I saw a snake and a bullet shell on the road...

Sorry about the disgusting story of my 24 hour illness in the last post. I should have given a warning. I don't think it was very graphic, but maybe for some it was a little TMI. But you must also always remember... TIA.

I like answering your questions!

What is the game that you hinted about like? Ball or no ball?

No ball. Just lines on the ground and your body. It's a tagging type game. Think something like sharks and menos, but with more rules and restrictions.



What's your funniest blunder you have had so far?

I'm not sure off the top of my head... Probably my choking on a fish bone or my continuous inability to understand them, even when they are same something as "hello." Just now a group of grass cutters were giving me a thumbs up and said something, and I couldn't understand them, eventually one of them yelled more clearly hello. They had been yelling hello to me over and over. BTW, many times a greeting from far away takes the form of a thumbs up, and 'grass cutter' as I have just named them are guys with bent-tipped machettes that they swing back and forth to cut the grass. Takes five guys an entire day what would take one guy in an hour or so on a lawn mower.



Who loves you best in Jerry's family?

Hmmm, that might be a toss up between Jonathan the second oldest (12 years old I believe) and Peace (just graduated kindergarten). Jonathan looked the saddest that I was leaving for a week to go to Ganta, but Peace is always the one most excited to see me in the mornings and when I return home from being in Monrovia for the day. Then again, Jerruth (Kathy is that correct spelling?) (only daughter, about 9 years old. her name is a mix of Jerry and Ruth [Jerry's wife]) might play like she could care less if I'm in the room, she is constantly working for my attention and watching me ever so closely. I think secretly she loves me.



Are you going to get to go and see some of the wild critters?

I suppose you are referring to a safari of sorts, whether it be formal or informal. I'd like to think I won't have time for a formal day of safariing, because I'll be so busy doing great works. But if a crazy informal safari happens outside of my control I won't complain. I love a good story.

Though, I must share that I saw a monkey on the beach! One of those awesome little ones with the curled tail. The kind I always dreamed of having as a pet when I was younger. Well yeah, apparently it is not uncommon for someone in Africa to have one for a pet. In fact Jonathan informed me they did use to own one. I was upset that the Kulah's no longer did, but sadly it died.



Do you ever truly get home sick?

I miss things about home, but I don't get the home sick pangs where I can basically feel the sadness in my body.

Sadly I do find myself looking back on my time here and think, has it really only been 2 weeks, because it has felt much longer. Is it really 7 more weeks, because that seems so far away. I feel bad saying that, but I blame it on the fact I haven't had some work here that I can settle into and call 'my work', because I'm jumping around so much. It's like a too long vaccation, because on vaccation you know it's temporary so you don't fully make it home sense you don't own anything (not in the financial sense). And so sense I can't get settled down to call home one place and a certain task or role to call my own, it all seems to drag. I envy my new German friends, because there entire time they have been in one community and only having one role (with many task). I have rambled off course, but I hope that brings light to my situation.



How have you felt God's presence the strongest?

When I first read that question I wasn't sure I had an answer cause nothing came to mind. Then as I was answering the above question it hit me, probably the Youth Camp where within a short amount of time I made a lot of new relationships and considering I usually find God most in relationships with people. So any time I find a genuine connection with someone despite age, origin, background. Now what is God using me for in those relationships? Am I even following His will so to speak? I have no clue, but I have to have faith something good can/could/will come of it some how.
I've also made a lot of great connections and relationships here in Ganta so far too, so this might challenge my short Youth Camp adventure. I really don't want to leave Ganta come Sunday, but it's my only ride back to Monrovia and I'm told I have to return to keep with whatever schedule they have me on.

This seems like a good transition into what I did in Ganta today...
Let's see Wolf took me to look at some snail houses today. They raise snails and eat them here. But really the only snail houses are privately owned. So Wolf's last project he has given himself for his time here is to design and build a snail house for the compound, and it is his hope that the carpenters here will pick up his plans and ideas and build a bunch of house, so then they can use the snails as a way to raise a little bit of revenue for the ministries here.

I also went to the short term missions house where Lisa is working on decorating the inside to liven it up. She claims not to be artistic, but she's got the heart. I, being the brother of an interior designer, lended a helping hand in painting some artwork on the walls and adding some advice on how they could possibly make things a little more appealing. They kept describing it as "ugly" and making these digusted faces, to where you would think they were describing a pile of poop. I think it is their lack of other english words and their German ways, because it really wasn't that bad. Reminded me of public class rooms just without the cheesy educational/motivational posters.

Then I had a meeting with the District Superintendent of the Gompa district (which I'm in). I really should stop having meetings with higher ups in the ministry ladder or otherwise I'm going to think I'm important or something. I'm actually being serious to exstint, not about my issue with pride, but to the point of I feel I need to see othersides to the picture. But for more on that ask me when I get home. I'm still doing research for these thoughts. Anyways said research led me to respect a certain rude white lady I live with more (I'm telling you this lady looks like the female version of later movie Dumbledore).

I got totally off topic.

Anyways, I met with the DS and the youth pastor of the local church, which is the biggest in the district. We talked for about an hour on all sorts of things like me, them, Liberia, youth ministry, seminaries, American church/Liberian church. In the end they invited me to come to their youth/young adults service thing they put on Friday nights, and I am to speak. They said I have an hour to just do whatever I want, oh my. I decided, base on our conversation, that I would talk about how we do youth ministry in America and mention my limited impressions of their youth ministry, and then allow plenty of time for questions, because I have a feeling they will ask away. And given the right questions I'm sure I could talk their ear off.

I decided during my meeting that I would see if Wolf and Lisa wanted to come along, considering that youth pastor said she was surprised they never came by. I know Wolf had told me he was interested in being apart of more traditional ideas of 'ministry' while he was here, so I saw this as a great opportunity to include him.
But better yet I was already thinking of a great talk he could give to the youth next friday if he wanted to. It involved capentree (since he's a carpenter), Jesus (a carpenter), disciplines (like patience, ect. that I have learned about through Wolf and listening to his interactions with the other carpenters), and the Christian walk. Trust me it's a great talk/sermon waiting to be realized. I informed Wolf later of my idea and he looked terrified. I went into fully explaining how it would go and hoped he'd catch my excitement, but that only scared him more. Him and Lisa said I should just do it, because I clearly already had the idea well developed. I was hoping to push him out of his box, but he won't have it, so I backed off. I clearly misunderstood him when he said he wanted to be apart of some ministry, he explained he'd rather just help on the side lines. Honorable, humble Wolfgang. I love him. Either way, it's a nifty idea and I hope to use one day, even I just hold up a picture of my german carpenter friend.

I always feel like there is so much more I want to tell you people, even though I've already typed so much so quickly.

I really want to post an update with a lot of pictures and hopefully I can when I return to Monrovia.

Thanks for all the prayers and messages you people!

- Uncle Joshua