ELWA kid Stephen Tamba is an entrepreneur in a very necessary industry for modern Liberia, as Bill and Judy Slater found out. I thought you would be interested in finding out more about Stephen's "Sapata Internet Cafe", and Judy Slater graciously agreed to write about her experience.
While we were at ELWA, we had difficulty getting on the internet and someone suggested that we go to Sapata Internet Cafe. We hadn't heard of it and we didn't know where it was so Bill and I took a taxi.
To our surprise it was less than a five minute drive. For you who know ELWA, if you were walking on the old road in front of ELWA Clinic you would just turn right on the Robertsfield Highway and it is a short distance walk on the right with large lettering on the building.
We went in and were surprised to see Stephen Tamba and to learn he was the owner of the cafe. Then we saw Jusu Tamba and Matthew Paye working there. It was a neat reunion.
As you can see by the pictures there are several computers and stations for people to
use. People of all walks of life come and go using the computers at reasonable rates. The guys are quick to give any needed technical help in a gracious way without making you feel illiterate. They also have a pop machine and we drank our "non-diet" coca colas, much to the neglect of my waistline. They always put me next to the guys at the main desk which I enjoyed and felt was a compliment. Because I have a MAC it took a little while to iron out the kinks but it worked fine after that.
One night we stayed later than intended and walked through a very dark area to get home. We had forgotten our flashlight so were using our cell phone as a light when someone came up behind me and whacked the hand I had the cell phone in. My first thought was it was a friend playing with us so I yelled at him, "Give me back my phone!" I didn't understand his reply but Bill got the picture fast and started yelling rogue. The young man threw down the card and took off across the field with our phone. The moral of this story is to not walk in that particular unlighted area in the dark. After that ELWA security rode me on a motorcycle to and from the Sapata Cafe if I went without Bill. It was fun. I felt so cared for and enjoyed the cafe a lot.
The young man who helped me with the yard work while we were in Liberia asked if I could help send him to a computer class. Again, I was surprised to find he wanted to go to classes at Sapata. Apparently, they offer classes too. Liberians are getting up to speed on the internet like you wouldn't believe. It's a riot to see all the things the kids can do on the cell phones there too.
We just have no idea what little boys and girls are going to do when they grow up. I remember the Tamba boys when they could hardly walk and now they are technical businessmen. I remember how much their parents loved them too. Seeing Stephen's active happy little boy was a joy. May God continue to bless these men and their business and may they honor Him in all they do.
More about Sapata tomorrow.
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