My "African-American" Family



Alex, Sydney, Tony, Caitlyn, and Wani

I miss my little Liberian family! This is Wani and her three boys, Paul, Tony, and Alex. They're my adopted family that lives in Knoxville. They came to America about seven years ago from Liberia (West Africa) during a military overthrow. When Wani and her husband became Christians, they moved into a commune with a missionary and his family. Just weeks later, guerrilla warfare soldiers attacked and killed Wani's husband and eight of her fourteen children right in front of her. She ran with her surviving children (Kadi, Tony, Paul, two older boys, and Alex, still in her womb). She gave birth to Alex in the jungle with her daughter Kadi helping her deliver. She finally was met at the nation's border by U.N. workers, and after several months of waiting, Wani, Paul, Kadi, Tony, and Alex came to America. (The older two boys now live in Côte d'Ivoire.) She is such a strong woman, and I love her so very much. I miss hearing her sing songs in her native language of Bassa and just giving praise to the Lord! This family means the world to me, and I am so grateful to call them my family. I love my sister and my baby brothers! I can't wait to see them again in August. Tony says that we're an "African-American" family, and I don't believe that a stronger truth could be spoken!



"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him."-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sydney, Alex, Caitlyn, and Tony