Thursday, June 23, 20016 Monrovia, Liberia
I have been home in Liberia for more than a week now – and I can hardly remember what life is like in California… I have settled into my familiar routine here – quiet meditation and prayer time with my tea to begin the day in my space over-looking the sea, a wonderful workout in the “gym,” many “Good Morning Deborah”s as I enter the dining room for breakfast, for a made to order meal by James or to get yogurt to take to the room – and then off to the office… Driver Calvin is there for me every moment – driving me wherever I need to be and so protective. Our FFW Liberia team has grown into a truly professional force of talented Liberians, all of whom are totally committed to our work. It has been a decade now since I first came to Liberia… whoever would have thought…
I have been home in Liberia for more than a week now – and I can hardly remember what life is like in California… I have settled into my familiar routine here – quiet meditation and prayer time with my tea to begin the day in my space over-looking the sea, a wonderful workout in the “gym,” many “Good Morning Deborah”s as I enter the dining room for breakfast, for a made to order meal by James or to get yogurt to take to the room – and then off to the office… Driver Calvin is there for me every moment – driving me wherever I need to be and so protective. Our FFW Liberia team has grown into a truly professional force of talented Liberians, all of whom are totally committed to our work. It has been a decade now since I first came to Liberia… whoever would have thought…
Life is very full here – full of people and activities and projects and this trip, several special reasons for being here:
Meeting new FFW Liberia team members and partners – and reconnecting with our COO and dear friend David Beyan after his long visit in the US.
Welcoming Dean Paula Cordeiro and her colleague from the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) at the University of San Diego for the 5th visit to Liberia to work with our partner schools, offering training in the best education practices.
Trying in every way possible while working with the VP’s office to be part of welcoming Michelle Obama to Liberia next week – we so want her to visit one of our treasured partner schools, FSHAM School for Girls, the first high technology school for girls in the country.
Reconnecting with dynamic Liberian Marie Flomo of the Grassroots Women Agricultural Multipurpose Cooperative to propel a grassroots women’s agricultural initiative.
Introducing skateboarding to Liberia! The response has been amazingly positive from youth and school officials both.
And somehow investigating how I and the Foundation for Women can be of service to the thousands of Ebola orphans who have been discarded from society here…
The monsoon season is here, the rains plentiful. It is very different energy in Liberia during the rainy season, a more reflective time… it is so wet, life moves slower… I wonder how thousands and thousands manage without protection from the rain…
Last evening I attended the Rotary Club of Sinkor, a Rotary Club I have visited many times during this last decade. My La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club is committed to a sister relationship with this fabulous club here in Liberia. To initiate that commitment, I made my treasured colleague David Beyan a Paul Harris Fellow last evening. This was a complete surprise to him – and one his entire club kept as a secret. Our clubs are now bonded in another special way. I reminded all in attendance that the first Liberian Rotarian to visit our club was in 2007, His Excellency the Vice President of Liberia Joseph Boakai. And the latest Liberian Rotarian to visit our club was my treasured sister Dr. Angela Benson in December 2015. There is much more to come!
As the world is waiting to see the fate of Europe, the wonderment of 67M global refugees, America’s gun policy and politics… so many challenges facing our human family… it is hard to not be overwhelmed… I remain committed to our grassroots effort making good happen every day… while the top down tries to figure it out, we are doing it!
With great love and gratitude for believing in and supporting our Foundation for Women work for decades now, positively impacting millions of people continually… such a blessing to do this work,
Meeting new FFW Liberia team members and partners – and reconnecting with our COO and dear friend David Beyan after his long visit in the US.
Welcoming Dean Paula Cordeiro and her colleague from the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) at the University of San Diego for the 5th visit to Liberia to work with our partner schools, offering training in the best education practices.
Trying in every way possible while working with the VP’s office to be part of welcoming Michelle Obama to Liberia next week – we so want her to visit one of our treasured partner schools, FSHAM School for Girls, the first high technology school for girls in the country.
Reconnecting with dynamic Liberian Marie Flomo of the Grassroots Women Agricultural Multipurpose Cooperative to propel a grassroots women’s agricultural initiative.
Introducing skateboarding to Liberia! The response has been amazingly positive from youth and school officials both.
And somehow investigating how I and the Foundation for Women can be of service to the thousands of Ebola orphans who have been discarded from society here…
The monsoon season is here, the rains plentiful. It is very different energy in Liberia during the rainy season, a more reflective time… it is so wet, life moves slower… I wonder how thousands and thousands manage without protection from the rain…
Last evening I attended the Rotary Club of Sinkor, a Rotary Club I have visited many times during this last decade. My La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club is committed to a sister relationship with this fabulous club here in Liberia. To initiate that commitment, I made my treasured colleague David Beyan a Paul Harris Fellow last evening. This was a complete surprise to him – and one his entire club kept as a secret. Our clubs are now bonded in another special way. I reminded all in attendance that the first Liberian Rotarian to visit our club was in 2007, His Excellency the Vice President of Liberia Joseph Boakai. And the latest Liberian Rotarian to visit our club was my treasured sister Dr. Angela Benson in December 2015. There is much more to come!
As the world is waiting to see the fate of Europe, the wonderment of 67M global refugees, America’s gun policy and politics… so many challenges facing our human family… it is hard to not be overwhelmed… I remain committed to our grassroots effort making good happen every day… while the top down tries to figure it out, we are doing it!
With great love and gratitude for believing in and supporting our Foundation for Women work for decades now, positively impacting millions of people continually… such a blessing to do this work,
Deborah Lindholm
“Faith is our assurance that there is a Divine plan of infinite love at work even in the most challenging moments, and that we are a part of that plan. Faith gives us the confidence to move ahead with vast visions in the face of enormous odds; it is an invitation to work in active partnership with the Divine in service of a better world.” - Women, Spirituality and Transformative Leadership
“Faith is our assurance that there is a Divine plan of infinite love at work even in the most challenging moments, and that we are a part of that plan. Faith gives us the confidence to move ahead with vast visions in the face of enormous odds; it is an invitation to work in active partnership with the Divine in service of a better world.” - Women, Spirituality and Transformative Leadership
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