Trip Starting to Take Shape

Well, things are starting to fall into place for our Liberia trip. Above is a picture of the team going to Liberia. They are from left to right: James Domingo, husband of Heidi's cousin Joy; Judy Hammer, my mother-in-law; me; Verl Lindley, Heidi's grandpa; Brad Fielder, family friend of the Lindleys; Doug Hammer, my father-in-law. We have plane tickets, and we're about to send off our visa applications. This trip is slowly becoming more tangible. I also found out a couple of weeks ago I might be the resident IT when I am there. Which should be interesting since I am primarily a design guy who works on Macs. I am sure I'll be able to set it what they need but it might be messy for awhile. Thank goodness I'll have internet access over there.

The Perfect Cake to Celebrate a Baby Girl

How can you not mark the birth of your new daughter without Darth Vader? Yeah I thought so too. I am sure I'd have no problem convincing Heidi this is the perfect cake for our baby girl.

Rainy Day Triptych

Here's a piece I have been working on this month. Still trying to figure out the best way to display this on the web site but for now I hope this will give you an idea of the piece. It was pieced together from a couple outings in the rain last year. I am also planning at least one more accompanying piece. For the time being enjoy the piece.

Library Container Arrives at ABC

Well the first phase of building the Lois Lindley Memorial Library at ABC is done, the container of materials for project that was sent from Southern California just before Christmas has arrived on the campus. Now we just have to put everything together. A funny aside, I guess all the shipping containers that have been sent to ABC, end up staying there, since no one wants to pay to have them sent back. So now they have several of these containers laying around campus, and they're not exactly sure what to do with them. As for what needs to be done next for the library, my understanding is they will actually start fixing the library before we arrive, and we'll join in the work when we get there. But we'll see what actually happens. Exciting stuff though.

Liberia

Well the year is starting out with a bang. I have volunteered to go on a trip, organized by Heidi's Grandpa, to the country of Liberia to help rebuild a library at the African Bible College in Yekepa, Liberia. The library is being named the Lois Lindley Memorial Library after Heidi's grandma, who passed away last summer.

Del and Becky Chinchen, family friends of my in-laws and the school founders, are in the process of rebuilding the whole college after fleeing the country almost 20 years ago in the midst of a civil war. They were asked by the new Liberian President to come back to Liberia and rebuild the college, and have been organizing the rebuilding process with churches and various ministries.


It is quite amazing to see what has been accomplished already as they are reclaiming the college from the jungle building by building. The photos included in this post were taken by my father-in-law on his trip last summer, when he went with a team from Granada Heights Friends Church to build a computer lab on the campus. On an aside you should check out his web site if you've never seen it, he's quite the photographer.


I am excited and a bit overwhelmed by the potential of this trip. I know I am being trendy (going to Africa and all), but I have always wanted to do a trip like this. To have a chance to get out of my comfort zone and my culture for a bit, to see how I can help and change someone else's circumstances and be changed myself as well. I also wonder what can I truly do to help out, but I am open to see what I can do.

Right now all I can think about though is how there is so much I still need to do before March and how am I going to get it all done. I will post more on this as the weeks unfold. In the meantime please prayfully remember Heidi and I as we prepare for this upcoming trip. Especially since she will be home two weeks without myself, her parents, or her grandpa; and 7 months pregnant.