.Real.Greg.Lee.

I’m getting a few text message updates form Liberia.  That’s it.  (The picture is from last year’s trip).  I wish it was more and I’m more addicted to that text notification on my phone than usual.  Anything that happens with our team is personal to me, but it is accelerated another level because Jenny is there.

So far…here is what I’ve been able to discern:

-They essentially had a two day delay in arriving (read those stories in previous posts), but when they landed they were not missing a single bag.  (I can’t even get that done flying around here!).

-They got to ELWA (essentially an old retreat center where the team is staying/sleeping).  But ELWA was without electricity.  Very common in Liberia.  They expected it to be solved within a day.  That just means no AC from their window units (It’s 91 degrees there today) and showers in the dark.  They also had one of their 3 vehicles breakdown, but none of those details apparently mattered in comparison to the incredible welcome service the Liberians put on for them.  With all the struggles they have faced, Jenny said, “All worth it after the welcome tonight!”

-The shortened schedule means things are more intense.  The first sessions of their leadership development training went very well (46 leaders from 7 churches across Liberia came for this!) and they did Vacation Bible School with hundreds of kids in a make-shift setting.  The Water System work is challenging because of some communication mix-ups, but the result is always the same…more people with disease-free water available to them…gotta love that.

-I mentioned in one service Sunday a team member essentially invented a “Solar refrigerator” and is installing it on this trip.  Our Missionary in Liberia has diabetes and the unreliable electricity has made it a huge struggle to keep him healthy because the insulin we supply has to stay cool to be useful.  It just reminds me how basic stuff here is a big deal there.  //Update:  Just learned that Scott and Jeff successfully installed this today!

-Thanks for all of you who contributed things to go in the container last Summer.  They are being used today for the good of the Liberian people on the other side of the world.

Stop and pray for the team and the Liberian people when you have a chance.  They are 6 hours ahead of us if you want to envision/pray for what they are doing.  Mornings and afternoons there is Leadership Development.  Afternoons are VBS.  Meals are a chance to interact with Liberians.  Water System install is happening constantly.  Evenings are prep for the next day and some time for the team to reflect on their experience together.

~ by Greg Lee on February 25, 2010.

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