6.6.14: Community Outreach

Today was community outreach day.  Our goal was to invite children from the community around the center to our vacation at the center later in the afternoon.  We headed out with Pastor Daniel and some of the kids from TRS and visited with people and children on the street.  Then we went to a small school.  The children all came outside and lined up and sang us their school song and national anthem.  After that, some of the TRS kids sang and shared some of their favorite bible verses.  That school was one of the hottest places I’ve experienced so far this year.  There was not a cloud in the sky and the sweat was flowing freely!  Finally we visited one more school, St. Marten’s.  This school was incredibly nice by Sierra Leone standards.

Faith International School…You can see their school building in the background.

Two of these girls wanted to be nurses and another wanted to be a doctor…

After lots of walking we headed back to the center for lunch and to prepare for VBS.  After eating a quick lunch I was simply exhausted and decided to lay down for a few minutes and I zonked!  I woke up an hour later to see 90 kids already lined up outside the center ready for vacation bible school.  This was at 1:30 and we had told the kids to come at 3:30, hoping that by Africa time they would be there by 4:00.  It was awesome to see so many kids so excited to come learn about Jesus that they showed up two hours early!    We sang worship with the kids, had a bible story and then the kids got to play some games in groups.  My group played a  game where we had to keep the beach ball from hitting the ground.  We didn’t quite take in to consideration that there was razor wire very close by so we went through three beach balls rather quickly and it was back to the drawing board for a new game!  Vacation bible school was major chaos, but well worth it.  In all, including the TRS kids, there were 268 kids!

Lined up 2 hours early…

Plan B…Simon Says and Head, shoulders, knees and toes!

The kids lined up and ready to go home…

It was another awesome, but exhausting day.  By the time vacation bible school was over it was only 5:00!  We did whole group devotions outside for the first time since we’ve been here.  When that was over a few of us that had skirts made for church went to pick them up at the tailor.  Then John took us to see where he lives in Freetown.  His home was small, but very nice.  When we got back to the center we ate dinner and then spend time playing and visiting with the kids.  Kandeh had a blast blowing bubbles!

Whole group devotion…

It is hard to believe we only have three more days in Sierra Leone.  There are so many things that God is doing in this city.

{The Launes}

6.5.14…

Today was a great day.  First off, I slept like a rock!  On top of that, we got to once again experience Freetown in new ways.  Last year, I feel like most of our time was spent at the orphanage.  However, this year, we have really had a chance to be in the community.

After a quick stop to exchange money and purchase a Lion candy bar (picture a snickers and kit-kat in one) we headed to the big African Market.  Before going inside a few of us stopped in the St. George’s Cathedral.  It is the oldest church in Freetown, built in 1828. 

Then we went to the market.  It is a very large market with lots of small shops.  There is a lot of jewelry, wood carvings and dresses.  The whole experience is kind of intense and overwhelming as they pressure you to buy while bartering with them.  In the end we walked away with a few items.   The two newest nieces go their own little African dresses and we picked up a few other souvenirs along the way.

After the market we drove up the mountain to see Freetown from a different perspective.  I loved the view last year and was excited when it was mostly clear this year.  I think it is incredible to see the entire city from so high up.  Monte, one of the guys on a team is a former marine who helped evacuate Freetown back in 97’ when the war was getting bad.  It was interesting hearing about that and seeing the point where they evacuated from.

After a full day in Freetown, we headed back to the center.  Daniel is a little boy who lives just outside the center that Trent really connected with last year.  We were able to help him buy a school uniform so he could attend school.  This afternoon we decided to take him and his brother, Samuel, out for ice-cream. Aleisha came with us on our trip last year and is now spending the summer in Freetown so she offered to show us where it was at.  Out of curiosity I asked how far away it was and she said it was a 5 minute walk.  As we walked on I really wasn’t too concerned until eventually, Aleisha said something to the effect of, “Once we get down further we’ll have to ask where it is.”  Ha!  She had no idea where it really was!  And as we asked, no one else seemed to know where Gina’s ice-cream shop was (probably because we weren’t even on the right street).  Eventually we made our way there and the boys really enjoyed their ice-cream.  I even got the chance to use the wi-fi for a few minutes to wish Jamie a Happy Birthday from across the Atlantic and let my mom know that all was well.

When we returned we had play time with the kids and got to share the sponsor gifts with the kids.  Kandeh and Zanaib loved coloring with their new crayons.  After dinner we went to devotions.  I went to the middle aged girls.  Devotions are one of my favorite things here.  The kids have such hearts for Jesus.  Listening to them sing and pray is one of the most beautiful sounds.  Tonight, it was in the dark and that made it even more beautiful.

I cannot get over how truly wonderful this city is.  I am thousands of miles from home, but I don’t feel it.  It just feels right here.  It’s not awkward or uncomfortable.  I’m not homesick.  I am just embracing every minute of this journey.

{The Launes}

6.4.14: Exhausted…

Exhausted seems to be a fitting way to describe today.  Not only am I tired, but I also feel that if I were to blow my nose right now that exhaust would literally come out!  We spent so much time in the poda today and in traffic.  I also haven’t quite adjusted to the time difference here (5 hours ahead) so I spent most of last night laying awake in bed thinking, If I fall asleep right now I will get 6 hours of sleep.  If I fall asleep now I will get 5 hours of sleep.  Please fall asleep so I can get 4 hours of sleep… Around 2:30 a.m. a big storm rolled in.  It is the start of the raining season so there is typically one good downpour each day.  This one that came through in the middle of the night looked and felt like a hurricane moving through.  It was definitely the hardest rain I have experienced here.  This morning Auntie Marie said that later in the raining season it will do that all day.  I can’t imagine!

Today was a busy day for our team.  We hung out with the kids for most of the morning.  Then this afternoon we headed out to the children’s hospital.  On the way there we made several stops to purchase goods for the hospital and the other orphanage we would be visiting later in the day.  It was another opportunity to see some new parts of the city and interact with the people here.  Someone might be walking down the street with a very serious look on their face, but a friendly wave will change their whole demeanor. 

Trent reading stories with some of the kids…

Brock and Matt at the beauty shop getting their hair planted…

They love reading!  Taylor and Amber shared one of Dr. Seuss’ finest with some of the kids…

Daniel racing some of the younger boys…

Moh-Moh looking quite dapper…

Monte spending some time with the boys…

Traffic in Freetown is organized mass chaos.  Honking is completely normal and not even considered rude, nor is passing another car on a busy street with another car coming head on.  I cannot believe that we have not witnessed and accident!  Today as we were  backing out onto a busy street, John was checking the street for oncoming traffic when thud!  We bumped a pedestrian walking behind us.  He was okay and they exchanged a friendly wave before we continued on our way.  Organized, mass chaos.  It works here.

About three hours after we left for the hospital we finally made it.  First we visited the malnutrition ward.  Children who come here are extremely malnourished and allowed to stay for 10 days.  We visited with the children and their mothers, sharing smiles, sweets, prayers, formula and diapers with them.  One mom looked particularly down when we walked in.  By the time we left she was singing and dancing to thank us.  After leaving that ward we visited two more wards.  One was suppose to be more serious than the other, but they both seemed pretty serious to me.  Many of the children were in obvious pain as their little bodies fought for their lives.  It continues to break my heart to see so many illnesses that could easily be diagnosed and treated quickly in America be so serious here.  Many of the children had been in the hospital for more than a month.

This little guy l.o.v.e.d. Monte and had him wrapped around his finger.  Any way he pointed Monte went… 

This little girl was recovering from Malaria, but seemed to be doing pretty good…

After leaving the hospital we headed to Auntie Margaret’s orphanage just outside of town.  We visited there last year and our hearts really went out to Auntie Margaret and all of the children around.  She personally cares for 24 orphans, but 50+ kids from the nearby community came running when they saw us.  Auntie Margaret has an incredible heart for the children and an even greater passion for Jesus.  She shows thanks in everything.  She is primarily functioning on her own with some support from the Raining Season and possibly other organizations.

Michael, the American missionary, attempting to fix Auntie Margaret’s well…

A dangerous game of duck, duck, goose…

Friends Joseph and Joseph.  One lives at Auntie Margaret’s orphanage and the other lives in the nearby community…

As it got dark we headed back to the orphanage.  We spent so much time out in the community today that we missed nightly devotions with the kids and many of them were already in bed.  Dinner was waiting for us when we returned. I particularly enjoyed the fresh watermelon!

Freetown is a city of 2.4 million people.  There is so much going on at any given moment.  Today, I am thankful that I got to be part of that.

{The Launes}

6.3.14: Freetown, Take 2…

Several times in the weeks leading up to this trip I asked Trent how he thought this trip would be different than our last trip here.  Our agenda was fairly similar, but I had a feeling that the experiences with those activities would be totally different.

Today started similar to last time…I was sick and miserable.  I have no idea what causes this, but Zophran (an anti nausea medication) has been my best friend today! At about 2 a.m. I was lying wide awake telling myself that I was going home and never coming back to this place.  Somehow in the midst of all that I remembered that I was sleeping on a nice comfy bed.  I had a fan blowing on me and I wasn’t sleeping on the hard ground, like so many people in Freetown.  Tonight I’m feeling quite a bit better and wondering how long they’ll let me stay!  :)

We started our day with the welcome ceremony.  This is when all of the kids and staff sing to welcome us.  I love it when they are singing altogether.  After the welcome ceremony we had a little time to hang out with the kids.  Trent and I had a chance to reconnect with Kandeh, Zanaib and Isha (3 of the kids we sponsor) and finally meet Memunatu, their sister who was in the hospital with malaria the last time we visited.

We didn’t have a lot of time to connect with the kids today because this afternoon we got to go on a tour of Freetown.  We saw many parts of Freetown last year, but this year was saw so much more.  We visited the National Monument and took a tour from a young man.  His parents were both killed in the war.  At one point he sang the National song for us.  As he sang it, as well as when he was giving the tour, I could really tell how proud he was of his country.  Some people here may not have much, but they certainly take a lot of pride in what they do have.

After the tour, we visited a small market where I purchased fabric to have a skirt made.  Then we drove around seeing Freetown’s oldest college (way up on the mountain) and we drove along the beach.  All kinds of people were playing soccer on the beach.

One view of Freetown as we drove up the mountain…

Tonight we ate dinner at the orphanage and then spent time with the kids at their devotionals.

It has been so fun seeing the kids and how they have changed in the last year.  Some of the younger ones have lost teeth and grown their permanent teeth, while others look healthier or just taller.  I am really looking forward to spending more time with them tomorrow.

The good news on this end is that this time around we have running water…praise the Lord.  It is chilly, but it flows.  A shower was much needed as my forearm sweat literally soaked through my skirt when I was squished riding in the back of the poda today.  It is hot, but it is well!

{The Launes}

6.2.14:Another Journey Begins…

Yesterday Trent and I embarked on our second trip to Sierra Leone, Africa.  We are headed back with the same organization as last year and this time around I was feeling more excited than nervous.  It wasn’t until the night before we left that I had a few butterflies in my stomach!

All our bags are packed…

Things started out smoother this year from the get go as our flights were all on time.  Last year included an extended layover in New York City, but this year, after a short layover in Chicago, it was off to Brussels.  Thankfully I was able to sleep a little and read a lot on the plane, but of course I’ve had my traveling stomachache :(  I spent most of the flight feeling like there was a brick in my stomach.  By the time we got to Brussels I was pulling out the anti nausea meds. 

Of course we couldn’t make it all the way there without any hiccups.  That would just be too easy.  After boarding our final flight to Freetown and leaving the gate, we had to go back because of a mechanical issue.  Lucky us, we got to sit on the plane for the next 3 hours while they tried to fix it.  Thankfully the flight was not too full so we got to stretch out a bit, but people were definitely getting restless!

Now we are on our final leg to Freetown.  Traveling is so exhausting that I just can’t wait to be there.  If I could take out the 24+ hours of travel time  between Nebraska and Sierra Leone I would be there in a heartbeat!  I’m excited to see how the kids and the city has changed since we were there last year.   I am also excited for the new experiences we will have this time!  I am praying that God opens my eyes and heart as I prepare for this journey…

{The Launes}