Women of Hope Moves Forward

While our first month or so here in Sierra Leone was a lot of re-evaluating and preparation for getting the program on its feet, this past month has been very busy and full.  We have been able to get the Women of Hope office up and open for business.

75 Teko Rd, Makeni

We also interviewed many candidates for the staffing positions we needed and hired 3 additional office staff and 2 full-time guesthouse staff.  

The office staff - Hannah, Zainab, "Aminata Alex," Adama and Ruth

Ruth and Hannah are our Field Officers.  They will be having the most direct contact with the women in our program and will be working out in the field in the women's homes and doing training.  Adama is our Logistics Coordinator.  She will coordinate all of the events and activities that we organize for the women, as well as handle logistical arrangements for training events and so forth.  Zainab is the secretary and receptionist and will handle much of the office work.  "Aminata Alex" is our driver and office assistant and has officially dubbed himself a "sister" to blend in better with the rest of the staff.  It takes quite a man to work in an office with all women, and Alex takes it all in stride with a smile.  :-)  

We did have a set-back when the Country Director that we hired discovered on the day before she was to start that she would not be able to take the job.  It threw our first week of training and orientation, and gave us a lot to pray about, but we are taking additional applications now for more interviews - and we trust that God has a plan in all of this.  With our time growing shorter to train and invest in the woman who will hold this critical position in the program, we ask for your fervent prayers as well, as we seek God's plan for this role.  

The key strategy that we will employ to minister to and empower the women in the program is the Community Health Evangelism model, a grass-roots, holistic development model that trains women in the community to go out and train other women in spiritual concepts, health promotion and disease prevention and other community development concepts. This past week we had the first Training of Trainers (TOT) for the CHE strategy, led by Solomon Van Kanei, the consultant who has been working in CHE for the past 20 years.  

Learning the concepts

Adama, our Logistics Coordinator, takes notes during the training on her Braille frame.  Having a woman with a disability on staff has been educational and enlightening for everyone and a good forum for discussions on the issues faced by women with disabilities.  

The whole CHE training team

A Little R&R

In all honesty, working with the program has been a little tough these days and we were starting to feel a little tired.  We decided that a day away from town for some rest and relaxation was definitely in order.  We've been plagued with weariness, sickness and not a small amount of discouragement, even though there are MANY positive things happening as well.  So, we decided that a day at the beach might be the ticket.  We left early in the morning on Mother's Day and headed toward Freetown.  Two and a half hours later, after a great sermon and some worship music in the air-conditioned van, we arrived at Kent Beach.

We had a great time swimming and playing soccer on the beach.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  The water temperature was superb - warm, yet refreshing.  The scenery was gorgeous.  The best part was, we had the entire beach to ourselves for the morning. 

As a Mother's Day treat, we decided to have dinner on the beach, prepared by the people in the nearby village.  There was fresh grilled fish, fresh caught lobster, African-style fried rice and sweet potato chips with ice cold drinks.  These were no grilled lobster tails, however.  This was the whole entire lobster, sitting there looking like it was about to attack! 

Attack of the Killer Lobsters!

By the time we finished dinner, the beach had been invaded by a party of about 150 people complete with generator, giant speakers and a sound system.  We decided it was time for Part 2 of our day of fun and relaxation.  We boarded a tiny ship called the SS Minnow and set out for a 3 hour tour.  (just kidding!)  Here was our boat...

And it was really just a 30 minute ride out to sea to Banana Island, a small banana-shaped island (go figure!) off the coast.  

The island was a former slave holding area during the days of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and there are still vestiges of those times on the island; cannons where the look-out fortress was, 300 year old well dug by slaves (still in use today!), etc.  There were also quaint villages with old colonial-style homes and churches.  We landed at a secluded lagoon and swam for a while and then hiked across the island through the jungle to rejoin our boat. 

 Hiking through the jungle

 

300 year old well dug by slaves held on the island

Old Anglican church recently refurbished - with original bell hanging in foreground

 

Boys sitting on cannons pointing out to sea.  Huge termite home next to them on right.

After we hiked back across the island, we got back on our "little ship" and headed back to the mainland.  Storm clouds were building on the horizon and the sun was beginning to sink into the sea. 

We were given buckets of water to wash off the salt and sand and then headed back upcountry.  Night falls quickly on the equator and it was soon dark.  Shortly after that, we were caught in a monsoon-like rain storm which made driving very difficult, but Kelsey weathered the storm and we all got home exhausted by refreshed later that night.  It was a practically perfect day!