Remember our Community in Prayer

While Elmer has been visiting friends & family in the midwest and attending the CinA Missions Conference in Fresno, California, (which wrapped up on the 20th of September), I have been working in the office and trying to be Elmer’s proxy in regards to compound work.

Since he was asked to be the ‘official photographer’ for the Conference, this may be one of the few photos that Elmer is in!

We will save his report for the next newsletter.

Elmer now has a whole week with our daughter Kara-Lee and her husband Lee in Wyoming and we had a nice Whatsapp chat the other night (with six hours’ time difference, it takes a little co-ordination to make it happen). Unfortunately, the only time that Nicole Haag (lived with us 2015-16) could visit Sierra Leone was while Elmer was away. Nicole and I have had a couple nice visits (she stayed with a German friend who works in Bo) the last two weeks. She even got to reenact the process of lighting candles at 7 pm. She completed her degree to be a Deaconess in Germany and is still studying to be a Social Worker.

          I found myself in a bit of a reflective mood recently. I had scheduled a little ‘me’ time with a missionary friend, to do some quilting (a skill I’ve long wanted to learn but didn’t have the opportunity to do) but a lot of things took place that day that had me wondering if I should re-schedule.

          That Thursday started off a bit quicker than usual with work related messages from our daughter followed by an early 8 am. visit by our agricultural friend, Charles Boyle, to see why we cannot seem to get our own vines to produce sweet potatoes like his. Normally no one shows up at our place until 9 am, but because I had not been able to reach him until that morning, Charles rushed right over… I hadn’t even had breakfast yet! So we made our way to the garden, discussed the plan and then I introduced him to the newest member of our animal kingdom, Rudy (a rescued harness back antelope). Later we chatted over breakfast together on the front porch until Bassie, who helps us with the yard work, showed up and they began to work on the garden.

Then our neighbor Lawrence showed up to give me latest update on Salone news and show me the tooth that was extracted the day before (good thing I’m not that squeamish!) He studied to be a teacher but is still unemployable because he didn’t have the money to buy his certificates three years ago. We recently gave him the equivalent of $24 to put towards the documents- now he had to use all that money plus some in order to get relief. So much for “Plan A”! But at least he had it to use. It just seems so hard for him to get ahead of things.

          Lately the weather is sort of predictable… if it is extra sunny and hot, it will rain. Most often in the afternoon. This makes most of our running necessary before 2 pm. All these visits were putting me behind schedule. Not only that, but I had spent some time this week illustrating, printing and laminating some childrens’ songs for Marie to teach the children in Sunday School and promised to go through them with her before I left. Once that was done, I was free to run off and sew! …and then our friend Simeon stopped in to greet me on his way home from University that day… and of course, I had to show him Rudy too!

          By two pm I was actually, finally on my way and by three it was POURING outside! I actually stayed out longer than planned because the rain wouldn’t stop! As it turned out, my friend Cindy started to feel sick around five, so she asked me to pray for her, and then Nicole and I tidied up a bit for her before I “made haste” for home while the rain took a brief break.

          In my world there is ALWAYS paper work but there isn’t always people ‘work’. Sometimes one overtakes the other and I pause to think some days about who I did or did not see. There is an introverted part of me that doesn’t mind working alone for hours, but there is a people person in me too and sometimes God just brings the people to me when I’m not getting out much!

     I kind of liked Thursday~ it was stressful but also enjoyable and it kind of summed up most of the aspects of our work (except for wells and occasional first aid).

So, the next time you think or pray for us, think also of those who abide in our circle… be it agriculture, church, CinA staff, neighbors, fellow passengers, friends, students and employees or water wells. Everyone is at a different place in their lives, with unique needs- for instance:

Charles Boyle-  ………………………………needs cataract surgery on                                                                  BOTH eyes

Tommy-  ………………………………………….has a painful muscle
injury in his left thigh

our friend Worokia ………………………..lost her oldest daughter after birthing complications

Emmanuel CinA school /church ….is dealing with some hurtful issues

Lawrence- ……………………………………….needs a job so he can pay for his certificates

Simeon-  …………………………………………..is yet to finish his University course but wants to
take another, possibly towards ministry

Kombe- ……………………………………………the son of an old friend, his family is having a hard
time paying for his JSS education

YB- ……………………………………………………needs to have four teeth filled or his will lose them
before January

Joann-………………………………………………my right shoulder is acting up (although feeling
better lately).

Rent- ……………………………………………….One of the reasons I am in Freetown right now is to
pay for our yearly rent- $4125 up front. We are
forced to cut into our savings account to pay for this
since our regular support isn’t normally enough to
cover it… If you would like to help in any way, it
would be appreciated.