2016 Sierra Leone Trip Journal: This Is Africa

by | Apr 17, 2016

It’s been more challenging to send emails than I thought it would be. I guess that’s why they say, TIA(This is Africa). I have not been able to get an internet connection on my computer yet and we only have electricity for about three hours each night. Leanne has been uploading these emails. My host family has been incredible and is taking great care of me. I’m eating authentic African food. It’s been enjoyable to send some photos of the meals to Leanne. 🙂

I arrived on Thursday night and Paul and I hit the ground running. On Friday we met with three different trade schools for women. They teach trades like tailoring, catering and hair styling. We also met with an organization that specializes with street girls. And we wrapped up the days visiting with Princess at her orphanage.  Pretty sweet to have her run to me and give me a big hug!

On Saturday we met with some young activist that are in law school trying to promote change in regards to the many injustices in their country. We also had the opportunity to meet with the President of the Baptist Convention of Sierra Leone along with many of his teammates who work with street girls. They were a wealth of knowledge but I did feel completely overwhelmed as they began to explain the issues at hand. The evening ended at the epicenter of the trafficking in this area. We went to a club around 9:30 pm to witness what happens… until we felt like it was time to go around 11:30pm. I don’t really want to share what we witnessed in this email.  It definitely has given me a better idea of their challenges.

Would you continue to pray??
1.  That God would make clear why I am here and where the focus of helping these girls might be?
2.  That God would bless our travels and meetings as we drive three hours to the town of Bo. We will be staying two nights. We will be meeting with more street child ministries and also a girls home.
3.  That God would continue to encourage my faith in Him as I’m by myself in this foreign land. God is definitely stretching me and I’m thankful for it.
4.  That God would doing an amazing work in the life of Princess. That she would be a leader in her country for Christ and that God would use her life to bring others to Himself.