Heading back to Sierra Leone

Good morning campers!
Been back 2 weeks now in Sierra Leone and thought we should send a little update to keep you all posted. Things are moving on well in the house. The container finally arrived and we have now got loads of tools and equipment to do the job. Also our house has become a home with a few things like a microwave, lamps, beanbag and sofa to make life a bit more comfortable. We have also moved room upstairs as we had a little/ massive damp problem on the wall, we thought it was a blocked shower but turned out to be the sewer outside making our clothes mouldy on the shelves hiding the offending situation. Strange the things you get used to if they creep up slowly on you, like nose hair for instance. Gotta watch out for that stuff!

Jonathan in our team did a great job in getting the container out if the port here in Freetown. It is a minefield of a system which would try the patience and sanity of the best of men and we have learnt many things on the journey. Safe to say that working here is massive investment of time just to get a simple task done, one of the reasons that so many live in the conditions they do, has its roots in these blockages and hurdles caused by man.

Anyhow, as we lay here at 1.17 am listening to a disco that started 20 mins ago, I am more in love with the place and people than ever. We had such a nice time back home that it made coming back here after six months a real fresh experience, we just need to stay chilled day by day now to enjoy the rest of the task to get the first 8 houses and mega water towers finished before the rains come. (lots of infrastructure needed)

Today was a bitter sweet day as we had our first presentation of certificate’s for training. Every one of our staff and trainees from ‘Lifeline’ (a work experience placement of 20 from a large vocational training school), had completed enough time making hydro form bricks and learning the science and ratios of the mixes that we were able to award them all with a basic qualification. (See pictures).

The bitter part was, that because of funding and other variables we had to let 15 people go today. Such a shame as we have personally invested in the training and relationships with many of them and have come to know and love them. Also in such a difficult place to live the financial implications of letting friends/workers go is a heavy one. Some will be back I am sure as we go to the next stage after the rainy season, but for now we are coming in to land on this stage and will regroup to push again as God gives us strength and resources to get the rest of the village realised. I must say that they all handled it with real maturity and strength of character.

So onwards and upwards.!!

Please do pray for us, as a team and as a couple to do this job in the right spirit, to focus on what God wants for this vision to be completed.

This goal and vision is still the same: 
To build a sustainable, clean, educational village to raise people out of difficult slum living into a new future. Exposing them to the love of God, the gospel and a new destiny of their choice. 344 houses, schools and businesses.

Please follow us on www.homeleone.org and please do support if you fancy supporting a grass roots organisation with a real passion for the poor.

Not just feeding but providing a future!

All our love

Joe and Sarah 
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