Peace Out Liberia!

Well, here it is, my last post from Liberia. I might be able to get one out before I leave but I am not counting on it. I have been in Ganta for a week and have enjoyed being with friends and got some time for R&R.

Note: Pictures to follow. The internet is just too slow right now :(


I did not do as much with the clinic as I had hoped. Monday I went to see what I could do- they told me to come back tomorrow when the Boss-Lady was there. I came back Tuesday and I was supposed to do a nutrition education session later in the day, but when I got there all the mothers had already left for the farm. So, I helped with a children’s worship/ arts and crafts event that was going on through Hope for the Nations. Wednesday, I didn’t bother to go back to the clinic because they told me I would not be able to do anything with nutrition. FINALLY, Thursday I was able to do a nutrition education session with the mothers of the malnourished children staying at the center and some volunteers. We talked about the food groups, the types of malnutrition, breastfeeding and some other topics that came up during the Q&A portion. I was able to use the nutrition cards I made for the PD Hearth sessions and I think it went well. I also was able to finally give out the clothes that Valley View sent as a donation, along with some of my clothes that I was donating. They were very grateful, thanks Valley View! I posted a picture before of the bracelets that Carla’s children made for me to send before I left. Here is another group of children who received the prayer bracelets! They were so excited to get them!

The woman I was working with, Mary Ann Newah, is a wonderful woman that works with the Child’s Recovery Center. She grows Moringa trees in her yard to use to supplement the children’s meals. Moringa is an extremely nutrient dense tree that “happens” to grow in areas of the world with the highest malnutrition rates and extreme poverty. More information on the Moringa tree can be found here through an organization called Trees for Life International.
http://www.treesforlife.org/our-work/our-initiatives/moringa/introduction/the-moringa-tree

The center is not adequately funded and they have no proper supplementary feeding products for severely malnourished children. Moringa is a great substitute for the pre-packaged foods and formulas often used in feeding centers, but it is only really supposed to be used for mild to moderate malnutrition, not severe malnutrition. The leaves are mixed with prepared foods such as porridge or a rice dish. These dishes are not appropriate for severe acute malnutrition. Anyway, this woman is doing the best she can to care for the children at the center. I gave her a small personal donation but I would love to do more. If anyone is interested in donating to her cause, I have her contact information. Please let me know if this is something you would like to join me in supporting. I would like to be able to buy a couple of more trees for her to grow in her yard or help with funds for harvesting the trees. I wish I got involved in this earlier, but….C’est la vie!

Tomorrow, I head back to Monrovia for the weekend. I will get some time to be with Danielle and Caitlin (the new one) and enjoy a weekend of running water, the beach and get to go out to eat at least once. I fly out on Monday morning (really Sunday night) at 3:30 am. I then fly to Casablanca, Morocco where I have a five hour layover. They have a barber there and I am really hoping that I can get my hair cut! This summer has wrecked havoc on my hair, body, spirit, you name it. At least I can feel better about my hair for my Italia vaca! After Casablanca I fly to Brussels where I have an 11 hour layover. I am grateful for my parents- they got me a hotel for the night at the airport so that I didn’t have to sleep on benches. I can’t wait to have a nice hot bath when I get there and sleep in a real bed!!! I am really looking forward to a nice salad and a glass of wine also J. After that, I finally fly to Rome. I leave at 6:30 am and finally arrive in Roma 2 short hours later! Bill’s flight gets in about 20 minutes after mine! I can’t wait to see him! It will have been 77 days (11 weeks) since we saw each other last. VERY excited!

As this may be my last entry from Liberia, I would like to say thanks to everyone for reading this and supporting me over the summer! I know not everyone comments on the entries and that no everyone who reads this is a “follower,” so I would love to know who has been following along. If you get the chance, please send me a brief message at Nicolecbrewer@hotmail.com and let me know who you are! Thanks for everything again! Love you all