Dear friends,

Here we are in beautiful Liberia! We have been here a week and have had many interesting experiences! We have met many of the staff of the school and their children who made us feel very welcome and have helped us negotiate everything from Internet service to shopping in the local markets. We are able to buy most anything from Coke Lite to peanut butter to Coffee Mate, but it is expensive. Ruth celebrated her 6th birthday this week, and her sweet new friends brought her cards and presents, including a Liberian sundress and hair tie! Every time we go out, people wave and often children gather to meet us. We all laugh and giggle at our mutual language difficulties. It IS hot, you can bet, but the cold shower is invigorating (really!) and a nice breeze picks up in the afternoon.

We also faced several challenges, which I will ask you to pray for: the electricity and water systems on campus are erratic. Larry has been working with the maintenance staff on them the past few days. We are blessed that Larry brought the chlorine generator, so we can have consistent, clean drinking water. Our younger daughters, Maggie and Brandy, have experienced upper and lower digestive issues (if I may say it politely). I personally am "bugged" by the ants and dirt that make their way into the house one way or another. Please pray that I keep our home clean and safe and "let go" of the rest of my discomforts. Many times I've thought of Jesus washing his disciples feet as I've cleaned the girls' tootsies before bed.

We do have Internet, so Facebook and email work. Please feel free to drop us a line! To reply to this journal, please use Stanton@internationalministries.org. Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/HopingLiberia.

As they say here in Liberia, "Later!"

Larry, Becky and the girls