Ian Gill's Visit to Sierra Leone - August 2011

Every year we at St Andrews maintain our links with Sierra Leone (the second poorest country in the world) though short visits to the country arranged through Pastor Yatta Samura. Pastor Yatta first came to St Andrews in 2001 and since that time we have helped set up and support the work of 3 schools and 6 churches. Our prayer is simply to maintain this link and this relationship.

Last month Ian Gill (a Science teacher at St Clares) spent a few weeks working in various schools in and around Freetown. At the end of the trip Ian wrote to us:

Dear Diana, Richard and Andrew

Well I've now been back a week, after a wonderful trip to Freetown.

It was a very positive experience... not just the teaching, but the whole thing. Yatta and his team were just superb, he is an incredible man. The whole of Freetown seems to know him, from the President down to the lady selling charcoal from a tray on her head. And he speaks to everyone with the same love and respect.

Various people from the Sports Life International team were there to look after me, meet me every morning, take me to where I was teaching and generally look after me. All unpaid yet there to do whatever they could. One young guy, Blacker (real name Alfred but everyone calls him Blacker as he's very black!) has just started a football team for the young boys around his home- which is one room, shared shower/toilet (water comes out of a well), tin roof... photo of him and me attached by his home! The people are all so positive, poor yet incredibly generous. I went to three different churches, where we sang and danced in the aisles. The 'collection' was also done with dancing, laughing and smiling. Such tremendous spirit!

Everyone was so grateful for the teaching I did, and I suppose the question is 'what next?'! There's so much that could be done it's difficult to know where to start. Yatta asked for particular prayers for Pastor McArthy's motorbike and for building of the church in Koidu. I took out over 60kg of stuff, footballs, football boots, some science equipment etc. All very well received but it seems a tiny drop in the ocean.

Anyway, I'm writing too much, but just wanted to let you know how things went, and to thank you for your support and prayers... Sierra Leoneans are great at praying, and showing love, and.....wish I could bottle some of their spirit and bring it back!!!

Lots of love and rich blessings from all in Freetown.  Also, Blacker and the team kept mentioning others from St. Andrew's, apart from yourselves! Paddy, Sam and Holly who seem to have had a great time, so if you know them, I'd like to pass on best wishes from Freetown. I think I know the names, but not the faces!

Ian