I second Michelle's apologies- this whole college thing can be mighty pesky sometimes :]
As she mentioned, I'm traveling to Africa this summer, and I'd like to elaborate on that.
I'm spending time outside of Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, located in West Africa.
The country has been in and out of war since 1989; a series of power struggles between the oppressive dictator Charles Taylor and rebel forces claimed the lives of over 200,000 people before peace and democracy found the country in 2003.
In addition to lives lost, many people were injured, and without proper medical care they struggle to survive the long lasting effects. Many children were orphaned by the fighting, and it is not uncommon to find siblings raising one another. While there, we will be working to provide assistance to a disabled center, medical assistance for families as it can be provided, and the promotion of a livestock program aimed at rebuilding the country with a kind of "pay it forward" attitude.
Liberians have one of the strongest senses of family that I have ever heard of. A friend of mine travelled to the country last year- she is an honorary sister at the mission that she stayed with and we will be working with this year. Every person in the country is your brother or your sister, and you aim to treat them as such, with love and respect.
This attitude of all encompassing family was very well demonstrated by the women of the country- fighting for one another's children as if they were there own.
Everyone deserves to have a family, and sometimes in the absence of one, individuals can step up and provide this for you.
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