How To Retire In Liberia

One day Mary Beh was cutting greens from her garden when she noticed a small boy watching her.  “What you doing Ma?” He asked.  “Cutting collards.” “Those look good to eat.” The boy replied.  Mary did what any mother would do for an obviously hungry child.  “Here I will give you small.”  The boy returned the next evening and repeated the routine.  Then he showed up the next.  Finally, she asked him to stay and that was how it came about that the Beh's would spend their 60’s and 70’s taking care of orphaned children. 

Over the course of time MODUC has lost 7 children to the busy Tubman Street due to the simple lack of a secure enclosure.  Recent funds helped finish this wall.

Thousands of children were orphaned by the brutal 14 year Civil War that devastated Liberia.  Tom and Mary take care of 42 of them on their small property off Tubman Street in Buchanan.  They feed them, cloth them, and teach them up until High School.  Mary Beh used to be the principal at Liberia Christian High in Buchanan before the war and she professionally runs this house with loving order and structure.

Author with one of my Liberian Heroes:  Mary Beh

Over the years they have struggled to provide for such a large family and at one point they incorporated into an NGO that they call MODUC (Mission for Orphaned, Disabled, and Unaccompanied Children).  I’m sure there are more pleasurable ways to retire in Liberia, but I can think of none more honorable.  However, the inevitable transitions will one day take place and as they reach a point of physically being unable to care for these children they ask your prayers for another generation of caregivers to step up and care for these otherwise helpless children. 

I'll end the post with this song that the children sang for us during our visit...

Coloring with crayons and pictures our team brought over

Two Little Guys That Have My Heart