Double Double

Double Double fun getting home this trip. In Liberia there are a number of words that get repeated for emphasis. Very small is emphasized as "small small". Getting more than anticipated is "double double".

I describe my trip as double double.

Maintenance issues turned a 8:00 pm scheduled stop in Accra Ghana into an overnight adventure. A few hours waiting in the plane while they fixed the brakes turned into a door that would not arm and a trip to a local hotel. Now I have to admit, hanging out on a plane for hours, followed by some roaming around an airport, waiting for a shuttle until 5 am, exiting the airport without a visa ( in a country where you need one), and heading off to a hotel called The Oak Plaza in a 3 rd world county could increase anyone's blood pressure a bit!

Like always (especially in Africa) God is in control. The hotel was comparable to most that I stay in when I travel in the US, nice pool and facilities, and very awesome staff. They even put out a huge buffet breakfast and lunch for all of the passengers that were stating there ( courtesy of the Delta maintenance crew i am sure). If you ever find yourself in Ghana, I would recommend it. Talk to Michael, he is the guy in a traditional African suit with cowboy boots on, and a fan of George Bush. We talked horses for a bit and he even introduced me to a local jockey. You really just never know what you will run into in the world.

Very ready to be home, appreciative of the few extra days to experience Monrovia and Accra a bit, but would have much rather spent more time with students in Yekepa.

Double Double adventure for sure!

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Thanksgiving

As a child from about the time I can remember thanksgiving weekends were spent in the desert, riding motorcycle, camping, and enjoying time with family and friends. The evening and morning air filled with the sound of motorcycle racing by, family and friends gathering around campfires, and turkeys cooked with a hint of sand.
I woke this morning before daylight to the sounds of motorcycles racing by, for a minute I lay there thinking maybe I had been dreaming about Africa and that I was out in the desert. As my head started to clear I realized it was just the local traffic I was hearing.
Emmanuel Gaye and I headed out early for new Yekepa. We had a meeting with. The town council at 8 am to discuss the library Loving ThroughLiteracy is building. Such a contrast to the meeting we had in camp four. New Yekepa is a way off from any main road, with a small vehicle path down through the bush. Our meeting was in the center of the village on a few wood benches outside of a small mud house. Most of the houses here are built out of mud block with since or thatch roofs. Occasionally someone would have to chase a goat or chicken away from wandering into the meeting as they we just roaming about the streets. The entire meeting was in Mono, the local tribal language. Every once in a while, Emmanuel would turn to me and ask me a question or update me on the discussion. At the end of the meeting, they loved the plan and took us to show the site on the school campus.
While there, we heard from the community leaders that a young girl had been killed from a snake bite overnight. I later came to find out young Peter had known her and he told me she was 13 and went to a school near his.
I arrived back at campus just before 10am, in time to join Del and a few other professors on a trip to the Topokah iron ore mine. We received the complete VIP tour of the operation, a trip up to the open digging site where they are literally taking the top off a mountain, crushing plant, and rail station. The operation is relatively small now, however significant expansion is planned in the next few years.
Back to the campus for a quick bite to eat and then I was off the camp four and the Betty Jonah Orphanage to take pictures of the children in order to update their sponsor photos. Emmanuel Jonah was telling me that they are expecting an additional 8 children at the orphanage next week who will need sponsors. Please let me know if you are interested.
Pastor Jonah and Betty also took me to the site that was selected for the Library. Looks to be a nice large lot, that once cleared, should make for a nice space where children can gather to read and learn.
Into the evening while packing for my journey back home I recollected on all of the things I am thankful for. Such an amazing day God had given me from a jungle village, to the top of a mountain, and depths of despair with those who have nothing. What an eye opener of true Thankfulness for what He has given me.
I am thankful that God has given me a wonderful family, loving children, a beautiful wife, and parents that have taught me the love of Christ. Thankfully, God has also given me the opportunity to share my time talent and treasure with those who are less fortunate, so that I may use what He has provided me to educate and build up those in dire need.
Truly a thankful day.

Business Meeting



 I have had two formal business meetings this trip in Liberia.  The first was last week in Camp Four with the community leaders held in a church.  The second was today with a man named Bill and was held in these chairs, under the tree pictured.  The only interruption was the occasional ant that he picked off my shirt or I picked off his.  I would consider it one of the most productive meetings I have been in for years.

This is Bill's piggery.  His goal is to help local churches and community groups develop sustainable living through training programs.  One of the more visionary men I have met in Liberia.  He has analyzed the food chain and completely understands that Liberia needs to become more resourceful and entrepreneurial in nature.

 When I met Bill on the road yesterday he was telling me he had a tractor, he just needed a new motor.  Talk about seeing light through darknes, I told him I think he needs a bit more than a motor.

Results

 
One thing about Yekepa is every day here is an adventure.  I think even my roomates Jim and Laurel who have been here since August would agree that every day brings something new.  The three of us started the day by going for a walk at 7am.  Mornings here are picturesque, with low clouds covering the mountains and birds singing as they nest in the bush and jungle canopy.  We took the flat loop as Laurel calls it, it is a road that borders one edge of the campus and heads up toward the Guinea border.  We walked up the road about a mile to a bridge that crosses a river.

It is actually the same river that cuts down through the middle of the campus, a few hundred yards after crossing the bridge is the Guinea border, marked by a line of large rocks.  This particular border crossing is intended to be the new crossing, but for now it is just desolate with a few empty building that will serve as the immigration checkpoints and a couple of security guards to ensure nothing is taken from the buildings.

A man and his boy on their way to the market

We turned left before the border and followed the river back toward campus.  In a short time we came upon a man standing near a path that turned off the road.  I stopped and said, hi are you Bill?  Imagine the shock on his face, this white man walking down a road in the middle of the jungle stops and knows his name!  We talked for a while, Bill has a piggery (pig farm), grows rice, and refines palm oil.  He talked for a while about his operations and his dreams about how he plans to grow his business.  He grew up in Yekepa and spent time on his farm prior to the war, he has now returned to help rebuild his community.  I am going to go and meet with Bill again in the morning and he is going to take me on a tour of his operations.  Looking forward to it.

 I went to church at Bethel where Nathan Mulbah is the pastor.  We arrived a bit early and joined the bible study that was going on in the sanctuary.  The interesting part was, the bible study never really ended and church never really began, people just kept flowing in and one event let into the other.  Nathan gave a terrific message on waiting on God’s timing for things in our life.  It was what I needed to hear, and really helped me place some perspective. 

After church I had the pleasure of joining the Mulbah’s for lunch at their home.  I always appreciate getting time with them as Nathan is very fluent on the social and political dealing of his country.  He is optimistic of where they can go now with the elections behind them.  He feels confident there will continue to be strong investment in the country to further aid in the economic recovery.

 Late in the day I had the opportunity to join Abraham, one of my business students, that has taken the concepts he is learning and used it to start a music school.  I attended the session with him to meet a number of his students and teachers and hear about the program they are putting together.  It was impressive to see all they had done.  He gave me the opportunity to address the students.  I encouraged them to take the opportunity to learn as they do not get exposure to music in their schools.  Abrahams biggest challenge with his music school is lack of instruments, they need a few guitars, drums and keyboards.  For now they are borrowing instruments when they can.  

 Results!!  My heart is filled knowing that this venture by Abraham is a direct result of what he is learning from the business program, this is exactly what I was hoping would happen.  There are a few others in the program as well that have started experimenting will some small ventures.  Nothing that is going to break the bank, but something to try and act out what they are learning……what an awesome return!!

The Mamba

At home we have alot of cats, and they often leave us birds or mice as presents on the doorstep.....contrast that with Liberia where you open the door to a present from a kitty that just happens to be a black mamba, one of the deadliest snakes in teh wold....who need coffee.


ABC University student business seminar

We held the first ABC University Business on Friday and Saturday this week.  Overall a great turnout with 30+ students in attendance.  We were fortunate to have Nils Wang joing us for the seminar.  He was here teaching for the business program the past two weeks and started the journey back to Arizona following the seminar today.

Nils spent time also planing out the librairies we will be constructing with LTL next summer.  In his spare time, he installed a roll up door and the basketball goals in the gym.  He was one busy man the past couple of weeks.



Two friends enjoying the Saturday reading club

After the seminar, I walked down to the communication building where Emmanuel Gaye was facilitating the Saturday reading club for some for some of the children in the community.  Emmanuel has been doing an amazing job with this program in growing and developing it.  He is one of the most dedicated students I have met and will be an amazing asset to the community when he graduates in May.  I watched for a bit as he explained the entire book to the children before he started reading.  He covered the author, illustrator, and title and their importance to the overall book.  With such limited access and exposure to books, the basics become critical components to the learning process.


Emmanuel Gaye reading to kids at the Saturday reading club

I am sure tomorrow will bring more adventures.....................

Met the Chief

This morning, Nils Wang, Emmanuel Gaye and I went to Camp Four, a small community outside Yekepa, to discuss our www.LovingThroughLiteracy.com library project with the town council and community leaders.  Among the leaders were the town chief, secretary, finance officer and several council members.  There were about 30 people total in attendance at the meeting.  Many more than we had thought would be there.  The 3 of us were placed up front sitting at a table in front of the church where the meeting was held, and all of the town people in the pews.  A bit intimidating to say the least but there were also a number of familar faces as well.  Anthony and Betty Jonah from the orphanage were there, always fun to see them.

The meeting was fairly formal with a call to order, introductions, project overview and questions.
Our concept seemed well received and all spoke encouraging about the project and how it would help the community.  After discussion and feedback, we were nicely dismissed so the council could talk amongst themselves and determine how they were going to address with the community.  We asked if they could come back to us with a decision and a location before I leave next week.

Part of our decision to place a library in Camp Four is based upon the fact the Randy Godfrey school has been using the Read ABC program LTL taught in July 2010 and Emmanuel Gaye has been consistently working with the teachers and students on the program.

Next week, Emmanuel and I will have a similar meeting in New Yekepa as we plan to place a library there as well.

Following the meeting, we went around to each classroom at the Randy Godfrey School and took pictures of the classes and the teachers.  It is always so much fun going to see the children learning.  The kindergartners greeted us with their ABC song

My time here has been some of the busiest I have experienced, unfortunately much of this has been my work back home.  Looking forward to next week being a bit lighter from a work perspective, as most will be taking time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I plan to go to the orphanage on Thanksgiving with Emmanuel Jonah to take photos of each of the children.  This is needed to update the photos included in the sponsor packets.  If you are interested in sponsoring one of these great kids, go to www.liberiachristian.org .

Tomorrow I am speaking in Chapel and Nils and I are putting on a business seminar for th students in the afternoon.  Excited to see how both turn out....will let you know.

Back in Monrovia

Back in Monrovia!

Time sure has gone fast over the past couple of months. Glad to be back here in Liberia and anxious to meet up with the students. They, like I, have spent the last number of weeks learning online. Overall a successful process for a group of students with limited exposure to the digital age and a professor with limited exposure to teaching.

My daughter Peyton sent me a text a few hours ago..."tell the Liberian kids to stay safe and they can do all things through Christ who gives them strength" . Wow and she is only 9, but such wisdom. All of my children share a faithful heart at their core, it is a blessing to experience.

So I am here for two weeks through thanksgiving and looking forward to seeing how God will use me from here.

Stay tuned, more to come!

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The journey home

Sitting here at the ABC Guest house in Monrovia, the cool damp ocean breeze blowing in my face, and reflecting upon the amazing experience Liberia has been again. Each time I am here, I am more comfortable with my surroundings and each time I am here I meet new friends who are the encouragement and fuel for what I am doing.

I came here to serve in a capacity that was very far outside of my comfort zone. Leading the efforts to develop the ABCU business program and teaching courses are so far beyond anything I ever imagined doing. I stand affirmed that when we are called into action by God, He will not leave us alone but rather stand by our side to ensure we are successful in the plans He has laid before us. All we need when called is the faith, like Peter, to step out of the boat. So counter intuitive to our societal norm that tells us we must be in control, yet such and awe inspiring experience when we follow His word.

There are 8 students who have started the entrepreneurship program, each of them started on faith that we will get the program approved. I have faith that God will send us the full time faculty person to be onsite during the semester, in order to fulfill the last requirement to having an approved program.

These 8 student have amazing stories of how each of them overcame adversity of extreme poverty and war. Each of them has a tenacity to achieve and realize it is only by the grace of God they are able to attend college. I am confident they will put in all of their effort to the program and that each will be a success in their future entrepreneurial ventures.

I was unprepared for all those who wanted to sit with me and gather any information they could on how to manage their ministry or business more effectively. There is much work to do here before I return in november. I want to have contextual information prepared to help support the discussions and give them tools they can begin to act upon. Any desire to help here would be much appreciated.

Another exciting point was to see the long term effects of the training Loving Through Literacy did in July 2010. Teachers are using the literacy competencies they were taught to train students. Parent are seeing the benefits, and those schools who have maintained the program are becoming magnet schools. Next project is libraries.....we need to give these kids access to books so they can continue to fuel their passion for reading and learning. I made some progress on our library plans while I was here and I believe the LTL board will be enthusiastic about what I have to share. Stay tuned for more information here.

All in all success beyond my imagination. The true measure will be in the weeks and months to come.

-Adam

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Skype anyone?

I have been using Skype here to call home and make a number of calls for work. It has worked out ok and the price is right at $7 unlimited calls to US landlines. Today I did something very awesome. I was talking to Maritta when Peter Saye (the boy mention in the previous post) came to the door. I had told him to stop by so I could draw his feet and bring him some shoes next time I visit. So I got this idea......I should have Peter call Sheri Wang!
It was awesome here was this kid, who has never seen or used a computer, calling someone half way around the world using the Internet to thank her for the education her organization is providing him to attain....so that one day he can possibly even use a computer! It was perfect and I think Sheri got a kick out of it as well.
After our call Peter just sat with me in my room at my desk, watching me work...content just to hang out with an adult. I showed him google maps and we looked at the satellite shots of his home and my home and the distance in between. I asked him if he had homework, he said he needed a dictionary, so we used the internet to look up some words and he wrote them down on a tablet I gave him. Made me miss my own son so much, AJ and I do a lot of hanging out, and I am missing that a lot tonight.

Today was the last day of formal class with my students before I head home over the weekend. But they are not rid of me yet, we have a special session tomorrow and friday to work with the online classroom tool we will be using while I am away. I pray that the online part of the course works ok, bait nervous about it since computer skills are generally a bit marginal here.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to lead the chapel service. There is chapel here in the morning 4 days a week. This is the first time I have ever delivered a message for a service. My message was short, only about 10 minutes, but well received from all those who gave me feedback. Once again venturing out with new things here.

Sunday night a bridge washed out not far from here on the road that leads to Monrovia and the alternate route was cut off by stuck vehicles. Basically no way out of here for a few days, praying they have it repaired by Friday...it sounds like they will. I also heard the alternate road is now open...while it's a long way around, it would at least get me to the airport. Only one flight a week...need to make sure I am there to be on it.

There really is never a dull moment around here!

Missing my family tonight, if any of you see them, please give them hugs for me.

-Adam

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Just a single step....

Every journey starts with a single step.  Such a true statement and sometimes so difficult to take the first step, yet when we do we realize it was not bad, we take another and another and suddenly look back and see how far we have come.  I have been counting my steps while I am here with a pedometer…today I took more than 17 thousands steps…had I thought about that before I took the first one, I may have sat back down.

The same thought applies to Yekepa, if you look around and try to imagine how many steps need to be taken, its unimaginable….yet if you just start taking steps using the knowledge God has given you…suddenly you look around and see what has been accomplished and its amazing.

We had Summerville Bryant over for dinner tonight.  Summerville is a graduate of ABC prior to the devastating civil war.  He is now back here to teach bible courses here and share the fruits of his education with those who are aiming to follow a similar path.  As we sat around the table, He shared is story growing up on the streets of Monrovia, the hardship he endured during the war (father and two siblings were killed by soldiers and himself running to hide and preserve the little he had) and the steps of an old missionary woman who changed his life forever.    He thanked us over and over for our contributions of education to his country he loves so much.  It was humbling…what I am doing is just a single step.

I never knew a few sheets of paper could bring such joy until today when I had the opportunity to take the kids at the Betty Jonah orphanage some letter my children had written them.  They are going to write some letters back to the children for me to take home.  A single step toward helping these kids get some relationships outside the confines of their small community.  While I was there, they were working to pour a new concrete floor in a classroom.  The school is bursting at the seams and they need more space to hold class, so they are repairing some unused areas.  The picture is of the men getting ready mix the concrete, on a pile in the middle of the floor, no mixer, no truck to pull up and dump it, just some sand, concrete, water and a shovel.  I wonder if they had stopped to think how many steps it would take to get done or if they just decided to start.

Peter came by with his mother today.  Peter is a boy Sheri Wang met when we were here last summer.  Peter was running wild on the streets, his mother is mute, the father had deserted the family.  Peter was roaming around the campus in his underwear because that is all he had and sat at the steps of the library asking for work so he could help feed his family.

A few steps taken here and there and Peter is in school and doing well.  He has clothes to wear and attends church with the Mulbah family.  His mother could not hold back the emotion today as she relayed her thankfulness of all that people had done to help Peter.  I wonder if she will ever know the steps her son took that led up to it.

How many steps will you take today?

Then there were 8

The sun setting over Yekepa this evening ended yet another amazing day here at ABCU.  We have had internet trouble again for the past couple of days and it has been frustrating not being able to communicate.  Makes me miss my family so much more when I cannot speak with them or write to them.  Thanks to all who have been helping out Maritta and the kids.

I broke down and purchased a phone at the marketplace on Tuesday.  Malue, a student here went with me to help find a store and negotiate.  Hard to describe P-market....I suppose I should have taken my camera...there are probablt 40+ vendors in makeshift shacks and tables selling the basics needed...the cell phone shack was far from your neighborhood verizon store.  My skin makes it very obvious that I am not from around here, and generally that means if I would go alone, I would pay a significant premium.  I think Malue was mad at me because I gave in and paid $5 more than I should have.  To me it was just 5 bucks....I often forget to most around here, it is more than a hard days wages. 

Today I went with two students, Emmanuel and Peter, to New Yekepa to meet with a school principal named Yoh.  She runs the school and attended the literacy program put on by www.lovingthroughliteracy.com last summer.  Emmanuel meets weekly with the K-2 students there to teach them phonics.  He also takes a mobile library to check books out to the children.  New Yekepa is about 5+ miles outside of Yekepa through some tiny dirt roads in the bush and these children have very little access to much outside of their community.  Yoh and the children are very appreciative of Emmanuel and Peters efforts and look forward to him coming.  I also discussed the idea of putting a small library on the corner of the school campus.  We have been thinking about how to put together some small libraries out of containers.  Yoh loved the idea.  She has 250-300 kids in the school and an additioanl 100+ that attend night school.  There is no access to books and the library (shown in the picture) at the school is dismal.

Turns out one additional student enrolled late and now I have 8 in the entrepreneurial studies program.  Wow, what a blessing when I only expected 5.  I need to order another set of text books and figure out how to get them here soon.  Fortunately there is an instructor coming here in early Ocotber that can hopefully bring them.  So amazing the see the enthusiasm to learn about business and how each of them has an idea to help their community with what they plan to learn. 

About to hit the limit where they shut down power for the night.  More to come....

Chronicle for 2011-09-05

Monday is coming to a close here in Yekepa. Today starts the first full week of school. It also marks the day where a number of students had to be turned away due to lack of funds to pay for the semester. I know for most all who read this coming up with $400 - $800 to pay for the semester would see like nothing. For most here in this part of the world it is 2x the annual wage of most people. It is amazing though, most can pull it together from somewhere, and they manage to make it.

The entrepreneurial studies class is shaping up nicely. I believe after today we have 7 total that will be taking the courses. God truly answers prayers...on Friday I was asking God for help as we only had 3 students registered....by 2 pm, I had 7. Careful for what you ask for.

This weekend, I was able to take a walk up the hill above the campus. There has been quite a bit of overgrowth cleared in what they call Area F and it really shows the devastation that took place here. Ruins of houses that were once a small neighborhood like any we would find in suburban America. This used to be the second largest city in Liberia and now 95% of it looks like this. Unbelievable if I was not here to see it.

This is why I am here, to help enable people to create God centered business, that will create commerce, establish community, and rebuild what has been destroyed. The best part of it is, there is an overwhelming desire to learn, to move forward, and to grow.

Coming soon, I will introduce each of the entrepreneurial studies students for you here, so that you can get to know them and their story.

-adam

Amazing Week

Pineapple and Palm's with the pig house to the right

Have you ever been somewhere and just stood in awe of what you see?  Maybe you were at the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls standing in awe of what seems impossible.  This has been the feeling I have had much of the week.  Each day I have taken the time to walk the campus, through the recently reconstructed buildings, around the new communication building and gymnasium, and into the vast garden that provides a majority of the food for the campus. I am in awe to think that 4 years ago this was overgrown by jungle and in ruins.  Today there are more students than space and text books.  There are a dozen faculty serving this semester.  The freshmen class is 40 students alone with more than 130 students at the University now.  The faith and vision of all those who have helped rebuild this place is awe inspiring.


Pineapple in foreground with rice and vegatbles in background 



The entrepreneurial studies program is off to a good start and  looks like we will have 6-7 in the program.  My goal was 5 to start, so I am elated!  A quick poll of the freshmen class indicate we would have 10-15 next year.  We are off to an amazing start!  Thank you again to all those who have helped make this possible.





Rebuilt Chapel that was in ruins 3 years ago

It is humbling to walk around campus and be called "prof" as it is still a role I never imagined.  I have found myself the expert on all things business and everywhere I walk I am stopped by faculty and students and have the privilege of hearing ideas of how entrepreneurial skills can help stores, pharmacies, farms, churches, schools, widows, orphans and on and on.  I have started taking notes of each conversation so I can keep them straight and ensure we can address these questions over time.  I completely underestimated the need for what we are providing here.  The students in the program will eventually be the experts on entrepreneurship however there is so much we could do for the communities now.  I have already been requested to do some seminars when I come back in November, so I will need to put some thought into how to make it work.  Please let me know if you would be willing to assist....or maybe you even want to tag along in November and help out.

Looking forward to some time over the weekend to reflect and prepare.  More to come.....

A Foundational Day

Expect the unexpected. 

Mornings are beautiful here in Yekepa, there are so many birds singing and the windows are always open so they can be heard loud and clear.  This morning was even better a I was finally able to get into a sleep routine (thanks to my friend Ty Lenolpm ). I was refreshed and ready for the day.  My plan was to get my lesson and class in order for tomorrow first class. 
I was leisurely sitting around the administration office about 8:15 after all of the students headed off to class and Del came up to me and said "Why are you here, you have class".  I laughed and corrected him and said no, it is tomorrow based upon the last schedule I had.....well I guess the scedule had changed and I did not get the memo.  My heart was racing, I felt completely unprepared, I was not sure where I was going, or what I was even going to say.  Del, in true laid back form, looks at me, shrugs his shoulders and says "its ok, just get to know them".  Well, I hustled back to my room, mind racing, prayed for wisdom, and gathered my things to head out to the communication building for the first business class at ABCU.

Communications Building

My unfinished classroom

WOW, what an amazing experience for me and for the students.  So much enthusiasm on their part and so much to share from me.  The remainder of the four hours we spent together were very interactive and engaged across the topics of Entrepreneurship and Economics.  So much they want to learn and take back to their communities.  We talked about opportunity cost and what each of these students had to give up, in order to attend the university, and what they plan to take home when they are finished to help build their community.  Their desires to use business to support their family, church, school and local community matches the exact vision of why I believed this program is needed.

In the afternnon I took the time to walk around the campus a bit.  Everywhere I went students were stopping me to let me know what a blessing the entrepreneurial studies program is for ABCU as well as telling me about their business ideas or ventures they currently have going.

Today was unexpected and exceptional, I am anxious to see what tomorrow brings.

In Yekepa

It was great to arrive back in Yekepa today.  Such a long trip getting here, the road were not good as it had been raining for a few days.  Thankfully we did not run into to much rain on the way.  I was good to spend some time talking with Emmanuel, the 8+ hour drive gave us plenty of time to cover everything from school, business, family and politics.
When we arrived in Yekepa we stopped by the orphange to say hi to Emmanuels parents who run it.  It was so great to see all of the childred come running and singing up to the car.  A number of them remembered my name from my previos visits, I hope to spend more time with them while I am here.

The evening was capped off with dinner at Del and Becky's.  Some great conversation with them and good time catching up on the last number of months.  More tomorrow, time to power down as the generatos will be shutting down in about 10 minutes for the evening.
More tomorrow...

Chronicle for 2011-08-28

Made it to Monrovia. I was greeted by Emmanuel Jonah and his wife Wintee who picked me up from the airport and brought me to the ABC guest house.

Tomorrow we depart early in the morning for Yekepa. The drive should be interesting as there has been nonstop rain here for the last day.

Turning in early today as I have only slept about an hour in the last 24. More to come tomorrow.....

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Chronicle for 2011-08-27

In the air on my way to Atlanta, final destination is Yekepa Liberia. Time flies, 13 months ago the Entrepreneurial Studies program at ABC University was a lunch conversation. Now I am headed there to kick off the inaugural semester. So amazing in so many ways.

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Getting Ready!

Leaving in a week to return to Yekepa.  So much has happened in the last nine months since I was there.  Praise God we are starting the entrepreneurial program at ABCU on August 31st.  I will be spending 3 weeks there to get the program up and running and then plan to return for an additional 3 weeks in November. 
Much to do to prepare for this trip as I return with the role as professor (don't laugh I would have never imagined either), lectures, course materials, syllabi, etc.all need to be ready in a week.
If you know anyone who has a passion for serving and teaching, please let me know, we would love the support.
I plan to provide updates on the trip, please feel free to provide feedback or ask questions as well.

-Adam