On a medical mission to Liberia with KBNF (Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation) I was able to see firsthand the devastating effects of 12 years of civil war followed by a two year Ebola crisis on an already incredibly poor country. Liberia suffers from an unusually high level of illiteracy and an inability to do for itself because it has survived for so long on Western handouts. On the flip side with the proper help it could easily be a jewel of Africa. It is so beautiful, and it’s people for the most part are it’s biggest asset. Even with the culture of handouts they have become accustomed to, they are genuinely and profoundly thankful when given the opportunity to express themselves on a personal level. We were there to perform sometimes incredibly complex neuro-surgery. On more than one occasion I was approached by individuals that were sometimes close to tears when expressing their appreciation for what we were doing for the country. None of these individuals had any association to any of our patients.