Pray for Guinea. The president, who had ruled for 24 years, died after a long illness earlier this week. Long story short, the political stability of the country--Sierra Leone's western and northern neighbor--could ultimately be in jeopardy. And even moreso the whole region will be affected. There are refugees from Sierra Leone living in Guinea and probably vice versa too. Pray for those who might be affected.
Read the article at your convenience.
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
"Powerful Moments" (Memories)
Enjoy these memories that Pam has so kindly shared with us! Pam and her two children visited Jonathan House as part of the Grace Team in 2007. Thankyou Pam! Checkout pictures on the picasa page off the pictures from Grace Team.
-----------------------
A few of my powerful moments while at JCC last year with my two children ..
They still bring tears to my eyes as i remember them...........
A few of the older girls were doing my hair (Hawa, Jeneba, and Gloria) not an easy task since my hair was quite short. (and not a real pretty picture when completed-comical spikes were the result of their hard word--but most definitely i felt the love :-)
anyways, I saw Roger Hatch playing with a couple kids out in the yard and said to the girls, "Daddy Hatch is such a good and godly man"(tears are flowing now) and one of the girls replied," He stopped our suffering' what stronger testimony could there be but that.
( i love you brother Roger)
***********************
Another moment that i hold very dear and hope to continue to apply to my life is..
One day someone on the team made a comment (without thinking, as we all do) "Im starving' they said.
One of the older kids said to me, "It's a shame to say you are hungry in Africa"
That hit me like a ton of bricks. It's shameful to complain about being hungry in Africa. I thought of the children of Israel and though God was with them and leading them, they grumbled and complained. I thought,"It's shameful as a child of God to say i'm hungry" I thought how guilty i have been about that at times and what i'm saying when i complain is that God isn't doing a very good job taking care of me or I deserve more or better.
***************************************
One of the things that impressed me most about the kids (oops here come the tears again!) was when i discovered that all the kids were 'waiting' on doing their own laundry while we were there. There was quite a few of us and by the time we all did our laundry we would take up all the drying areas. The kids never complained at all but quietly sacrificed doing any of their laundry for a couple wks so that we could do ours. (maybe in reality they were instructed to wait or they were counting their blessing that they 'didn't have to' do their laundry? Regardless, I was impressed.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The kids were hard workers, responsible. respectful, eager to please and very helpful with one another.
Before going to Africa I learned of some of the discipline common to their culture and I struggled in my heart because it seemed so harsh.
The Lord helped to prepare me, empty me before i went over to Africa. Who am I to say 'their way' isn't the 'right way' or the 'best way' or that we aren't the ones who could learn from THEM.
We Americans clearly dont have all the answers. I was told about a conversation between someone on our team and one of the locals who were discussing the difference in parenting. The local man said that we Americans tend to coddle or baby our children too much. I think that man had a very good point. The disrespect in our society is appauling, and we do too often, overall baby our children too much. I at least have tasted some of that truth in my own parenting. I think indeed, I learned more from them then i taught them.
++++++++++++++++++
I MISS the children's singing praises and stories they had put to music. They sang from the wee morning hours off and on til they went to bed at night. They paitiently taught me some and I have been able to teach them to my daycare children here in the states. It warms my heart when these children sing those songs-and brings back sweet sweet memories of my rich experience with my brothers and sisters there.
**************
I went to Africa wanting to help, wanting to bless, wanting to make a difference. I came home far more blessed than when i had gone. My minute 'sacrifices' were insignificant in light of the depth of riches I received while being there.
-----------------------
A few of my powerful moments while at JCC last year with my two children ..
They still bring tears to my eyes as i remember them...........
A few of the older girls were doing my hair (Hawa, Jeneba, and Gloria) not an easy task since my hair was quite short. (and not a real pretty picture when completed-comical spikes were the result of their hard word--but most definitely i felt the love :-)
anyways, I saw Roger Hatch playing with a couple kids out in the yard and said to the girls, "Daddy Hatch is such a good and godly man"(tears are flowing now) and one of the girls replied," He stopped our suffering' what stronger testimony could there be but that.
( i love you brother Roger)
***********************
Another moment that i hold very dear and hope to continue to apply to my life is..
One day someone on the team made a comment (without thinking, as we all do) "Im starving' they said.
One of the older kids said to me, "It's a shame to say you are hungry in Africa"
That hit me like a ton of bricks. It's shameful to complain about being hungry in Africa. I thought of the children of Israel and though God was with them and leading them, they grumbled and complained. I thought,"It's shameful as a child of God to say i'm hungry" I thought how guilty i have been about that at times and what i'm saying when i complain is that God isn't doing a very good job taking care of me or I deserve more or better.
***************************************
One of the things that impressed me most about the kids (oops here come the tears again!) was when i discovered that all the kids were 'waiting' on doing their own laundry while we were there. There was quite a few of us and by the time we all did our laundry we would take up all the drying areas. The kids never complained at all but quietly sacrificed doing any of their laundry for a couple wks so that we could do ours. (maybe in reality they were instructed to wait or they were counting their blessing that they 'didn't have to' do their laundry? Regardless, I was impressed.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The kids were hard workers, responsible. respectful, eager to please and very helpful with one another.
Before going to Africa I learned of some of the discipline common to their culture and I struggled in my heart because it seemed so harsh.
The Lord helped to prepare me, empty me before i went over to Africa. Who am I to say 'their way' isn't the 'right way' or the 'best way' or that we aren't the ones who could learn from THEM.
We Americans clearly dont have all the answers. I was told about a conversation between someone on our team and one of the locals who were discussing the difference in parenting. The local man said that we Americans tend to coddle or baby our children too much. I think that man had a very good point. The disrespect in our society is appauling, and we do too often, overall baby our children too much. I at least have tasted some of that truth in my own parenting. I think indeed, I learned more from them then i taught them.
++++++++++++++++++
I MISS the children's singing praises and stories they had put to music. They sang from the wee morning hours off and on til they went to bed at night. They paitiently taught me some and I have been able to teach them to my daycare children here in the states. It warms my heart when these children sing those songs-and brings back sweet sweet memories of my rich experience with my brothers and sisters there.
**************
I went to Africa wanting to help, wanting to bless, wanting to make a difference. I came home far more blessed than when i had gone. My minute 'sacrifices' were insignificant in light of the depth of riches I received while being there.
Forever grateful,
Pam Newsome
Sunday, December 21, 2008
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Merry Christmas from Jonathan House!
I was able to spend Christmas at Jonathan House two years ago (2006) and what a blessing it was! It was wonderful to celebrate our Savior's birth with these precious African children. Many of the women (staff and spouses of staff, etc) spent a few hours cooking for the big Christmas dinner either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We had fried rice and beef (not very common at all in the Bo area). The kids weren't crazy about the fried rice, marking an ironic meal--the kids NOT liking the rice and the three Americans LIKING the rice (a lot!). That same meal we split up in groups with a different adult or older kid leading each group as we discussed what Christmas was all about.
Another favorite memory of that Christmas was when I was trying to sleep. It didn't start out to be a favorite moment, however. It was late at night...and I could hear drumming. I had only been in Sierra Leone for a few weeks at this point and flashbacks from my first trip several years before when late night drumming wasn't a good thing came to mind. After 20 or 30 minutes or so I heard them playing a silly Christmas song--maybe "Jingle Bells" or something like that. And then there were other Christmas carols. I had to laugh at how funny it was to hear Christmas carols by drummers sitting around the fire out in the West African "bush". And I knew there probably wouldn't be another Christmas like that...
New Year's in Africa stories coming up in a week or so (maybe). Things are a little crazy for me right now. If you'd like to help out with the blog (even sending articles, personal testimonies, etc) this would be a great time to jump in. Email Kim83anthro@gmail.com .
I was able to spend Christmas at Jonathan House two years ago (2006) and what a blessing it was! It was wonderful to celebrate our Savior's birth with these precious African children. Many of the women (staff and spouses of staff, etc) spent a few hours cooking for the big Christmas dinner either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We had fried rice and beef (not very common at all in the Bo area). The kids weren't crazy about the fried rice, marking an ironic meal--the kids NOT liking the rice and the three Americans LIKING the rice (a lot!). That same meal we split up in groups with a different adult or older kid leading each group as we discussed what Christmas was all about.
Another favorite memory of that Christmas was when I was trying to sleep. It didn't start out to be a favorite moment, however. It was late at night...and I could hear drumming. I had only been in Sierra Leone for a few weeks at this point and flashbacks from my first trip several years before when late night drumming wasn't a good thing came to mind. After 20 or 30 minutes or so I heard them playing a silly Christmas song--maybe "Jingle Bells" or something like that. And then there were other Christmas carols. I had to laugh at how funny it was to hear Christmas carols by drummers sitting around the fire out in the West African "bush". And I knew there probably wouldn't be another Christmas like that...
New Year's in Africa stories coming up in a week or so (maybe). Things are a little crazy for me right now. If you'd like to help out with the blog (even sending articles, personal testimonies, etc) this would be a great time to jump in. Email Kim83anthro@gmail.com .
Your JCC Blogger,
Kim
Message from Roger
We come to the end of the year and the season of the celebration of Christ's birth. We have so much to thank Him for....His salvation, His abundance He bestows on us in so many ways, and His constant care for us. We at Jonathan's House are continuously grateful for the kindness that all of you show all year long. That makes this note more difficult. We know you have so often sacrificed and given. Believe me, we never take that for granted. We come to the end of this season however and we find ourselves significantly short on our budget. If we were just hundreds of dollars short we could cut and make it work. But now we are 5 days away from wiring money for the month and we are about $6,000 short from meeting our budget. We have about $1600 which will feed our kids for the month, but it won't do any more than that. We still need to pay the staff, buy toothpaste and such, buy gas for the bus, feed the street and foster kids, buy fire wood, pay our bills, etc. I ask that each one of you join us as we ask Him what we should do or give to meet this month's need. I know He is able to meet the need however He deems fit. He is the God of all miracles. We know that this season and we trust Him as we have so many times before. He has called us to care for those with nothing. This gives Him so many opportunities to show His love to them. Thanks for caring and praying and sharing. I pray that the God of abundance will show Himself strong in your lives this season and the new year.
Sincerely and for all our kids,
Roger Hatch
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Free Rice.org
For every question (on a variety of subjects) you answer correctly they donate 20 grains of rice. If you need to improve your vocabulary (um, maybe you need to study for the GRE?), geography, chemistry knowledge (element symbols anyway), etc....this is a great way to do it. They work with a UN program. Very cool. Try it out and feed someone.
School Exams & Emmanuel
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sorry this has not been updated for a few weeks. I was out of town for a little while. This won't be a full update, but check the website for more information.
Sorry this has not been updated for a few weeks. I was out of town for a little while. This won't be a full update, but check the website for more information.
- John Sessay, Joseph Bangura & Christiana Bah did an outstanding job on their national exams (Joseph finished first in his class!) and will be moving on to the next level.
- Emmanuel passed away. :-/ See Roger's message on the front page of the website.
- The website has been updated.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
What is Sierra Leone Like?
So, you're a loyal supporter of Jonathan House (thankyou!) and perhaps you've heard stories about Sierra Leone. Maybe you've seen a few pictures taken in Sierra Leone. Or if you're a friend of mine (or of a few others--no names), you've seen several hundred. But....what is Sierra Leone really like?
The beaches (the best in Africa!) sure sound delightful, don't they? The climate sounds great (especially in our winter months). The kids couldn't be cuter (though I'm sure they could try...). The clothes couldn't be more colorful. All the fruit you could possibly want. No speed limits (if you dare drive). Paradise?
Well....not exactly. It is one of the poorest nations on Earth. It has one of the worst life expectancies (about 45 years?). It has one of the worst five infant and child mortality rates. While peaceful for the last several years, the country is still recovering from a (brutal) decade-long civil war (have you seen "Blood Diamond"?). At least three million people are crowded into Freetown--a city built for I think about 200,000 people! I could go on....but you get the picture. There's no need to go on in that direction. The country may be beautiful, but life is pretty grim for most Sierra Leoneans.
How do we as "prosperous" Americans understand this? When people ask me to explain my experiences in developing countries (mainly Sierra Leone), I struggle. People rarely have anything to compare it to. Personally, I'd like everyone to be able to visit and experience this themselves. However, that doesn't seem quite feasible at this point in time, so we're left with multimedia to better paint a picture for us. If pictures are worth a thousand words, how much moreso are moving pictures?! Here are a few video clips from YouTube that show various aspects of Sierra Leone. I'm going to start finding and posting more of these periodically. I want you to understand what Sierra Leone is as much as you can without actually stepping foot in Sierra Leone. If you have questions or are curious about different aspects of life in Sierra Leone, let me know and I will search out an answer for you! If you find anything that fits in with this theme, send it to me (JHM.Salone@gmail.com). If you've been and would like to share your experiences or observations, please send them to the address below.
How can we best help if we don't understand who we're helping? Watch these videos prayerfully. Unless indicated, none are related to Jonathan House. And don't let the ones of bad aspects scare you off from ever taking a trip. As you watch these clips, take notice of the details of what is going on.
You Tube: Driving through the streets/markets of Freetown : This basically someone just pointing the camera through the window of the "Poda Poda" (a crude van, common taxi) and showing what it looks like to drive through the streets of Freetown. If you're a people watcher, have a ball--it's constant activity--selling, buying, commuting, etc. Watch it a few times if you have to. The music playing in the background...very Sierra Leonean.
You Tube: Driving in Sierra Leone -- They were driving to Sulima Beach, but the drive is pretty typical of a majority of roads in Sierra Leone--especially the farther you get away from Freetown--some much worse than others. The country is not known for the good quality of the roads. But don't let this scare you, because in all the trips I've taken over such roads, I've only been car sick once--and I get motion sickness on paved roads in the U.S.! God can provide. But hey, the beach is beautiful, isn't it?
You Tube: A picture tour of Sierra Leone -- This actually has no videos, just several photos. But it is one of my favorites as it shows so many places in Sierra Leone that I and many of you have been to. They show Freetown, Bo (where the orphanage is), Mattru (Mattru-Jong Hospital--most teams have visited here if not based out of here), Bonthe, and Kenema (which really only one person that I know of has been there). You can see Bo (after Freetown & Kenema respectively) starting at about 3:25 (maybe a little before that) until about 4:48, then transitions to Mattru until 5:36, then on to Bonthe which is down the river from Mattru on the coast.
You Tube: Save the Children, Sierra Leone Flooding -- Save the Children, a global charity, has been working in Kroo Bay for a time--one of the poorest sections of Freetown. They do a great job with their videos explaining about life in the community. See their website, too, for more great resources.
You Tube: Children's Living Conditions in Freetown (Hull Freedom Project) -- This is a pretty interesting clip showing how children live on the rubbage (trash) dumps. Yes, they actually live and survive in the dumps. Listen carefully to Reginald (the man showing "us" around) as he has a thick accent.
The beaches (the best in Africa!) sure sound delightful, don't they? The climate sounds great (especially in our winter months). The kids couldn't be cuter (though I'm sure they could try...). The clothes couldn't be more colorful. All the fruit you could possibly want. No speed limits (if you dare drive). Paradise?
Well....not exactly. It is one of the poorest nations on Earth. It has one of the worst life expectancies (about 45 years?). It has one of the worst five infant and child mortality rates. While peaceful for the last several years, the country is still recovering from a (brutal) decade-long civil war (have you seen "Blood Diamond"?). At least three million people are crowded into Freetown--a city built for I think about 200,000 people! I could go on....but you get the picture. There's no need to go on in that direction. The country may be beautiful, but life is pretty grim for most Sierra Leoneans.
How do we as "prosperous" Americans understand this? When people ask me to explain my experiences in developing countries (mainly Sierra Leone), I struggle. People rarely have anything to compare it to. Personally, I'd like everyone to be able to visit and experience this themselves. However, that doesn't seem quite feasible at this point in time, so we're left with multimedia to better paint a picture for us. If pictures are worth a thousand words, how much moreso are moving pictures?! Here are a few video clips from YouTube that show various aspects of Sierra Leone. I'm going to start finding and posting more of these periodically. I want you to understand what Sierra Leone is as much as you can without actually stepping foot in Sierra Leone. If you have questions or are curious about different aspects of life in Sierra Leone, let me know and I will search out an answer for you! If you find anything that fits in with this theme, send it to me (JHM.Salone@gmail.com). If you've been and would like to share your experiences or observations, please send them to the address below.
How can we best help if we don't understand who we're helping? Watch these videos prayerfully. Unless indicated, none are related to Jonathan House. And don't let the ones of bad aspects scare you off from ever taking a trip. As you watch these clips, take notice of the details of what is going on.
You Tube: Driving through the streets/markets of Freetown : This basically someone just pointing the camera through the window of the "Poda Poda" (a crude van, common taxi) and showing what it looks like to drive through the streets of Freetown. If you're a people watcher, have a ball--it's constant activity--selling, buying, commuting, etc. Watch it a few times if you have to. The music playing in the background...very Sierra Leonean.
You Tube: Driving in Sierra Leone -- They were driving to Sulima Beach, but the drive is pretty typical of a majority of roads in Sierra Leone--especially the farther you get away from Freetown--some much worse than others. The country is not known for the good quality of the roads. But don't let this scare you, because in all the trips I've taken over such roads, I've only been car sick once--and I get motion sickness on paved roads in the U.S.! God can provide. But hey, the beach is beautiful, isn't it?
You Tube: A picture tour of Sierra Leone -- This actually has no videos, just several photos. But it is one of my favorites as it shows so many places in Sierra Leone that I and many of you have been to. They show Freetown, Bo (where the orphanage is), Mattru (Mattru-Jong Hospital--most teams have visited here if not based out of here), Bonthe, and Kenema (which really only one person that I know of has been there). You can see Bo (after Freetown & Kenema respectively) starting at about 3:25 (maybe a little before that) until about 4:48, then transitions to Mattru until 5:36, then on to Bonthe which is down the river from Mattru on the coast.
You Tube: Save the Children, Sierra Leone Flooding -- Save the Children, a global charity, has been working in Kroo Bay for a time--one of the poorest sections of Freetown. They do a great job with their videos explaining about life in the community. See their website, too, for more great resources.
You Tube: Children's Living Conditions in Freetown (Hull Freedom Project) -- This is a pretty interesting clip showing how children live on the rubbage (trash) dumps. Yes, they actually live and survive in the dumps. Listen carefully to Reginald (the man showing "us" around) as he has a thick accent.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Updates on Store, Fundraiser, & Blog
Greetings! I thought you would like to hear some of the follow-up on recent posts.
- Store...The Grand Opening was a great success! Unofficial numbers--$1900 in profits this weekend! What a blessing the store is. If you're in the area on a Friday or Saturday, remember to stop by. Or if you have any donations, let us know and we'll work out a time.
- Fundraiser...I haven't heard an official number on money raised Tuesday at Culver's, but there was a great turnout!
- Blog...There are some added features on the blog that I hope you check out soon.
- World Clocks--> There's a clock with Sierra Leone time and one of Iowa (CST) time.
- Contact Links--> Even there is a list of links further down the page, there is an easier way to find the link to the online albums, etc. In that same box, there is an invitation for you to contribute to this blog.
- Subscribe to the blog--> I've enabled the RSS feed (or whatever) so you can probably figure out ways to get new posted emailed to you.
- Friends/Followers--> To be truthful, I'm not entirely sure about this feature. :-) But it could be fun. If you read this blog often and want to keep up with JCC, I would invite you to become a friend! And if you don't....you're still a friend. No worries!
That's all for this edition. Have a blessed week!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Goodsearch
This has been mentioned before as an easy way to earn money for the organization. Since this was last posted about, there is a new part of this website: Goodshop! Read about it below. As Christmas draws closer (just two months from yesterday!), if you buy from any of these online stores (there are quite a few...) then go through this website after you've picked Jonathan House (or whatever organization you choose) and JH will receive a portion of the profit! How simple is that?! And it doesn't cost you anymore than had you gone to the store's site without going through Goodsearch. Search for Jonathan House Ministries where it instructs you to and it should come right up. Or click on the title of this post and it should bring you to the website with JonHouse already chosen! Thanks!!
Straight from the Goodsearch.com website:
Here's a new easy way to raise money for your favorite cause. Just start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine and they'll donate a penny to your favorite cause every time you do a search! In addition, do all of your shopping through their online shopping mall, GoodShop.com, where you can shop at more than 700 top online retailers and a percentage of your purchases will go to the charity or school of your choice. You pay the same price as you normally would, but a donation goes to your cause!
Here's the web site — http://www.goodsearch.com/. You can also read about GoodSearch in the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal.
Straight from the Goodsearch.com website:
Here's a new easy way to raise money for your favorite cause. Just start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine and they'll donate a penny to your favorite cause every time you do a search! In addition, do all of your shopping through their online shopping mall, GoodShop.com, where you can shop at more than 700 top online retailers and a percentage of your purchases will go to the charity or school of your choice. You pay the same price as you normally would, but a donation goes to your cause!
Here's the web site — http://www.goodsearch.com/. You can also read about GoodSearch in the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal.
Store Grand Opening & Pictures, Culver's Night
Here are two different views of inside of the store. I have many more, but not as much time to put them up. The third picture is of an event that several supporters came to (maybe you were there?) and we voted on the name of the store. The Grand Opening of the store is this next Friday, Oct. 31st & Saturday, Nov. 1st, 9 to 5 both days.
Grand Opening:
Culver's Night:
Come out to Culver's Tuesday and the Grand Opening Friday/Saturday and tell all your friends!
Grand Opening: If you'd like to help work in the store on either day for the Grand Opening, email Jan @ jabuhatch@hotmail.com. There will be opportunities to set up and get it all ready, too--one of those being Tuesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. And everyone helping Friday & Saturday is invited to wear African clothes.
Culver's Night:
This Tuesday, we will have a fundraising night at the Marshalltown Culver's. Stop in between 5 and 8 p.m. and Jonathan House will receive 10% of the proceeds of whatever is bought! If you'd like to come and help pass out brochures that would be great, too. Wear any African clothes you might have.
Come out to Culver's Tuesday and the Grand Opening Friday/Saturday and tell all your friends!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Jonathan House Picasa Albums
Definitely check them out.....they're finally ready to be made public! Yay! There is still work to be done, but it's available for your eyes. :-) There are different albums--several albums with pictures from various teams that have gone over. One from some of the Sierra Leone trips before Jonathan House was created.
If you have anymore pictures you'd like to contribute from a trip of your own or events stateside related to Jonathan House, please send them to JHM.Salone@gmail.com and let me know what they are of and I will add them as I can.
If there are any of the pictures currently posted that are mis-labeled or have an incorrect caption, make a comment on it or send an email to that address above.
Picasa has a new feature in which it tags faces. I have tagged many of the kids, but not all. Ideally you will be able to search for a person and all of the pictures that person appears in you will be able to see. For example, let's say you sponsor Adama, you will be able to click on the "Adama" tag and see her smiling face! So when it's all done, it should be a nice feature.
If you have anymore pictures you'd like to contribute from a trip of your own or events stateside related to Jonathan House, please send them to JHM.Salone@gmail.com and let me know what they are of and I will add them as I can.
If there are any of the pictures currently posted that are mis-labeled or have an incorrect caption, make a comment on it or send an email to that address above.
Picasa has a new feature in which it tags faces. I have tagged many of the kids, but not all. Ideally you will be able to search for a person and all of the pictures that person appears in you will be able to see. For example, let's say you sponsor Adama, you will be able to click on the "Adama" tag and see her smiling face! So when it's all done, it should be a nice feature.
Article: Talking Dirty--The Politics of Clean Water and Sanitation
From the Massachusetts Medical Society (linked by child-survival.org)
An interesting article about global health and more specifically clean drinking water.
Click on the title and follow the link. It is a PDF document.
An interesting article about global health and more specifically clean drinking water.
Click on the title and follow the link. It is a PDF document.
"Second Chance on 3rd"
The Jonathan House Store....newly dubbed "Second Chance on 3rd" celebrated its Grand Opening this weekend. There was no advertising, yet it is reported it was busy enough to make $1700 (in two days). Our pastor who was helping out said that one guy donated his change when he found out what the money was going to. Wow!
The store is located in Marshalltown, IA on the corner of Boone and 3rd Ave. It will be open every Friday and Saturday (except holidays assuming) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. If you are ever in the area on those two days step by and visit. And if you'd like to help out, email Roger at roger.hatch@gmail.com. Even if you are unable to stop in on an open day there will be opportunities to serve (ie cleaning, stocking shelves) so consider that too. Also, if you have things to contribute you can also email Roger to arrange a time to drop it off or maybe even have it picked up.
Pictures to come soon....
The store is located in Marshalltown, IA on the corner of Boone and 3rd Ave. It will be open every Friday and Saturday (except holidays assuming) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. If you are ever in the area on those two days step by and visit. And if you'd like to help out, email Roger at roger.hatch@gmail.com. Even if you are unable to stop in on an open day there will be opportunities to serve (ie cleaning, stocking shelves) so consider that too. Also, if you have things to contribute you can also email Roger to arrange a time to drop it off or maybe even have it picked up.
Pictures to come soon....
Big Week for Jonathan House
- The store opened this weekend! Without any advertising, $1700 came in. What a blessing! See a later post for more information about the store.
- John's adoption was approved this last week and his parents will be leaving next Saturday, Sep. 21 to bring him home! Pray for all of the last-minute "stuff" that Mark & Karen need to finish before leaving. And pray for John's last days at Jonathan House.
- Tenneh (adopted) will be having heart surgery on the 18th. Pray for her. I talked to her this morning--she is nervous understandably but I think relieved ultimately that this problem will be taken care of. Pray for all those details that will have to be arranged for the care of her younger two siblings.
Other points:
-If you have any stories, contributions for this blog, please email JHM.Salone@gmail.com
-If you have an idea for the next poll, also email above address.
-If you find any relevant articles that you think Jonathan House supporters would find pertinent, also email those links to the address above.
Thanks!
AFP: Sierra Leone will return property taken by former regime
Just a nice sign of the character of the president and aim to rout corruption.
The Sierra Leone government will return all property seized by the country's former military regime to their owners, Information and Communication Minister Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said Wednesday...
Property belonging to businessmen, opposition politicians and ordinary citizens was seized during Valentine Strasser's 1992-96 military rule. Once Parliament approves the plans, all property would be returned, Kargbo said.
Kargbo said the decision was "natural justice" and would honour a promise made by President Ernest Koroma to return all properties to their original owners. "The president feels that this is one of the processes to foster reconciliation" he said.
Click on the title/link to read the entire article.
The Sierra Leone government will return all property seized by the country's former military regime to their owners, Information and Communication Minister Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said Wednesday...
Property belonging to businessmen, opposition politicians and ordinary citizens was seized during Valentine Strasser's 1992-96 military rule. Once Parliament approves the plans, all property would be returned, Kargbo said.
Kargbo said the decision was "natural justice" and would honour a promise made by President Ernest Koroma to return all properties to their original owners. "The president feels that this is one of the processes to foster reconciliation" he said.
Click on the title/link to read the entire article.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Lausanne WP: The Echo of a Saint
By Christopher L. Heuertz
We walked through an open-air market, down a side street in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, West Africa. The vibrant colors and smells of the fruit and vegetables filled our senses. The road was narrow yet full of life. We were surrounded by children laughing and playing all up and down the street. Nearly every vendor greeted us with warm and sincere hospitality.
Before we knew it, the market opened into what appeared to be a valley—more like a crater—on the edge of downtown. Slowly, we walked down a long concrete staircase, into the worst slum I have ever seen. Having traveled in nearly seventy countries throughout Asia, Africa, and South America, I was blown away by the density of poverty and texture of suffering that marked every detail of Kroo Bay.
Kroo Bay is the poorest slum community in the capital city of the world’s poorest country. It’s a former fishing village turned into an informal coastal slum with around six thousand residents—more than four thousand of them children.
Located below sea level, where two of Freetown’s major rivers meet and drain into the Atlantic Ocean, it floods with sewage every time there is major rainfall in the city. This forces residents to spend countless days and nights fighting to save their homes bucket by bucket.
It’s overcrowded, congested, and clogged with trash.
If it weren’t for the laughter of the children and the smiles of the vendors, it would have seemed one of the most hopeless places in the world.
Click on the title to read the entire article
We walked through an open-air market, down a side street in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, West Africa. The vibrant colors and smells of the fruit and vegetables filled our senses. The road was narrow yet full of life. We were surrounded by children laughing and playing all up and down the street. Nearly every vendor greeted us with warm and sincere hospitality.
Before we knew it, the market opened into what appeared to be a valley—more like a crater—on the edge of downtown. Slowly, we walked down a long concrete staircase, into the worst slum I have ever seen. Having traveled in nearly seventy countries throughout Asia, Africa, and South America, I was blown away by the density of poverty and texture of suffering that marked every detail of Kroo Bay.
Kroo Bay is the poorest slum community in the capital city of the world’s poorest country. It’s a former fishing village turned into an informal coastal slum with around six thousand residents—more than four thousand of them children.
Located below sea level, where two of Freetown’s major rivers meet and drain into the Atlantic Ocean, it floods with sewage every time there is major rainfall in the city. This forces residents to spend countless days and nights fighting to save their homes bucket by bucket.
It’s overcrowded, congested, and clogged with trash.
If it weren’t for the laughter of the children and the smiles of the vendors, it would have seemed one of the most hopeless places in the world.
Click on the title to read the entire article
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Updates (as of July 19th, 2008)
Here are just a few prayer points:
- Pray for Christie--she has malaria! She called Karen 3 days ago now. Malaria & some other bacterial infection. She is on a new medicine and antibiotic. Pray for her recovery and her wisdom in decisions about resting and recovering when she would like to be with the kids and helping out. [Karen]
- Pray for John's adoption--the family is awaiting word from the U.S. embassy (Dakar) on his visa. Pray for peace for all 8 family members!
- Pray for Jerry's adoption, which is in the early stages. Pray for peace for his family also.
- Pray for Rachel & Leah who are with their mother. Pray for Rachel's health that God would marvelously provide and answer prayers--and maybe even heal her! Pray for the influence they might have on their family and neighbors in their village.
- Pray for Tenneh (adopted, home in Nov. '07) who has a heart problem. Pray for her parents as they make decisions regarding this. She will see a cardiac surgeon soon. Pray for her to be at peace with everything going on around her!
- Pray for Roger (international director) who also has malaria. He was recently visiting Sierra Leone for several weeks. He is a full-time nursing student and all-around busy guy. Pray that God would restore his health.
- Pray for the school. Over half of the funds have been raised to complete the building. The work on the foundation will begin this month.
- Pray that the goats on the farm are quick learners with their new (& operational) solar electric fence. They have been a handful and there have been many options on trial for keeping them from running out into the road. Pray that this one works! The goats are given to foster families of JCC to help them out.
- Pray for Pastor Peter and the ministry team in Sierra Leone.
- Praise God for each and every supporter of JH!!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Update: Pray for these kids--Hassan & Rachel
Here is the latest update from Karen:
Please pray for Hassan. You may have heard his name before. He has been in and out of the orphanage for several years now. Hassan has repeatedly run away from the home to return to Freetown and life on the streets. This past month Hassan was returned to the care of an aunt in his home village. Please pray that he would be a light for Christ in this village. Please pray for adults to come into this young man's life and help him grow.
I only had this picture of Rachel to put up at the moment (she's the one in the middle), but I noticed Hassan is at her right (far left). Go figure....
This request is one of the most difficult I have had to write. Many of you know that Rachel, one of our teen girls, was diagnosed with a very serious kidney problem over a year ago. She has an ectopic, necrotic kidney. She and her twin sister, Leah, have been in the orphanage for several years. After a long run of tests, second opinions, third opinions, and a thorough examination by an American doctor, it was determined that the necessary course of action was for Rachel to have surgery to remove the necrotic kidney. There is only one surgeon in Sierra Leone that we felt comfortable with to do the surgery. He agreed to do the surgery and plans were made. Days before the scheduled surgery Rachel's mother appeared at the hospital and refused to let Rachel have surgery. We believe her mother is misguided and lacks the understanding of the consequences of not having the surgery. At that point, the doctor refused to do the surgery because of the problems caused by Rachel's mother. Rachel returned to the orphanage in Bo. When Roger arrived at the orphanage, arrangements were made for Rachel and Leah's mother to sign a relinquishment of the girls over to the ministry. This was completed and Roger was able to convince the surgeon to re-schedule Rachel's surgery. Rachel was admitted to the hospital days after Roger's return to Iowa and was ready for the surgery. Again her mother appeared and caused problems at the hospital and with the doctor. The relinquishment was taken to the police and the ministry of social welfare to be sure we did have the right to insist that Rachel have the surgery. Neither agency would support the ministry's position and said that we must abide by the wishes of the mother. The ministry was forced to ask the mother to either let Rachel have the surgery or to take the girls home into her care. As of today, the mother has taken Rachel and Leah back to their village. This is heartbreaking for the girls and the rest of the children at the home. It could also put Rachel's life in danger. This was a difficult decision, to say the least, but the medic at the home and the doctors agreed that to do nothing is to put Rachel at great risk. The ramifications for the ministry should something happen to Rachel while in the care of the ministry are numerous and could make it impossible to continue on in the ministry. Please PRAY. Please pray that God would miraculously cure Rachel's kidney. Please pray that her mother would seek proper medical care for Rachel. Please pray that Rachel's mother would have the means to support Rachel and Leah. Please pray that God would use the difficult situation to reunite the family and provide means for the needs of Rachel and Leah. Please pray that God would use this situation to bring the light of Christ in Rachel and Leah to their village.
Please pray for Hassan. You may have heard his name before. He has been in and out of the orphanage for several years now. Hassan has repeatedly run away from the home to return to Freetown and life on the streets. This past month Hassan was returned to the care of an aunt in his home village. Please pray that he would be a light for Christ in this village. Please pray for adults to come into this young man's life and help him grow.
I only had this picture of Rachel to put up at the moment (she's the one in the middle), but I noticed Hassan is at her right (far left). Go figure....
This request is one of the most difficult I have had to write. Many of you know that Rachel, one of our teen girls, was diagnosed with a very serious kidney problem over a year ago. She has an ectopic, necrotic kidney. She and her twin sister, Leah, have been in the orphanage for several years. After a long run of tests, second opinions, third opinions, and a thorough examination by an American doctor, it was determined that the necessary course of action was for Rachel to have surgery to remove the necrotic kidney. There is only one surgeon in Sierra Leone that we felt comfortable with to do the surgery. He agreed to do the surgery and plans were made. Days before the scheduled surgery Rachel's mother appeared at the hospital and refused to let Rachel have surgery. We believe her mother is misguided and lacks the understanding of the consequences of not having the surgery. At that point, the doctor refused to do the surgery because of the problems caused by Rachel's mother. Rachel returned to the orphanage in Bo. When Roger arrived at the orphanage, arrangements were made for Rachel and Leah's mother to sign a relinquishment of the girls over to the ministry. This was completed and Roger was able to convince the surgeon to re-schedule Rachel's surgery. Rachel was admitted to the hospital days after Roger's return to Iowa and was ready for the surgery. Again her mother appeared and caused problems at the hospital and with the doctor. The relinquishment was taken to the police and the ministry of social welfare to be sure we did have the right to insist that Rachel have the surgery. Neither agency would support the ministry's position and said that we must abide by the wishes of the mother. The ministry was forced to ask the mother to either let Rachel have the surgery or to take the girls home into her care. As of today, the mother has taken Rachel and Leah back to their village. This is heartbreaking for the girls and the rest of the children at the home. It could also put Rachel's life in danger. This was a difficult decision, to say the least, but the medic at the home and the doctors agreed that to do nothing is to put Rachel at great risk. The ramifications for the ministry should something happen to Rachel while in the care of the ministry are numerous and could make it impossible to continue on in the ministry. Please PRAY. Please pray that God would miraculously cure Rachel's kidney. Please pray that her mother would seek proper medical care for Rachel. Please pray that Rachel's mother would have the means to support Rachel and Leah. Please pray that God would use the difficult situation to reunite the family and provide means for the needs of Rachel and Leah. Please pray that God would use this situation to bring the light of Christ in Rachel and Leah to their village.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Latest Updates....
Hello!
Here are a few new "news" items:
Here are a few new "news" items:
- A family has decided to adopt Jerry Benya. They just started the whole process, so pray that it will go smoothly and for patience as they wait. By the way, this is Dylan's family who are adopting him. Before Dylan came back the family called over and were able to talk to Jerry too.
- Roger and many of the teams are back. Pray for good health for each of them and just the whole adjustment process back to life in the States.
- The next newsletter is going to be published soon. Karen is looking for anyone who would like to share a testimony of your experiences with Jonathan House. Email kjb5@mchsi.com if you would like to contribute. If you'd like to contribute to the blog, email JHM.Salone@gmail.com.
- Hopefully more videos and pictures will be added soon.
- Continue to pray for all of the kids as they finish school.
- Continue to pray for the school building project. If you'd like to "buy a brick", email Karen at the address above.
- Hopefully we will hear more about the recent trips on here.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Christian Post: African Witches Come to Christ Through Jesus Film
This is exciting! Sierra Leone also has a lot of similar spiritual warfare with various secret societies throughout the country. Jonathan House has shown "Jesus Film" in local languages in several villages. The church planting team and visiting short-term teams use the film on outreaches routinely. This summer, Jonathan House will be showing this film in villages throughout the Pujehun District. Pray that these villagers would be receptive of the Gospel.
Excerpt:
By Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, May. 22 2008 05:41 PM ET
Screenings of the “Jesus” film in the Central African Republic has led to tens of thousands of commitments for Christ, dozens of churches planted, and witches being freed from dark forces, according to The Jesus Film Project.
Central African Republic, which neighbors the highly-troubled nations of Chad and Sudan, has struggled with what some might consider an epidemic of witchcraft. Local witches reportedly have the power to kill and cause excruciating physical pain, leading to great fear among villagers.
The government routinely imprisons accused witches, but has found that prison walls cannot contain their power.
When witches saw the “Jesus” film – which follows the life and teachings of Jesus Christ – in their own language, many reportedly were convicted by the Holy Spirit. They repented of their sins, were freed from their spiritual bondage, and committed their lives to Jesus Christ, The Jesus Film Project reported.
In the Bossangoa area in western CAR, people have dubbed the “Jesus” film, “The Miracle Film.”
The region’s governor has personally called the “Jesus” film team to thank them for the “miracles” the movie has done on the witches in his area.
Excerpt:
By Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, May. 22 2008 05:41 PM ET
Screenings of the “Jesus” film in the Central African Republic has led to tens of thousands of commitments for Christ, dozens of churches planted, and witches being freed from dark forces, according to The Jesus Film Project.
Central African Republic, which neighbors the highly-troubled nations of Chad and Sudan, has struggled with what some might consider an epidemic of witchcraft. Local witches reportedly have the power to kill and cause excruciating physical pain, leading to great fear among villagers.
The government routinely imprisons accused witches, but has found that prison walls cannot contain their power.
When witches saw the “Jesus” film – which follows the life and teachings of Jesus Christ – in their own language, many reportedly were convicted by the Holy Spirit. They repented of their sins, were freed from their spiritual bondage, and committed their lives to Jesus Christ, The Jesus Film Project reported.
In the Bossangoa area in western CAR, people have dubbed the “Jesus” film, “The Miracle Film.”
The region’s governor has personally called the “Jesus” film team to thank them for the “miracles” the movie has done on the witches in his area.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Update: School Campaign, etc.
First of all....Sorry it has been a little quiet on here lately. Working on that. Here are some updates that have come out recently. God is doing great things in Sierra Leone through Jonathan House and that is so exciting!
Second of all...If you are interested in helping with this blog, let me know. (JHM.Salone@gmail.com) This could be in a variety of ways:
Second of all...If you are interested in helping with this blog, let me know. (JHM.Salone@gmail.com) This could be in a variety of ways:
- Send in a story of your experiences with Jonathan House--getting to know the kids and staff at JH, getting to know some of the kids who've been adopted and live in the U.S., getting to know your sponsored kids, and so on.
- Look for articles about Sierra Leone and appropriate themes.
- Help in posting and recruiting people to send stories (see first bullet). :-) I would like to definitely start on a regular schedule of when to post.
--------------------------------------------------
- School Campaign (from Karen): Praise the Lord. To date God has provided $25676.33 for the school. This is amazing! We really need a minimum of $50,000 to get started and a total of $60,000 for the entire project. (This includes floating a second floor for future growth and/or housing, guestrooms, etc.). Please keep praying that God would touch just the right hearts to help provide support for this project. God is good and HIS timing is perfect! I am so excited for the day that we can call the orphanage and announce that God has blessed them with the funds for their school building! THANK YOU!
- Roger, Outreach (from Karen): Please pray for Roger this week! He will be going to southern Sierra Leone to visit and begin ministering to a group of people who have had little exposure to the Gospel. We do know of one rudimentary church in the area, but it is largely a group who have little knowledge of our Lord. Pray that Roger would travel safely (there are really no direct routes to this area). Pray that he would make connections with just the right people. Pray that God would speak through him and show him the paths we should take in beginning to minister to these people. [He should be there about now...]
- Teams: Pray for Kayla, Dylan, Rachel & Roger who still have some more time left in Sierra Leone. Several team members left earlier this week and should be back home now (or will be shortly). We will hopefully hear from them soon. Pray for Christie who is there for about 4 more months! Her dad and sisters have been in Sierra Leone spending time with her and working alongside her and just left with this last group.
- Children's Day: Pray for the staff, as well as Christie and Dylan (that I know of) who will be traveling a Children's Day event soon.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Ethnologue: Sierra Leone Language Map
Check this out! It's a language map of Sierra Leone. (Perhaps just anthro majors are interested in this stuff...) Jonathan House which of course is in Bo...is in the Mende section (#10). Roger will be visiting the Vai people (#16). I misspelled it in a previous post. There is a link above the map to a listing of all the different language groups.
SIM: "But Why?"
I found this great article in the magazine SIM (Serving in Mission) publishes. It was written by a missionary in Ethiopia. What a great look at poverty. Sometimes (or most of the time) poverty just seems like such an insurmountable "battle"--where do we start? I'm including the entire article instead of just a snippet--because it's just that important. You can go to the article by the title link. The rest of the magazine is also good and is available online.
"But Why?"
by Clare Meckler, Ethiopia16 May 2008
Today the two-year-old child died.
“But why?” we ask.
Because he was severely dehydrated.
But why?
Because he had diarrhea.
But why?
Because he drank dirty water.
But why?
Because his ten-year-old sister was too weak to fetch clean water from the distant spring.
But why?
Because she’s extremely anemic . . . because of intestinal parasites . . . because of unsanitary conditions.
So why didn’t the older brother go and get clean water for the family?
Because he didn’t know the nearby muddy water harbored disease.
And why didn’t he know?
Because he never had a chance to go to school and learn about microbes . . . because he had to work all day to eke out a meager crop for the family’s food . . . because erosion depleted the soil . . . because the trees were cut down for cooking fuel.
And why didn’t the mother take the sick child to the clinic?
Because she had no money for medicine.
Why not?
Because her husband had died . . . because of tetanus . . . because he stepped on a thorn . . . because he had no shoes.
“A God who cares cannot be served by those who don’t.”
You get the picture. The endless questions, the illusive blame, ever probing deeper to try to get to the true cause of the unrelenting cycle of poverty and disease. Be it war, hunger, drought, or any of the problems that plague our planet, “quick fix” bandages do nothing to heal the hemorrhage.
So fragile is the coping mechanism of struggling people that whole communities are vulnerable to events like variations in climate or deteriorating health status of family members. Our various ministries of compassion endeavor to bring better health and brighter hope to the daily lives of hurting people.
There is Someone who can save them from an endless cycle of “whys”—a God who cares deeply about their suffering. Many years ago this statement deeply impacted my life: “A God who cares cannot be served by those who don’t.” May we all learn to care as he does.
"But Why?"
by Clare Meckler, Ethiopia16 May 2008
Today the two-year-old child died.
“But why?” we ask.
Because he was severely dehydrated.
But why?
Because he had diarrhea.
But why?
Because he drank dirty water.
But why?
Because his ten-year-old sister was too weak to fetch clean water from the distant spring.
But why?
Because she’s extremely anemic . . . because of intestinal parasites . . . because of unsanitary conditions.
So why didn’t the older brother go and get clean water for the family?
Because he didn’t know the nearby muddy water harbored disease.
And why didn’t he know?
Because he never had a chance to go to school and learn about microbes . . . because he had to work all day to eke out a meager crop for the family’s food . . . because erosion depleted the soil . . . because the trees were cut down for cooking fuel.
And why didn’t the mother take the sick child to the clinic?
Because she had no money for medicine.
Why not?
Because her husband had died . . . because of tetanus . . . because he stepped on a thorn . . . because he had no shoes.
“A God who cares cannot be served by those who don’t.”
You get the picture. The endless questions, the illusive blame, ever probing deeper to try to get to the true cause of the unrelenting cycle of poverty and disease. Be it war, hunger, drought, or any of the problems that plague our planet, “quick fix” bandages do nothing to heal the hemorrhage.
So fragile is the coping mechanism of struggling people that whole communities are vulnerable to events like variations in climate or deteriorating health status of family members. Our various ministries of compassion endeavor to bring better health and brighter hope to the daily lives of hurting people.
There is Someone who can save them from an endless cycle of “whys”—a God who cares deeply about their suffering. Many years ago this statement deeply impacted my life: “A God who cares cannot be served by those who don’t.” May we all learn to care as he does.
Happy Memorial Day!
Greetings! Here are some of the latest updates.
- The kids (minus Mary Ina) at Center Street Baptist sang this morning as part of special music. Perhaps I'll put a video up of that soon.
- Pray for the team that is leaving Tuesday (the 27th). They are flying out of Cedar Rapids in the afternoon. This team will be tackling different projects that the members have each chosen.
- Roger will be on this team and is looking forward to visiting a part of Sierra Leone that is unreached. Pray for safety for him and those who will go with him. Pray for the receptiveness of the people. We're looking forward to seeing pictures! This is a very spiritually dark place in the country--many secret societies' influence.
- Pray for Kayla, Rachel and Dylan who have been there for a week already. Pray for their outreaches and travels. Dylan will be spending a week in Mattru with Pastor TY.
- Pray for Christie who has been there a month already with five months to go. God is using her in amazing ways and allowing her to learn Mende at an incredible pace. Pray for her as she continues to grow in her relationship with the Lord during her quiet times. Pray for her relationships with the staff and children.
- Pray for the staff at JCC! This is an ongoing request.
- Pray for Christie's family who will be visiting the next couple of weeks.
- Pray as the next team forms...possibly in March. If you're interested, leave me a note and I'll pass it on to the right people!
Those are the biggies for now. I'll try to get up some video and photos from recent presentations.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Marshalltown E-Free Church Jonathan House Presentation
May 18th, 2008
The presentation went very well. All nine children from Jonathan House in the area were able to come along with most of their families! It was a great time. Roger did well. The kids sang beautifully! The video clip included is from this morning. Pray for those in that congregation who might come alongside the ministry. There are already several families that support JH. Praise God! Oh, and Mary Ina is the one in the middle of the video (I think the first time she's been involved in a presentation since she's been here--all three weeks).
Otherwise, pray for Kayla, Rachel & Dylan as they left for Jonathan House this morning. They will hopefully be there tomorrow. Pray for connections and their time in airports and in travelling. Pray for their health. All three have been there previously, so pray for the many reunions that will transpire tomorrow. :-)
Roger and a group will live next week. Pray for them also and all the travelling and health. Some of them will be able to go into an unreached area--an exciting opportunity! Pray for that time (essentially pray throughout June).
Enjoy the video! It is part of Roger's part of the presentation.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Sunday, May 18th
Let's pray for Roger as he will be giving a short presentation at Evangelical Free Church in Marshalltown. If you live in the area, feel free to come. Service starts at 10:15. Some of the JCC kids might sing. We're still ironing out details. If you are not able to come, please pray for Roger to have the right words and know what to focus on since it will be a shorter amount of time than he has for other presentations. There are several individual supporters of JCC that attend E-Free.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Sierra Leone Connection: Featured People
While many of the people featured are fascinating, I would encourage you to read the biography of the January 27, 2008 person--Michaela DePrince. It's a pretty cool story of an orphan from Sierra Leone. So....just wanted to share her story with you.
Happy Mother's Day!
Nothing big at JCC (that I've heard) lately. Mark & Ashtyn are back from Africa and they were able to get some important files documented at the Embassy in Dakar for John's adoption. Praise God for that! The field investigation will soon commence. Pray for everything to go smoothly as there were some possible issues. While they were at JCC, Ashtyn was very sick but was better before they left. Praise God!
Many of the kids wrote letters back to their supporters and friends here in America. I worked really hard last fall and wrote all the kids and several staff letters for a trip some friends were making in November. I had been working on replies for the first few months of this year until Solomon passed away, which stopped the momentum in its tracks. I was able to get a few written for Mark & Ashtyn to bring, and just received the replies today. How incredible these kids are! Many of my letters to several of these kids whom I had become very close with and others who had helped me with Solomon while I was there. He was a special little bond that helped me get to know several of the women staff and older girls especially so much better than I probably would have otherwise. And many of the letters from those kids and Aunty Fatmata (his mama after I left) had incredible words of encouragement. We could all learn a lot from the kids and staff about faith! Wow! Perhaps on one hand they're just more accustomed to losing loved ones than I or really they have an incredible faith in our wonderful, loving God! I really believe it is the latter after spending 6 months worshipping God with them. Do you know that sometimes some of the older kids will decide to hold a prayer meeting and recruit other kids to join them?! How joyful the sound of children praising their Heavenly Father!
Pray for the trips coming up:
Many of the kids wrote letters back to their supporters and friends here in America. I worked really hard last fall and wrote all the kids and several staff letters for a trip some friends were making in November. I had been working on replies for the first few months of this year until Solomon passed away, which stopped the momentum in its tracks. I was able to get a few written for Mark & Ashtyn to bring, and just received the replies today. How incredible these kids are! Many of my letters to several of these kids whom I had become very close with and others who had helped me with Solomon while I was there. He was a special little bond that helped me get to know several of the women staff and older girls especially so much better than I probably would have otherwise. And many of the letters from those kids and Aunty Fatmata (his mama after I left) had incredible words of encouragement. We could all learn a lot from the kids and staff about faith! Wow! Perhaps on one hand they're just more accustomed to losing loved ones than I or really they have an incredible faith in our wonderful, loving God! I really believe it is the latter after spending 6 months worshipping God with them. Do you know that sometimes some of the older kids will decide to hold a prayer meeting and recruit other kids to join them?! How joyful the sound of children praising their Heavenly Father!
Pray for the trips coming up:
- Kayla "Boi", Rachel & Dylan will be leaving in about another week to spend five weeks at JCC.
- Two weeks into their trip (or thereabouts), there is a larger group leaving to join them. Roger (int'l director) will be joining them but is glad that he won't be leading this team. Many of the team members on both these teams have been there before. But pray for those who are going for the first time--it can be overwhelming!
- Pray for Christie who is just in her first month of six! She has had a smooth transition thus far and took care of Ashtyn while she was sick. I was able to call her last week and we were able to talk about her first few weeks. There is a lot to get used to--especially being a house mother. I know she is glad that there will be other Americans there for several weeks soon. Some family members will be visiting her soon, too. And then she will have several months "alone" or at least the only American. From experience, it could be challenging during those times, but it was also a time to get to know my African brothers and sisters better--and of course that sweet little baby. :-)
COMING SOON:
- I have a Picasa web album nearly set up--wanted to get the blog up and running before making the web albums public. If you have any pictures to share, please send those to JHM.Salone@gmail.com. I am hoping to have pictures from past teams--looking for former members of those teams to help "create" the album. :-)
- The offer still stands for anyone to share a story! Feel free to email a short story or testimony to the email address in the last bullet.
That's all for now....have a great week!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Update: John's Adoption
From Karen on 4/29:
This morning the first duck was placed in the row when John's adoption was approved. Unbelievably the second duck was close behind. Our I-600A approval came in the mail this morning! (The internet said they were working on January's application and ours was filed in March.) God is good and SURPRISING! This means that Mark will be able to stop in Dakar on the way home from Sierra Leone next week and file our I-600. This is the form that initiates a field investigation. Praise the Lord! We got two steps closer to bringing John home just this morning!
Also, pray for Ashtyn as she is sick with flu-like symptoms. "Mama Christie" is taking good care of her.
This morning the first duck was placed in the row when John's adoption was approved. Unbelievably the second duck was close behind. Our I-600A approval came in the mail this morning! (The internet said they were working on January's application and ours was filed in March.) God is good and SURPRISING! This means that Mark will be able to stop in Dakar on the way home from Sierra Leone next week and file our I-600. This is the form that initiates a field investigation. Praise the Lord! We got two steps closer to bringing John home just this morning!
Also, pray for Ashtyn as she is sick with flu-like symptoms. "Mama Christie" is taking good care of her.
Monday, April 28, 2008
allAfrica: [Sierra Leone] Ranks Last in Child Labor
Concord Times (Freetown)
16 April 2008 Ibrahim Jaffa Condeh and Kevin Hill
Child Labor is a huge problem in Sierra Leone. Many of the JCC kids have been personally involved with it (some were even held as slaves) and to be worst among the countries surveyed--that's a huge deal!! "78% of children ages 7 to 14 in the country are engaged in child labor"--that's huge! Later in the article it cites that UNICEF that one in six children in the entire world are involved in child labor. So it's not only a Sierra Leone or Africa problem, it does affect countries around the world, just Sierra Leone is the worst of those surveyed.
An excerpt:
"According to a recently released report by UNICEF on child labour and school attendance, 78% of children between the ages of 7 and 14 in Sierra Leone are engaged in child labour. The study, which covered one quarter of the world's population, ranked Sierra Leone last among nations surveyed..."
"The achievement of universal primary education is one of the Millennium Development Goals. Child labour, which can exclude primary school aged children from accessing an education, is a major obstacle to reaching this goal The UNICEF report found that "children from poor households and from households without a formally educated household head are more likely to be engaged in child labour and less likely to attend school", a situation that shows that "poverty is the root cause of child labour." The survey considered both economic activity and household chores and tried to distinguish between acceptable work and child labour. Child labour is work done by children that should be eliminated because it violates international labour standards, harms the child, or interferes with school attendance."
16 April 2008 Ibrahim Jaffa Condeh and Kevin Hill
Child Labor is a huge problem in Sierra Leone. Many of the JCC kids have been personally involved with it (some were even held as slaves) and to be worst among the countries surveyed--that's a huge deal!! "78% of children ages 7 to 14 in the country are engaged in child labor"--that's huge! Later in the article it cites that UNICEF that one in six children in the entire world are involved in child labor. So it's not only a Sierra Leone or Africa problem, it does affect countries around the world, just Sierra Leone is the worst of those surveyed.
An excerpt:
"According to a recently released report by UNICEF on child labour and school attendance, 78% of children between the ages of 7 and 14 in Sierra Leone are engaged in child labour. The study, which covered one quarter of the world's population, ranked Sierra Leone last among nations surveyed..."
"The achievement of universal primary education is one of the Millennium Development Goals. Child labour, which can exclude primary school aged children from accessing an education, is a major obstacle to reaching this goal The UNICEF report found that "children from poor households and from households without a formally educated household head are more likely to be engaged in child labour and less likely to attend school", a situation that shows that "poverty is the root cause of child labour." The survey considered both economic activity and household chores and tried to distinguish between acceptable work and child labour. Child labour is work done by children that should be eliminated because it violates international labour standards, harms the child, or interferes with school attendance."
Blog Update
Hello!
I just wanted to fill you in on some of the changes already implemented or soon to be implemented on this blog:
1. Joshua Project Unreached People Group of the Day "banner":
I had the priviledge of meeting some Joshua Project missionaries a few years ago when I was in Mexico for the summer on a mission trip with a different organization. I've come to respect their organization a great deal. They have a huge heart for reaching everyone with the Gospel. I added a feature from their website (as listed above) on the right margin of the blog. I encourage you to take notice and pray for the specific people group described. Further, I would encourage you to visit their website (joshuaproject.net) to look around and maybe even learn about the people groups of Sierra Leone and West Africa. Just for your reference, JCC is in Bo which is predominantly Mende--one of the two larger people groups in the country. There are 16 or 17 total. There are a few other people groups represented among the kids, though most are Mende (or Krio-speaking).
2. Poll:
The theme is "how are you involved." Since it's anonymous (or should be), it's purpose is not to glorify anyone or make people feel bad because someone is not as involved as someone else. It is simply to show the diversity of "community members" (and so I know someone reads this occasionally).
3. Prayer Requests:
Yes, it has been there, but it's been formatted a little differently. No biggie.
4. Personal stories/testimonies: Coming Soon!
If you can check a box off (which you should all be able to check something) than you can definitely share your experiences with Jonathan House. Perhaps you've been there and have a story you'd like to share relating to your time there. Or perhaps you sponsor a child and/or have pen pals at JCC... how has that touched you? Maybe you've sweated and toiled in getting the store ready to open.... There are many possibilities. Email JHM.Salone@gmail.com with a story and I'll post it on here accordingly. If you have any questions, let me know.
Kim
I just wanted to fill you in on some of the changes already implemented or soon to be implemented on this blog:
1. Joshua Project Unreached People Group of the Day "banner":
I had the priviledge of meeting some Joshua Project missionaries a few years ago when I was in Mexico for the summer on a mission trip with a different organization. I've come to respect their organization a great deal. They have a huge heart for reaching everyone with the Gospel. I added a feature from their website (as listed above) on the right margin of the blog. I encourage you to take notice and pray for the specific people group described. Further, I would encourage you to visit their website (joshuaproject.net) to look around and maybe even learn about the people groups of Sierra Leone and West Africa. Just for your reference, JCC is in Bo which is predominantly Mende--one of the two larger people groups in the country. There are 16 or 17 total. There are a few other people groups represented among the kids, though most are Mende (or Krio-speaking).
2. Poll:
The theme is "how are you involved." Since it's anonymous (or should be), it's purpose is not to glorify anyone or make people feel bad because someone is not as involved as someone else. It is simply to show the diversity of "community members" (and so I know someone reads this occasionally).
3. Prayer Requests:
Yes, it has been there, but it's been formatted a little differently. No biggie.
4. Personal stories/testimonies: Coming Soon!
If you can check a box off (which you should all be able to check something) than you can definitely share your experiences with Jonathan House. Perhaps you've been there and have a story you'd like to share relating to your time there. Or perhaps you sponsor a child and/or have pen pals at JCC... how has that touched you? Maybe you've sweated and toiled in getting the store ready to open.... There are many possibilities. Email JHM.Salone@gmail.com with a story and I'll post it on here accordingly. If you have any questions, let me know.
Kim
Mary Ina is HOME!
Praise God that the Gourleys have gone and come back from Africa with a "new" member--Mary Ina. They arrived in Des Moines Saturday night (April 26th). They've been waiting for this for nearly three years!! She has since been reunited with other JCC adoptees.
Pray for their adjustment with this special little girl in their lives and home now and also for her adjustment to life in America! And even though this is incredibly joyful, pray that being separated from the woman who has raised her since she was born--Auntie Mary--will be quenched by God's love and peace.
Pray for their adjustment with this special little girl in their lives and home now and also for her adjustment to life in America! And even though this is incredibly joyful, pray that being separated from the woman who has raised her since she was born--Auntie Mary--will be quenched by God's love and peace.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Some wonderful old books....
So I was checking out Google Reader which has more than a few digital books (hundreds--if not thousands perhaps). I searched for Sierra Leone for the subjects and it came up with several books written back in the 1800s. The one I'm looking through currently is..."A Residence at Sierra Leone...Letters from Sierra Leone" written by a lady living in Sierra Leone. It is a compilation of letters she wrote to friends and family at home in England. It's pretty interesting...many things have changed a lot while other things haven't changed much at all.
Here's an excerpt:
"Next day it was beautifully clear, and on going upon deck I had my first look of the land I was so truly thankful to see. On one side of our ship, Sierra Leone, like an island, forming one chain of mountains gradually sloping upwards from the Cape to the right, but in front seeming as if they sprang perpendicularly from the sea--was pointed out to me; while, in the opposite direction, the only visible tokens of land were tall trees, appearing as if planted in the water. ...
There was no sea-breeze to carry us in: we were not near enough to discern, without the aid of a spy-glass, the houses on the shore; but I could see Freetown like a white spot at the very foot of the hills, and before it the masts of vessels rose like clustered spires. We had also a view of the Bananas--a few small green islands lying to the southward of the long low cape which stretched far out, on our right....
I looked eagerly out and saw fantastically painted buildings glittering in the glorious light of a tropical sun; and beyond, the lofty mountains of Sierra Leone. Through the faint shadowy haze, their verdure appeared more soft and beautiful than that of the foliage near us, which flashed on the eye with a supernatural tint, and formed a striking contrast to the deep cornelian colour of the earth in the paths and banks of the river--the whole landscape conveying the idea of a perpetual summer. ..."
Here's an excerpt:
"Next day it was beautifully clear, and on going upon deck I had my first look of the land I was so truly thankful to see. On one side of our ship, Sierra Leone, like an island, forming one chain of mountains gradually sloping upwards from the Cape to the right, but in front seeming as if they sprang perpendicularly from the sea--was pointed out to me; while, in the opposite direction, the only visible tokens of land were tall trees, appearing as if planted in the water. ...
There was no sea-breeze to carry us in: we were not near enough to discern, without the aid of a spy-glass, the houses on the shore; but I could see Freetown like a white spot at the very foot of the hills, and before it the masts of vessels rose like clustered spires. We had also a view of the Bananas--a few small green islands lying to the southward of the long low cape which stretched far out, on our right....
I looked eagerly out and saw fantastically painted buildings glittering in the glorious light of a tropical sun; and beyond, the lofty mountains of Sierra Leone. Through the faint shadowy haze, their verdure appeared more soft and beautiful than that of the foliage near us, which flashed on the eye with a supernatural tint, and formed a striking contrast to the deep cornelian colour of the earth in the paths and banks of the river--the whole landscape conveying the idea of a perpetual summer. ..."
Mary Ina, Christie....and other news...
I apologize for not keeping this current the last week or so. Big exciting news!
- Mary Ina's adoption was approved last week!!!! Her parents left today to fly to Dakar to meet her and finish up the last bit of all the technical stuff. Pray that there will be no further hitches. PRAISE GOD for the approval!
- Christie left for Jonathan House a few days ago and should be there by now, though I haven't heard. Pray for her as she adjusts to her role and getting to know many of the kids she met two years ago and some of the new ones that have come since then. This is an exciting time for her. I remember the beginning of my 6 months--it was a bit overwhelming, I must admit, but I have the utmost confidence she'll do an amazing job.
- Mark & Ashtyn are leaving tomorrow for Sierra Leone for the court date of another child that they are in the process of adopting. They'll get to spend some time at Jonathan House, too. Pray for their time there and their time with John. Ashtyn will be assisting in the nursery class (like kindergarten here) during their time.
- Pray for the students as they are approaching the end of their school year (June).
- Some people involved with JH found an aerial photo of Jonathan House on Google Earth. G.E. hasn't had high resolution of that area previously. Those pictures will be up here soon.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Change One
Keith & Laura Padgett started an organization called "Change One" just a few years ago. They lived in Freetown for a year and a half not too long ago. They work on community development projects in different parts of Freetown, as well as working in refugee camps. In short, they have done and continue to serve the people of Sierra Leone in many ways. Laura and I met about 2 years ago and what a priviledge it has been to get to know her and Keith and their work in Freetown. While Jonathan House operates "upline" (basically referred to anything outside of Freetown), they work almost entirely within the Freetown area--which is HUGE! So if you want a good look at life in the more crowded Freetown, check their website out.
Their blog inspired this blog that you are currently reading--they've done a wonderful job with it. That link can be found in the links section in the right column.
Bumpenya
This is pretty cool. I remember opening up a "Newsweek" in late 2006 and reading a small clip about this story. Sarah Culbertson (Bumpenya) set out to meet her biological parents a few years ago. Her father, she discovered, was an influential community leader in the village of Bumpe. His brother is chief of the village--he was supposed to be but he had "resigned" to lead the school in the village. Long story short, after Sarah went to Sierra Leone for the first time and met her father and other residents of Bumpe, she has been working to raise funds and support to rebuild the school and do some other projects in the community and area.
Bumpe is "down the road" from Bo--between Bo and Mattru Jong.
Bumpe is "down the road" from Bo--between Bo and Mattru Jong.
BBC: The Dangers of Herbal Remedies (Kroo Bay)
The BBC has a series on their website with a diary written by a medic in Sierra Leone, specifically Kroo Bay. One of the first websites posted on this blog was one for Save the Children's work in Kroo Bay. If you haven't checked it out--you totally should. So there might be more of her articles on here at some point--it's a great section.
This specific article is this medic, Adama Gondor, talking about how herbal remedies are affecting health. It's one thing if they're topical medicines (applied to the skin), but a little more serious when they are internal medicines. Babies are especially vulnerable. Here in America, hospitals do treat most illnesses. There are a few non-mainstream providers out there, but even those seem to be regulated. In places like Sierra Leone (mainly rural areas in developing countries), there is not as much access to clinics and doctors or nurses as urban areas and especially here in America. If there are clinics or hospitals, the likelihood that a family could afford treatment at a center is slim. Though what there seem to be plenty of are traditional healers. While I'm hoping not in every instance, treatments tend to focus around superstitions and religious ceremonies (typically not Christian). In all of my anthropology classes (and especially two focused squarely on African religions and religion and witchcraft), I've heard of some really bizarre things that take place in our world. That's another blog altogether. :-) While it would be great to keep some aspects of each culture in tact, some are simply dangerous. Miss Gondor speaks well on this topic, but now that you have a broader background, hopefully it will help you understand her more.
"A severely malnourished child was brought to the clinic on Monday.
Eight-month-old babies should weigh about 9kg. The baby was eight months old, but she only weighed 4.5kg. If we assume she had the average weight of 3.3kg when she was born she should have been getting close to 9kg by now. The baby was very thin, with bad skin and looked more like an old man - it's awful to see a baby in such a condition. She also looked very hungry. We immediately referred the baby to the hospital quite far away in the east of Freetown where there is a therapeutic feeding centre. The mother took her straight there and she was admitted - the programme is free. ..."
To read the entire article, click the title.
To read and learn more about Kroo Bay and Save the Children's there, check out the special links section in the right column.
This specific article is this medic, Adama Gondor, talking about how herbal remedies are affecting health. It's one thing if they're topical medicines (applied to the skin), but a little more serious when they are internal medicines. Babies are especially vulnerable. Here in America, hospitals do treat most illnesses. There are a few non-mainstream providers out there, but even those seem to be regulated. In places like Sierra Leone (mainly rural areas in developing countries), there is not as much access to clinics and doctors or nurses as urban areas and especially here in America. If there are clinics or hospitals, the likelihood that a family could afford treatment at a center is slim. Though what there seem to be plenty of are traditional healers. While I'm hoping not in every instance, treatments tend to focus around superstitions and religious ceremonies (typically not Christian). In all of my anthropology classes (and especially two focused squarely on African religions and religion and witchcraft), I've heard of some really bizarre things that take place in our world. That's another blog altogether. :-) While it would be great to keep some aspects of each culture in tact, some are simply dangerous. Miss Gondor speaks well on this topic, but now that you have a broader background, hopefully it will help you understand her more.
"A severely malnourished child was brought to the clinic on Monday.
Eight-month-old babies should weigh about 9kg. The baby was eight months old, but she only weighed 4.5kg. If we assume she had the average weight of 3.3kg when she was born she should have been getting close to 9kg by now. The baby was very thin, with bad skin and looked more like an old man - it's awful to see a baby in such a condition. She also looked very hungry. We immediately referred the baby to the hospital quite far away in the east of Freetown where there is a therapeutic feeding centre. The mother took her straight there and she was admitted - the programme is free. ..."
To read the entire article, click the title.
To read and learn more about Kroo Bay and Save the Children's there, check out the special links section in the right column.
Friday, April 4, 2008
FT.com: Rice Jumps as Africa Joins Race for Supplies
Rice is THE staple food in Sierra Leone. Especially outside of Freetown, rice is part of or the entire meal for Sierra Leoneans. There are different types of sauces to cover the rice including two that contain cassava and potato leaves, respectively. Another with groundnuts (peanuts). Then there's the yummy Jollof rice. Take rice away from Sierra Leonean and you will hear about it. :-) I jest, but in reality this has the potential to affect the country and JH considerably.
By Javier Blas in Nairobi and Roel Landingin in Manila
Published: April 4 2008 15:23
Rice prices rose more than 10 per cent on Friday to a fresh all-time high as African countries joined south-east Asian importers in the race to head off social unrest by securing supplies from the handful of exporters still selling the grain in the international market.
The rise in prices – 50 per cent in two weeks – threatens upheaval and has resulted in riots and soldiers overseeing supplies in some emerging countries, where the grain is a staple food for about 3bn people.
Click on the title to read the entire article.
By Javier Blas in Nairobi and Roel Landingin in Manila
Published: April 4 2008 15:23
Rice prices rose more than 10 per cent on Friday to a fresh all-time high as African countries joined south-east Asian importers in the race to head off social unrest by securing supplies from the handful of exporters still selling the grain in the international market.
The rise in prices – 50 per cent in two weeks – threatens upheaval and has resulted in riots and soldiers overseeing supplies in some emerging countries, where the grain is a staple food for about 3bn people.
Click on the title to read the entire article.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Network World: New Services Spur Sierra Leone Mobile Sector
The telecom sector of Sierra Leone is just constantly improving. While I was at JH for 6 months, I had a "mobile" to use which came in handy more than a few times. I sometimes joke that Sierra Leone has better mobile coverage than Iowa...which actually might not be that far off, in my opinion anyway. :-)
Though mobile phone services were once deemed too expensive for ordinary citizens in Sierra Leone, they are on the rise, thanks to creative efforts on the part of service providers.
Attitudes toward mobile services started changing two to three years ago, though mobile operator Celtel first entered the country’s small market in early 2000, followed by Millicom (now tiGo).
Telecom is the most thriving sector, after mining, in Sierra Leone, according to a report by Maxwell Massaquoi, an expert in telecom business support and operation support systems. Mobile phone use in Sierra Leone grew by 18 percent from 2006 to 2007, reaching 110,000 users, the report said.
Click on the title to read the full article.
Though mobile phone services were once deemed too expensive for ordinary citizens in Sierra Leone, they are on the rise, thanks to creative efforts on the part of service providers.
Attitudes toward mobile services started changing two to three years ago, though mobile operator Celtel first entered the country’s small market in early 2000, followed by Millicom (now tiGo).
Telecom is the most thriving sector, after mining, in Sierra Leone, according to a report by Maxwell Massaquoi, an expert in telecom business support and operation support systems. Mobile phone use in Sierra Leone grew by 18 percent from 2006 to 2007, reaching 110,000 users, the report said.
Click on the title to read the full article.
The Economist: The Southern Star
Here's an interesting article about Botswana--a nation bordering South Africa and Zimbabwe (among others). As the article points out, the country is very unique as far as African nations go. It's the world's leading diamond producer. While it's good to learn a lot about Sierra Leone, it's also good to get a look at the context and "success" stories even though Botswana definitely isn't perfect. I'd recommend that you look into the country more because it has done some amazing things that other countries in Africa especially haven't even attempted!
Mar 27th 2008 GABORONE
From The Economist print edition
Botswana is a rare African success story but not without a few headaches.
An African president stepping down of his own accord is still depressingly rare. Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe has been clinging to power since 1980. But next door, in Botswana, a respected president, Festus Mogae, is graciously retiring this month after ten years in office.
Botswana rarely features in the news abroad. With only 1.8m people and the world's largest output of diamonds, it has been a model of stability, avoiding the violence, corruption and boom-and-bust cycles that have plagued so many mineral-rich countries. Yet it had little going for it at independence in 1966. It had only 13km (eight miles) of tarred road. Most of its people, often drought-afflicted, scraped a living rearing cattle.
Largely covered with sand, it had little agriculture—and few white settlers: it never experienced the bitterness of land dispossession and the ensuing disharmony that poisoned race relations in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Mr Mogae's anointed successor, Ian Khama, is half-white, but few people in Botswana think his colour matters.
Diamonds have changed the country's fortunes. Its per capita income of $5,900 is four times the regional average and higher than Malaysia's. The diamond wealth has been spent on roads, sanitation, schools and clinics, not on palaces or Swiss bank accounts. AIDS has hit the country hard, but almost 95,000 patients—86% of those who need it—get anti-retroviral treatment.
Click on title to read entire article.
Mar 27th 2008 GABORONE
From The Economist print edition
Botswana is a rare African success story but not without a few headaches.
An African president stepping down of his own accord is still depressingly rare. Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe has been clinging to power since 1980. But next door, in Botswana, a respected president, Festus Mogae, is graciously retiring this month after ten years in office.
Botswana rarely features in the news abroad. With only 1.8m people and the world's largest output of diamonds, it has been a model of stability, avoiding the violence, corruption and boom-and-bust cycles that have plagued so many mineral-rich countries. Yet it had little going for it at independence in 1966. It had only 13km (eight miles) of tarred road. Most of its people, often drought-afflicted, scraped a living rearing cattle.
Largely covered with sand, it had little agriculture—and few white settlers: it never experienced the bitterness of land dispossession and the ensuing disharmony that poisoned race relations in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Mr Mogae's anointed successor, Ian Khama, is half-white, but few people in Botswana think his colour matters.
Diamonds have changed the country's fortunes. Its per capita income of $5,900 is four times the regional average and higher than Malaysia's. The diamond wealth has been spent on roads, sanitation, schools and clinics, not on palaces or Swiss bank accounts. AIDS has hit the country hard, but almost 95,000 patients—86% of those who need it—get anti-retroviral treatment.
Click on title to read entire article.
Pray for Mary Ina (& some other requests)
April 3rd: Prayer & Praise (per Karen)
Pray for Mary Ina's and her family as they wait for a man with the US Embassy in Dakar to approve her visa so that she can finally come home!!! Mary Ina is in the bottom picture--how sweet is she?!
Pray for Rachel (in the top photo holding Solomon, Jan. '07) as she will have surgery to remove one of her kidneys on Sun. (April 6th). Pray for peace for her as she waits and for her twin sister Leah. Pray for the surgeon's skill and a sterile environment to prevent infection, a successful procedure and a quick recovery. Pray that she'll be able to make up any school work she might miss. She is in Grade 8 at the high school. She and Leah just turned 14 in March.
Pray for the people getting ready to go to Jonathan House:
* Christie--She'll be leaving in another week or so and will spend 6 months at JH serving as a house mother at the children's home. Pray for her health and good travel and quick adjustment to a new lifestyle at the home.
* Mark & Ashtyn--They'll be heading over end of April for a court date in the family's process to adopt one of the boys at the home--John Tarawallie. (What a great kid!)
* Roger, Kayla and several others who will make up two teams in May/June--some for 3 weeks and some for 5 weeks.
Pray for the staff as they deal with changes in the government and among staff. A new president and essentially a new government was put into office last fall which is a huge blessing. The election was peaceful which in itself is a huge praise! The new president is a Temne man and is a Christian! While it can be hard to keep up with some of the changes and requirements, hopefully these changes will create a better Sierra Leone in the future (hopefully sooner than later).
Praise God for a buyer for the old vehicle. A new vehicle was provided just a short time ago. (Praise!)
Pray for the fundraising campaign to build a new school on the grounds at Jonathan House. This is one of those new requirements of the new government. We are asking that people would donate $10 for a "brick" (or more!). And we are even going to encourage you to personalize that brick (or bricks) and they will form a collage at the home in the shape of the new building! More will be posted on this soon enough. Email JHM.Salone@gmail.com for any questions or how you can participate.
Praise God for the newest church plant in the village of Gbomboma! They just celebrated the finishing of their building with an official event. There were between 100 and 150 people in attendance at the Gbomboma church Easter Sunday. The church plant only started a year or so ago. Praise God for a successful outreach at the church in November with a medical clinic and handouts of food that were donated and sent over on the container. Pray for the pastor and leadership in the church that they will continue to trust God and be strong witnesses for others in Gbomboma and surrounding villages. The pastor--Randolph--also serves as the Class 4 teacher at the Jonathan House primary school. Another teacher and house father at Jonathan House is also the pastor at Torwama church--another JH church plant. Pray for these men and their families.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
State of the World's Children Report 2008
UNICEF released their State of the World's Children Report earlier this year. They should have tables for each country available soon and if I remember I will let you know or post it. In the meantime, here are some interesting stats and numbers:
SoWCR in 20 Questions (and Answers):
http://www.unicef.org/sowc08/youth/informed.php
- Under-five mortality rankings. Note that of the worst 10, all are in sub-Saharan Africa except for one (Afghanistan). Indeed 38 of the 39 worst under-5 countries, are sub-Saharan African countries! All of the best countries, except for one (Singapore) are European.
- Worst (Highest rates) 10: Sierra Leone, Angola, Afghanistan, Niger, Liberia, Mali, Chad Equatorial Guinea, DRCongo, Burkina Faso
- Best Worst (Lowest rates) 10: Sweden, Singapore, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Andorra, Spain, Slovenia, Norway, Monaco
2. Nutrition. For Sierra Leone
- Percentage of infants with low birthweight in 2006: 24
- Percentage of under-5's (2000-2006) suffering from: being underweight-30 (8% severe)
3. Health. For Sierra Leone
- Orphans (children aged 0-17) due to all causes, 2005: ~340,000 (31,000 to AIDS)
4. Education. For Sierra Leone.
- Youth (15-24 years) literacy rate 2000-2006: male-60%, female-37%
5. Demographic Info: For Sierra Leone.
- Population (thousands) 2006-- under 18: 2827, under 5: 999
- Life Expectancy: In 1970-35 years, In 2006-42
- Total fertility rate (2006): 6.5
- Percentage of population urbanized (2006): 41
6. Child Protection: For Sierra Leone.
- Percentage of child labor (5-14 years) 1999-2006: Total--48
- Percentage of children living with disability 1999-2006: 23
SoWCR in 20 Questions (and Answers):
http://www.unicef.org/sowc08/youth/informed.php
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Article: The Importance of Good Nutrition Early On
Even though, the article was published earlier this year, it's so completely relevant. If infants and children receive good nutrition in their first three years (regularly), their health will be better than those that do not. You should definitely take a look at this article.
JOHANNESBURG, 1 February 2008 (IRIN) -
Eating nutritious food at an early age will not only ensure a source of income as an adult but also better pay, according to a study published in the current issue of The Lancet, a leading British medical journal.
The study, conducted in four villages in Guatemala, found that boys who received atole, a gruel made of skimmed milk powder, sugar and vegetable protein, in the first two years of life earned on average 46 percent higher wages as adults, while boys who received atole in their first three years earned 37 percent higher wages on average. Those who first received the supplement after age three did not gain any economic benefits as adults.
Children and infants aged under seven in two of the villages were given atole, while those in other two settlements were given a placebo drink until 1977.
The research is the first to show direct evidence of the effects of early childhood nutrition programmes on adult economic productivity and incomes, said John Hoddinott, lead author of The Lancet's article and a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Until the Guatemala study, "substantial, but indirect, evidence from previous research suggested that providing infants and very young children with healthy, nutritious food is a long-term economic investment for developing countries," he told IRIN.
Follow the link to read the entire article.
JOHANNESBURG, 1 February 2008 (IRIN) -
Eating nutritious food at an early age will not only ensure a source of income as an adult but also better pay, according to a study published in the current issue of The Lancet, a leading British medical journal.
The study, conducted in four villages in Guatemala, found that boys who received atole, a gruel made of skimmed milk powder, sugar and vegetable protein, in the first two years of life earned on average 46 percent higher wages as adults, while boys who received atole in their first three years earned 37 percent higher wages on average. Those who first received the supplement after age three did not gain any economic benefits as adults.
Children and infants aged under seven in two of the villages were given atole, while those in other two settlements were given a placebo drink until 1977.
The research is the first to show direct evidence of the effects of early childhood nutrition programmes on adult economic productivity and incomes, said John Hoddinott, lead author of The Lancet's article and a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Until the Guatemala study, "substantial, but indirect, evidence from previous research suggested that providing infants and very young children with healthy, nutritious food is a long-term economic investment for developing countries," he told IRIN.
Follow the link to read the entire article.
IRIN Article: Maternity Health in Sierra Leone
The IRIN published an article today about the grim outlook of maternity health in Sierra Leone. As several of the JH kids' mothers have died from childbirth or the effects of childbirth, I thought this was pretty relevant. Sierra Leone has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world. Please read prayerfully.
"Maternity Hospital is Last Resort"
FREETOWN, 12 March 2008 (IRIN) - Two babies and several gaunt women are the only patients in the gloomy wards of the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital in Freetown.
The hospital is supposed to be the main training and referrals unit for obstetrics in the country but its handful of staff were mostly found in backrooms, drinking tea with their feet resting on the surgical tables as they wile away their days in the eerily slow-moving wards.
“This hospital is a place of last resort for patients and staff,” said Sister Kanu, a nurse, who reckons conditions for mothers and hospital staff have “barely improved” since the end of Sierra Leone’s 11 year long civil war which devastated government and social infrastructure.
“By the time women get here it’s too late and the most we can do is to save the mother,” she said. “That’s why you see so few babies.”
See the link for the rest of the article (click here)
"Maternity Hospital is Last Resort"
FREETOWN, 12 March 2008 (IRIN) - Two babies and several gaunt women are the only patients in the gloomy wards of the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital in Freetown.
The hospital is supposed to be the main training and referrals unit for obstetrics in the country but its handful of staff were mostly found in backrooms, drinking tea with their feet resting on the surgical tables as they wile away their days in the eerily slow-moving wards.
“This hospital is a place of last resort for patients and staff,” said Sister Kanu, a nurse, who reckons conditions for mothers and hospital staff have “barely improved” since the end of Sierra Leone’s 11 year long civil war which devastated government and social infrastructure.
“By the time women get here it’s too late and the most we can do is to save the mother,” she said. “That’s why you see so few babies.”
See the link for the rest of the article (click here)
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Save the Children: Kroo Bay
Save the Children, an organization based in the UK that aims to (as the name says) save children worldwide. They are working in one of the poorest slums in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. The website is excellent--there are webisodes and panoramic pictures of people in the community and community life. I highly recommend this website to learn about the challenges of living in a slum in Freetown (and most cities in developing countries) and of children in general.
https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/kroobay/index.php
https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/kroobay/index.php
Welcome to the JHM Blog!
Hello friends of Jonathan House!
Hopefully, you'll find this all helpful in learning more about Jonathan House, Sierra Leone and other "issues" people in Sierra Leone (for example) deal with. There will be a few updates taken from the email updates.
Thanks for your support for the kids and the ministries of Jonathan House! I urge you to continue to pray for the ministry! Maybe you'll find some new ways to pray.
Kim
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