Blog

Last week Matt and I had the opportunity to travel eight hours down the coast to Greenville, Sinoe. Our purpose was to check out the project that our friends from Hunger Pillar Mission had started. We attempted the trip before, but our flight was cancelled due to lightning. This time, we decided to go by land and carry with us three pigs for the project.

If you've followed our blog for any length of time, you've probably gotten to know some of our amazing staff. These dedicated men and women are on the front lines in Liberia -- building, teaching, treating, loving.

Now we need reinforcements. Some of our staff are leaving the field after years of faithful service, and we need your help to find the next generation of dynamic, passionate, and professional Orphan Relief and Rescue staff.

I first met the kids at Children Future, in Kakata, in 2007. They were being evicted from their rented home in just a few weeks, and their new dormitory was nowhere near completion. Orphan Relief and Rescue committed to helping them finish their home before their eviction, even though some of what they had built needed to be torn down to make it safe for the kids to live in. Our skilled masons worked hard to meet their deadline, and the building was ready for the kids to move in just before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we delivered bunk beds, mattresses, and mosquito nets for everyone.

Last Friday was a holiday here in Liberia, and some new friends of ours at the U.S. Embassy wanted to surprise 30 kids with handmade, one-of-a-kind teddy bears courtesy of Mother Bear Project.

Little did they know that they were in for a surprise themselves! The kids wouldn't let their new friends leave without giving them an amazing cultural presentation. The children sang, danced, drummed, and even showed off their spelling skills. (Special thanks to Martin for including my name as one of his words!)

Ludo (commonly called ‘parcheesi’) is an extremely popular board game here in Liberia. The older boys at Fatu’s orphanage play it constantly. These past few weeks, I’ve taken the time to learn the game and play with them. As they beat me, the boys always "lecture" me about life, politics, and football. Just recently we’ve expanded into subjects like God, the Bible, and church.  

Unfortunately, seeing malnourished and suffering children is part of life in Liberia. It is our vision at Orphan Relief and Rescue to be a voice with action for orphans that no one else will help. Being that voice is not always easy, but it is necessary. Being that voice has given Korpu a new chance at life. 

All this week, we are celebrating Easter with the children who participate in the Child Development Program. It is our prayer that the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection will come alive for these kids as we tell the Easter story in a fun, new, and exciting way.

The Child Development Program Bible Contest started a few months ago as a challenge for the older kids at one of the homes we work with. In order to answer questions and fill out worksheets during small group time, they had to look up different Scriptures. The problem, however, was that there just wasn’t enough Bibles to go around. So, we started bringing Bibles to the home whenever we’d meet for small groups, and then all the kids were asking to keep them. Mariel told them she’d gladly give them one of their own–but they’d have to earn it.

Orphan Relief and Rescue’s mission is to be a voice with action for orphans that no one else will help. We are advocates for every child living in an orphanage in Liberia--usually that means supporting orphanages that are doing their best for the kids. Sometimes, however, that means finding a way out for children caught in bad orphanages.

Last month I told you about the opportunity three boys had to receive hernia repair surgeries, free of charge from Children’s Surgery International. Jeremiah, Fumbeh and Joshua all live in different orphanages, so they do not get to see each other. They spent three days together in the hospital and really hit it off. Apparently, bonding happens quickly when you are having surgery and eating chocolate pudding together. Every time I have visited their respective homes, I have been bombarded with questions about their new friends.