Beginning the Goodbyes

After driving through Monrovia traffic for 45 minutes, I pulled off the main road to the familiar rocky dirt road and arrived at the Victory Outreach Church. This has been my classroom for the past 2 months where I've been teaching an adult literacy class and at the same time training local teachers to take over the class.

When I turned off the engine to my Land Rover I heard loud voices saying, "Janjay, Janjay." Janjay is my Bassa name that I've warmly recieved and answer to it as easy as I answer to my American name. I am told it means mercy or one who does good. I'm honored they have given me this name.

This day was the day of the official good-bye party. I was unable to attend the previous class due to some tranportation problems and I could tell that they had missed me. I started the class with review and was thrilled in what they had learned. I'll never forget their faces when they read their first word without my help or when they sounded out and read a sentence for the first time, "this oil is hot".

After about an hour of teaching, we began the the good-bye party. I was told to sit down as they had a program already planned. There were testimonies from students about what I meant to them, songs about God's faithfulness sung and then they presented me with a beautiful dress. We ate and I gave each of them some gifts along with a Bible. I told them my prayer and God's desire is that one day they will be able to read God's word for themselves.

As the ship prepares to leave this Friday I have begun saying goodbye. Cecilia, Martha, Mary, Neta, Sarah, Martha Y, Jacob, Josephine, Hannah, Eric, Emma, John, Doris, Maime, Princess, Teta, and Johnetta, I won't forget you and I know our Father in heaven will never forget you. May He continue to increase your capacity to learn.