A few extra shots of our amazing team! So thankful to have had them with us!

Overlooking Freetown!

A special treat for the team after church and Sunday dinner was a drive up the peak overlooking the north end of the peninsula which is the hub of Freetown! As we gathered, Abraham prayed over his country and his people!

Nationals Reaching Nationals!

Charles and the leadership of the Waterloo Street Boy Ministry were involved in 3 days of intensive Bible Study with Rob. Todd joined us for a day, and Sue and Kathleen (one day) were amazing hostesses! We kept both study groups filled up with breakfast, lunch and snacks! Such a privilege to see such eager participants!!

Biblical Foundations!

Sue served as hostess for 5 days as Rob taught 2 groups! Kathleen joined her twice to experience the training and to encourage people that have become 'family' over the years!

Rob had 2 days with the 4 big guys that have transitioned out of Auntie Margaret's, and Isatu and Rebecca, 2 of the oldest still living in the home, were a part of this group!

James' baptism in the Atlantic!

What a day of celebration! Bo's best friend James baptized in the ocean by Bo's daddy & brother!! Rob compared the relationship that Bo & James share to that of David & Jonathan! They deeply miss each other, but ohhhh the thought of eternity!

Waterloo Ministry Center!

The team loved Saturday Praise & Worship and Bible Study with many of the former street boys in Waterloo!

Auntie Margaret's Kiddos

The team walked to Auntie Margaret's several afternoons while I prepared dinner. A special treat was getting to watch Cynthia in her school sporting events!

Hosetta Construction!

All team members spent time on the construction effort at Hosetta School for Special Kiddos! It's hot, hard work, but no complaints ... just lots of JOY!

Hosetta Kiddos ... Leah & Kathleen

It was wonderful to have Leah with us for the 4th time! Her heart for special kiddos is truly touching! With a Masters in Autism, she spent 5 days working side-by-side with the teachers and students at Hosetta! From math lessons in the cassava farm, to personal evaluations, designing & sharing lesson plans, and loving on 'the least of these', it was such a blessing to have her with us again!!

Kathleen chose to serve in 4 specific areas of ministry in order to spend time with all those she has come to know and love during her NINE trips to Sierra Leone! LOVE!!

May Team ... 2017

Rob Casey, GoSendMe Global

Sue Riley

Todd Heath

Leah Birdsong

Kathleen Robinson

Ted Robinson

NINE YEARS!

FACEBOOK post, May 2017

NINE YEARS! It's been 9 years this month since the first short-term mission trip from FBCMcK to Sierra Leone! Tom and I could never have imagined that our lives would change so dramatically. What an adventure! I'm reflecting today on the various 'Community Based Organizations' that we and fellow team members have had the privilege of serving. More than a dozen groups of people with needs ranging from the effects of polio, severe disabilities, special needs, orphans, street kids, drug and alcohol abuse, agricultural needs, food relief, the elderly, and others! Utterly humbling! Mark 10:29-30, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much NOW IN THE PRESENT AGE, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; AND IN THE AGE TO COME, ETERNAL LIFE."

Hosetta School for Special Needs Kiddos!

FACEBOOK post, May 9

Sulaiman and I went to 'inspect' Tom's work at Hosetta School for special kiddos! Looks great! The addition of the breezeway will make for safer passage between the classrooms, dining hall and dormitory. It was fun to catch up with Susan (Headmistress), Edna (assistant) and everybody's favorite student, Abdulraman!

Waterloo Street Boy Ministry!

FACEBOOK post, May 6

Waterloo Ministry Center!! Bible study, praise & worship, fellowship, food & fun!! It's always such an encouragement to spend time with the former street boys!! What God has done since December 2010 through Charles & those who have volunteered to build relationships with kids on the streets in the name of Jesus is indescribable!

Auntie Margaret's BIG KIDS!

FACEBOOK post, May 5

The 4 big guys who previously lived in Auntie Margaret's home were here earlier this week to catch me up on their lives! They've had some contract work, but we continue to pray for steady jobs as they establish themselves as young men!

Yeama & Fatmata had breakfast with us Wednesday morning (Tom's pancake day) to share about college life and upcoming exams. Our prayers are with them as testing will begin on the 15th and span 3 weeks!