Fri-Tuesday-catchup

I have become more and more aware of just how much this is a land of contrasts. People with nothing in the way of furniture sell rows and rows of leather couches. People wear these intricately woven and embroidered clothes; these dresses of beautiful bright vibrant colors-but they go home to shacks smaller than my bedroom. Shacks that flood every time it rains. Shacks made of tin and rags and palm branches. Some of the really nice ones are made of cement blocks. These people live in such squalor and yet they have a kind of grace about them. The way they carry themselves. People walk with a purpose and sit without any. We go to the beach and pass people sitting on the side of the road talking. Or sitting with a small radio pressed against their ear. Or sitting and staring with a kind of blank expression at the passing traffic. 5 hours later we pass them again on our way back.

Friday: Before going to white sands beach there was this announcement that "all crew of the Africa Mercy are to report to the International Lounge immediately." Just minutes before hand the captain had been notified that the minister of health of Liberia was coming with some members of the press to refute a rumor that has been going around about Mercy Ships.

About a week ago an article was published in a newspaper here that Mercy Ships kills people to take vital organs and then sell them. One of the people that screen people had a little boy come up to him saying that he had an uncle that wanted to sell his kidney. When they went to investigate, they realized that they were planning on selling the kidney of a retarded child. The minister apologized profusely and stated that it was an embarrassment to Liberia. he also reminded us that people who are used to a land filled with war sometimes have mentalities that are out of wack. Please pray that God would keep all the people involved with Mercy Ships safe as well as stifle this rumor that threatens to prevent people coming for help.

Afterwards, we went to White Sands Beach. It was insane. We passed through this refugee camp filled with chickens and children and puddles and dust. But when we got there it was like a resort. Waves crashing against rocks that seemed to guard the beach. A single fishing boat. Tables and chairs and umbrellas and cokes.

Geneene and I had a blast. We spent hours splashing in the waves and talking. I'm very thankful that she's staying for 6 months too. My current cabin mates include Geneene, Sarah, Alice, Cindy, Dorothy, Amy and Emily. And two more are coming in a few days. Despite the constant ebb and flow of people we've definitely had some roommate bonding experiences. Like the time there were seven girls squished on to my bed to watch a chick flick. Or last night when we were all planning to watch a movie but we ended up sitting around till twelve swapping funny stories. Sarah told us of how she used to scare people by lying in the hallways imitating someone fallen from an air vent. She does a really good impression. It's hilarious. Geneene told us of their crazy neighbor. It went on and on-I think by the end all our stomachs hurt from laughing so much.

Saturday: the Craft market. They advertise their wares with a kind of desperate energy and make us promise to come back. But they don't believe that we will. They have these amazing hand carvings made of ebony. At some points it shines a deep impenetrable black and at other points there is an abrupt change to a blond color wood. They have these carvings of women carrying water jugs on their heads. These carvings are so thin and tall-with flowing lines. There is no denying it is an art. They also make these miniature hippos and elephants and turtles. Some paint: I was struck by a particular one. It was of this beautiful woman. Beads around her neck and her dark hair shining. And her face (all but her eyes) is covered by this wood bowl. It was Africa starving.

They also sell various kinds of cloth-some embroidered with sequins-others with designs and flowers and some are just plain. Bone napkin holders-necklaces made of shells and glass beads and chips made from fried bananas. I bought nothing and plan to go back now that I know what they have. What do you all want for Christmas?-seriously

After the Craft market we went to Mama Fatu's orphanage again to give the children the pictures that Lydia had taken. They loved it. They remembered my name! I played soccer with some of the young boys. And then we played this game where you toss the ball to each other. They kept dropping the ball to somehow give me more points. I started dropping the ball to give them more points. It didn't work. They wanted to hear more about where I lived on Mercy Ships and if Lydia was in an airplane and all the little girls tried to plait my hair. I love them all and will come back.

That night there was a talent show and all the dining room staff walked in with trays of candy to hand out to the tune of "Be Our Guest" from the little Mermaid and the boys (aka John, Bates and Dotty) filled bowls with shaving cream and pied three people in the face. They also did this crazy sailor song for another act.

I was so exhausted but ended up swapping stories with the other girls in our cabin. And then blissful sleep...

Sunday morning....I was working with their dining room team (Bates and I traded so he could work today while I babysat for the Davies.)

I roll out of bed stumble around trying to get ready and eventually show up at seven for work.

7:00...No one there

OK I can deal with this...start the dishwashers..load a tray of snack dishes...

7:15...No one there

This is a really bad practical joke maybe they got up and got everything ready and went back to bed

7:25..No one there

AAAAh...ok..ok..I can't call there rooms-I don't know last names-are they all going off of one alarm?...the cupboards are still locked...where's the key?! In a nearby room:

"Amanda, I'm sorry I now you're leaving today... your not working..but no ones up there and I traded with Bates and I don't know how to contact them and....

Well I'm alive to tell the story. That night there were 50 people arriving so the dishes just kept coming.

Monday was my first day being team leader. Becca left that day. It was a long weekend so we didn't work lunch and we all went to this really nice restaurant. They served African food. But it was all very westernized and the music was English. I have to admit that i enjoyed the experience of a "real African" restaurant better. Maybe it was the crampedness or the way it smelled or the thatched walls etc. But it was a very nice restaurant. It was kind of a goodbye party for Becca. Some of the staff at my end of the table began telling how they got involved in Mercy Ships. it is so crazy how god has pursued all of us. These people remind me so much of the Young Life staff. Their crazy sense of humor-their tendencies of throwing things at each other-their love for God.
Oh, speaking of Young Life...I met this guy here named Tim B...b something or other. Anyway-he's going to this Young Life meeting here and invited me to come next Sunday. It was really exciting for me. I had met people who had heard of Young life but no one that was actually involved with it. I had told him that I live in the Adirondack mountains in New York. and I told him about Saranac..Well eventually we realized that he had been weorking at Lake Champion. It was so cool to think that there's Young Life here.
Well, I survived my first day being team leader...

Today, Tuesday I had a day off. Bates was working my shift all day since I was babysitting for the Davies family. That means I got to sleep in. :) At least till 7:00am. I babysat this little boy named Luke. He is two years old and very good. He can get crazy at times, but he is usually very mellow. We took a walk on the dock and he splashed in puddles and then we spent several hours in the Library playing with their little Noah's Ark toys. He's very cute. I ended at lunchtime. It was really nice to have the rest of the day off. Thank you so much for your letters. They're so special. I've been writing some back. I guess it just seems more personal when it's a letter. But warning: don't send me letters if you want me to read it within two weeks. But I did love them. It doesn't even have to have writing in it-just a drawing or a fun quote. Love you all so much..Don't get too scared..most of my posts wont be this long :)