Lots of Random Things

I have been taking lots of pictures of things we have been looking at for over a year and realizing that I may never see it again and want to share all the fun things we have come to love.  The following posts shows some of them and I am sure that there will more as our time draws to a close.

Liberian's (like most of us) are afraid of dogs!

Local medical supply store

I can't come up with a cute caption for this one.  It was just such a funny sight to see all these half manaquins in very tight, brightly colored leggings blowing in the breeze.

Rice fields on the Kakata Highway

A "hand painted" house on the "dusty road" from Kakata to Harbel (Firestone Plantation).  The white spots are hand prints.

A very nice neighborhood street

Jenneh our local "custawoman"

Jenneh's children

All the missionary couples at District Center. Only the UN and the Republic of Liberia has more white trucks than us!

UL

Whisky, Gin or Rum?

On our way to the cane fields

And over the bridge we go

Through the cane fields

To the distilling house

The stoic sugar cane press operator

Ah ha, he can smile

The Press with motor behind.

Sugar cane in the top centre feed, juice out the bottom right.

The Still
Pour the juice in on the right.
Apply some heat on the bottom.

And what comes out at the end: whisky, gin or rum?

The sugar cane season lasts about 6 months starting around November.

Red Palm Oil

Bunches of Palm Nuts

Sisters Hezseltine and Dever getting educated in the Palm Nuts.

Trees last about 30 years.

Palm trees.

Palm nut press. 

The juice comes out the small chute bottom right of picture. 

Pith comes out the big chute on right.

Powered by an old lawn mower engine.

Barrels of juice over the fire to separate the oil that is skimmed off the top.

Skimming the oil.

A Selfie

Ant Bite

Got bit by and ant 3 times on my ankle.  The ants are tiny but can they bit.  It swelled a little more before it started to go down.

Rubber Tapping

Latex: pure white and smelly

Random Shots

Custom (handmade of used car parts) Gym Equipment for Sale

Not sure this helmet is crash proof

Wash/bath Day

Custard Apples and Monkey Apples

Custard Apples

Monkey Apples

There are lots of fruits here in Liberia that I have never seen nor heard of - all are delicious.

The custard apple ripens and all but pops open.  Inside are dark seeds covered in what has the consistency, color and sweetness of a good custard.  There is a netting type sponge that separates  the seed pods which is sweet as well but has a different consistency.

The monkey apples (we may have talked about them before) are deceiving.  They look spiny and prickly but the spines are soft and subtle.  You pop the thick outer skin open and inside is a soft, sweet, juicy, opaque center that is the size of golf ball.  You eat the soft white flesh and in the very center is a seed that you eat as well.

Africa Heartwood Project

We went with Elder and Sister Dever to the Africa Heartwood Project.  It is an orphanage that is funded by an NGO out of Utah.  Rufus and his wife are the managers/parents at the orphanage.  It is a wonderful little place that is run like a normal house with love, chores, love, fun, love and a lot of care.  I am amazed at how much can be done with so little!