November 2010

Well, after nearly a year, we got the phone call we’ve been anxiously anticipating.  We have received the clearance to prepare to leave for Sierra Leone in order to arrive in January sometime.  We do not yet have 100% of the financial support required so don’t sit back and not join in with the work, we can still use your monthly support when we work in Sierra Leone.

The next two months will become a blur of activity as we wind down things here in Cranbrook and get things packed up in order to head out to Africa.

Tons of things to do from visa applications, selling and giving away stuff here in Cranbrook where we have been living for the past year, check with flights and connections, pack containers of what we might need in Africa, nearly an endless list.

Our first project in Sierra Leone once we arrive will be getting our house into a livable condition.  It was ransacked during the war and has not been habitable since likely the early ‘90’s.  Currently all we have are four concrete block walls.  No door, no windows, no roof, no plumbing, no electrical and of course no furniture.  We will of course be working with locals in Mokanji to do the work necessary teaching them in the process, and in the meantime we will be living in a house that the mission is renting nearby.  Some of the things such as electrical or water might be a little longer before they are actually in service as the town itself doesn’t have these services and we’ll be tying into the hospital systems for some of these services like electrical and water.

In the midst of getting our house in order there will be several work teams coming over from the states for medical work, well drilling and construction on both our house and the hospital.  These teams will start arriving by about January 20, probably within 2 weeks of our arrival in the country.  Of course there will also be work required to ensure the teams have adequate material and supplies for the work they need to do.  We will also need to take part in these teams so I can adequately understand and know what is going on.

Yes, we are going to be BUSY in the next few months in less than ideal conditions!!