Have yourself a very merry Christmas

In December and November, as the harmattan winds blow sand south from the Sahara, the sky becomes hazy and the temperatures drop down to the lower 50s at night. This time of year is also “bush cherry” season, and these tasty little fruits make a good substitute for cranberries in holiday recipes. With little else here to remind us of the holiday season, we appreciate these nice little touches.

Although the dust and heat of the dry season can be uncomfortable, it has allowed the roads to dry up. From July through November, the main road linking Voinjama to Monrovia was barely passable, resulting in shortages of fuel and basic supplies. We are blessed to have access to MAF’s plane, but we’ve had several hair-raising adventures just getting to the airfield, a few miles out of town. That is just one of the many challenges of living in such a remote location. It took several months to replace our two computers when they broke down, and all but the most basic supplies have to be ordered from Monrovia or the States.

Liberia is once again experiencing tough times, as the economy deteriorates and hospital workers, teachers, and civil servants stage protests and strikes. Accessing money in banks throughout the country has become nearly impossible in recent months. Although we’ve been able to manage, many Liberians struggle to feed their families, pay school fees, and keep their businesses afloat.

Despite these difficulties, we’ve also been blessed with some wonderful experiences, such as having visitors from our sending church in South Carolina, a refreshing time in Monrovia at our Spiritual Life Conference, and even rescuing a baby otter! “Peace” was found in a den near our house by some construction workers who brought her to us. We bottle-fed her and taught her to swim until we were able to bring her to an animal sanctuary near Monrovia in October.

In August, John-Mark and a Liberian translator took motorcycles and taxis over the muddy roads to Monrovia, taking more than 20 hours to make the 175 mile journey. They spent the week checking with a consultant from the United Bible Societies and we’re thrilled to report that over 60% of the New Testament is complete. We’ve recently been working on the books of 1-2 Corinthians in anticipation of another consultant check next year, while John-Mark drafts the book of Romans.

Our Manya literacy classes are operating in nine communities and we have had graduation ceremonies for those who completed the material. It’s been encouraging to see ongoing interest in literacy; many students wish to continue meeting! We’re looking ahead to work in new communities next year. One of our volunteer literacy teachers recently crossed the border into Guinea to visit a village and took the initiative to train four people in how to use our primer. And when they saw the books of Manya Scripture portions we had given him, his friends insisted he leave the books with them.

During our last home assignment, John-Mark spent a few days with his uncle recording Christmas songs on the kora. Parts for the flute and cello were added to the mix, resulting in an album called Comfort and Joy: A Kora Christmas, which now is available for download here. We hope these soothing songs will help you reflect on the joyous news that the shepherds heard long ago, that Christ the Savior has been born.