Monrovia, Liberia - I have just arrived – after seven months of ebola trauma and flight cancellations and hysteria in the world… While the world has been living in fear, Liberia has been taking care of business. Yes, too little to late – but a committed recovery and new way of being is in place. Koffa and Sylvester of our team picked me up at the subdued Roberts International Airport tonight – after more than 32 hours of travel from La Jolla to here. As our COO David experienced in January when he returned, there was not one mention of Ebola on the plane from Brussels. Back to coming via Brussel as I began my first experiences here reminded me of the awful war recovering time when Brussels Air was the only way in and out of this country; once again that is the case. Brutal journey. As with David, silence about Ebola until the plane landed – and then everyone went into “Ebola mode”- no touching, no hugging, washing hands in bleach water before entering the Arrival Hall. Bumping elbows through clothing with people who I have known upon arrive for years, who I so wanted to hug… A very different reality here in Liberia now.
I received an education from Sylvester and Koffa on the way to the hotel. ABC is the rule – Avoid Bodily Contact. This is not just with strangers but with trusted colleagues and family members. No hugging. No exchange of bodily fluids even within families. ABC. So I said the population of Liberia must now be declining… “Maybe,” was the reply.
At my hotel home, I settled into my Villa #1005 with great joy. I found a fabulous bouquet of flowers on my desk and a note on the white bed coverings in red and white rose petals spelling out “WELCOME” next to a familiar bathrobe. So beyond dear. I spoke with a senior hotel staff person Eric about the prejudice that ebola has caused – and how impacted Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea now are due to global hysteria. “This epidemic is worse than the war here and worse than AIDS from the African perspective,” was his reply. Tragedy beyond words – and it is off the global screen and now an “Africa problem” vs a global human being family problem. My heart aches…
Tomorrow I am going to the wedding of my namesake Deborah’s parents. She will be a flower girl along with her dear sister Florence who I brought to their family 15 months ago surprisingly after picking her up off the street… I just had to be here for this and so much more.
I am back finally to writing “Letters from Liberia” instead of “Letters for Liberia” – and so beyond grateful! Thank you God!
With great love and gratitude to all of you for supporting the special work of the Foundation for Women, now especially here in Liberia and for caring about our global human family ~ Deborah
At my hotel home, I settled into my Villa #1005 with great joy. I found a fabulous bouquet of flowers on my desk and a note on the white bed coverings in red and white rose petals spelling out “WELCOME” next to a familiar bathrobe. So beyond dear. I spoke with a senior hotel staff person Eric about the prejudice that ebola has caused – and how impacted Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea now are due to global hysteria. “This epidemic is worse than the war here and worse than AIDS from the African perspective,” was his reply. Tragedy beyond words – and it is off the global screen and now an “Africa problem” vs a global human being family problem. My heart aches…
Tomorrow I am going to the wedding of my namesake Deborah’s parents. She will be a flower girl along with her dear sister Florence who I brought to their family 15 months ago surprisingly after picking her up off the street… I just had to be here for this and so much more.
I am back finally to writing “Letters from Liberia” instead of “Letters for Liberia” – and so beyond grateful! Thank you God!
With great love and gratitude to all of you for supporting the special work of the Foundation for Women, now especially here in Liberia and for caring about our global human family ~ Deborah
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