News 2007 - July
Lunch party for Juliana's dream
Juliana has a dream …………………where she can see young women employed in a profit making project – where women who are widowed, alone, single mothers, can have a job which is satisfying and brings regular employment. Where women who have been traumatised by the cruel civil war in Sierra Leone can once again have self worth, to earn their own money and support their children
Juliana's dream is BIG ! and when she shared it with us we believed in her but to start with we believed that starting small was the way forward.
When visiting Sierra Leone in November 2005 then 2006, Diana Snape, Norm Robbins, Vicky Russell and others were moved by Juliana's energy and vision and we wanted to help
Juliana wanted a café, hairdressers, dying and sewing workshop. Together we decided on the café to start.
Diana and Vicky together with Dianne Bayfield put their heads together and decided to have a lunch party to raise money for Juliana.
On 14th April 2007 the day dawned bright and sunny. Friends and family interested in Africa, Sierra Leone and the project attended. We dined on food of an African theme with South African Bobotie, peanut puree, sweetcorn and rice, plus other more British dishes. Everyone enjoyed the buffet style meal and Diana gave a short talk on the project. With the money raised Juliana has plans for a generator, fridge, tables, chairs, cooker, and all the equipment to prepare and serve fresh African food with a few cool drinks thrown in! The café will be run to make profit and will employ young women who Juliana has been working with for some time.
Start up costs are about £1,000 and after the kind donations from everyone on the 14th we are more than half way there.
Diana, Dianne and I would like to thank everyone for the kind generosity for the project and thank you for making the lunch party a special time. We will keep you informed of the latest developments of the project.
Vicky Russell 4/8/07
News from Pastor Yatta Samura in Freetown
Yatta writes……………………………
1st July
………….I am extremely busy at this time. The schools will close early for the elections in August. Tomorrow we are going to a big community that does not have a school but a lot of children. Please pray for us as we play sport and share God's word with the children. Pray that they may have a clearer understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ and want to follow Him.
…………..I am the chaplain to one of the political parties, the APC (All Peoples Congress). We have a prayer meeting every Friday from 12-1pm and it has been very effective and challenging. The Presidential candidate is a Christian and interested in the prayer group. We encourage him and the other executive members of the party to attend. I am travelling around the country to establish the prayer group in other cities so it becomes nationwide.
Our community church in Freetown has out reach every Monday and Thursday. The other pastor of the church has left so now I am left alone as the pastor – you know what it takes.
Please continue to pray for Pastor Sarh's family. We have the trust fund set up for his 2 daughters which will help to fund their education
Thank you for the clothing you sent for the children and stay Blessed
Yatta
(Pastor Sahr was struck by lightening in Freetown and was killed whilst playing football with a group of young people. He leaves a widow and 2 young daughters)
8th July
…………………….It was so nice to speak to you Richard (Bayfield) and great to hear your voice. I am doing fine and very busy. I was invited to sit in the civil society to help monitor the Election and so it may be free from fear.
The prayer meetings of the APC are going well and I am trying to make them nationwide. I believe in the leader of the APC he is a Christian and I want to support him.
………………Thank you for the money you have sent for the pastors and teachers which I have passed on to them. Thank you for the money for the building of a new school at Kono District. I am planning to spend a month up there in the autumn to over see the work.
……..Please pray for us as the election is coming on August 11th. Pray that it is violence free. Please pray for me.
(Some of Yatta's words and order have been changed to make it easier to follow)
News from Kono District
The general picture
Tension is rising in the provinces, due to the coming election, and there have been a number of skirmishes between members of rival election factions. The churches in Kono district are praying daily for a peaceful election.
Churches
There are 5 churches that we support in Kono district (please see the Sierra Leone website (c3m.info) for details.
Koidu church is the largest Christian Community
Mission church in Kono. It has a congregation of 200-250 people and the church meets in a large room owned by the government. The church services include a sermon, prayers, and the choir and congregation also sing spiritual songs. They would dearly love a sound system (microphone, amplifier, loudspeakers and CD system). A portable PA system suitable for this remit is available at a cost of approximately £500.
The congregation really need a church building of their own, as the government may soon want the building back. To build a church and office for 250-300 people is a big project and would cost about £4000.
Schools
The school at St Andrews, Maima, is well established and there are about 162 pupils Two more classrooms are needed and money has been given by St Andrews church, Oxford, for these to be built. Until these are ready, however, the older Year 6 pupils will walk the 3km to Koidu and attend school there. Younger Year 6 children who are too small to walk this distance, will stay on at St Andrews school in Maima.
The church at Bungalow was built by the congregation themselves. using mud bricks. (see pictures on website (c3m.info)) With £1200 we raised in Autumn 2006, the church has now been finished off and the interior plastered and painted. A school takes place in the building during the week. A further 2 classrooms for the church school are planned to accommodate increasing numbers of classes, and bricks are being made and stored in the church, for their construction. The congregation are going to do much of the work themselves.
Ah-kom secondary school is a well-regarded school in Koidu, governed by David Sandi, deputy chairman of Kono district council. It was opened after the civil war ended, and last year was the first year the pupils sat the West Africa school certificate: they achieved very good results (see website c3m.info).
The current school building has limited classroom space and so classes are in two shifts – morning for the juniors, and afternoon for the seniors. Some land has been given to the school for new school buildings, and work on this has now begun. Older students have been helping to lay foundations and build classroom walls. (see photo of the building work so far).
At the time of David Sandi's 2007 visit to the UK, funds had run out, and 200 bags of cement were needed to progress the work. St Andrews church, Oxford were able to provide funds for this cement, so work could proceed. Further funds are needed to complete this school building.
As you can appreciate, the church and school communities are developing apace with their hard work and your financial support. Many thanks for your generous contributions to these projects.
Diana