Smiles, more smiles than before, that”s what was passing by as we drove into Congo Town Liberia. A hard life hardens the sweetest face and lack of hope keeps it there but things are changing, bit by bit, for the better.
You know, I keep coming back to hope. This, as you can imagine, is a slippery commodity, shifting from individual to individual, circumstance to circumstance, let alone a whole nation. What do I know, an American coming along every now and then. I don”t care, I choose to see hope.
Last Friday night we were on Truth FM with with talkshow host “The Leading Lady.” Her show comes on late each Friday night, comforting, rich words seep into the microphone offering compassion and confidence. Some might call this the hour of cheese, but again, I choose to think in another direction, towards those within the shacks of Liberia on that casino online dark and rainy night, all in need of inspiration and affirmation of hope, “The Leading Lady” fits that bill pretty well.
We”re pushing on with our project of working with the local media and universities, helping them to tell their own stories of struggle and triumph. I”m sure we”ll face our own challenges and through those we will grow, or at least hope to.
Decades of rebuilding, generations of struggle, that”s what it”ll take for Liberia to be whole. It can happen, it is happening, bit by bit.
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Blog note, Long Story Bit by Bit: Liberia Retold is a powerful photo essay book by late photographer Tim Hetherington
