After 15 years and 8 months to be exact, I got to go home to Liberia,
a small nation blessed by God in so many ways we have yet to realize.
Last time I was here I was 13 and had just started the 9th grade.
Last time I was here, my family barely made it out alive on an illegal flight to
Ivory Coast on a cargo plane that should not have been carrying people.
I am glad to have been considered "cargo" to this day and
that Ivorian immigration was so understanding...
We got to the Robertsfield airport late that evening, March 12,2006...
The main building that I remember is not usable anymore- one of many things destroyed by the war. Regardless of how may look, it is HOME sweet HOME…
One of first things that crosses my mind: Was it this hot here when I was growing up?
It warmed my heart to see so many foreigners on plane to Liberia and in the city.
So many people & NGOs are at work helping our country.
Here are some pictures...
LU Campus entrance Trying not be cheated while shopping on Waterside
JJRUMS
I got to visit my elementary & junior high school, JJRoberts, a Methodist school, attended grades 1-9 here.
They've added 2 buildings & grades 10-12.
Looks just like I remembered. Since I had already distracted
the 1st grade class with my camera, the teacher was nice
enough to let me come in talk to them for a couple of minutes.
This is the same room I was in 1983 in
1H (1st grade. Ms. Harris's class).
JJRoberts Kickball field
Lesson in supply and demand.
I could not find my contact fluid bottle and desperately needed one on Day 4.
After going to three pharmacies, found one.
Price of bottle I purchased at Wal-mart in Georgia and lost $2.29
Price of same bottle at pharmacy in Monrovia $27.00
Look on my face when I refused to buy it from the overpriced Lebanese Pharmacy even though I really needed it: Priceless.
Capitol Building
Pan African Plaza which is now a UN Base
The Billboard Street signs throughout Monrovia are interesting:-)
Club Beer Factory is still open and thriving...
United
Methodist University: needs to be renovated,
is temporarily where CWA used to be while new facility is being built.
CWA is adjacent and still open...
On the Farmington river (me & Mama)
Saw this Gio Devil dancing in the street near Antoinette Tubman Stadium , his "helpers" insisted I had to pay to take his picture..
Coca-Cola Factory in Paynesville: still open for business...
What used to be St. Patrick's High School (John's Alma Mater)
With my Uncle Ben at Daddy's office
Meeting the President
Left to right, Hawa-Ellen (my sister), President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, me and my mom (Hawa).
After wrangling an appointment and waiting three hours, we got in to see the President and take this picture, it was worth the wait.
Of course of all the pictures we took, this one did not come out that well...
My family's home in Careysburg: We lived in this house until I was three (we moved closer to Monrovia).
It was completely looted during the war, but my father has done a great job of renovating it, adding a guesthouse,
a small recreation area and extending the backyard/lawn. We had two cookouts while we were there.
Uncle GK is almost done building his house next door..
Mama in our Careysburg backyard
Uncle Daniel's house & Unc I's house in Careysburg
Cross-the-Creek: what remains of Daie's house.
After years, of no one being there, all that remains of "cross-the-creek" is the porch and cement addition that had been made to the house,
barely visible through the bush. Zinc say find me. Cars can not even pass by the creek and after that, it’s a forest with a very small foot path
where the road used to be.
The Creek in "cross-the creek" (If you are from Careysburg, you know what that means)
Knuckles cousins, be honest, How many of us learned how to swim in this creek?, I know I did.
SEYS UMC, still going strong, (Seys & Careysburg are 150 years old this year.) There are now 10 children for every adult in the congregation.
Funny side note : Uncle Al walks the pews with a switch for children who are misbehaving or sleeping, if he catches you, he will make you stand up.
The best moment of my entire trip came for me on Sunday to worship at my church, Seys UMC. Your save my seat on one pew yah. This is HOME... ... ...
Daddy is sad because we are leaving : - (
