September 30, Liberia

Uploading several photos to the link on the right, from another beautiful walk through Robertsport yesterday. Churches built in the 1800s, an abandoned cultural center, the amazing sea. And Alphanso, one of the Fellows, surfing this morning.

love,

Rachel

September 29, Liberia

Yesterday, as part of our daily Outdoor Movement/Adventure time, we hiked up the hill behind Robertsport to a beautiful and peaceful old Episcopalian mission. The main chapel there is still functioning, looking like something straight from the 1800s in rural New England. (see photos on the link to the right). But most of the rest of the buildings were damaged or destroyed during the war, and just the skeletons remain, ghostly yet majestic looking out over the sea. I want to go back for the Sunday service at some point, just to experience it. And bring a picnic for the lawn overlooking the town and ocean. And do yoga on the wrap-around porch. And renovate one of the buildings and start a yoga center. But one step at a time.

The hospital, St. Timothy's, is also up there, we walked around it and observed the nurses' quarters and saw the one "ambulance." Medical treatment is free in Liberia, but you probably get what you pay for...

On the way back down, we ran in to the American doctor/nurse couple running a volunteer organization at the hospital, which was fortuitous because I've been trying to get in touch with them for several days. I want my aunt to come volunteer at the hospital while I am here...we shall see if all the pieces fall in to place for that.

Today, conversations with Timmy and the Fellows about how to make yoga more accessible to the general population here, and what the benefits of yoga are, as they experience them, and who might most benefit from yoga here in Liberia. And how it might be possible to make a "living" by bringing yoga to Africa. A little overwhelming to think about, until I remembered that if the Universe wants that to happen, I will be shown the way if I am willing. I brought The Alchemist here with me, and of course that is the book that Timmy has been wanting to read for years. So relevant to the conversations we are having here with the Fellows about following one's dream, listening within for guidance, and having the courage and will to do what is being asked of you.

A good Learning Circle today, wherein I taught the Fellows the Greek alphabet and we dissected words to find their roots. Opening up the world of words to people is fun for me, but not as fulfilling as the deeper conversation we got to have about the concept of LIGHT (the first Greek root was photos - light). That which brings us from darkness to light - awareness, guidance, willingness to look within...

Sat Nam,

Rachel

September 27, Liberia

Lovely swim yesterday! see photos on link to the right. Nik would NOT get off of the boogie board, and the water was SO warm, you could stay in it all day. mild waves, gentle breeze. even got a ride in a wooden dug-out canoe. Not sure why it's taken me so long to get in the water!

At 2 am this morning, awakened to an odd squealing sound and the sounds of footsteps in the hallway. Got up to find that Bingo the dog had given birth to 5 pups. Photos at the link.

She has been an attentive mother all morning, staying with her babies up on the balcony and gobbling up any food sent her way.

This afternoon, off to watch a soccer match two of the Fellows will be in. Great morning of yoga and classes: poetry, and discussions about Homer's Iliad and how it relates to modern day Liberian politics and recent history. Lots of synergistic connections and comments. So rich.

Nik has now finished all of the Hardy Boys books we brought. Am still looking in to whether the local post office is ever open.

Love,

Rachel

September 26, Liberia

Wow. amazing morning. Our first day of the semester. Everyone up at 5:45, on their new Prana yoga mats. Learning breathing techniques, doing challenging yoga movements (all from the Y.O.G.A. for Youth manual, thank you Krishna Kaur!), singing along, etc. Some really strong yoga students in the group, and others for whom sitting cross legged on the floor is a huge challenge.

Then breakfast on the balcony. Then classes started. I worked with Nik on math while Timmy taught a class on finding your calling. Then I taught a class based on the book Wired for Joy (highly recommended). The Fellows shared so openly and honestly about their own personal experiences of joy and miracles in their lives, as well as despair and disaster. I feel so blessed to be sharing these discussions with them and sharing work to solidify the skills they already have in coping with what life brings. Then a class with Nik and one Fellow on grammar, both of them working together and collaborating. Discussion on the American Civil War and the connections between our countries historically included. Then silent reading time and a fruitful sharing of what each of us are reading, from a manual on sustainable local hydroelectric power, to a story about an American girl born with HIV. Then lunch on the balcony and just enjoying each other's company, listening to one of the Fellow's short wave radio, which he sang along to. I am really feeling the sense of family and connection growing with this group of people.

This afternoon should include my first swim in the ocean since arriving.

Love to you all,

Rachel

September 24, Liberia

Good conversations today.

One with Timmy, the other Learning Circle Guide, from Nigeria, to map out our plans for the daily schedule of classes and activities, how to approach house rules and tasks, etc. It seems as though we will work together very well. He has a lot of energy and enthusiasm and relates well with the Fellows and Staff.

Two Fellows arrived today, Donette and Fitzgerald, who is blind.

Met with Timothy and Essie, as the main Staff members, and worked out our approach to house duties and also how to ensure we have filtered drinking water for everyone.

And, two Americans visited at the house today, one a doctor and his wife a nurse. They are volunteering at the Hospital here in Robertsport and we had very productive discussions about ideas for collaborating. And they consulted on a few health issues here at the house very kindly.

This afternoon, fishing is in the program. The laundry is trying to dry through the fits and starts of rain. Gabriel is having a keyboard lesson out on the balcony. Another full day in Robertsport.

love,

Rachel

September 23, Liberia

Hot, sweaty, sticky and filthy. That's what you get for traveling in to Monrovia. Quite an adventure, from the car having a flat tire the moment it came to get us, to a boot being placed on the car because the driver parked it for 5 minutes in the wrong spot. Went to Stop and Shop...shelves lined with American goods, complete with 30 types of cereal...very expensive, but couldn't help getting the Oreos for Nik and a towel for me (I've been using a hand towel since I've been here). Shopped for papaya and ginger and garlic and tomatoes from the women lining the street...and brought home Timmy, the other person who will be a Learning Circle Guide with me here at Strongheart. He is from Nigeria, and was here a year ago basically starting the program. Everyone was so happy to see him and I'm looking forward to working with him. While I was gone for most of the day, Nik stayed in Robertsport having adventures with the Staff and Fellows here, including being picked up and forcibly removed from the vicinity of a poisonous snake. Glad he was removed from it, not glad that he came close to one. My worst nightmare. Now it is has happened, it doesn't need to happen again.

Beautiful sunny breezy day today. House was cleaned, new sheets on the beds, everything feels fresh and new. And two more Fellows to arrive tomorrow before our group is complete for the moment. I've uploaded some photos under the Liberia Photos link to the right of Nik being tossed in the surf yesterday, along with some neighborhood girls who were along with us.

Happy to be back "home" at Strongheart House.

love,

Rachel

September 21, Liberia

Yesterday afternoon went on a walk along the beach. It was empty of fishermen, their boats all pulled up out of the surf. An incredible sky of pink and blue clouds, with lightning flickering in one far off. It rained hard all last night. We saw a giant (I mean the size of my hand) spider in the bathroom while teeth brushing, and a large green praying mantis in the hall. The roof leaked in a few places, but no damage. This afternoon it is glorious and sunny, there is a pick up soccer game out in the sand in front of the house. Went on a walk in to town with Essie, the cook, to the market for cucumbers and okra. A very moving talk along the way about the empowerment of women, her particular life story (amazingly, no one in her family was even injured during the war, but she saw many terrifying things happening), and our plans for raising chickens at the house and starting a garden nearby. So good to connect with a woman here. In Mali, the language barrier was usually too difficult to overcome since most women hadn't gone to school.

Then a trek in to the forest to a stream where Timothy collects water in plastic jugs for bathing and cooking. Tropical trees and plants overtaking the path and stream. So beautiful and lush. We walked in the stream up the hill a ways, Timothy says far up the hill the stream just gushes out of the ground. Some day we will go all the way up.

Alphanso, one of the Fellows here, recited from memory two of his original poems for me out on the balcony while we were having lunch.

Nik is making lots of friends, boys come to the gate and when they see him shout, "Nik! Nik!" One of his friends got a serious leg wound during a soccer game and Nik brought him up for first aid. I learned my lesson yesterday about giving away books to the neighborhood, (everyone clammering around asking for another) so I had one of the Fellows patch him up so I don't get a reputation as the local free nurse.

Friday we go in to Monrovia to shop for food and pick up the other Learning Circle Guide, Timmy Ogene from Nigeria. Looking forward to starting to teach next week!

Enough for now! Check out my new photos on the Liberia photos link.

love,

Rachel

September 20, Liberia

Let's see, where to start.

The President will be visiting tomorrow, as part of her campaign for re-election.

it's a beautiful sunny day today, light breezes off the shore.

Starting to plan for how teaching will look next week - homeschooling Nik, teaching yoga, and a Learning Circle which will probably involve basic writing skills as well as vocabulary, literature, and history.

There is a little girl who belongs to the cleaning woman who has attached herself to me. She is mute, and very loyal and helpful, as well as wanting to be with me every moment she can. Effy.

Learned to play some Liberian card games last night from a man whose father was killed in the civil war and he had to flee to the Ivory Coast because the rebel group was forcing him to join their army. Another man told me this morning that during the war he didn't leave Liberia but was constantly moving, like a wild animal, around the country trying to find safety.

A boy about Nik's age approached him with a fishing pole in hand asking him if he wanted him to go fishing on the lake. Apparently, word must be getting out that Nik is a fisherman. They will go this afternoon with Timothy.

More tomorrow!

Rachel

Hello from Robertsport, Liberia!

We are here! Arrived safely yesterday, the flight was quite painless, so nice not to have to fly through Europe since Delta flies directly to West Africa from Atlanta. Today, went on a lovely walk along the beach with a staff member named Timothy, gathering gifts given to Nik from the local fishermen of crabs, shrimp, fish, etc. Everyone is quite taken with him and he has made a lot of friends already. This morning he was teaching two of the Fellows how to play American football. The ocean water is quite warm, with lovely trees growing along side it (almond trees and a giant kind of tree called a Cotton tree, along with palms). Later on I will post some photos. This afternoon, went on a walk through Robertsport with Emmanuel, one of the Fellows. Met the mayor who was waiting with several others for one of the presidential candidates to arrive for a rally. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the current president, will also come soon I am told. Bought some flip flops (mandatory in West Africa) and a new phone (yay for cell phones being everywhere!) and a Sprite which we enjoyed by Lake Piso, a huge lake which Nik has been invited to go fishing on tomorrow. The jet lag feels like it is dissipating, although Nik and I were both up at 2 this morning. Hopefully we will sleep through the night tonight. Have been making connections with each of the Fellows and Staff, glad to have this time with them before I start teaching, next week. More, and photos, soon!

Rachel

Leaving Saturday

Today is a day of packing. I am bountiful, blissful and beautiful... Repeat...