Wednesday, 3/17
Our rides are getting harder to arrange. The Honorable Wesseh Blamoh had been renting a Pathfinder and a driver (CoCo) to carry us around because his Pathfinder was in the shop. When we found out this was costing him $50/day, we determined to get our own transportation. Pastor Joseph drives by our community daily and we were going in his direction so he picked us up and dropped us back at MO Agriculture. Unfortunately, Logan had left for another city and Francis could not give the letter without Tito’s approval so we had spent another wasted effort chasing this elusive certification process. Pastor Joseph dropped us at Bushrod Hwy and Somalia Drive, an intersection you would do well to avoid. There is a special way to wave your hand to flag a Liberian Taxi, and every time we get into a cab the price triples and we have to argue with the driver to get the right number. But on this day no taxis were interested so we waited and waved. I felt like a fiddler crab waving his large claw, “Hey, over here, can’t you see my claw?” After sweating for 30 minutes or more, a kind Liberian man stopped and gave us a free ride to downtown, across the long bridge over the polluted Montserrado River. He is a business man whose business is gold and real estate. Once there we stopped at a sidewalk copier and had copies of our approval from the Foreign Ministry made. Everyone seemed to want one so we made many to submit with our requests. The streets are packed with cars, trucks and people and the sidewalks are thronged with vendors of all kinds, and there are many beggars. They all seem to follow me and Isela asking for handouts. We have compassion for those who have been victimized by the war and those who are really crippled but by helping a few when we first arrived we seemed to have invited the mob of not so disabled. Maybe the word had spread and dozens picked us out calling me Daddy and Isela Mommy. With so many poking at us we fled to a taxi and hurried to the office.
Since we had so much detail to deliver to Planning we spent most of the day creating the history of our efforts in Liberia. We also had to list all board members and provide letters to various individuals with all the documentation they required. We were leaving for Nimba County the next day so we were trying to wrap up all our loose ends with the various ministries before we left because Thursday was going to be a full day.
When we arrived at the office, Arthur Zarmapoe, , ACFI Pastor of Ocean View, and his assistant Thomas had came by office and were waiting for us. We had met earlier in the week and I could sense the frustration he was feeling. Both of them wanted to join Tree of Life and I want to help them. Arthur is a 22 year friend and one of the first I ordained here. Thomas is a fine young assistant who works with the youth and choir and teaches in the school. Of course it is too early in our organization to consider employees but both of these men would be a blessing to us. I told them that we would consider their request but that Bishop Edward Kofi would have to be aware of everything and approve any changes we made with them. He is on our Liberian Board (he was the first person we asked to serve in that capacity) and my life long friend. Furthermore, we will be working with ACFI for years to come. Both men agreed completely and said there were already ongoing discussions regarding their future. We showed them our overall plan while Isela and I took turns working on the Planning requirements. We erroneously thought that we would be accredited as soon as we filed the paperwork with Planning because we were expecting the necessary letters from Health and Agriculture, and Planning only needed one to certify us (either of them). After a grueling day, Sam, one of the workers at Lands and Mines offered us the ride home.
Thank You Lord,
Fred and Isela