Reality

This last Sunday I and Sarah and Geneen went to Bonjeh town so Sarah could say goodbye to her namesake. After an extremely bouncy ride with Cherrry driving once again, we finally reached the town and parked by the church just as before. It was so good to see the children's faces again they remembered my name. I think I'm realizing just how true it is that a person's favorite word is their name. When someone knows your name it's like they recognize you as a person and a friend and an individual. And it means allot to me. We all went and visited her namesake who appears just as grumpy as before, but content to let Sarah hold her. Then we all stood in a circle and played duck duck goose. It was so hilarious. As soon as someone was tagged as "goose" the children would simultaneously yell to that child to run and then the circle would implode and we often ended up with several children chasing each other around the circle.

They asked me to draw a butterfly again.

We went to the birthing clinic they have there and we met Martha, the woman that runs it. I got to hold one of the babies, it was so precious. I suppose for every beautiful moment there is a moment of reality. I got baby slime all over me. He had been sleeping and drooling every where and my shoulder was all wet by the time we left. We arrived back in time to work the evening shift.


Monday: We helped paint the clinic. It had been white washed, but not painted. For the first bit I painted the columns and hall walls with a roller. I found my self peering closely at these walls. Sometimes it was difficult to see the difference between the whitewash and the cream colored paint. Around 2 we had a delicious African lunch and met some of the children. I never fail to be impressed with the strength of these people. Those little kids could probably woop my brother. I was impressed by the size and it was fairly light due to the many windows. Oh those windows. They seem to be made of cement block like everything else, but they are cut in almost lace-like designs. In this section of the wall each individual "pane" has a small square attached on each side to an large square, resulting to a total of thirty four tiny sides requiring a proper coat of paint. I felt like I was working in slow motion. But it was rather surreal in a sense. I found my self humming or singing as I dipped the small paint brush into the paint over and over plus I was probably rather woozy on the fumes. I became one of those radio stations that plays the same songs over and over.

Tuesday: We went to Water Side market with Ellen and Amy. Both Amy and Sarah had wanted to go. Both of them are leaving soon, so it was one of those things where they were going to enjoy the things that they've grown to love about Liberia. Like piling into a taxi, and eating rice with palm oil, and bartering with the women who sell lapas. We took a fairly long walk there and then walked up and down the streets. We stopped at many of the places selling run by the Lebanese. Ellen started feeling faint and for good reason. It was her first outing in the African heat. We bought doughnuts and a few cokes. It made me remember the first time I went out to the market. I suppose you just get used to being all sweaty...becoming slightly less prone to exhaustion from the heat. We went back to some of the shops Sarah and I had gone to and I got these amazing butterfly earrings and a gift for Dad. I think he'll really like it. Oh, and I got my "baby-fix" for the day. The other's were bartering over and choosing some fabrics at a nearby stand. I had wondered over to a stand where a couple stood holding their tiny baby. I couldn't resist asking how old, boy or girl, name. They were very sweet and all smiles and let me hold that little bundle. Some of the children here are afraid of white people. They run and hide or simply scream. I wondered if that child would be terrified of me in later years, or if holding it made any difference. So before long we were all clustered around taking turns holding this tiny baby.
And then we got a taxi ride and ate lunch at the Love restaurant. Love greeted us and we had palm oil with casava and fish over rice. It was really delicious. I think Ellen really enjoyed it. She seemed genuinely happy about the entire trip. I loved it. And then we went back...home. There I said it. I keep thinking of it but not saying it because I'm scared to get too attached.
Too Late
I guess there's nothing wrong with having two homes. When I look at these people, it's like I'm seeing humanity as it really is. Harsh and cruel and beautiful and fighting for life. No escapade or masquerade or covering up how it is. Maybe reality is wherever you're at, so for me it's right here.