More about George

My 9 year old friend George is still here, delayed by mechanical problems with the Red Cross airplane that was supposed to take him home last Friday. See the photos in the previous post of George. He has become quite popular onboard the ship and he loves the attention. Last night, he came and ate dinner with me in the dining room (rather than eating the African food we serve on the hospital ward).

It was his first experience eating at a table, he said. He doesn't have a table in his house. Dinner was ribs, french fries and peas. He liked the ribs but absolutely loved the french fries (hated the peas). I guess fries are universally loved by all children. As we walked through the dining room, many people stopped us to say hi because everyone knows George.

After dinner, I took him to the internet cafe. He hadn't seen a computer before and didn't know what it was. I showed him how to play a computer pinball game. He quickly caught on to how to use the mouse and the keyboard. He played for an hour and a half and I had to peel him from the keyboard! When he got the high score, he typed his father's name as the winner. His father was killed by the rebels when he was very young.

I took him to the Academy and the library onboard. He was amazed. He goes to school but his school is outside (no building) and they have no books. Our school has thousands of books and about 12 computers, taking up many large rooms on the ship.

He saw the laundry room where we have 10 washers and 10 dryers. He wanted to know how they worked. He washes his clothes on a washboard.

I took him to the snack shop where I bought him some M&Ms which, of course, he loved. I asked him where his family got their food. He didn't know where it came from but he said there wasn't a market close by. Makes me wonder how far his mother has to walk to buy food.

I wonder how these simple exposures might change him. He has been exposed to many new things and ideas over the last week and a half and I wonder if it will make him less satisfied with the simple life he has now. I hope not - I don't think we should impose our Western lifestyles on African culture. But I hope his viewpoint is expanded so that he knows he doesn't have to settle for an impoverished, unemployed life. Maybe he'll be one to make the difference in his country.

Saturday, I went back to God's Childrens' home, an orphanage I previously wrote about. We sang and played with the 50 or so kids. They are energetic, happy kids who are loved by the people who care for them. This isn't so in all the orphanages. The Liberian government had to put laws in place that prevent NGOs (non-governmental organizations - Mercy Ships is one) from supporting orphanages that do not meet the laws as there are apparently hundreds of orphanages that are exploiting children rather than caring for them.

At the orphanage, I met Joshua. He's 14 and he says he's named after Joshua from the Old Testament. He brought out this huge children's Bible and he told me the story behind every single picture in the Bible. He knew all the famous Bible stories (Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark) but he also knew many, many other stories that aren't usually a point of teaching to children. Some I will have to go back and reread to remember. He said he is going to be a pastor - I believe him.

After he told me all the Bible stories, he and two other boys platted (braided) my hair. I didn't know boys could do that but they all knew how. Almost all African women where their hair platted - mine didn't exactly look like theirs. Sorry, I didn't take a picture - it wasn't my best look!

Peace,
Michele