Recently I was returning to the ship after being out in Freetown all day and I was reminded again that love comes from God. I was crammed into the backseat of a poda-poda (public taxi van) shoved into the smelly armpit of the guy next to me and my favorite Sierra Leone hip-hop song was blaring through the poda-poda. I had a pounding headache from walking in the sun all day and not drinking enough water. I also realized that I had no idea where I was going. It was already dark out and I couldn't recognise where we were. The one overwhelming feeling I had in the midst of all this was great happiness.
I love being here in Africa. A love that somehow comes straight from God. I have had just enough glimpses of his great love for this continent that it makes me love it too. He died to redeem this place and these people. Living here on the ship is not like being in Africa. It is a comfortable bubble which is fine for all the crewmembers coming and going; as for me, I would spend all of my time out in the country if I could. Living the way the people here do, eating what they eat, and learning what they know. I love having discussions with the people of Sierra Leone. They have a great freedom of speech and really enjoy debating. It is fascinating for me to see the world through their eyes.
So during the week I work scrubbing away at bloody instruments and studying to become certified as an OR sterilizer. It is good work and I enjoy it. On the weekends I go out into the country. I walk around or ride in poda-podas to the houses of my friends here in Sierra Leone. Usually we share a meal together and I am reminded how much I love being in Africa.
Isimbi Johanna
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tropical Paradise (almost)
My plan was to update everyone weekly so sorry for falling behind. Let me backtrack a bit.
This past weekend we had a ship's holiday on Friday so I spent the 3 days beach hopping around Freetown. Picture if you can the most beautiful beach you have ever been to...with warm white sand, clear blue water, big lush palm trees all over, and rolling green hills in the backgrouond. Now take away any people except you and a few fisherman and that is exactly what the beaches here are like. Like I said Sierra Leone is a very beautiful country.
The only drawback, particularly for someone like me who can't swim, are the riptides which can pull you out to sea. The waves could not be more different than the ones I am used to in NH. For one thing they are so warm that it reminded of being in a hot tub; unfortunately they are also so powerful that I don't even attempt to swim. Once I went in only to my waist and I got picked up by a rather small looking wave, swirled around in the water and slammed down onto the sand. New crew members coming to the ship get briefed on what to do if they get caught in a riptide. Sadly a few years ago 2 crewmembers were killed by riptides so it is definitely a safety concern. Hence my no swimming decision. Otherwise though, the beaches are awe-inspiring.
My favorite beach out of 3 I went to was called River Number 2. This beach was incredibly beautiful but it is the history of the place that inspires me. It is a completely community run beach. During the war the village banded together to survive. They buried their valuables in the sand and sent all the women and children out to Banana Island where the rebels could not swim out to them. After making it through the war together they noticed that their beach was a popular spot for foreigners and decided amongst themselves to make some beach chairs and tables and charge a small fee for using them. Next they got a generator. This started what has become an amazing story of what happens when people work together. Due to proceeds from the beach and wisely using them to benefit everyone the people there now have solar panels that provide electricity for the whole village, a well to give everyone access to water, an emergency health fund, a nursery school, a beach guesthouse (where we stayed), and a small craft market. We were blessed to meet the manager of the beach and hear more of the history from him. They even adopted a house of amputees* and integrated them into the community. Truly, it is an uplifting story to me. People can be very evil and destructive I know so it is good to be reminded of what people can also do to bring health and safety.
I will be sure to write sooner next time!
Isimbi Johanna
*There are many people with missing arms or legs in Sierra Leone. It was a common practice of the rebels , among many other senseless horrors, to cut of people's limbs simply because they could.
This past weekend we had a ship's holiday on Friday so I spent the 3 days beach hopping around Freetown. Picture if you can the most beautiful beach you have ever been to...with warm white sand, clear blue water, big lush palm trees all over, and rolling green hills in the backgrouond. Now take away any people except you and a few fisherman and that is exactly what the beaches here are like. Like I said Sierra Leone is a very beautiful country.
The only drawback, particularly for someone like me who can't swim, are the riptides which can pull you out to sea. The waves could not be more different than the ones I am used to in NH. For one thing they are so warm that it reminded of being in a hot tub; unfortunately they are also so powerful that I don't even attempt to swim. Once I went in only to my waist and I got picked up by a rather small looking wave, swirled around in the water and slammed down onto the sand. New crew members coming to the ship get briefed on what to do if they get caught in a riptide. Sadly a few years ago 2 crewmembers were killed by riptides so it is definitely a safety concern. Hence my no swimming decision. Otherwise though, the beaches are awe-inspiring.
My favorite beach out of 3 I went to was called River Number 2. This beach was incredibly beautiful but it is the history of the place that inspires me. It is a completely community run beach. During the war the village banded together to survive. They buried their valuables in the sand and sent all the women and children out to Banana Island where the rebels could not swim out to them. After making it through the war together they noticed that their beach was a popular spot for foreigners and decided amongst themselves to make some beach chairs and tables and charge a small fee for using them. Next they got a generator. This started what has become an amazing story of what happens when people work together. Due to proceeds from the beach and wisely using them to benefit everyone the people there now have solar panels that provide electricity for the whole village, a well to give everyone access to water, an emergency health fund, a nursery school, a beach guesthouse (where we stayed), and a small craft market. We were blessed to meet the manager of the beach and hear more of the history from him. They even adopted a house of amputees* and integrated them into the community. Truly, it is an uplifting story to me. People can be very evil and destructive I know so it is good to be reminded of what people can also do to bring health and safety.
I will be sure to write sooner next time!
Isimbi Johanna
*There are many people with missing arms or legs in Sierra Leone. It was a common practice of the rebels , among many other senseless horrors, to cut of people's limbs simply because they could.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Africa at 3 am
On Friday I took a 9 hour bus ride away from Freetown going towards Kono district to visit the families of a few of the day workers here on the ship. African bus journeys and I are old friends. When the 6 of us got to the bus they had sold our seats, even though we had tickets, however it is Africa so they brought out some blue plastic stools and we spent the 9 hours perched on them in the aisle. Like I said I am used to this. And oddly enough I find it uncomfortable but fun.
Sierra Leone is a very beautiful country; lush and green, with palm trees all over the landscape. We drove past what was formerly a serious rebel checkpoint during the war and straight on to diamond country. Apparently Kono is the place to get diamonds but as I do not like them myself I didn't pursue it. Kono is a town rebuilding itself. Amazingly, bombing, war, and indiscriminate mining have not been able to destroy the peaceful beauty of this place.
We spent Sarurday getting food at the market and then cooking it. A great experience for anyone who has never prepared a meal in Africa before which 2 of our group had not. I specially requested fufu since I can't get it in the states and I miss the food in Africa so much. Fufu, which is also known as ugali in East Africa, is ground up cassava which is made into a paste and then boiled in water until it thickens into something like a dough. It is served with a sauce or soup for flavor and the whole meal should be eaten with your hands. I love cooking outside beneath a tree and then sharing the meal with everyone on one plate. We should eat like this in America. It is good communion.
This morning we had to catch a bus back to Freetown at 4 in the morning. The 3 girls in our group were staying at a little guesthouse so we planned to leave there at 3 to get to the bus early. As fun as sitting on a stool over pothole filled roads is it is best to be avoided if possible. You get airborn enough in the seats as it is. Although I think the roads here are miles better than in Kenya.
We were about to leave the gate of our little compound at 3 to meet one of the guys who was picking us up but he wasn't there yet. As we were walking towards the door to wait for him on the street the security gaurd came running towards us protesting vehemently that we not leave. Being a rather cynical person I assumed he wanted to make sure we had paid our bill and weren't trying to sneak out in the dark. We didn't speak Kono and he didn't speak much English so he went and woke someone else up. Turns out he takes his job seriously and he would not let us walk out there in the dark because he was worried for our safety. We decided to wait inside. The security guard, an older man, kept saying "I yo papa, yo ma pickanins" to explain why he wouldn't let us go out there. He meant that he was our papa and we were like his children.
I love being in Africa. Sure sometimes I have been in threatening situations but for every person who would harm me there are more like the security guard. Africa lifts my spirits when I am sad, grieves me when I am feeling complacent, and alway always fills me with joy. All in all I thank God for my weekend because I got to spend it in Africa.
Isimbi Johanna
P.S. We made it to the bus with plenty of time to get seats and watch Celine Dion music videos for an hour before we left:)
Sierra Leone is a very beautiful country; lush and green, with palm trees all over the landscape. We drove past what was formerly a serious rebel checkpoint during the war and straight on to diamond country. Apparently Kono is the place to get diamonds but as I do not like them myself I didn't pursue it. Kono is a town rebuilding itself. Amazingly, bombing, war, and indiscriminate mining have not been able to destroy the peaceful beauty of this place.
We spent Sarurday getting food at the market and then cooking it. A great experience for anyone who has never prepared a meal in Africa before which 2 of our group had not. I specially requested fufu since I can't get it in the states and I miss the food in Africa so much. Fufu, which is also known as ugali in East Africa, is ground up cassava which is made into a paste and then boiled in water until it thickens into something like a dough. It is served with a sauce or soup for flavor and the whole meal should be eaten with your hands. I love cooking outside beneath a tree and then sharing the meal with everyone on one plate. We should eat like this in America. It is good communion.
This morning we had to catch a bus back to Freetown at 4 in the morning. The 3 girls in our group were staying at a little guesthouse so we planned to leave there at 3 to get to the bus early. As fun as sitting on a stool over pothole filled roads is it is best to be avoided if possible. You get airborn enough in the seats as it is. Although I think the roads here are miles better than in Kenya.
We were about to leave the gate of our little compound at 3 to meet one of the guys who was picking us up but he wasn't there yet. As we were walking towards the door to wait for him on the street the security gaurd came running towards us protesting vehemently that we not leave. Being a rather cynical person I assumed he wanted to make sure we had paid our bill and weren't trying to sneak out in the dark. We didn't speak Kono and he didn't speak much English so he went and woke someone else up. Turns out he takes his job seriously and he would not let us walk out there in the dark because he was worried for our safety. We decided to wait inside. The security guard, an older man, kept saying "I yo papa, yo ma pickanins" to explain why he wouldn't let us go out there. He meant that he was our papa and we were like his children.
I love being in Africa. Sure sometimes I have been in threatening situations but for every person who would harm me there are more like the security guard. Africa lifts my spirits when I am sad, grieves me when I am feeling complacent, and alway always fills me with joy. All in all I thank God for my weekend because I got to spend it in Africa.
Isimbi Johanna
P.S. We made it to the bus with plenty of time to get seats and watch Celine Dion music videos for an hour before we left:)
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