On leaving Liberia...

There is a part of me that is relieved to leave Africa, where 'corruption' has become a cliche, where malaria looms and parasites threaten my Western immune system, where police checkpoints induce fear rather than feelings of security. I'm relieved that I will no longer be asked for money on all corners, that I will no longer be asked for my address, that I will no longer be known only by the color of my skin.

There is a part of me that breaks for Africa, where government officials have betrayed their people, where parents neglect their children and children kill their parents, where satan's malevolent deception pervades God's loved ones. I am broken over the hundreds who are unjustly imprisoned, over the hundreds of thousands who where killed senselessly because of the greed of a few, over the countless children who are denied nutrition, family and hope.

And there is a part of me that rejoices with Africa, where people are quick to praise the name of Jesus, where God's existence is not intellectually debated but accepted and exalted, where restoration is evident. I rejoice because Christ's righteousness is preached, Christ's reconciliatory nature is enabling, and Christ's miracles are happening.

Sailing

We're sailing in the Atlantic! Our current location is apx 23.4N and 18.3W - just off the coast of the Western Sahara. The sail has been a lot of fun so far. I was feeling a little seasick at first (I'm not taking any medicine), but I soon developed my "sea legs." This means I have learned to constantly shift my weight, overcorrect my steps so I don't weave down the halls, run when the ship is rolling down and brace myself when the ship is rolling up. Our captain told us that a good way to prevent seasickness is to keep a full stomach. I have really embraced this advice and have taken to eating Pringles all day long.

Here are some pictures of our sail:

The Sail