Dorm Construction Update

 

After a long hiatus, the dormitory renovation has begun again! Praise the Lord! Thanks to all who have made contributions through donation and prayers to this project! Without your generosity, this work could not be done.

 

The second dorm, called the girl's 'Hostel', is actually where the male students have been living for the past 4 years but before the war, it was the female residence. When I first arrived in Ganta in 2007, no students lived in the 'Hostel'. Then, the second year I was here, 8 students came and said they had found 2 rooms where the ceiling didn't leak and wanted permission to live there. They wanted to be close to the classrooms, library, and the hospital where they do their practice clinical for experience. I thought they were crazy! But they were determined and they were the beginning of others who braved the conditions! We were able to get some minor improvements while waiting for the day we could renovate the whole building - things such as basic electricity, and some more dry rooms. 

 

Now, we are looking to a full face lift from top to bottom. The construction company started today taking the roof off. You see the first steps being made in the morning and then how much they accomplished by the end of the day. It is quite a lot of work done! The roof being removed is mostly the original asbestos tile! Repairs were done with zinc sheets. We pray for the workers' safety as they work in precarious positions and with dangerous materials. 

 

 

 

Heartwarming Recognition from the Students

The students living in the renovated dorm surprised me with an ‘honoring’ evening in the living room. They had prayers and comments, and then presented me with a lovely wood carving of a woman with three children around her. They said it represents the students with me. (They call me Ma Sue.) It was a very heart warming evening.

Student Success with Real Life Application

‘Winifred’ senior student, Abu, about to administer medication to a patient. Some of the Ganta United Methodist Hospital nurses had to go to Monrovia to take a Liberian Board of Nursing and Midwifery certifying examination. That left the hospital short staffed so some of the senior students helped cover, under the direction of a staff nurse, of course. They did well, and there were many reports of praises of their skills and professionalism.  It worked out well for all!

Adams Hall is Completed!

The dorm is completed! Praise the Lord! Thanks to all of you who contributed to this project through your prayers, financial support, and more prayers. What a blessing is it to see Adams Hall in its new condition! This 60 year old structure has really been given a new life! When I would visit the site, the contractor and the workers would always comment on the difficulty of renovation verses the ease of new construction. They would start to do the plumbing and realize there was little left they could work with. They would start with the windows, and see that bullets from fighting during the war had damaged the window frame bending it so the windows didn't close properly. Unexpected findings made the work 'interesting' and challenging but they met these with expertise. I am also thankful for Mr. Fred Gbatu and his work team who did such a professional job and put up with all my visits, questions, 'suggestions', and input. They were a joy to work with.

And fortunately, it was completed in time for the 178th Liberian Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church which was hosted by the Gompa District on the Ganta United Methodist Mission Station. The dorm was used by the conference officials.


  Finished exterior:
 


 New bathroom in the matron's quarters:



A few finishing touches being put on the interior:



Remember the picture of the second floor bathroom? This is what the floor looks like now! We still have the wall tile to finish but we wanted to get it ready at least for the annual conference. The tile will be added later.



Looking from the living room through to one room and the matron's quarters. The stairs go up to the second floor. The contractor added a skylight that brightens up the stairwell.
 

Safe Water Is Here

Even though we haven't started the renovations on the second dorm, we did get a small grant from the Rotary Club for a well to serve two dorms and a surrounding community. What a joy for them not to worry about getting safe water. Eventually, when the dorm is renovated, there will be inside plumbing for that facility.

Students Providing Health Education in a Novel Way

The 2nd year students of Winifred J. Harley College of Health Sciences gave a skit in a program at the Miller McAllister United Methodist Church about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted and that people with the illness should not be discriminated against. It was very clever and delivered a positive message that people can be touched and hugged without fear of contracting the disease themselves, and they need the support and love of friends and family.

Renovation on Adams Hall Continues!

The roof has been removed and ready for repairs.

The new roof partially completed.

Even the plumbing will be done including a supersized septic tank!

The workers in process of adding a bathroom to a room that didn’t have one.

Christmas In Ganta

Some scenes around Ganta at Christmas!

Students who were unable to go home for Christmas Vacation break for financial reasons gather for a holiday dinner at my house. This has become a tradition and students start giving me their names even before the vacation starts! It is great fun and a way to meet with the students in a relaxed atmosphere. They also take the opportunity to do some extra clinical practice in the Ganta United Methodist hospital to improve their nursing skills.



The Three Kings of Ganta are…students from Ganta United Methodist School who came visiting and caroling one evening before Christmas. All the students were dressed as characters depicting the Manger Scene. It was very festive!



Guests for Christmas dinner included other missionaries: Dr. Ashwin Sakharia, the dentist teaching in the Dental Nurse Practitioner Program and providing oral health care for patients of Ganta United Methodist Hospital’s Dental Clinic. Dr. Elma Jocson, the new GBGM missionary, Pediatric Surgeon from the Philippines. Helen Roberts-Evans, another GBGM missionary who works for the Liberian Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in their Education Department. There are about 120 UMC schools in Liberia providing education throughout the country and in some very remote areas.

The Construction Starts for Adams Hall: Meet the Crew

The construction on Adams Hall is being done by the West Africa Construction and Enterprise Company owned by Mr. Fred Gbatu. He is well know around Ganta and has done other work for the Ganta United Methodist Hospital. His work is meticulous and thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoy working with him and we collaborate on ideas and details.

Mr. Fred Gbatu

Some of the construction crew



Men at Work. What a wonderful mess!

Moving Day!

Moving Day for twenty-four students of Adams Hall to various accommodations on the Mission Station while the renovations take place. Many thanks to both the Ganta Mission Station Superintendent, Brother Joseph Theoway, and the Ganta United Methodist Hospital Administrator, Mr. Victor Taryor, for helping lodge the students for the two months it will take to do the work.

A Little Bit of Home

One of the senior students wore this to class one day, much to my surprise! I had to explain my excitement at seeing an Oriole's shirt in Ganta, Liberia. She had purchased it from the second hand clothes market in town.