Greetings to you this lovely afternoon.
It is in the 80's, partly cloudy with a light breeze. Just enough to keep you from being too hot!.
Chrstmas is "just aound the corner", the children are out of school and already bored, everyone is in a hurry to earn some last minute money to cook dinner "for the Christmas", and Timothy is once gain out on the farm fighting the land battles.
To bring you up to date: He and Adolphus were arrested when they went to the court to answer a trespassing charge filed by the man who was selling the land as his. They were allowed to leave the court and return last Saturday with their documents to prove that Timothy is the rightful owner to the property. In the meantime a complaint was registered in the Circuit Court by a woman who was building a house that Timothy was trespassing. Saturday when they went to court for the first arrest, they were cleared as our deed is registered in 2003 and the other in 2011. The man fled the court after he ruling lest Timothy go after him. Monday upon going the Circuit Court it was also resolved in our favor. Monday afternoon, we received word that a woman was planning to begin building today and had torn down the house that our boys had started which was being cleared and resumed building. This morning, they went to court again and filed a complaint against the woman and also an arrest warrant on the man who is selling the property. When they went to serve the warrant the man ran away so they are returning to the Police Station to have them watch for the man and arrest him. One of these days I hope that this can all be resolved. The court system sometmes is still corrupt. The President is working hard to get this stopped, but some are slow in adhering to the law.
Last week we received the shipment of the car. What a joyfilled day to find that indeed it had arrived. The day before we had learned that the shipping company only knew of one vehicle in the shipment and it was not ours. After a frantic trip to the Warehouse, we found that while the clerk only knew of one vehicle, upon inspecting the manifest listing, our vehicle was in the shipment as well. It traveled pretty well, has a few dents and scrapes, and needed the oil changed, etc., but we are doing fine with it. How wonderful not to have to go out to the road and try to find a taxi to carry us where we need to go at the rate of $5.00 US per hour. Gas is $4.00 a gallon here and so it really adds up to take a car anywhere. Jeff loves to drive and keeps the car tuned and clean all the time. Sawsee went to church with us Sunday and rode on the wide armrest in the middle front seats of the car. He loved every minute of it and had his eyes literally glued to the road, traffice, and everything that Jeff was doing. I do believe that we have another mechanic coming up on the family. Of course, it will be several years before he is able to drive, but he is fascinated by cars.
Saturday we put up the Christmas tree. It was a first for everyone in the family with the exception of Timothy and I. The children and grandchildren loved it and carefully hung the bulbs and decorations on the tree. We gave Sawsee a small plastic decoration of Santa Claus to hang. He delights in carrying it around, hanging it on the tree, or leaving it sitting on a chair o table It was lost for a short time this morning but he quickly found it. I have a feeling it will be difficult for him when we put away the tree and decorations for the next year. Last night with the genius of Grandson Koyo, we were able to light it for the first time. I would have loved to have a picture of the children's faces when they saw it all lit up in the dark. Others from the community have been by to admire the tree and thank us for what we have done for the community.
Speaking of such, we have been notified of promises in the amout of about $400.00 for the drinking well project. We are naming it the "Houseman well" for the family that first took on the project and made the first contribution to the well. Clean drinking water is about 1/2 mile away from us. So about 4 or 5 times a day Koyo carries a 5 gallon drinking container to fill for our family use. However, many other families nearby do not even have a drinkin container so they come to our house for water. We are hoping to build a well at our home for the neighborhood community to have clean, safe, drinking water. We use another well about a football field away for cooking, bathing, laundry and flushing the toilet. However, it is not safe for drinking. I would like to cook with safe water as well.
Another blessing was received this morning when we learned that grandchild # ?? was born last night. I am having trouble keeping track of the number and will have to check for sure. I think #25 or 26. Jonathon and his wife now have a second, healthy, little boy child. I had hoped for a girl after so many boys, but it is just not to be. I will have to sew shorts instead of little dresses. However, God is Good!!!
Christiana is doing much better and has completed her radiation treatments. She is having problems eating since she went so long with out because it made her so sick. She is gaining strength and soon will be returning home after Christmas. We are so excited she is doing well. Timothy ran into a friend he had worked with at JFK hospital. He is now an OB/GYN at Firestone Hospital and in charge of the cancer treatment center there. He has offered to take over the care of Chris once she returns to Liberia. Again, God is Good!
It seems that every day is filled with troubles and frustrations, yet we always seem to manage by depending on God to carry us through. It is truly a life of trust each and every day for there is so much that we have no control over. I thank God daily for women I am meeting here that are quick to help and support me as I learn to do things the Liberian way and teach them some things the American way. I thank God for family and friends in the US who pray for us and write news from the states. Even the weather is interesting!!!!
While it appears to many that life may be difficult without so many of the conveniences of home, we live in that reality, make do, and celebrate what conveniences we do have. I showed Jeff how to pull dents out of the car with the plunger yesterday. He was amazed and so excited. He kept looking for other dents to pull out and am sure that he went to the local garage to show them his newfound knowledge. An old tire has become a car for Sawsee and he can put a can or bottle in it and roll it along the ground. He has an old key that he found and carries it as well. At night we hang it on the key hook in our bedroom.
Rolf is doing well and is very protective of me and Sawsee. Right now they are both napping on the bedroom porch while I am blogging. Patient is with her mother who is having glocoma surgery today, the boys are with Timothy at the farm, Candy Girl is running in and out for food and Koyo is watching DVDs after charging the player with the solar panel this morning.
The Kumeh family wishes to all of you our very warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and Blessings for the New Year. We will continue to keep you up to date on our life in Liberia. If you would like me to address a specific topic either post it in the comments or email me. Annekumeh@aol.com.
Peace and joy,
Anne an Timothy
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