Ducor Palace

Good morning! Here are a few more pictures. If you look on the top picture the big building on top of the hill is called the Ducor Palace. It once was a 5 star hotel- a paradise vacation spot. During the war, like everything, it was taken over by Charles Taylor and later taken over by the people from the villages that fled to Monrovia to escape the genocide that was happening inland, in the villages. Until recently, when the current President ordered eviction from Ducor, there were around 2,000 "squatters" living in the hotel. As you can see in the second picture it was a gorgeous place but now it is a smelly health hazard. The views from the top of the hotel are amazing. I met the caretaker who has lived there 30 years. I can't imagine what he has seen. This place has gone from a executive get-away, through war, to a hideout for refugees. Now it has been bought by the Lebanese with hopes to refurnish it or rebuild. Most of the new businesses and prosperity here is being lead by the Lebanese. This is yet another sad story of what human corruption and deception can and does do- yet in the midst of it all, there is hope. These people have hope! Psalm 42 is a great example of hope and it concludes with this..."Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your HOPE in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." We are praising God here in Liberia. In the midst of heartache there is hope that is very evident here. No one can take that away! As long as there is hope there is reason to keep on keeping on...