A Glance Back

Only by looking at my daily planner did I realize that I left home one month ago. The time has passed quickly since I arrived. It is challenging to introduce a strategy of moving forward for a community where daily survival is of such serious proportion. The future seems a distant dream, and solving today's issues of hunger and poverty is the issue at hand. I am continually finding a balance between visioning for the future, and thinking of practical answers to the short term immediate crisis. While it is difficult to think of the future in the midst of survival, if we do not, the cycle of poverty will not end. People often challenge the MDG Program, and I thank them for doing so. If we do not question and challenge, we will not find the appropriate solutions for Liberia. Because humanitarian assistance programs have targeted specific goals to focus on, there is a misinterpretation that the goals stand alone. I explain their inter connectivity. The eight goals are not a shopping list. If we only work on #1 and part of #6, it is not an MDG Program. A strategy for recovery and reconciliation, each of the well crafted goals depend on and support the others. I am often met with the comment, "The MDG's look good on paper, but we need help now." There is much work to do. These past weeks, I have been focusing on meeting university administrators, faculty, staff, and students. I have been introducing myself to and building alliances with Liberian Government Agencies, USAID, the United Nations, and agencies from other countries. My orientation continues.
In my assessment, I believe that the Diocese of Liberia and Cuttington University has a unique opportunity to be a model MDG program. Situated on 1500 acres of rich agricultural land, CU can become a sustainable community with food security, an expanded health facility, a modern infra structure, an exceptional elementary school, and other services for students, faculty, and employees. The expansion and development of outreach programs for surrounding communities will continue to provide much needed services to a marginalized population.