Gbarnga

Well, I've just spent my first week in Gbarnga at the Rainbow Town orphanage and I've had an amazing time thus far. These kids we're working with are full of amazing stories and a rich faith. Our documentary team has been busy with interviews with Ma Feeta, the elders, a few of the key kids we will follow and the introductions to all the kids. Our days are long and hot and food is not what it's like at home. We don't eat much and what we do it is starch, starch, starch. It will take me a while to eat rice once I get back in the States. But I'm enjoying living the life of a Liberian.

Gbarnga is a country town and considered the "bush". Life is different in this small city compared to the busy life in Monrovia. I've walked through the local meat market and witnessed the most outrageous "somewhat edible but not by westerners" food, played soccer with a flat volleyball in the dirt with some of the young orphan boys, listened to unbelieveable war stories and things these people have lived through, photographed the daily life of these amazing people ...rice paddies, bucket bathes, interesting games, rich music and rich rich faith. These kids are amazing and challenge me daily. The colors are vibrant, the life so different than our own.

We're getting ready to move to our permanent house. There's no running water and we're praying we'll have electricity by the time we move in on Monday. We've been living the good life with occasional fans, electricity, running water and COLD showers...whoo!

I'm usually in the city, Monrovia, on the weekends to continue interviews with NGOs, UNICEF, and the government to add authority to our film. The film is so big and sometimes overwhelming with the amount of work we want to accomplish in these short 6 weeks. So much to do and nothing happens fast in this country. It's not like the US ...because the "system" is not established like the US it takes us forever to get anything done. But all is well.

Okay, enough for now. Take care!