The Big Day

Merry Christmas! Today was the 3^rd Annual MCF Christmas Party!

We got up around 8, and Tammy and I went in the first carload over to MacDella’s friend’s house where the party would be. We helped unload the book bags and shoes and then we had a few hours to wait until all of the children arrived. I got some shots of the house and the yard, and I even went up on their balcony and spied on their neighbors. I need some shots of everyday life in Liberia, and this was my perfect opportunity to get some footage outside of the car. I think some of the neighbors saw me, but no one here seems to care about being on camera. They just smile and keep going about their business.

The kids LOVED the cameras today. They liked when we took their pictures with our digital cameras and let them see it right away. Of course, the mobs of children trying to grab my digital camera whenever I tried to show them was kind of frustrating, but I thought it was so fun how they just wanted to see a picture of themselves. My camera had tons of finger prints all over the screen by the end of the day. The kids’ smiles were bigger when they were looking at themselves on the screen than when I was actually taking their picture.

They liked the video camera, too. We got a few of them to say their names and orphanage on camera, but I think it might be kind of hard to hear. They spoke very quietly at first.

The first group of orphans pulled up in the bus singing Christmas songs all together. (We got a little group to give us a private concert for the camera later on.) We spent time with the first group teaching them Duck Duck Goose and the limbo. Tammy did most of the teaching. I was just trying to get it on camera.

Other groups trickled in throughout the next few hours. Soon it was crowded. The DJ started playing music, and everyone was dancing. There was a dance competition, food, gifts, lots of pictures, lots of movies, and lots of little kids gathering around us in groups. Wait until you see the footage of the dance competition. I don’t know where they learned some of the things they knew. MacDella says they watch music videos and do whatever they see. Some of them told me later though that they just taught themselves.

After everyone started leaving, Tammy and I went inside to drink some more water and use the anti-bacterial wipes. I decided to venture outside one more time to see what other footage I could get. I was playing with Belle and letting her stand on my feet while I walked, and we ended up over by the last few groups from the orphanages who were waiting for the bus to come back for them. They instantly started asking me to take their pictures again, but I told them I would take video. One of the groups left, but the orphans from the Children’s Rescue Mission stayed behind. Some of them were upset because they had been the first group to get there in the morning and were the last group to leave. But soon they were showing me games that they knew and doing handstands and walkovers for the camera. They had one game like hot potato, but there was a special song that went with it. And there was another that was like a friendship chain, except it had to do with a thread and needle. There was one older boy who explained all of the games to me before they did them. So I have good explanations on the camera for later.

There was one little boy named Prince who Tammy says is going to be the next Will Smith. He was the one doing handstands.

The children from the Children’s Rescue Mission started telling me what they wanted to be when they grew up. Some wanted to be soccer players, and their friends said they were really good. Another wanted to be a pilot, and another wanted to be a musician. Then they started listing things that they wanted for next Christmas. They were asking me if I was coming back again. The boy who wanted to be a musician said he wanted an mp3 player so he could download beats from his uncle’s computer and make his music. One wanted a basketball. Another actually knew what an iPod was, and someone else wanted a whole computer. I had to explain to them that I couldn’t buy them all their presents. They started telling me to tell everyone I knew at home and to tell a church. I told them that I could ask people in my church to write them letters and maybe help them raise money to buy the things that they wanted most. They ran to find paper and pens, and they wrote down my email and phone number. I have a note from them saying “We want a connection between you and us!” It has a few of their phone numbers on the back. They told me to put it somewhere safe and take it home with me.

I’m happy with how the day went. It was the busiest and most tiring Christmas I can remember, but it was worth it. Tomorrow we’re relaxing and going to the beach. I can’t believe our trip is more than half way done. We’ve been here four whole days, and we have three left. I’ll be spending my time getting some more footage. MacDella has a few things she definitely wants on camera, so I’ll be taping that and anything else I can get my hands on.

I was going to put up a picture, but I can't put up any because the internet is being so slow and unreliable today. You'll have to wait and see them later!