Smiles

These are from the last time we went to Bonjeh town. ABout a month ago. It's a very remote village. Mercy ship crew originally provided them with a bridge so that they wouldn't be cut off when it rained to hard. Now Sherry goes there about once every other week. She helps with the Birthing clinic.

We take one of the big white landrovers, through huge puddles and over potholes and accross narrow bridges and through the brush. We pass casava fields and womenn washing clothes in huge puddles and as we near the village I hear a chorus of high pitch voices yelling. And then I see them. Huge smiles and glowing eyes and tiny hands waving and little feet jumping up and down and running after us. "Mercy Ships! Mercy ships!" The old people sitting outside shacks smile. And the mothers selling and preparing food, wave.

We park by their small white washed church building. They are building a chicken hutch in the back and there are benches nearby where the mothers sit holding sleeping babies and chatting. We sing songs with them and play games and draw in the sand. We play football (American: soccer.) They show me the school and show off their spelling skills on the chalk board. And then they take me to the birthing clinic that the Duncans just finished painting. And then we go back to the church. One boy starts the rythm and pretty soon a few more boys join in with shakers and smaller drums and I dance with the little girls.

These people have nothing. They throw their arms open and welcome us. Perhaps they welcome us because they have gotten and still expect support and help from us. But I never fail to be surprised by their vitality. Especially the children. Their enthusiasm and smiles.