work, let us know.
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