Happy Inauguration Day to you! 

I spoke with Pastor Andrew yesterday.  It was a short conversation…slightly longer than what it took to convey the information for our monthly support transaction.  (We transferred $300) 

All is well there.  He told me all the children are doing fine.  They are preparing for the second semester of their school year…enrollment of community children is growing.   

He sent the following photo of the children holding some of the gifts your support enabled him to buy the children for Christmas.  

 

Now that we have a new president, I thought you would find the following interesting… 

A couple of months ago, Liberia issued new postage stamps in honor of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.  The ironic part is, Liberia’s postal system is practically non-existent.  You can’t reliably mail anything there and expect it to actually get to your intended recipient.  However, if someone wanted to try, you could purchase one of these fine stamps at a cost of $45. (That’s in Liberian dollars – or about $0.90 US.)

  

I also saw an article of gratitude for the parting president; George W. Bush.  It was written by a Liberian living in the US. 

Kai G. Wleh wrote… 

…most Liberians will remember President George W. Bush as a leader who has restored hope to Liberia and accelerated the resignation, departure and subsequent prosecution of one of their dangerous dictators and warlords. Liberians will also see in Mr. Bush a friend who paved the way for the hastening of international good-will and solidarity. 

Specifically, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will have in Bush a friend who answered her call when she said in a speech to the joint session of the U.S. Congress that “we cannot afford to fail.” In indeed, Liberians will see a partner who personally waived and urged other nationals to forgive Liberia’s international debts and other financial obligations. Moreover, Liberians of all persuasions will see in President Bush an advocate for Liberia’s recovery. 

More importantly, thousands of Liberian refugees caught up in the civil war in Ivory Coast (Cote D’ivoire), who were migrated to the United States from 2003-2006 upon the orders of George W. will see him as a compassionate and caring leader. President Bush’s appreciation and support to the Liberian causes will be the lasting impressions he leaves on the Liberian people. 

Whatever his critics may say, President Bush, unlike many U.S. Presidents, entered the Liberian waters and held the snake by the head – successfully ending the Liberian conflict and taking justice to the most feared Charles MacArthur Taylor. It is based on these and other contributions to the Liberian cause that I bid President Bush farewell for championing the Liberian cause so admirably.