Africa…in bite-sized pieces
I knew I was finally getting back in my normal routine when I found myself doing email well after midnight last night! That’s good for the productivity side of things, but I’m pretty committed to making sure I keep reflecting on Africa as I also re-engage some burning issues around here.
After this post I’ll return to some other subjects, but will keep sharing small pieces of the Africa trip interspersed for weeks…at least. I think the best way to do that is to summarize some different components of the trip. I’ll begin today with the VBS, in my usual bullet-point form:
Things that I’ll never forget about the Vacation Bible School we did at Monrovia United Christian Church.
-400 kids. I didn’t believe when it was predicted before our trip. Let me never doubt Matt Lee or Danny Buegar ever again!
-The line-up outside the gate every afternoon (pic below)…and the dismissal through the gate at the end of every afternoon. I’m not sure it could be called orderly, but it was amazingly smooth once we figured out how Liberian children line up! (Say “get in a line”…nothing. Say “on the line” and you’d think it was bootcamp).
-The setting…sitting on the ground (after we figured out chairs were a bad idea), packed (and I mean packed!) under a canopy, within steps of a fully-funcitoning construction site.
-They got the message. To hear the kids shout out Proverbs 3:5-6 and sing/dance saying “Yes I love my Jesus” meant it was all worthwhile.
-We handed out balloons the first day. I don’t think they had ever seen balloons before. The played with them endlessly. They brought them back the next day. Days later, you’d see a child in the neighborhood playing with the remains of a balloon.
-The kids loved learning Rock, Paper Scissors (that’s what I’m teaching them in the picture above!)
-So impressed with Matt and Terah and Randy and Judy and Michelle and Jenny and Denise…and many others who served with us. Best part was trying to invest in our Liberian helpers with hopes they could lead something like this on their own sometime in the future.
More pics below…
.Real.Greg.Lee. 
Rock, paper, scissors, “listen”! You were so creative. It was a pleasure to serve with you as well. I have spent my day going through my pics and videos. Looking into those childen’s eyes, I realize I left a small piece of my heart in Africa.
I’m with you michelle. Let’s keep looking in the children’s eyes.
Hi Greg…..
Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful journey to Africa. What a testiment these pictures are. I keep looking at the pictures of the children…and I keep looking at the pictures of them…..their sweet, hopeful, innocent faces say it all! I thank you for taking that journey ……