What a productive day I have had today! Oh the things I can do when I have the day off. :)
This morning around 9:30 4 of us jumped in a Land Rover and set out for the Craft Market. I figured given the fact that we are leaving Liberia in a week and Christmas is just around the corner I should probably go shopping. So we did. Shopping in Liberia is a little different than shopping at home.
Once we stepped out of the car we heard shouts of come to my shop, by from me, I have real fine carvings for sell, and the list could go on for days. Once you enter a shop you browse around at the different carvings, crafts, jewelery, drums, and other little items that are for sale. If you find something that sparks your interest you ask " How Much" regardless of the price quote given, you always respond with No, to much, and then the shop owner will counter your offer throwing you a price that for the most part is in between their original offer and your original offer.
My uncle Steve would be rather proud of me. I have learned somewhat the skills to negotiation. At home I never negotiate anything, but here it is expected. The rule of thumb is they tell you an original price that is sky high and you in return offer them a price that is dirt cheap. Then you have room to work, and in the end more times then not you can get the item for your true desired price. I don't by any means cheat the sellers out of money, I just offer them what I think the item is worth.
So after about an hr or so at the craft market I end up returning to the ship with gifts for my family and a REALLY nice drum for the kids at Frances Gaskin, which by the way was funded by the Bible Study of Kristen and Nate Brewer. THANK YOU!
The story on the drum is actually interesting. I purchased all my gifts and was thinking I was done, and then it dawned on me.... I have to get a drum for the kids so I can give it them tomorrow morning. Dang it! I am almost out of money. So I look in my purse and see that I only have 10$ left. My initial thought is I will just give Evelyn and Emmanuel the money and they can in return purchase the drum. Then my next thought was.... it would be really nice to give the drum to the kids, see their reactions, then I know for sure they got it, then I can take a picture of them with it and send to Kristen and Nate's small group. So I decided to look around.....Sure enough the first drum shop I stop at there it was, the "drum" that I knew the kids would love.
I ask the man how much and after a few negations we settled on 55$ for the drum and the case. I agreed that 55$ was a good price and I informed the man that I had to go back to the ship to get more money and then I would return to purchase the drum. Inside I was hating myself. I would have to go back to the ship get more money, take a taxi to the market which takes a while, get the drum, and then take a taxi back, all the while doing this trip all by myself. I was not happy about this idea, but I had to do it.
Then I thought I wonder if any of my friends have any extra money I can borrow. I asked them and finally Emily said I have 30$. I said can I borrow it. I take the money back to the guy and say this is all I have 40$ what can you do for me. He said I really want to give it you, but that is too cheap. I said come on its for an orphanage, please. He was tossing the idea around in his head, when a customer standing in the same shop heard me and said..... I will pay the rest. WHAT! you will pay the rest for me. He said yes if it for an orphanage I will pay the rest. I payed the man my 40$ and grabbed my drum and walked away thanking God for the little blessings!
We returned to the ship and immediately I rushed into the dinning room to have lunch with the dental teams day workers. Today on the ship we had a thank you lunch and ceremony for the 120+ day workers that have been working for us. After we indulged in a delicious African meal prepared for us by our awesome dinning room staff, we went up stairs to the chapel area and had a ceremony. As I was sitting there I was thinking.... this place could not operate without the help of these lovely people. They work so hard and it so so amazing that we can come into a country and get 120+ locals to stop their lives for 10 months and work with us. I think if you asked any one of them they would say, they are honored to serve with Mercy Ships, but in reality we are honored to have them serve along side us.
After the ceremony I said good bye--- to Agnes my dental assistant who I have really grown to love. Alvin, Henry, Marilyn, Sieh, Anthony, and John. All of which have been working for MS since I have arrived first of June.
I also had to say good bye to Lucy.... my ward day worker friend who's house I went to a few Sundays ago. We took one last photo, exchanged emails, and as I walked down the dock towards the road with her, hand in hand... She said to me...... I came to Mercy Ships late...... and by the time I started working here everyone already had friends, so I prayed and prayed that God would provide me with a friend...... and to my surprise he provided me with a much younger friend whom I love as much as my own daughter. Praise Him for that! I fought back the tears pushed my sunglasses closer to my face and hugged her goodbye.
I am not sure if I will ever see her again on this earth, but I know for certain I will see her again on the streets of gold, and like I told her today.....then and only then will there be no more good byes.
Our time here in Liberia..... is drawing to a close..... and it is sad at times.
Looking back to where we had just been docked for the past 11 months
At the end of the day
