Peanut Butter, Bread & Water

Gathering peanut butter jars from anyone who would donate and making trips to several different grocery stores in town to find the best peanut butter deal became an obsession in the weeks before we left.  Tiffany is the "Coupon Queen", but there are not coupons for peanut butter.  Find the deal, collectinhe g donations and mking the purcase was time consuming and sometimes even frustrating.  We were SO blessed, though!  God proved Himself faithful...AGAIN...and provided more than enough!  He even gave us a surprise at the end of the packing by allowing us to check more suitcases for FREE than we expected.  Yea, God!

All the prep work was for the kids and mothers who were waiting for a miracle at Ola During Children's Hospital.

Doug caught a power nap while we waited for the water and bread we needed

Tiffany and I with the nurses in the Nutrition Ward

Ola During Children's Hospital has a special place in my heart.  I suppose because I have had to be in the hospital with my own children, it is just easy for me to have a heart and want to reach out to these moms and their babies.



A severely malnourished baby at Ola During.

The only way I can describe it in words, is to say that many of the children look just like the kids you see on the info-mercials on World Vision.  You know the commercials I'm talking about....the ones that you glance at and then pick up the remote to change the channel because it is too hard to see.  It is hard to see, but it is real.  They are real children with real mothers, just like me.

Tiffany with one of the mom's in the Nutrition Ward

We were so touched by the families in the hospital last May that we wanted to go back to give what we could.  If you've read about it in previous posts, you know that the hospital does not provide food for the patients or for the mothers in the ICU.  Sounds crazy, doesn't it?  Even when I think about it still, I just can't believe it.  In the nutrition ward, they do give the babies Plumpy Nut, a nutrient dense peanut butter-like food.  The mothers, though, have to take care of themselves.

We brought enough gift bags for each family both in the nutrition ward and the ICU to have one.  In fact, we had plenty and even gave a bag to each of the nurses in both wards, too.  Everyone that received one was very thankful to have them.  In conditions like that, a jar of peanut butter and small loaf of bread is a huge blessing.  Each bag had a packet of water, peanut butter, bread and a beanie baby.

There were four families that really stood out to me that day.

The first was a mom with a set of twins in the nutrition ward.  One of them was healthy.  The other was severely malnourished.  The one that was sick was in terrible condition.  She was so tiny and fragile, with no muscle to her little body at all.  Tiffany and I sat with the mom and prayed that God would peace, comfort and healing, and that His will would be done.  The mother seemed very thankful that we had taken time to just sit with her and care about her baby.



The twins. 

Not far from the twins was a beautiful young mother with a sweet baby girl on her lap.  The mom was absolutely beaming as she looked at me with sparkling eyes and a bright smile, holding the gift bag in her hand.  She repeatedly told me, "Thank you" and asked for me to take a picture of her with her little girl.  I wish so much that the language barrier was not quite as great and that I could've gotten to know more about her and her sweet little one.

 

 



As we were finishing up in the nutrition ward, I caught the eye of another mama.  She motioned for me to come to her, so I did.  She was trying to talk to me, and I understood the words "other country".  I smiled and said, "Yes, we're from America".   She kept making hand motions and pointing to her little boy, who was obviously not doing well at all.  Finally, I got it.  I said, "You mean you want me to take your baby to another country with me?"  She gave me a big smile, nodded and said "Yes!  Take him.  Please take him."

This mother tried to get me to take her baby with me

I took a deep breath and told her that God had given her this child and that he wasn't mine.  He belonged here with her, and I couldn't take him.  She begged me.  I looked her in the eye and told her that I would get into very big trouble if I took him, and that I was very sorry.  It was heart wrenching.

Now, maybe she could've been thinking I'd pay her a good amount of money for him.  But still.  To be in a situation in life that there would be so much desperation that you would offer your child to a complete stranger, I can't imagine.  What I do know, though, is that only but for the grace of God is it not me in that situation.

I met a young mom in the ICU that had a beautiful boy named Samuel.  Samuel had been in the hospital for two months and was still not well.  When we asked what was wrong with him, she didn't really have an answer...only described a symptom or two.  The interesting thing about Samuel is that he was obviously from a Christian home.  His mother had her Bible laying open in his crib.  Samuel's head was laying on it.  She was very happy to let us pray with her, and was excited to see her with her son on the back of my camera when I took her picture.


Samuel in his crib, laying on his mother's Bible

It was another time of realizing, again, that God has blessed us beyond measure.  I don't know why, but He has and I'm so very thankful.  The people of Sierra Leone endure things on a daily basis that you cannot imagine if you have not seen it for yourself.   It's an amazing experience to be there and be able to give just a little and watch God use it for His glory.   I highly recommend it.  However, be warned:  it's addictive!

On The Street With Pastor Daniel

Monday evening, we met Pastor Daniel and ten of the children from The Covering at 6:00 GMT.*  The ten kids were chosen because of their good behavior.  We were all walking together into the community near the center to meet with people, pray for their needs and to give them a free Bible.

We were blessed to be able to take two cases of Bibles with us.  I wish we could have taken more.  We had a total of 40 to give away that evening.  There were also many copies of the Book of Hope at the guesthouse which were left by some missionaries.  We took everything we could fit in our four backpacks.

I'm sure we were quite a sight as we walked down the hill into the neighborhood nearby....ten local kids all dressed up in their finest and looking cheerful, the pastor, the social worker from the center, and 4 white people who were sweating profusely (definintely not looking my finest) and loaded down with backpacks full of books and magazines.  LOL

It didn't take long for people to figure it out, though.  Pastor Daniel has an amazing gift of being able to just walk right up to a stranger and start talking about Jesus.  The first stop was a beauty "salon".  There were a couple people sitting outside while just inside the little shack there was a lady getting her hair done.  When the group stopped walking right in front of their business and Pastor started talking, everything was quiet and all eyes were fixed on the pastor.

                                               The beauty salon

As he talked, others started to gather round.  He shared the gospel with everyone standing within earshot.  After the short mini-sermon, we asked if there was anything we could pray for on their behalf.  The entire group (kids included) prayed for God's provision and protection on each person and their family.   Pastor Daniel even led everyone who would, in a prayer of salvation!  He was sure to let them all know he would be available to answer any questions they might have and to invite them to Sunday services at the center.  They were all very interested and seemed excited that there was a place nearby they could worship.

                                                Pastor leading a group in a prayer of salvation


When the discussions were over, we broke out the Bibles.  There would be a similar reaction here in the States if you were handing out 100 dollar bills on the street.  They were ELATED!  We were only in that one spot for a few minutes, but it didn't take long to realize that we didn't have enough.  We sent the guys back to restock the backpacks with more magazines.

                                             
Pastor Daniel led the kids along with Tiffany and I farther down into the village where we kept praying with people and offering them the Bibles and magazines we had.   The Bibles were gone before we got to the 2nd or 3rd stop.  People were running up to us asking for one and we kept giving until we had no more.  There was an older lady that came back and followed me for a few feet, with a huge smile holding her new Bible next to her chest and just saying, "Thank you, thank you!"  It was really an amazing experience.

                                             The crowd starting to gather

The last stop was at the bottom of the hill in an area that was occupied by several small shacks and many people.  By this time, all we had left were Books of Hope.  Again, Pastor Daniel spoke about Jesus and then we prayed both for salvation and for God's blessing on His people.  Word throughout the area spread quickly and before we knew it, there was a really large crowd gathered.  Most of them were women and many, many children.  After the prayer, we opened up our backpacks and all sorts of chaos broke loose.

                                                         Doug handing out Books of Hope

There were kids jumping and shouting, reaching and just trying to get hold of one of those magazines.  We guessed that there was near 75 to 100 or so kids.  Being the school teacher and having taken a few groups of kids on field trips, I was more than a little nervous about locating the ten kids that belonged to us and keeping an eye on them.  It was extremely loud and people were everywhere.  I tried to get a head count in the madness, but it was impossible.  I think Pastor Daniel thought my preoccupation with the kids' safety was a little comical.  Neither him nor the social worker on staff were in the least bit concerned.

                                                

After all the magazines here handed out and there was a huge mass of village kids standing with these books in their hands, looking at pictures of the life of Christ, Pastor told them to shout the name of Jesus on the count of 3.  It was an amazing sound to hear...I hope I don't ever forget it.  The kids were thrilled with their new books and it was a blessing just to see them smiling and so happy.

On our walk back to the center, we passed the beauty salon where we'd first stopped.  Every person there was sitting with their Bibles open on their laps, smiling.  They were looking at these Bibles Doug and I purchased for not more than $1 each like they were the biggest treasure they had.  Just this one evening was worth all the time, planning, inconvenience and expense of our trip.  It was all worth it.  Every single penny...and I'd do it all over again.  In fact, I'm certain that I will do it again.

I'm so glad to know that even though we were only there for a week, we left behind something that will affect their lives and give them hope for an eternity.

Out & About in Freetown

On Monday, we hired a taxi driver to drive us around town for a while to do a little exploring on our own.  Musa is a friend of Osseh's (who is trusted staff at the center) so we knew we'd be in good hands with him.

First stop was the beach at Lumley.   There were fisherman on the beach pulling in their nets.  It's quite a sight to see, so Musa pulled over so that we could get a closer look.  He explained how the boat takes the net out and drops it.  Then, it is pulled in by a team of men.  They pull one side and then the other until the net is close enough to shore to close and bring in the fish.

When we got out, we were approached by one of the men who explained further and invited Rich and Doug to help pull the net in.  The boys ran to help while Tiffany and I got out our cameras.    It was alot of fun watching the guys...pulling those nets is apparently harder than it looks! :)  It didn't take long for the Americans to give out.  I asked Doug if he'd like to give up his job to fish every day, and it didn't take long to get a firm, "No!"

After we'd been there a while, another one of the fisherman came up to me and asked if we were having a good time.  I smiled and said that we were really enjoying ourselves and thanked him.  He was speaking English, but with a heavy accent and doing so rather quickly.  I was having a hard time understanding exactly what he was saying, but it ended up with something about having food and drink together.  I thought he was being really nice and inviting us to eat with them after the catch.

He could tell, though, by the look on my face that I wasn't really "getting it" so he approached Tiffany and started his conversation over.  He wanted us to have food and drinks, all right!  On US!  LOL  He wanted us to pay him and his crew since we got to enjoy ourselves and take pictures.  That might not have been a problem, but there were more than a dozen of them - maybe closer to 20.  Needless to say, we quickly gathered up our husbands and headed back to the taxi.

Next stop was Crown Bakery.  We had eaten there before, so we knew what we were in for, and we were hoping to see chocolate donuts in the display case.  We enjoyed a great lunch chatting with Musa.  Doug and I shared an avocado sandwich and a chicken shawarma.  They were both yummy!  The shawarma is a wrap with chicken and a cucumber sauce.  We were disappointed there were no donuts, though.

On our way back to the center, Musa pointed out the more important landmarks we were passing and drove us through Kroo Bay.  Doug hadn't seen it before.  He didn't get the full experience of actually getting out and walking into the village, but he definitely was able to see the devastating poverty.  Musa also drove us by another slum that was built on a trash dump.  There was no ground to be seen under these living quarters....just trash.   Even though I had been before and knew the extent of the poverty, it was a painful reminder of just how blessed our nation has been.

It was a great day getting to know Musa and learning a little more about Freetown.

By the end of the day, we were anxious to get back to the guesthouse, though.  Our plan was to go with Pastor Daniel and a few chosen kids for the evening into a nearby community to pray with people and give away some Bibles.

Sunday at The Covering

One of the things I was most looking forward to on our trip, was being in church with the kids at The Covering.  Watching them pray and worship is an experience I cannot describe to you in words.  This group of children pray with emotion I've never witnessed and worship their God with abandon.  It's absolutely beautiful..and humbling...and such an incredible example of the way we SHOULD worship.

We were so blessed by the beautiful music (accompanied only by about 3 boys drumming and the entire crowed clapping - no keyboard, strings, horns or choirs needed) and powerful message.  Pastor Daniel is an amazing pastor that I'd be happy to sit under every week.  He's an amazing man of God who does not beat around the bush or make things "pretty" - even for the children.  He tells them straight up the way the Bible lays it out.

Several of them were baptized a few weeks ago.  One of the points he made was that now that they had made a commitment to Christ, it was their responsibility to begin to minister to others.  No excuses.  If you have the luxury of Christ and eternity in heaven - you also have a responsibility.  Period.   Whether you are 9 or 90.  You have Kingdom work to do.

I love that he is not playing games with them or entertaining them.  It would be so easy to do.  In many ways, it's what we do here in America.  He's training them to be soldiers in the army of God.  It's serious business.  He even called one little guy out who was misbehaving and told him that he would not be able to participate in communion because his heart was not in good standing with his brother.  Pastor  Daniel rocks!  He's an amazing vessel being used by God in the lives of many, many people.  I'm so blessed we were able to spend some time with him this week.

The service was extra special Sunday, because the children who were baptized were being served their first communion.   I didn't take pictures, because I didn't want to be disrespectful, but I wish I could show you the two lines of kids lined up holding their bread and "wine".  It was just beautiful.  Being there with them for such a special time in their spiritual lives was such a blessing.

Many, if not most, of these children were living in Muslim homes not much more than a year ago.  The Raining Season has not only rescued them from homes that were not healthy or the lack of a home...but they're being rescued from an eternity without God.   It's just incredible to see God working and how the lives of these children are being transformed.  In fact, it's not only the lives of these children, but also the lives and hearts of many caregivers, staff and even American sponsors and travelers who are being changed from the inside out.  I'm so glad we are part of it!

I didn't take pictures of the service, but I did snap a few shots of the kids before and after.  They were all dressed up and looking pretty.  We tried to look as good as we could...but my hair and makeup wilted before I ever even walked in the door.

Sunday evening we were blessed to be able to go to an international service for people who are serving in various capacities in Sierra Leone.  Some were missionaries and some worked for non-profit organizations.  We met one young lady who is living very near Kroo Bay and working there each day serving that community by administering basic first aid.  Another is working for an organization that sends her out to various places to work doing OT and PT with handicapped children.  It was a great experience to meet different people from all over the world who are giving of themselves and serving in different ways.

Happy Birthday, Aunty Marie!

Our first full day was Saturday, April 2nd, which was also Aunty Marie's birthday.  Aunty Marie has a special place in our hearts.  When Tiffany and I visited last May, she was caring for the babies in the baby room through the night.  In a tiny room, with 2 cribs and a foam mattress on the floor, she cared for the twins we sponsor, Kadija and Kevin.  She has a perfect personality for working with young children and she loves them with all her heart.   Currently though, she cooks and takes care of laundry at the guest house, so we got to see her a lot on this trip.

We were excited to know before we traveled, that we would be there to celebrate her birthday.  We purchased a few things for her before we left and planned to take her out for dinner to celebrate that evening.   I explained to her that at my house, a girl gets what she wants for dinner on her birthday - so it was going to be her choice.  She didn't quite know what to say, but eventually said she really liked to eat pizza.
 
The plan was to meet her at Mamba Point, a nice restaurant nearby, with a variety of choices on the menu.  Later, we learned that she has only been to that restaurant one other time and she was a little unsure of whether or not she could even get in if she came in by herself. 

We arrived before she did and set her gift basket at the head of the table, where she would be sitting.  She was shocked to see that not only was she getting to eat dinner in a restaurant, but we had brought along gifts, as well.  She could hardly speak!  It was such a blessing to us to be able to pamper her for the evening and give her a birthday celebration that she has likely never had before. 

We brought her a gift basket with all sorts of kitchen supplies....sponges, towels, washcloths, scrapers, cutting mats, a colander, hot pads, etc.  The biggest surprise was an electric hand mixer! 

We ordered pizza for everyone and even had a couple of sushi rolls!  The Philadelphia roll is just as good in Africa as it is here! :)  She had never tried sushi and it was a treat to watch her experience it for the first time.  She preferred to separate the contents and eat them by themselves rather than all at once....and she LOVED the ginger. 

Even though it was a celebration in her honor, she sat with her plate full in front of her and only picked at her food until we were finished eating.  When we finished, she ate with enthusiasm and enjoyed her meal.  I assumed that she must not have liked it, but rather, she was selflessly waiting for us to have all we wanted....she waited for the leftovers.

Later in the week, we got to help her prepare a meal for our day at the beach.  She had to make a special trip to the market to buy food, and then worked hard to prepare a special meal for everyone who would be there.  As Tiffany and I were helping her in the kitchen, she explained how joloffa rice was a meal they enjoyed only occasionally, usually at important holiday meals.  And, because the kids all love chicken, she prepared one piece for each of us. 

Marie with Kevin strapped on her back..bent over chopping veggies for our lunch

Tiffany stirring the beef stew for the rice on beach day.

This oversized mortar and pestal is what she used to mix the onion, pepper, tomato paste and spices for the stew.

Joloffa rice...cooked with tomato paste, onion, garlic, and pepper

Aunty Marie worked tirelessly all week long taking care of us at the guest house.  She has the heart of a true servant, and I'm honored to have had the priviledge to get to know her. 

Day 1

These are just a few shots from today.  We spent the majority of the day just hanging out with the kids at the center.  It was a great time!  We were welcomed with a sweet ceremony, lots of music and the most precious prayers you've ever heard! 

By Air, Land and Sea!

Well, we got here safe & sound and had a great time all along the way.  We left home about 11:30 a.m. on Thursday morning.  Jackson was at school, but Carter & Harrison were at our house with my sister.  Carter was sad when we left, but there were no tears.  I was thankful for that, although when we got in car and I looked to my left, Doug was the one about ready to turn the teary faucet on.  Thankfully, the drive to the airport what a short one.

After a stop in Chicago, we were headed to Washington.  I was concerned for Doug on the overseas flight, but we were SO blessed!  We lucked out and got seats in the first row, so we all had extra leg room and a fairly comfortable place to sleep for the night on the plane.  10 hours and 45 minutes later, we landed in Accra, Ghana.   None of us had been in the Accra airport before, and we were pleasantly surprised at how nice it was.  There was a wonderful airport employee who took great care of us, got our boarding passes for our next flight and made sure we were taken care of.  By the time we got to Accra, Tiffany and I were nearly jumping for joy and counting down the minutes until touchdown in Freetown.   :)

We came in contact with a very interesting group of  Chinese people in Accra.  There were about 15 men in suits wearing NEON pink, blue and yellow baseball caps.  It was a hilarious sight to see! They provided us great entertainment. lol

After a smooth flight into Freetown, we had an experience with a ferry boat that I truly cannot describe well enough with words.  The water was rough and we had to board a water taxi by walking across the flimsiest dock I've ever seen.  The wooden slats seemed to be just a few inches on top of the water and were riding the good-sized waves in a way that made it hard to stand up and walk.   We could only walk across one at a time and had to hold on for dear life to the man who was escorting us.  Poor Rich nearly lost it and ended up in the water. 

The real site was the Chinese men with the "colorful caps". LOL  They were COMPLETELY overwhelmed with the water taxi.  The walk on the dock must've caused a couple of them to be motion sick, because they just got sat down when they pulled out their barf bags and started using them.  The four American on the boat (us) were busting a gut laughing at the entire situation.  It was absoluetly hilarious!

When we arrived at the other side of the bay, yet another Chinese guy bit the dust.  We were sitting at an oudoor waiting area, when to locals came carrying the poor Chinese dude up the ramp.  He instructed them to lay him down on a table where he proceeded to flail around and looked like he could hyperventilate at any moment.  There were five locals rubbing his hands, feet, head and one lady standing on the table top fanning him and pooring cold water all over him.  It was quite a sight. 

Eventually, we made our way to the guest house and met the single moms and their kiddos.  Marie stayed late to make sure we had a good meal to eat  before we went to bed....spaghetti, chicken, french fries and chocolate cake!  It was yummy!  We were thankful to be off the plane, off the boat and on dry land. :) 

Just One More

We have just one more day at home before we leave tomorrow afternoon for Sierra Leone.  We are SO very excited to be going!  I can't wait to see the kids again, and to see Doug's reaction to all the Lord has to show him through this trip.

However, we could really use your prayers.  Here's a list of a few specific things you can be praying for over the next 10 days or so.

1. Safe travels.  It is harder to leave the boys this time, because Doug & I are both going.  Please pray that we arrive and return safe and sound.  
2. Peace of mind.  The kids are starting to get nervous and worried.  Pray that God would bless them with peace and a give them a measure of happiness while we are away.  I've had a lot of discussion with Carter about how God will take care of him even when I am not here, so please pray that God shows him in a way that would be clear and comforting to him. 
3. Clear "way" & open hearts.  Please pray that we would have clear opportunities to minister and share the Gospel while we are there, and that those individuals would have an open mind and heart toward us.  Specifically, we will be spending some time at the Children's Hospital praying with families and giving gift bags.  They will have some bread & peanut butter, along with the REAL "bread of life", a new Bible.   
4. Wisdom & guidance.  Please pray for Doug and I.  We feel very strongly that the Lord is leading us further in our walk with Him and into something new for our lives.  Through this trip, we are expecting to see some revelation about what that is.  Pray that we would be open and willing to do WHATEVER He calls us to.

Thanks SO much for joining me on this journey!!  Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated much more than you'll ever know.  I'm expecting to be able to post fairly frequently about what we're doing.  Lots of pictures to come...so stay tuned!

God Is Providing!

Stepping out in faith and watching God provide is an amazing experience!  It's an exciting adventure and it's so great to watch things as He orchestrates all the details.  I'm so thankful, that not much more than a day or so into our project to serve the children's hospital, I can already give you an update and let you know what is happening with our project for the children's hospital in Freetown.

God has already provided funding for our extra baggage that will be full of supplies going to The Covering, as well as the gift bags and Beanie Babies that we will use in our care packages.  Yea!!

As of this evening, we only need the following things for our care packages:

• 60 - 18 oz jars of peanut butter
• $100 to purchase bread and water in country 
• $120 for a small monetary gift for each package

If you would be interested in helping provide either of these two things, please use the PayPal button on the right sidebar or contact me at jodiwidhalm at yahoo dot com.

Please Come Along With Us!

Doug and I would love to invite you to be part of our journey to minister to the poor, the widow and the orphan in Sierra Leone!  We are leaving here March 31st and will return April 9th.   While in country, we will be spending lots of time at The Covering with the children and helping with odd jobs around the facility.  We are also hoping to be able to make a trip to the children's hospital I told you about in the last post.  We'd love for you to be involved with our mission and there are a number of ways you can do that.

A young boy abandoned at the hospital last year.
Hospital staff thought he was 4 or 5 years old.

1.  Please pray for us.  We, along with our friends Rich & Tiffany, will be leaving five children behind in the hands of very capable family members.  Please pray for our health leading up to our departure and while we are away, safe travels, and for our children who will be without both parents for 10 days.  Mostly, pray for God's will to be accomplished in Sierra Leone and in our hearts and lives.

2.  Sponsor a Care Package for $5.  Moms who have children admitted to the hospital are usually on their own and responsible for getting their own food (no cafeteria in this hospital) and sometimes even food for their sick babies.  We will be giving one care package to each mom in the ICU and the Nutrition Ward.  It will consist of a jar of peanut butter, loaf of bread, water, a small toy, and a couple of dollars.  You can provide a care package for one family for just $5!  This is a HUGE blessing to these mothers who are trying to care for their sick children.  We'll put your name on the bags you sponsor and even a note of prayer or encouragement if you would like.


3. Donate peanut butter.  We are hoping to be able to give a care package to each family in the ICU and the nutrition ward at the hospital.  The packages will include one regular sized jar of peanut butter, a small loaf of bread, water, a small toy, and approximately $2-3 cash.  If you live locally, I'll be happy to pick it up from you.  To feed both wards, we will need 50-60 jars.

3.  Donate gift bags.  Small gift bags with handles would be ideal, but nothing fancy is required.

4.  Buy bread & water.  We will purchase the bread and water just before we arrive at the hospital.  It will take approximately $100 to buy enough bread and water for both wards.  You can help provide these things by using the Paypal donation button on the right sidebar.

5.  Buy a T-Shirt.  For $18, you can purchase a Simply Love - Sierra Leone T-shirt.  The picture on the sidebar doesn't do it justice.  You can help us spread the word by purchasing one for yourself or someone else.  All proceeds from shirt sales thru March 4th will go toward providing care packages at Ola During.

6.  Spread The Word.  Even if you can't help right now financially - you can help us spread the word!  Please re-post this, put links on your posts, share it with your FB friends and Twitter!

To make a donation or buy a shirt, use the links on the side bar.  If you'd like to donate peanut butter or gift bags, contact me and I'll be happy to pick them up.

No matter what you choose to do to help out, THANK YOU!  We appreciate your efforts to help us serve those who are the "least of these"!

My last post was about the level of healthcare and service we have in American hospitals.  Today I want to share with you what a children's hospital is like in Sierra Leone.  The Raining Season has built a relationship with the Ola During Children's Hospital in Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone.

The team I traveled with last May was able to stop at the hospital and minister to the families there by feeding them, praying with them and holding their babies so the moms could get a much-needed break. It was a very emotional day that I'll never forget.  Of all the sights and experiences I had in Sierra Leone, the hospital is the place that touched my heart the very most.  I suppose because I have been in the hospital with my own son, I saw each of these kids and this place through the eyes of a mom.

To compare "apples to apples" so to speak, we'd need to compare it to one of the biggest children's hospitals in America.   The moms who make it to this hospital have come to the best place Sierra Leone has to offer in children's health care.  In fact, it is the only hospital dedicated to pediatrics in the country.   The staff of doctors is only four. Available medicines and treatment plans are very limited.  Even electricity is not reliable.

 This is what mom see as they walk up to the building.

Imagine carrying your sick baby on your back for hours, maybe days and walking up to this.  You would probably find a long line of women with their babies waiting to be evaluated.  You might be able to stay or you might not, depending on how many people were there and how much room the hospital had.  Healthcare for children under age five is now free, but the hospital is still lacking adequate staff and supplies.

If you were there because your baby is suffering from severe malnutrition and starvation, you would be taken into the ward shown in this short video.  There would be a bed for you and your child, but no sheets.  If you want sheets, you'll need to supply your own.  There will be a special formula for your baby, but no food available to you.  It would be up to you and the other mothers to arrange for the moms to have something to eat.  

If you have a child sick with malaria, TB, pneumonia or another serious condition you would be taken to the ICU.  The ICU looks very similar to the Nutrition Ward, except the beds have maybe a foot or two between them.   What's different about the ICU is that the hospital doesn't even provide food for the patients.  The pictures that follow were taken by TRS team members over the past year.

Please read the next post to find out what we are planning to do to help the families with children in this hospital.  Doug and I are excited to be traveling to Sierra Leone with another couple at the end of March, and we'd love to invite you to be part of our journey!

Here I am....Send Me!

Isaiah 6:8 says....Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?"  And I said, "Here I am, send me!"

It's kind of funny.  Just a very few years ago after my second son, Carter, was born I was privileged to have a young lady live with us.  She helped me with the house and with the boys while I ran a business and Doug worked.  She felt very drawn into medical mission work at that time and was hoping to be a missionary some day.  Specifically, she wanted to go to Africa.  I thought she was nuts!  I believe I even told her so.  I think I vaguely remember telling her how crazy she was and that I would NEVER go to Africa.   I should've known I would eat those words.  LOL


So much has changed....mostly me and my heart, and I'm so thankful.   My prayer for the past year and a half or so has been, "Here I am, send me!"  I am so very honored that He has seen fit to send me right where I said I would never go....not once but TWICE..and hopefully more!  


We are SO excited about another trip to Sierra Leone!  Doug and I are going to go together this time, with another couple.  We actually met Tiffany and Rich through their adoption blog and learned about Sierra Leone and The Raining Season from them.  We have grown to be great friends and we are all so excited to be going back.  Tiffany and Rich have both been once already.  This will be Doug's first time, though, and I'm so excited to see how God is going to move his heart for His people there!  

I'm SO excited to wrap my arms around these precious kiddos!

We'll be flying out on March 31st and returning April 9th.  It was a little unexpected that we would be going so soon, but God completely made a way and worked out all the details.  We are just thrilled!


Stay tuned, because we are working on putting together a project or two that you might be able to help out with, if you feel led to do so.  


Oh...I forgot to address the question of whether or not we are bringing kids home in my last post.  The honest truth is that I just don't know for certain.  We have started the process of paperwork.  Our homestudy is finished.  Our hearts desire is that God would grow our family through an adoption from The Covering.  The legal process in Sierra Leone is just not an easy one, though.  No international adoption is easy, but there are many roadblocks in our way at this point.  We are praying that God would move mountains in the government there and would open doors.  God is in control, though.  He is sovereign and His will in Sierra Leone and in our family will be done.  We are just standing with our hands up saying, "Here we are.  Send us!", and waiting to see where, exactly, that is.

Now That You Have Seen...You Are Responsible...

Proverbs 24:11-12 
..".once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act."


There are some songs that ring in my soul when I hear them and never stray too far away from  my mind.  I may not be thinking of them, but the words are buried in there to stay.  When the tune  pops up, I start singing without consciously knowing what comes next...but the words come without having to process the lyrics at all.  


This song has been one of those in my life over the past year.  Even more so, since I was at The Covering holding those precious children.  The chorus echos in my mind almost daily.....


"Albertine" by Brooke Fraser
I am sitting still
I think of Angelique
her mothers voice over me
And the bullets in the wall where it fell silent
And on a thousandth hill, I think of Albertine
there in her eyes what I don't see with my own
rwanda

[CHORUS]
now that I have seen, I am responsible
Faith without deeds is dead
now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go till you are

I am on a plane across a distant sea
But I carry you in me
and the dust on, the dust on, the dust on my feet
Rwanda

[CHORUS]

[BRIGDE]
I will tell the world, I will tell them where I've been
I will keep my word
I will tell them Albertine

[CHORUS]

I am on a stage, a thousand eyes on me
I will tell them, Albertine
I will tell them, Albertine

God continues to move and work in our lives.  Many decisions are in the process of being made.  Some within our control and some are not.  We are praying that God's will be done in our lives so that we can serve more efficiently and effectively.  


There are many possibilities of ministry turning in my head, and I am waiting on the Lord to provide the opportunity to walk through an open door.   I know, though, that I am responsible and I will no longer live a life of dead faith, without serving those who are the most vulnerable.

Help Bring Kevin Home!

A good friend of  mine, Tiffany Johnson, is working to bring home a beautiful son from Sierra Leone.  She is having a FaceBook blitz today by asking people to donate as little as $10 or $15 and/or by posting the following as their FB status for the next 24 hours.
You can just copy and paste this line into your FB status....easy!

BRING KEVIN HOME  http://www.giveforward.com/bring-home-kevin

You can donate by clicking on the link.  Anything helps!

James 1:27 says that true religion is caring for the orphan and the widow.  I know that not everyone feels "called" to adopt children into their family.   However, I DO believe that we ALL have been called to be the hands and feet of Jesus to these children who are helpless and alone.  If you don't feel led to adopt, then there is really no excuse for not reaching out to these children in some way.  There are many, many ways to help and supporting people who are trying to adopt is one of them.

You have an opportunity to be a part of providing a precious little boy a loving forever family....please pray about it and then do what you believe God is leading you to do.

‎"...once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act."
Proverbs 24:12

I'm Missing Africa!

I miss the sound of this little drum playing!

I'm so excited for my friend, Tiffany, and her husband, Rich.  He is headed to Sierra Leone in just a couple of weeks to spend some time helping at The Covering.  I can't wait to hear all about his trip!  How the kids are doing now...what's going on...what the new buildings are like....and, of course, to see pictures of everyone!  I SO wish I could go, too!

God is amazing, though, and as I look back on my own experience in Sierra Leone and the emotional journey it's been since I've been home, I think I'm finally beginning to be able to relax again, rest and be content in knowing that I am right where God wants me to be.  Home.  With my family.  Being a mom to the three wonderful blessings He has given me already.

My three blessings with their Papa Rod.

It's really taken a while for me to get here.  I can't believe what just one week in a world so different from my own can do to a girl.  We left on May 17th and returned on the 27th.  It's taken almost three months for me to feel somewhat "normal" again in my own home.

Don't get me wrong - nothing will ever be the same...the "normal" I once knew is gone forever.  I'm in love with Africa and, in particular, a group of 80+ kids that live at a place called The Covering.  Four of those children, the ones we sponsor, I feel a particular responsibility for.  We will always be a part of their lives.  I'm looking forward to watching them grow and change and getting to know them - even if it has to be from across the ocean.

"Our" kiddos in Africa - Mamie & Muhamed

And the twins, Geraldine & Gerald

Until now, though, I've been restless and a little out of sorts about what it is I am supposed to do with this new love of mine.  I still don't know all that we will do, honestly, but the uneasiness isn't as prevailing anymore.

God sure has opened our eyes in the past several months.  I'm so very thankful and will be forever grateful.  It has changed everything about us.  The way we look at the world. Our own lives.  The inconveniences we face occasionally.  The way we parent.  The way we shop.  The way we eat.  Everything.

I do know that mission work will forever be a part of our lives now.  Our sons will participate as they are old enough.  They will grow up seeing and knowing about the poverty in the world and how it affects so  many.  I pray that God will shape their hearts and help them to be compassionate to all  people and willing to make sacrifices for others.

I do miss it, and I'm looking forward to going back again.  Hopefully soon.  We are hoping to be able to travel back together in February.   We are praying about it and are waiting patiently to see what God has in in store.  Whatever it is, it will be for His glory and I'll be excited to play my part.

Kids waving to us at Grafton Refugee Camp.