I have arrived at my home away from home, and it is SO good to be back...who would have thought that I would miss this little village so much? It has been amazing reuniting with friends & adopted family, a constant reminder of how good God is...somehow he got me back here safely...and kept me from getting too lost in the Heathrow Airport. Being in Salone for the 2nd time has a lot less shock value than the 1st...I now expect the 'white man' calls and feeling my arms being pulled off by 20 of the cutest kids you could ever imagine...all at the same time! I expect my eyes to start running whenever I eat any sort of food...and I totally ravish my walks through the red dirt of the town. Still, the one thing I can never get over is the amazing love and selflessness that is embodied by everyone here...seeing the smiles on their faces when they all saw me again was one of the most meaningful & priceless things in the world. I haven't started my work with CES (the NGO I am volunteering with) yet, but yesterday I did get a chance to go back to the CRC school. Talk about a homecoming welcome! As soon as I walked onto the field, the kids ambushed me with 'miss Krissi' and immediately started singing Kumbaya. I can't even begin to describe how much that meant to me. I think that's the amazing part about Salone. No matter how much my friends & the kids here say 'tenke' (thank-you) for what I am doing, for coming back to volunteer, I will always be more thankful to them...'cause they're constantly showing me what life is about. They open their homes to me, they provide me with all the food I could ever want or need, and they constantly tell me they're so glad I'm back. The love that my friends & family here have for each other, and for me, is no doubt the most incredible thing I've ever experienced. They could care less about my resume, my accomplishments, or even my skin colour...all they see is that we're family, and that's the most precious gift I could ever ask for. How incredible is it that I now have 2 families...one in Canada, and one in a little country in West Africa? It seems impossible, but that's our God for ya.
Much love.
Krissi
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Pre-Journey Thoughts
I haven't got to Africa yet, but thought I would provide a little background for those of you who are confused about who I am and what I am doing...
I graduated from Fraser Valley Christian High School in 2008, and through that school, recieved the oppurtunity to volunteer in Sierra Leone, West Africa. When I signed up for the trip, I expected heat waves, spicy food, & poverty...but I never could have prepared for how my life would be changed through this trip. Before I first traveled to Sierra Leone in March of 2008, I knew this country was devestatingly poor, filled with injustice, and had just been through one of the most brutal civil wars in this century. I knew nothing of the incredible hope that lay in this country, and the unimaginable happiness people found in relationships with God & each other. I was totally and completely captured by the incredible love that was shown to me by each and every member of the community I stayed in - they welcomed me into their homes, and their families, with arms more open than I would have ever dreamed possible. The school I was helping at in Sierra Leone was one that Fraser Valley Christian had fundraised to build in 2007, and I was able to help teach there the first year it opened. This school truly awakened me to the possibility of a hope and a future for this tiny country in West Africa, a country that had been through so much - yet still had so much hope. Kids at the school would tell me they dreamed of becoming doctors, politicians, or teachers - all so they could help their country become a better place. From the moment I heard these heartfelt dreams, I knew God was calling me to be a part of making those dreams a reality. This year, I will be working with a non-governmental organization in Sierra Leone, CES, helping them plan for further development work in schools throughout the Koinadugu district of Sierra Leone. I will also be helping out at the school & with the kids whenever I can, as well as at the local church in Kabala. I will be arriving in Kabala on Monday, April 27...so keep checking in, as I will be writing about my experiences mid-next week. Thank you so much for reading.
I graduated from Fraser Valley Christian High School in 2008, and through that school, recieved the oppurtunity to volunteer in Sierra Leone, West Africa. When I signed up for the trip, I expected heat waves, spicy food, & poverty...but I never could have prepared for how my life would be changed through this trip. Before I first traveled to Sierra Leone in March of 2008, I knew this country was devestatingly poor, filled with injustice, and had just been through one of the most brutal civil wars in this century. I knew nothing of the incredible hope that lay in this country, and the unimaginable happiness people found in relationships with God & each other. I was totally and completely captured by the incredible love that was shown to me by each and every member of the community I stayed in - they welcomed me into their homes, and their families, with arms more open than I would have ever dreamed possible. The school I was helping at in Sierra Leone was one that Fraser Valley Christian had fundraised to build in 2007, and I was able to help teach there the first year it opened. This school truly awakened me to the possibility of a hope and a future for this tiny country in West Africa, a country that had been through so much - yet still had so much hope. Kids at the school would tell me they dreamed of becoming doctors, politicians, or teachers - all so they could help their country become a better place. From the moment I heard these heartfelt dreams, I knew God was calling me to be a part of making those dreams a reality. This year, I will be working with a non-governmental organization in Sierra Leone, CES, helping them plan for further development work in schools throughout the Koinadugu district of Sierra Leone. I will also be helping out at the school & with the kids whenever I can, as well as at the local church in Kabala. I will be arriving in Kabala on Monday, April 27...so keep checking in, as I will be writing about my experiences mid-next week. Thank you so much for reading.
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