The Final Product

The finished product!  I hope you guys enjoy it as much as Tim and I do!

Unfortunately people will steal anything and everything so bars are necessary over the windows.

A sample classroom.  We learned rather quickly that you NEED a white flag while working on the roof.  If you don't, when they finish building, someone will die.  We bought a flag...  They found it hard to believe that this same ritual wasn't found in America.

Future student?  Hopefully.

We threw a party to celebrate the completion of the building.  We let Harrison pretty much run and plan the party.  I described it to my Mom as a mix between a church service followed by a junior high dance. Great to see so many community members come show their support.  The DJ played from 12 to 12 and I can say that kids were definitely dancing the entire time.  

Many of the finishing crew.  Everyone in this picture contributed a significant amount the project.

Different group picture during the party. 

Harrison MC'ed the event.  The event started small but gained some serious steam as it went along.  The DJ was on the microphone before the event saying, "Please people, these are white people so you have to respect time." Haha.

Emmanuel doing what he does best.

Famous being, well, Famous.  He has grown into one of my favorite people I have met in Africa.

Fitted.

Our bar, or at least what we think.  Mark and Matthew are the two guys who work there.

Future President of Liberia.  Mato's son.

A stand off: me versus Winnie.  Winnie escaped again.  Though we aren't going to kill and eat Winnie, he still got the last laugh.  Every morning at about 6:15 he starts crowing away (I believe that's what you call it).  Personally, I'm not a fan, I think it's selfish.

The cooks making preparations for the party.  

Benson displaying ninja like balance, painting away.

Bo-bo was a recent addition to the workforce.  I am not sure where he came from, but one day he just showed up and started working away.  We quickly learned he's deaf.  I have really enjoyed getting to know him and he's generally the first to laugh at anything and everything.

Tim also displaying his balance in getting some shots of the school.  I courageously documented him, and then stole his pictures.

We had our last visit at the prison this past weekend.  We have become pretty good friends with the warden, so he allowed us to take some pictures.  This is you typical cell, what you can't see is the other 15+ people in the background.    

A fun story.  One of the prisoners had written us a note explaining why he was in jail.  He had a dispute with his boss at the diamond mines.  The boss was angry at him for a separate issue, and lied to say that he owed him $20.  So he was sent to jail (you can be arrested for debt here, if that could happen in America 2007-09 would've been a rough stretch).  He needed $20 to set him free, but he has no family he can go to.  I was busy handing out some pens that I had, and I heard some commotion behind me.  I learned Tim had just told the man that he was going to grant him his wish and set him free.  That's the type of person Tim is.

Tim with the Warden.  He is displaying the Liberian no smile.

As a parting gift, we had a nice meal prepared for the prisoners.  We figured they rarely get to eat well and so we wanted to spoil them.  It was some amazing potato greens!

Well, for now we are tying up some loose ends in Kakata and then we will go to Robertsport for a couple days to relax before flying home.  A little more to come...