“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house…when you see the naked, to cover him; and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn and your recovery will speedily spring forth, and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 58:6-8

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Ricks Institute in Liberia.

The school was badly damaged during the war, but is now being rebuilt and is looking great!

During our few weeks there, we were were able to teach an HIV/AIDS class, lead devotions, work with the teachers, and help develop a Bible curriculum.

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December 1st, World AIDS Day.

Students who participated in a special HIV/AIDS class prepared a program for the entire school.

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Everyone was given red ribbons to wear

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Drama by the students

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Shelah teaching a special class on HIV/AIDS

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Jade working with the students

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Consider the following comment that was written on a piece of paper and handed to us. “In our West African setting it is very hard to abstain from sex if you are a girl…we have no choice. This is because many of us live on our own and must support ourselves, also because of the war and poverty…” It was truly difficult to teach how the students needed to protect themselves from being infected with HIV when many girls have little to no freedom to make their own choices.

The students were very open to talk, to learn and to ask questions. Many of them asked if AIDS was real, or just an invented tale to scare them. They asked why the antiretroviral treatment is not freely available since AIDS is killing so many people in Africa. They also wanted to know how to care for people living with AIDS. On December 1st they prepared a special program for World AIDS Day with dramas and speeches and pinned red ribbons on the entire student body.

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It is difficult to imagine what it must be like to be a young girl living in Liberia struggling to get an education…or to be a young boy trying to recover from the trauma of a terrible war…or to be a teacher who has a very small salary, no books to teach from, and a family to support. At times it is too overwhelming to think about. It is much easier to focus on our own “needs” and escape back into our little protected world. Sometimes we wish we could ignore the fact that there is a world in need and forget the faces…but it is impossible when you have looked them in the eyes, laughed together, hugged, and promised them that you would tell their story.

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We must not ignore them and we must not forget!!

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Some students bring food to sell at school

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Students playing a form of dodge ball

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Anna-Grace and new friends.

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At a nearby orphanage

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IDP (Displaced Peoples) camp located on Ricks' campus

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Damaged buildings and water system at Ricks

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A young girl carries water to her family

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A local church near Ricks' campus

A local market

Monrovia

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Fuel for vehicles is sold in Mayonaise jars on the side of the road

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Near one of the small damaged buildings on Ricks' campus, CELLCOM, a Liberian mobile phone company, has placed a Cell phone tower. At the base of the tower, the guard designed a nice Christmas sign! It was our one reminder of what time of year it was!