Having completed the formalities, we left for Tubmanburg in the Bomi County with Fr. Firmin. Fr. Gareth Jenkins, famously called fr. Garry was waiting for us. He is great a figure of the SMA in Liberia, he bravely walked through the civil war (was taken as hostage for more than a month) and worked during Ebola epidemy.

He belongs to SMA British province. He arrived in Liberia in 1971 and is still active in his post and active on the field. He is the memory of these two tragedies that have shaken this country.

A Warm welcome , similar to that of old friends meeting, when we have never met before. Garry (people like to call him that way) was pleased that the SMA journalists are interested in the situation of this country when the whole media forgot now. What to say about a country that is trying to recover from so many hardships?

We do not feel any aggressiveness or mistrust towards the foreigners, people greet us willingly and the children are smiling and playful. When we were waiting in the bank on our first day, a grandmother arrivesd followed by her grand daughter, curious about what was surrounding her. When I stretched out my hands, and immediately she threw herself into my hands without any hesitation. Here, we do not feel the hyperactivity of the African cities that I know. Even in the streets, with the possible exception of taxis, people let us pass despite the flow of vehicles. On the road, we had to buy some fruits, arrived at a stall, nobody moves, we had to call the seller, while in other parts of Africa, as soon as you stop, a group of small sellers’ surround you and do not let go.

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Bomi county, is a mountainous region, at its basement its rich in iron ore. We discovered the ruins of an extracting factory, and nature is taking over it. In the 1970s it was the largest mining plant in West Africa, the war ruined it and the buildings served as a shelter. It was a flourishing region before the war. There was a new attempt to reopen it, but unfortunately Ebola came in and the factory is there, inactive. The war and Ebola have killed this country. We still cross many UN vehicles while officially, its security mission is complete. But its departure will cause a significant drop of resources for these populations who live from small businesses. This will create an imbalance again, because of which its presence is still visible.

Father Gareth is inexhaustible, it must be said that his experiences are enriching. He was a former soldier and has been able to overcome the most dramatic situations. The mission has no compound wall. was not closed. At the beginning of the rebellion, he was asked why there is nosecurity wall. “If they attack, I can not escape !” replied smilingly fr. Garry. Taken as hostage by the rebels, he ended up in Guinea Konakry. A space behind the mission where a white cross was putup is the place where 225 children and many women died of starvation during the rebellion. The rebels, had gathered women and children on the field of the mission. Just before that, Gareth went in search of food, and could not never return. Its a terrible place to remember these atrocities committed by the rebels.

During the rebellion, he was not afraid of rebels or rockets that fell nearby, but he experienced fear with Ebola. People often say, we can escape from the rebels because they are seen, but we cannot escape frome bola because its an unseen enemy. Ebola has divided families and had cut off from their loved ones and you risk becoming a threat to those you love. Garry had to build a barrier around the buildings, because the sick who had been driven out from all sides came to the mission. Not being equipped to protect himself, he could not let them approach for fear that they would contaminate all the others. He witnessed heartbreaking scenes like a mother, asking her feverish child not to approach her. The slightest fever became suspicious, even if it was only a malaria.

We spent hours listening to him, touched by emotion. We have already collected more than 200 clips (small videos), to view and organize, to have material during the editing of our documentary. An overwhelming heat crushes us, it’s the permanent scene, I literally get drowned in the sweat. We work with the generator, we must calculate to recharge the batteries of our various instruments at the right time and not be surprised.

You are probably wondering how I manage with my English, it is true that on the first day I did not have to practice it, since they were all francophone, but at Garry’s place, it is something else. With my Oxford English, I sometimes struggle to grasp everything, so Joseph, my collegue, is very precious to me, he completes my shortcomings. It is he who leads the interviews, I am the cameraman. Today we return to Monrovia, to meet a nun, in a hospital, (which was very active during Ebola) and the bishop of this diocese. I’m afraid I am too long and yet, we have so much to share.

Thanks to all those who answered me and encouraged me, if I find some free time, I will make sure to answer you individually. Have a good week.

Gerard and Guvvala