- National Oil Company of Liberia, ltd. was called before the congressional ways and means committee to explain their "extravagant and wasteful spending." The company was unable to produce documents justifying said spending and the hearings were postponed until the documents could be produced.
- All non-administrative/security personnel at all government health facilities have gone on strike (and are still on strike one week later) protesting the lack of both a promised wage increase and their current wages.
- A 3-month-old baby was found with its head chopped off behind a hotel in Nimba county, and no one came forward to claim the body or offer information to aid the investigation.
- A coalition of bishops and other religious leaders in Liberia is imploring the government not to yield to international pressure to legalize gay marriage on the grounds that doing so would result in a downward spiral of moral decay in Liberia like in Soddom and Gomorrah
Days here are difficult enough without corruption, ineffective or nonexistent social systems, violence, and discrimination. My intestinal tract has staged a full-on rebellion this week against an unknown food or beverage, which is a common occurrence for everyone. The most plentiful and financially available means of public transportation (pen-pen motorcycles) results in enough road accidents to field an entire soccer team composed of drivers who are amputee accident survivors. [true fact, and I think they are even a winning soccer team!] Most people don't have much concept of budgeting or saving money for a rainy day.
And yet I am reminded that true, lasting, powerful change, while it doesn't come overnight, or even in ten years, is possible. A beautiful piece in the New Yorker yesterday gives, as Vince our country director says, some context to the work we do here, and the ways we can help. The strongest change and importance lie in the "slow ideas," the personal relationships formed when we take time, and truly get to understand the people we want to help. I asked my students to write a letter to me on the back of the quiz they took last week. I got several "Dear Miss L, I greet you in the name of Jesus our Lord, and I pray you take me back with you to America" or "Dear Miss L, I wish you have a happy 26" but I also got a very heartfelt letter from a young woman who is probably 13, who told me she would never forget how I helped her, and that she would always want to do well in math because of me. I am not sure how long that will last, but the fact that it was true even for a moment means I am in the right place, doing the right thing.
The only way to open opportunities for people here is through one-on-one relationships. This week, in addition to teaching seventh grade geometry at Model School, I am meeting with the principal of Lango Lippaye school, where I will be teaching for the next two years. All of us trainees have the chance to sit down with our administrative counterparts and go over some of the challenges facing these schools: lack of clean drinking water and seats for students, little or no enforcement of academic calendar and standards, nonexistent resources for teaching. My school is considerably higher-functioning than the average, due mostly to the tireless efforts of Principal Robert Za-Za. I am very excited to build a relationship with him, and with my students and fellow teachers. There is so much to do...
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