IT IS NOT EASY

It is not easy being so far from family and friends.
It is not easy eating unfamiliar foods (e.g. fish with heads, tails, and bones)
It is not easy to live without electricity (for one month now).
It is not easy to live without running water (pump broken for 2 weeks now).
It is not easy to be without a vehicle (asking others for rides or jumping on the back of motorbikes or in taxis).
It is not easy to have beggars at my door daily (e.g. for food, school fees, notebooks, roofing).
It is not easy to have your patients die ( 2 with both TB/HIV this week alone).
It is not easy to ride a jollopy of a taxi that takes twice the time to get somewhere (last night).
It is not easy to wait 10 minutes for aol to load then wait 3 minutes for each reply to get sent.
It is not easy to watch fist fights on the street of Monrovia knowing the ex-fighters are still here.
It is not easy to watch parents hitting their children with a stick in the name of discipline.
These are some of the many things that I am being confronted with here in Liberia, most of which I have no control over.

Even so,
It is easy to love and care for the people as they are so simple.
It is easy to help them as their needs are real.
It is easy to reach out to my family and friends due to cellphones (although expensive).
It is easy to stay connected to the Lord as He is with us in all that we do.
It is easy to stay close to the religious communities here as we support each other.
It is easy to do social work in a place so in need of education (workshops, awarenesses) and counselling.
It is easy to be joyful since my burdens are light (e.g. no bills, no mortgage, no taxes).
It is easy to be happy here since I know why I am here.

So, I thank God for bringing me here to Liberia to work with His people. What little I can do to help them, I do with your support and the Lord's blessings. As for the other, I just let go knowing that there will be other missionaries to follow. The work is ongoing. It is the Lord's work afterall.

Pray for me as I continue to pray for you that His will be done here and at home.

May He continue to bless each one of you that have been so generous to His mission in Liberia. Please direct any support to SMA, c/o Theresa Hicks, 256 Manor Circle, Takoma Park, MD 20912.  Thank you very much.

Many blessings,
Ann