Wolekamah Wowen's Organization

One of the main reasons for returning was to help the local women's organization register their organization with the government and seek NGO status. During my absence they managed to raise enough money to buy land for a community center and began to clear it. They meet once a week, collect dues, and fine members who are late or miss a meeting. My job was to write up their constitution and bylaws, then to get consensus among the members to proceed, since the process was going to cost them quite a bit of money. Due to the fact, the stamp used to approve the organization was in the capital of Monrovia and not due back until after I left, they had to proceed on their own. I am confident they will succeed.

Wolekamah Women Group Photo

A beer after the meeting keeps everyone in good spirits

President, Lorpu, showing property marker for organization's land

President with her husband Chairperson of the Board, Robert

Another Wolekamah activity is harvesting rice on a farm made available to them.

Wolekamah woman tending to her vegetable patch on part of the shared farm.

Crowning of the Wolekamah Queen

Being selected a Queen in Liberia is a big deal. The winner is the person who raises the most money for the organization. This year there were four original contestants but two dropped out. The contest was held the night before the main program. Since the generator broke, the festivities were held in the dark, but none of the excitement was lost.

Crowning of the Queen

Queen doing her thing

Parade with Queen hanging out the window

Program venue with women dressed up

My Peace Corps Neighbor

Luke Overholt is another one of those special American youths you find in the Peace Corps. He grew up in Nairobi, Kenya where his entomologist father worked, before moving back to the University of Florida. He teaches physics and math at the local public high school where is adored and known by almost everyone in the village.

What is remarkable is his group of Peace Corps Volunteers were evacuated during the Ebola crisis. He along with just a few others elected to return to finish their tour as teachers. During the 9 month hiatus waiting to return, he bicycled across the United States. He is accepted to five medical schools and plans to attend the University of Michigan when he returns at the end of June.He plans to return to Africa to practice.

Luke lives a few houses down from me where he can be found on his porch surrounded by school kids. He has offered to work with some of the college student groups who came to towards the end of my stay for assistance.

Luke Overholt, Peace Corps Volunteer, doing his washing

Old Friends Revisited

Rebekah Schulz (RB) and her husband, Sella. After six years in Liberia as Peace Corps and an employee for USAID, she is returning home in June to get her Master's Degree at Penn in Philadelphia. They plan to return to Liberia to live and where Sella plans to go into business. They are currently building a house for their return.

Dee Tolbert with her daughter, Jovelt. She is married to a former Peace Corps Volunteer, Alex Abbondola, who is teaching in New York City while attending Columbia University. Dee is a student at Cuttington University and plans to join Alex as soon as she can get a visa.

Finney Ojong is my "Man on the Ground" in Monrovia. He is a big help in assisting us in navigating the Liberian bureaucracy as we seek NGO status. He plans to return to Cuttington to continue his education. He is pictured here instructing elementary school students on the use of condoms.

Joseph Goyem, my faithful motorbike driver, with his "brother" Alex Togpah.

Joseph with the computer I brought for him.

Leaving

Leaving is always hard. It is the people you leave behind and the connections you have made that haunt your memories. You hope you have somehow enriched their lives as much as they have enriched yours. Now leaving them connected to the electronic world and with their new plans to go where they never would have dreamed to do before, I look forward to hearing from them and wonder if they can continue to surprise me with their accomplishments.

Togbah Family. Back row: Teto,James, DeeDee, Oretha,Nula, Alex, Blessing, Alice. Front: Ellison, Samuel's daughter, Alice's daughters, Leela and Olivia (smallest not pictured)

Extended family with Joseph kneeling and Yassah with Lorpu. Oh yes, me in the back row.

Back in Minnesota

May 24, 2014

After the long trip back with a few delays to raise one's concerns about what's so great about United Airlines merger with Continental and seeing my family all smiling and healthy, I am trying to be what I was before Liberia. It is what those around me expect. It is the Nick with whom they are familiar.

Adventures come with their costs. Mine is leaving a part of me in Liberia, not experienced by my family, and returning to Minnesota, not experienced by my Liberian friends. I am bisected with emotions from both sides, a sadness for those left, yet a joy of seeing family anew. This is the price I know I would have to pay, but that doesn't make it any easier. As to the cost for others, the ones who patiently waited for my return and those who I had to leave, I hope they realize the innocence of my actions combined with the knowledge they too share the cost.  
Now it is time to continue what I started in Liberia and get back in step with what I left in Minnesota. This is the new adventure which awaits.

Final Days

May 20, 2014

After three days of waiting for hours in long lines to close out my bank account, only to be told the bank would only permit limited withdrawals due to lack of cash, I finally was able to close of the account my sending myself a Moneygram. This means I don't have to travel to the main bank in Monrovia and stay overnight before departing. This gives me an extra day to catch up on all the loose ends and goodbyes.

Liberia is very different from Samoa. Poorer yes, but more expressive in their emotions. I leave with the feeling that besides asking me for money all the time, there is a sincere appreciation of my efforts and a sadness about my leaving. I think I have had some impact on their lives, maybe even a legacy. That is what Peace Corps is all about.  As to Liberia's impact on me, I know it is there; how great I leave to others to judge. That also is what Peace Corps is all about.