Here is the formal Latta Family picture, as we were preparing to leave for Africa, look how young everybody was! My parents were so excited and their enthusiasm for the great life change was enough to excite each of us children as well. My memories are of packing and packing and repacking. Of my parents making lists, and calling their friends, and talking nonstop about what was about to happen. Of visits to different doctors and dreading the all the shots we received. Watching people come to see Mommy and Daddy and praying for them. And when the date finally arrived, each of us children were allowed to take one toy with us for the trip. Mother had to figure out how to travel some 20+ hours with 4 children and keep everyone happy, clean and fed, meanwhile having almost no provisions she could take with her for the journey.
Not sure what each of my brothers took on the plane, but I took my little blue Barbie case with 3 Barbie's inside. I held onto that small case the entire trip. Eating on the plane had it's own excitement for each of us, and mother made us stay presentable for the long trip. We managed to stay clean, as she told us when we get there we are going to take a long ride in a car, then another plane trip before we get there. We had no concept of what this really meant of course, but we were all going to become African missionaries, so nothing of the difficulties of travel entered our young minds.
Oblivious to Daddy's concerns and prayers, we simply enjoyed the long trip, while now as an adult I wonder at his thoughts on the plane. I am sure he was nervous, excited, and probably a little scared. After all this whole adventure was because of his desire to follow the calling tugging in his heart for the Will of God. 'Now when we arrive, I hope everything is in place and the other missionary is there to get us. What will I do if he didn't get the message? I hope I made the right decision taking my family to Africa', I am sure his thoughts circled around in his mind as the hours passed. 'Did I get everything we are going to need? Did God really tell me to do this???'
He took care of Mother and she took care of us. She was afraid of the plane ride, she was then, and still today she doesn't like flying. He had his camera with him, and took some pictures along the way. Later he taught himself how to develop his own pictures, and we as a family are grateful for his talents or we would have no pictures of those precious years to share with you.
Upon finally arriving in Roberts Field Airport, Monrovia Liberia, I can tell you from my own experience as a little girl how it felt. Some events when they happen, get marked with a permanent imprint on the mind and this was one of those for me. When the plane landed we were all trying to see out of the little plane windows to see anything at all. WE ARE HERE... was everyone's first thoughts and words. Slowly the door opened and as we stepped out of the plane, the first memory I have is of the incredible steaming heat. Having been raised in air conditioning and leaving the cool interior of the plane, it would be the last time we felt cool air for a very very long time. We hadn't known how to appreciate air conditioning before. The heat was so intense, it was like a wave that hit us, and then suddenly it was a very sticky feeling, as each of us instantly broke out in a full sweat. The humidity was so high that it made the heat palatable. We had not prepare for this idea. Stepping down the high steps and trying to get to the ground, Mother had 2 kids and Dad had 2, we all were trying to climb down with our toys and bags carefully without falling down the stairs. I am sure those behind us sighed with impatience waiting on this clan to get out of the way.
The second thing I remember was the smell. It smelled like hot sour or rotten burning rubber. The small airport was surrounded by a forrest of trees, later we discovered it was a rubber tree plantation. But the hot chemical smell was the initial smell which masked the smell of sweating workers and steamy vegetation. And stepping into the terminal filled with African people all talking at once, suddenly all eyes turn to look at the white family of 6 walking in from the arrival of the plane.
Now what on earth would a white man and woman with 4 little children be doing here?
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