Another fascinating day in Sierra Leone
I have difficulty uploading the blog as either the wifi or the electricity keeps going off. So I'll keep it brief and not with many photos. The wifi takes about 20 minutes to upload one image.
Today I went to Nelson Mandela High School and Hope Prep School. The highlight being Hope Prep in their new school for the first time (photos to follow). It was another day of happiness as the kids left the tin shack that they had been in for so long and went into the new 'cool' building. It was quite ironic as the storm this afternoon would have drenched them in their new school. The teachers said it was Fannyann showing her approval. I am going back to Hope Prep tomorrow.
At lunch time came a very moving and happy time. I delivered food parcels that many of the staff at MTGS had contributed towards. I felt ashamed at times as the elderly and vulnerable people were visibly moved and sometimes hysterical. They received a 7.5kg of rice and bags of onions, spices, vegetables, oil and stock. I can't begin to put into words how it made me feel. One gentleman who came to Badara's house to say thanks had been blind from birth and his name was Simeon (on far right of picture). He is aged 65 and has expressly asked to pass his thanks on to the 'white teachers'. He was so afraid taking his items home that he asked for them to be put in a bin bag so no one could see them! We ordered him a motorcycle to take him home.
Finally, I visited the Ebola Cemetery and in particular Fannyann's grave. I cannot begin to describe the sadness of the place. Right at the back of town, down a long and bumpy clay track lay lines upon lines, hundreds and hundreds of gave stones. The reading was difficult: mothers, babies, still-born, whole families. Shocking.
We found Fannyann's grave. Her brothers and nephew came with me and it was very solemn. I still don't think they have taken it in that she is no longer with them. The four of stood together and each gave our own memory of her and then we said the Our Father.
So thanks to you the kids are enjoying their new school, the vulnerable elderly have had their food parcels provided and I have paid respects to Fannyann on behalf of our school community.
Mr Power
p.s. I can only get pictures off my camera on the blog and can't connect my iPhone but will get more pics on when I get home on Thursday.
Memories and obituaries (NMHS had put this together this morning)
Some of the elderly who could receiving their parcels - (Simeon smiling away on the right)
Today I went to Nelson Mandela High School and Hope Prep School. The highlight being Hope Prep in their new school for the first time (photos to follow). It was another day of happiness as the kids left the tin shack that they had been in for so long and went into the new 'cool' building. It was quite ironic as the storm this afternoon would have drenched them in their new school. The teachers said it was Fannyann showing her approval. I am going back to Hope Prep tomorrow.
At lunch time came a very moving and happy time. I delivered food parcels that many of the staff at MTGS had contributed towards. I felt ashamed at times as the elderly and vulnerable people were visibly moved and sometimes hysterical. They received a 7.5kg of rice and bags of onions, spices, vegetables, oil and stock. I can't begin to put into words how it made me feel. One gentleman who came to Badara's house to say thanks had been blind from birth and his name was Simeon (on far right of picture). He is aged 65 and has expressly asked to pass his thanks on to the 'white teachers'. He was so afraid taking his items home that he asked for them to be put in a bin bag so no one could see them! We ordered him a motorcycle to take him home.
Finally, I visited the Ebola Cemetery and in particular Fannyann's grave. I cannot begin to describe the sadness of the place. Right at the back of town, down a long and bumpy clay track lay lines upon lines, hundreds and hundreds of gave stones. The reading was difficult: mothers, babies, still-born, whole families. Shocking.
We found Fannyann's grave. Her brothers and nephew came with me and it was very solemn. I still don't think they have taken it in that she is no longer with them. The four of stood together and each gave our own memory of her and then we said the Our Father.
So thanks to you the kids are enjoying their new school, the vulnerable elderly have had their food parcels provided and I have paid respects to Fannyann on behalf of our school community.
Mr Power
p.s. I can only get pictures off my camera on the blog and can't connect my iPhone but will get more pics on when I get home on Thursday.
Memories and obituaries (NMHS had put this together this morning)
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