Submitted by: Stan Olsen
I had a long but uneventful flight to Liberia with a night layover in Ghana. This way I ended up much more refreshed on arrival in Liberia than usual. A longtime friend and a driver from the Lutheran Church in Liberia (LCL) were on time to meet me and we had a good visit on the 30 mile drive to Monrovia. The airport is an old US Air Force base constructed during our presence in Liberia during the Cold War. Voice of America had a very strong radio station at that time just outside of town.
The next two days were spent buying medicines, signing contracts, meetings with the Bishop of the LCL, the Right Reverend Doctor Daniel Jensen Seyenkulo, a good friend. The days were also spent confirming the trip by road that starts on Friday (Jan. 24) to the village of Belle Yelleh. 
Taking a hand powered ferry across the St. Paul river on the way to Belle Yelleh
Typical scene on the roads “upcountry” in Liberia. We had to pull this pickup out before we could continue!
Our meetings with the people in Belle Yelleh were very successful thanks in large part to the roles played by the Bishop and our well contractor. The village people were very thankful that we had travelled so far to meet them and fully agreed to meet all our requests that they fully help carry water, sand, and gravel as well as house and feed the workers. It was a great meeting and all of us felt it was successful and worth the 8 hour trip over rough roads and a hand powered ferry crossing of the St. Paul River.
Rev. Dr. Daniel Bishop Seyenkulo with his wife Rev. Linda Seyenkulo
First cell phone tower in the Belle District of Liberia. One can now call anywhere in the work from the “bush”.
The villages are in the process of getting cell phone coverage for the first time. Belle Yelleh already has service and there are people trying to get coverage in Fassama and Belle Baloma. Belle Yelleh received their tower and antennae by a vehicle from the cell phone company. Due to the poor condition of the road to Fassama the company is not willing to bring the tower (a 30’ long 4” diameter steel pipe). The people in both Fassama and Baloma said they would carry the tower from Belle Yelleh to their villages – about a 6-8 hour walk. This is not a KM project but we are trying figure out how to assist logistically to accomplish this objective. When I first came to Liberia there was not even a motorbike road between the villages and now they almost have phone coverage whereby they could call anywhere in the world!!!
After traveling back over the road and the repeat ferry crossing we arrived back in Monrovia the next day. Two days later we flew into Fassama in Samaritan’s Purse helicopter for a meeting that day with the village representatives. The following day we took motorbikes and met with the people in Belle Baloma. The people expressed their gratitude that we had come to see them, expressed their needs and also promised to help us fully with our work. The meetings were very successful with all the people agreeing to fully cooperate with the Kuwaa Mission to help us meet our goals of meeting their needs.
Classroom in Fassama
Well construction is well underway, the Children’s Bible School program in Kondesu attracted over 150 kids, the Community Led Sanitation Program was also conducted in Kondesu along with one Days for Girls program. We also conducted a Days for Girls program in Gatema, Gorwoma and Gbeyanki.
New well in Belle Balloma
Happy baby in Belle Balloma
It was a wonderful trip, I got many things accomplished, met many old friends and reconfirmed that the work of the Kuwaa Mission is going strong and that the Kuwaa people trust us and continue to look to us for assistance. It was great to hear them confirm their willingness to do their part in the programs.
Thank you all for your support that enables us to help all the people in the Kuwaa area.