June 11 and 12

June 11

Today I went with 3 of the ward nurses to one of their day volunteer's house. Abdel and her husband Prince (pictured below) have started up an orphanage in their own home and Abdel invited us to come and visit the children.

Prince and Abdel. Abdel works as a translator in one of the hospital wards on Mercy Ships

We took a public Poda Poda (usually we have just hired them privately) and it was interesting to see how many people we could fit inside. I think that at one point there were 20 people inside the van! While driving along, we were pulled over by the police. I am not really sure what happened because as the officer was writing what we assumed was a ticket the driver jumped back in the poda poda and drove off. The officer didn't seem upset so we don't really know what happened!

The path to Prince and Abdel's house

Abdel asked the driver to pull over and we hiked up a dirt path through a small village down another street and then in between some buildings to arrive at the path to Abdel and Prince's house pictured above. I can only imagine what a mess the streets are when the rain starts!

When we arrived at the house all of the children ran out and started hugging us. We couldn't even walk through the front door because the kids were pushing out to deliver their hellos and hugs. After meeting each child we got a tour of the orphanage. Abdel and Prince take care of 10 children from ages 7 to 12. They would like to take more in but the cost is too much right now. The kids were so excited to show us their rooms and show us their individual beds!

The orphanage consists of 3 bedrooms (one for the girls, one for the boys, and one for Abdel and Prince). There are also 2 "aunties" that work with Abdel and Prince and one of them is currently living in the orphanage. The kitchen is a covered area outside of the house. Water has to be brought to the house for drinking, you will notice that there are quite a few yellow water containers in some of the pictures, that's what they are for!

Prince told us how the orphanage started in 2008. When the civil war ended many orphan children lived together fending for themselves. he started working with an organization that went out and visited these groups of children who were traumatized by the things that they had seen. They continued to visit these children and told them stories of happy times and showed them love to try and help them develop coping mechanisms and to try to begin new lives. Ever since then Prince has had a great heart for children. He has volunteered with different organizations and has even worked with Mercy Ships the past 2 times it came to visit Sierra Leone. Once he married Abdel they decided they needed to do more to help the orphan children in Freetown. He started out the process of becoming an official orphanage. With the help of a local pastor who had moved to Norway Prince and Abdel met some Norwegian people who were visiting in Sierra Leone. They partnered together with MAAO (my African Aid Organization) and were able to find an apartment to rent and take in 10 orphans.

you can check out their website:
http://www.stormposten.com/MAAO/EN_My_Home_Freetown.html

We had a great time playing with the children and just hanging out. They were so friendly and loved taking pictures! Here are some of my favorites!

The little girl in the front is named Mabinty. She was so cute! Apparently on Saturdays the girls all have their hair braided but hers was only half done when we arrived. She didn't care though!

The boys from the orphanage

Hanging out

Abdel cooking a nice lunch for us!

Helping to take in the laundry as the rain starts

Dancing in the rain

Playing games together

Here comes the rain! what a mud puddle!

One of the neighbour children playing in the rain

June 12

Today I went to one of the local churches with a few people from Mercy Ships. It made me laugh when the minister said that the hot hot worship team would be coming up to sing! After the service all of these little children came running up to me and wanted to hold my hand and for me to hold them. I love the children of Sierra Leone, they are so cute and friendly!

The Church

This little girl just wanted me to hold her! So cute!