from bullets to bazookas

peace keeping

Regrettably, on Monday, I was not able to hand out the gifts myself. I hope they were enough to put a smile on their faces. I am not sure if it has been handed out yet. I did stay to watch the opening ceremonies and these little kids looked sharp! With fresh haircuts, the girls all with hair braided back in rows, clean pressed uniforms, and well rested from the holidays, they look ready for fresh discipline - which the teachers are not shy to administer. God bless them all.

For the past two weeks, Victoria, a young girl around 16 has been coming to church on Sundays and Tuesdays. On Tuesdays, I see her in church when I return from visiting with some of the familiar locals. Two Sundays ago, when I first saw her, she walked in late, sat somewhere in the middle, walked out for a bit in the middle of service, returned and promptly left just after the benediction. This past Sunday, I found her in the first row, and she stayed behind and greeted a few church folks before she took flight. I visited her house at 7:30 PM last night with two other sisters, but only a small girl and two little kids in her care remained at home. We asked for Victoria and the girl told us that she had gone to church. No doubt, when we arrived back, we saw her in the first row, rather animated by the stories sprinkled into Bro. Paul's message as she took notes. Service ended at 8:30 PM - a bit longer than usual, but no one took note of time as the crowd of about 25 was engaged in the sermon. Victoria stayed behind to greet others before she left.

After the crowd had dispersed (all 25 of the attendees, as well as the bus load of folks from Congo Cross who come to Waterloo every Tuesdays), we turned the generator off and were getting ready for bed at about 10 PM when there was a knock on the door. I attended to the door and asked in the very little Krio I know who was out there. "Na me", the voice responded. Since I didn't know what else to ask, I opened the door to find Victoria and her cousin outside in tears. I called Bro. Samuel over and she explained to us that her grandmother had locked them out and told them to sleep on the street as she did not believe that the girls had been in church. Since quarter to nine, they had been roaming the streets, going from house to house asking people to help them, to speak to her grandmother to allow them back in. Finally in desperation she came back to church to ask us to go with them to explain to her grandmother that she was indeed in church. Bro. Samuel and I grabbed our flashlights and followed them in the rain and the pitch black Waterloo darkness to their home. "Knock, knock!" we said when we arrived at their door - that's how the door bell works in Salone. We were welcomed in and her grandmother recognized us for we had visited her several times. I explained to her that Victoria was indeed in church and had been in church regularly for the past two weeks. Victoria and her cousin were still outdoors while we explained to their grandmother that they had not been elsewhere as her aunt thought they had been. After we had convinced her, they were asked to come indoors. Victoria bend her knees slightly and bowed to her grandmother as she walked in wiping her tears. Thankfully, my first peace keeping mission turned out well.

It is almost the end of September and the rain has not yet ceased is the complain I hear from everyone. I find no reason to complain about the rain. When it is not raining, the sun's heat is scorching. Soon the dry season will be upon us and from what I understand, water will be scarce the land will be very dry, and the wind will take up and spread the dry dirt. I am not really looking forward to it, but I am not asking for a break either. Fair weather greets me daily.

posted by bthomas24 @ 1:01 PM 0 comments

edumacation

Not much going on here for now. Most public and private schools re-opened two weeks ago. Going into town on Mondays (last week, I was in town Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) I see brave young boys and timid girls in their uniforms, packed tightly in poda-podas, or criss-crossing through city traffic with their book bags strapped to their back. I was reminded of a time when I had to wear a uniform and walk to school in a similar setting. It was a convent school in Bangalore, India. My mother tells me of her hardships when she wanted to enroll me into Cluny Convent. I was refused admittance, and she stood outside the principle's office in tears all day until a family friend who was passing by intervened on our behalf. While the students I see here look clean and fresh in their uniforms, I have a different story to tell about myself. My mother would wash my white uniform with "Robin Blue" so it would turn out a brilliant white. She would then polish my white canvas shoes, and send me off to school looking rather smart. En route, I would run through every puddle I came across. By the time I arrived at school, and lined up for inspection before the morning parade, I was dingy. One day, and I clearly remember this, and I am sure my sister will be first to chuckle, as punishment, the teacher plastered a note to my back that read "I am a dirty child." She then took off my canvas shoes, hung them around my neck and asked me to vist every classroom in the school. My sister and her friends had quite a laugh when I paraded into one of her classrooms. I cannot remember a day when I did not get good swats from each of my teachers. The kids here seem to be much more decent than I was. There's dignity and pride in getting a good education, and it shows in their character.

The church School resumes tomorrow, and over the weekend, I had been sorting out little presentation packets for each of the kids. There's a pencil case with a pencil, pencil sharpner, a multi-colored shuttle pen, a small notepad, two Bazookas and two peppermint candies. I was able to print out labels with each student's name, and affix these labels to the notepad. There are also sets of 12 color pencils that can be given out to the younger kids. For help with phonics, my mother had sent my niece's "Leap Frog Fridge Phonics." I have exhausted the majority of my gifts for now. I pray that these small gifts will make these 56 students happy, and will start off the year on an inspiring note.

I had long finished reading "Through Gates of Splendor," and have been reading "Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade," by James Reston Jr. It was a parting gift from my Egyptian co-worker Jimmy. It's quite an interesting story so far. English and French monarchs had a colourful history and it's amusing. I am impressed by Saladin's character. His virtues far outweigh that of the "Christian" rulers. It's a shame! "From Beirut to Jerusalem" is next on the list and was recommended by John.

Happy Birthday Rooha!

posted by bthomas24 @ 3:42 AM 0 comments

Fire, storm, looking back, breaking down, afloat by His grace...

posted by bthomas24 @ 3:38 AM 0 comments

meaningful notes

On Sunday, I attended service in Freetown. The message was very meaningful and I was able to get something out of it. It was from II Chronicles 1:13. In summary, in order for us to be able to reign (whatever we must rule over in our lives), you have to begin our reign by going up to the high place. Many examples were given about the rewards of going up to the high place. Of them are; love of God, and a transparent life (Exodus 24:9,10), a pure heart (Exodus 34:29), a revelation of humility (I Samuel 9:19-21), blessings to share (I Samuel 10:5,6), and a revelation of Jesus, and anointing (Deuteronomy 32:13). That was the main course. For dessert, I had ice cream for the first time. Of course there was ice cream at other times, but as I had mentioned David had to drink of it. I was still recuperating from my cold, but I decided that such an opportunity might not arrive very often. Back home in the Bronx, we have ice cream in the fridge most of the time, but I am not really interested as I am not much given to junk food. But boy, when you're out here in the bush, such treats are welcome!

I came back into town on Monday and stayed till six when Bro. John was ready to leave for home. He said that I might have to take a taxi home as he might have to drop someone else off and there wouldn't be room enough for all of us. I could stay in the back of the pickup - which I don't mind, but if the heavens open, there might be a slight problem. I prayed that it would not rain, and again, God did one better. Not only did it not rain, but the person did not show up. I still stayed in the back of the pickup for the entire ride and allowed the tall brother with a problem in his foot to sit in the front. He was in the back last Monday when I had prayed that it would not rain. I couldn't allow him to stay in the back again.

Riding in the back of a pickup along Bhai Bureh road going from Freetown to Waterloo is quite an experience. Looking back in the opposite direction it is as if a massive scenic painting is being rolled open behind you as you move forward. If you look to the front, it's the same effect - only that you have to keep your head tilted down and open your eyes just a sliver as dust particles come at you at 50 miles per hour.

This time, we took the back roads to avoid traffic. It's definately not a cushioned ride, and those of you who know me know I am not very cushioned either. My glutes are sore!!

This morning, I woke up thinking about everything I had been going through. Of course, subtly I am grateful for it all though I may argue and debate things. I have always asked questions because I was never good at learning on my own. Somehow, by the grace of God, I manage to get back up. At times, during the course of your five-hundred-twenty-five-thousand-six-hundred battles, you run for refuge, guidance, and to get your questions answered and there you're made to feel like a runaway train , you end up feeling more confused and you're neither here nor there nor are you even heading in the right direction. And then, when you begin the bitter-sweet love song, "You really got a hold on me" (believe me, it's just how I feel at times), you somehow feel that every little thing is going to be alright . Through the lonliness, you know that you'll never walk alone .

I am grateful for the patience of Bro. Kelvin. Sometimes it's really annoying discussing things with him, and I know I must drive him nuts with my questions, but he manages to keep his cool and answer many of my qestions. Not often do I agree with everything, nor do I throughly understand it all, but I am sure that's a problem on my end as well. I am not easily convinced by words, but the actions of a few do make a subtle positive impact, and I am dared to keep on moving.

Another note of gratitude to my wonderful mother who along with the technicolored shirts, send two large bottles of those great Kerala home-made lemon pickles. It's about as good as a spring in a desert. At last, there's closure to the loss of the pepper grinder. I was able to share the pickles among four families including the five here who refuse to even taste it. Apparently their tasteless food is much better - which I don't find to be fair. I eat everything I am given with little complaint. I add flavor by liberally sprinkling on dried, pounded red pepper, but nonetheless, I eat every leaf and fish they give me. I am even willing to try cat, snake, and monkey. I think they should at least try. It's one thing I learned about the people here. Though they're willing to learn new things, they are so very set in their ways and they will not alter. The way they have been doing things is the best way and it's what they had be taught first and so it's the only way to do it.

A few other observations: Soap just does not wash away easily. I don't know if it's the water here, or effects of the sun on your skin, but I find that I have to rinse, and rinse several times before I can get most of the soap off my skin. I've tried different soaps. Lately it's a white British soap that smells half-way decent. Thanks to those brilliant Brits, I can now experience Nirvana in the toilet. There's an air-freshner here called "Engllish Bouquet" and the scent is "Mountain Pine and Heather". It's a "3-in-1" ladies and gentlemen! It's an air freshener, with odor neutralizer, and get this, aromatherapy essential oils. Can't you just picture it? "Honey, I am a bit beat today and had a rough day at work, might I bother you to make me a cup of tea, and bring me the air freshner please? Oh and also, would you be able to switch on that Enigma CD for me dear? God bless you dear, and God bless the Queen!" Yes enigma. It's the word that defines me.

And speaking of air fresheners, for the first time since I arrived in Salone, I got to use the hole in the ground toilet. I had no other alternative. I was visiting a friends house and deja Vu, I felt I was back home in India.

I was reminded today that everything in the house of God should be done decently and in order, and so in the orderly fashion this report progresses to the next subject relating to toilets. Many times, I feel that all my life, I have been preparing for Africa. I don't require much to be happy, though I have a room and a bed, for most of my life, I have been sleeping on the floor. At home, I have been doing the dishes, laundering, and cleaning the toilet. Well I have been handed out my share of duties here as have everyone else. I am responsible for cleaning the toilet and the bathroom - they are two seperate rooms. That's five people using the toilet here and until I arrived here four of them were strangers to me. By the grace of God, I have been able to perform my duties.

Another one of my duties is to pray from 1 AM to 2 AM and since it's 10:20 PM now, I better get a little rest. More ramble later. I'll leave you with some songs that I refered to here:

Stevie Wonder - Seasons of Love
Soul Asylum - Runaway Train
Smokey Robinson - You've Really Got a Hold On Me
Sean Paul & Ziggie Marley - Three Little Birds
Ray Charles - You'll Never Walk Alone
Switchfoot - I Dare You To Move

posted by bthomas24 @ 12:21 AM 3 comments

familiar escapades

Well here are a few interesting events that I always manage to get myself into. All Friday, I had been waiting for the generator to come on at 7 PM so I can finally get a haircut. At 7:20, I was shot down from my high horse. Since I arrived, I had been plugging in all my electrical toys directly into the outlet. That's because the laptop, camera, and phone can all handle voltages between 120 and 240. So the thought of a step-down converter completely slipped my mind though I did bring one along. I plugged in the clipper, and attached the #4 clip that's a notch higher than the one I normally use - I learned from my first mistake years ago. I now had a new lesson to learn. I began cutting my hair from the right side of my head and as I was using #4 the difference wasn't very noticable. When I got to the middle of my head, the clipper burnt out from high voltage. So now I have the hair on half of my head trimmed and the other half in a nice bush that it had grown out to be. The only way to fix it is to visit a barber, and that would have to wait till the next day as all the barbers that own clippers are located in Freetown.

Bro Kelvin and I boarded a tightly packed poda-poda to Freetown. There were twenty-four people in this vehicle seated pressed together. I, always having the best luck was glued next to a lady carrying dried fish exposed in a wicker basket. The first three people to be let off were short 2 blocks (Le200. One block equals Le100). The conductor forced the driver to drive two miles further from their destination, and drop them off there as punishment. The lady with the fish however, stayed on for most of the ride into town.

Once in town, it took us several minutes of going around in circles to find a barber who could use a clipper. Not many barbers here use clippers. A normal haircut is usually undertaken with a single blade held against a comb. That works for African hairtype but not on my kind of hair. We finally found one on Wilberforce street. It was a little shack on the side of the road. There were posters of Bollywood films (more on this later) affixed to the walls alongside pictures of Ashanti, Nelly, and a painting of Tupac. The generator had to be turned on to supply power. This took some time as it was shoddy. He had no idea what #3 or #2 clips meant. So he picked up #2 not knowing what it was and began very shyly trimming my hair in small strokes. He trimmed the sides and the back in a line and left me looking like a monk. After trying to explain to him what I wanted, he looked to Bro. Kelvin for further explaination. The height adjustment lever on the clipper was loose and he kept using a flat head screwdriver to screw in the Phillips head screw. After I saw him struggle for a bit, I offered the Phillips driver from my Swiss Army knife. While he was contently adjusting the screw, the generator went off from lack of fuel. He did not have any fuel on hand and had to go out to buy fuel. He returned fifteen minutes later, refuelled, and continued cutting in small strokes. I promptly got tired of this and told him to just shave it all off. My haircuts take no more than ten minutes and here it was taking close to two hours. He finally got on with it as the instructions were now easy. He gave me a #2 cut all over, and #1 on the sides and the back. By now, he was a bit sorry for all the inconvenience, and was trying to impress. He went on shaping up my beard and sideburns though I told him it wasn't necessary and that I was going to shave when I got home. He did a fairly good job. I thought I looked like David Beckham. Well OK, maybe not. He gave me nice long sideburns, and lined up the mustache, and he was pretty impressed with his artistic talents. I had a feeling that this was the first time he got to experiment on hair like mine. The two hour make-over, or so it seemed, cost Le5000. I was impressed - though there are a few strands longer than others.

Now for the Indian films; Bollywood films are very popular here among the locals. Only just a few years ago did the Nigerian film industry storm the market here. Until then, people here loved and often watched Bollywood films. I came across many locals who knew Hindi words. Walking around Freetown, the market in Waterloo, or even in Tombo, it is not uncommon to hear Hindi music being played loudly on the speakers of music vendors. Also, interesting is that "movie theaters" - small bamboo shacks or a small room that's part of a larger building, with a T.V. in front of the room and seating to accomodate anywhere from 25 to 35 people, place a speaker outside so that the sounds and music can be heard by passers-by. On Thursday, BBC aired an interview with A.R. Rahman, the legendry composer for Bollywood films, and Asha Bhosle, the voice behind much of the popular Bollywood soundtracks. Plastered on walls around town, you will see posters advertising Bollywood movies. This is quite an interesting country, and as I have said before, the people here are absolutely charming. There is yet much to see and learn as I have not yet left the tiny peninsula.

Happy Birthday Linda & Nisha!

posted by bthomas24 @ 12:11 AM 2 comments

just another rainy day ;)

My day started off at 2 AM today. I woke up in a coughing spell after coughing for fifteen minutes. I sat up in my bed and five minutes later, I tried to fall back asleep but could not. I heard Bro. Kelvin praying as he does every morning at two. I percieved that the Spirit wanted me to stay awake and pray. I spread a mat on the floor and began praying in the Spirit quietly for an hour so as to not wake Lahai. The hour of prayer was acknowledged with ten minutes of rain. Lahai woke up at three because his face was burning unbelievably. He went out to wash his face with soap. He returned and tried to fall asleep but could not. We talked for an hour and I can't remember now what we spoke about. At four he tried to sleep again but kept tossing. He woke up and walked out again and I didn't go looking for him. I continued to pray and my back began to hurt.

I took the cue and sat on my knees and began praying in the Spirit until the rest of the house woke up at five for morning praises. This hour of prayer was again acknowledged by another ten minutes of rain. I felt much better after all the prayer. At six, as dawn was breaking through, I got back to the room and spread a straw mat on the floor and lied down listening to Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt. This was followed by Boys II Men, Annie Lennox, Blackstreet, Alison Krauss, Black Eyed Peas, Billy Holiday.... I strummed my ribs to Ben Harper, and played the harmonica to Bob Dylan until Sinatra put me in the mood for breakfast. I figured if I was going to continue "Singing in the Rain," I may as well have some breakfast to keep me going. Sorry all, it was just a melodic day.

During breakfast Lahai and I had an encouraging talk. It's really quite a sight to watch a Sierra Leonean get excited in his speech. "Broda, when the Devil comes wif all his might, der is one ting you must NEVA do! Don't eva give op!" The excitement as he was recounting some of his experiences with God was priceless. He told me of a time when he had absolutely no money to get to church for the Bible Study. The night before, he prayed to God and entrusted the matter into His hands. In his sleep, he had a dream that his sister handed him Le2000. When he woke up from sleep another one of his sisters - not the one he saw in the dream gave him Le2000. "Trust in God, Oh!
God has NEVA let me don yet!" They say "Oh!" at the end of a sentence the same way we say "man!" at the end of a sentence. There was such sincerity and reverence in his speech, and he was completely excited about the paths God had taken him. I am sure we all have reasons to be as excited about what God has done in our lives, but we just aren't. It's a shame.

Sometimes at night, after the generator has been shut off, while we sit outside watching for dogs, we engage in conversations where I tell him something about the Black Hole, or the Bermuda Triangle, or even recently, the Earth's core, and the research on Mars. His response to each of these very new pieces of knowledge is; "God is fearful Oh! He is so mighty! Oh God! prepare me and take me home!" I wish I had the Encyclopedia installed on my computer so I can show him pictures of everything. I came ready with a Childrens Bible, a book of Aesops fables, books on Middle Eastern history, etc, but an encyclopedia would really have been nice.

We dug up the backyard all day and cleared the weeds and prepared the land to plant cassava and potato leaves. It was quite back-breaking and I frankly didn't feel as strong as the others. I did however help on and off, and I dug trenches around mounds of dirt to allow rain water to flow. It was such a dirty job! There was trash and I won't even say much more than "Those rascal dogs!!!!"

I finally took a bath again and was ready for bed, but the barrel arrived and we had to struggle to get it indoors and that worked up a sweat. I finally got my hair clipper and some more clothes. My darling mother sent me two technicolored shirts. It's got every color you can imagine. Kind of like the coat Jacob gave to Joseph in the Bible.

Suddenly I feel charitable.

posted by bthomas24 @ 11:59 PM 0 comments

everything's a blaze

Well I've been stuck indoors all day. Yesterday was a rough day. Bro. Emannuel and I went up to the construction site to continue clearing the bushes. Working with the cutlass for hours really does a job on the muscles. Then, it began to pour with no warning. It just all came down in buckets. I wasn't planning on working in the rain but I was already soaked and didn't want to get lazy as I was on a roll. My body ached all night and the boards under the bed fell from the tossing. My throat and chest hurt from coughing and congestion. I've been drinking liters of tea to ease the pain in my throat. I could barely wake up in the morning but I managed to wake up for morning praises at 5 AM. Went back to bed and woke up at 7:30 for breakfast which was macaroni and spaghetti cooked with slices of fried fish. After prayers at 8:30, I went back to bed again and that was it. I woke up only at 2 PM. Had lunch and walked about inside the house just to keep the blood flowing. At 7 PM I went out to the veranda to watch the bats.

The clouds were illuminated a mellow orange making the coconut trees appear in a silhouette. Early mornings, and evenings are an absolute spectacle. I couldn't do much more but rest and since I had enough with the boards on the bed, I decided to fix it. All is well now.


Monday was entirely a light show. It began with a blaze I witnessed in Freetown. A vending shack caught on fire and was completely ablaze. The flames were spreading and I saw a woman running to her car that was parked next to the shack. I inquired about the fire houses and wondered if they didn't dispatch anyone to come put out the fire. I have seen a fire house here and I have seen the men doing drills, but apparently it's all mostly a show. They show up when the flames have died down to embers and pour water on the site. They then collect money for the appearance. It's what I am told. I am not entirely sure if that's really what happens. It's a bit hard to believe if it is indeed real.

Thunder rolled mid-afternoon but there was no rain. Around 6:30 PM, it looked like it was going to rain. Since I went into town with Bro. John, one person had to stay in the back of the pickup truck. I felt bad as it was an older brother. I volunteered to stay in the back, but he said it was alright. I prayed that it would not rain till we dropped the men off. God did one better and the rain came down as soon as we got home from dropping the rest of them off. During the entire trip home, there was a spectacular lightning storm. The entire sky is illuminated like a sports arena.

It was a very long day and we were stuck in traffic for three hours as a result of pure arrogance on the part of taxi drivers. They really don't understand the concept of waiting and allowing the traffic to flow. They jump into traffic and are deadlocked. They remind me of the Lemmings game I used to play. Though we were frustrated, we laughed at the situation and vowed to take the back roads back home. The back roads are undeveloped, muddy, full of potholes, and is usually undertaken at slow a speed. It still works out faster that the paved roads.

posted by bthomas24 @ 11:38 PM 0 comments

what can i do to help?

I attended weekend services in Waterloo for the first time. For as long as I stayed in Waterloo, I had always attended the services in Freetown. In Waterloo, since the work is very new, we're lucky if we get twenty five people. During the week, when we visit the souls out here, they promise to come, but circumstances almost always keeps them away. The Saturday service lasts from 6 PM to 7 PM. The Sunday service lasts from 10 AM to 12 AM. The services are short as the souls are new, and you can't keep them very long.

On Friday, Brothers Emannuel, Lahai, and I went up to the site to continue clearing the bushes. At around 1 PM, the skies opened up and it came down heavy. I took shelter while the two others continued working in the rain. The well diggers continued working as well. Work in Sierra Leone is not held up on account of the weather. I was tempted to continue working as well but I had just come out of a cold and didn't want to risk it so I stayed back and sharpened the cutlasses.

While at the site on Monday, Sis. Fatmata (a common Muslim Krio name), the wife of Bro. James who helps with the construction, was braiding the hair of a woman - a friend of hers. She was nursing her baby while her hair was being braided. On Friday, Bro. Emannuel and I ran into her at the market where she toted a basket over her head.

Usually when women with small children travel outside of their homes, they wrap their children around their back with a piece of cloth, and carry them along. Since we didn't see the baby with her, we asked about the baby. She told us rather nonchalantly that the baby was sick the day we met her and had died two days later. We were surprised to hear this as she looked rather unaffected by such a grave personal loss, and was out conducting business as usual. We confirmed the news with Sis. Fatmata. I wonder how much value a life holds among the unsaved.

On Saturday, Bro. Kelvin and I visited a very prominent man in Waterloo. He is known venerably as Pa Younger. Pa because he is older and respected (Pa, Grampa, Ma, Momi (o = c), Grani). He had served in the Sierra Leon Army for twenty odd years, and is well known around this area. He is a wonderful gentleman with a firm handshake. If
you ask for him, you'll be directed to his house. We spoke for a little over thirty minutes and he welcomed me to Sierra Leone and wanted to have his wife cook something for me to take back with me.

Today, I was introduced to a Pentecostal pastor in Tombo named Reverend Augustine. He had come to Tombo about 21 years ago. His mother is from the Northern province of Makeni. His father is from a province 61 miles East of Makeni named Port Loko. He is from the Mandingo tribe which is a very strong Muslim tribe. I asked him about his
conversion and he recounted his days in Catholic school and how since then, he always had a desire to know the truth. He later in attended a Seventh Day Adventist church
and felt he was very confused with what he learn from the Catholics and from the Seventh Days Adventists. He moved from the Provinces to Freetown and found a small
church in Congo Cross that he began to frequent. He began to speak about Christ to a friend of his who attended classes with him in Milton Margai Technical School, and
lived and studied with him. This friend later on told him of the New Testament Church which at that time held services in a rented a room in one of the schools buildings. He began attending Bible Studies at the church and was became fond of the church. At this time he was employeed at Tombo and would commute between Freetown and Tombo. He later on moved to Tombo and established a church in Tombo. In the early days of Tombo, he recounts, there were many churches all around the town. Many of the "Christians" later converted to Islam. There are now about five Pentecostal churches in all of Tombo, he says. Sadly, in 2002, he began losing his vision. He soon was only able to distinguish figures, and lost all recognition of colours. In 2003, he lost all vision and can now only sense if darkness has fallen. When asked how he studies the Word, he was grateful that someone had given him the Bible on audio tapes. He remembers things he studied before he lost his vision, and with the help of his wife who reads for him notes that he had made before he lost his vision, he is able to prepare messages. He enjoys listening to Bible Studies given at the New Testament Church, and these studies are ocassionally send to him on tapes. When he gets a new thought or revelation, he employs a hand held tape recorder to make notes. I asked him if there was anything I could do to help him and he could only think of blank audio tapes. I will get him some of these. When friends en route to Shenge do not make it on the boat, they are welcomed into his home to rest for the night.

I now have a friend in Tombo.

It is now 11:57 PM and I have been typing under candle light on battery power. Both will be depleted in about 10 minutes. Off to bed!

posted by bthomas24 @ 3:43 PM 0 comments

the goodness of life

For the past three days, I think I caught a cold. I am not entirely sure. I am fine during the day, but at night, I feel stuffed, and my throat hurts. On Friday morning, I prayed about it, and on Sunday, I was fine again. Friday and Saturday, Lahai and I sat out in the back for a few minutes in perfect darkness. The sky was clear, and was covered by a thick blanket of stars. It has been some time now since I've seen stars. In New York, it's hard to find stars in the sky. Ocassionally, you can spot three or four. In India, I recall seeing the skies filled with stars. Everything around us is perfectly black with darkness, but the sky looks like a inverted mirror ball. Whilst sitting in the dark, looking out for dogs to stone, and making conversation about the black hole and the Bermuda Triangle, I thought of how well the good Lord kept me here for almost two months now. I've eaten local foods, drank tap water, have been bitten my mosquitoes, and every time, I flip open my mobile phone at night, I am attacked by massive Kamakazi insects blinded, dazed, and hopelessly in love with any sliver of light, that they red line their way straight to my face. I've been kept safe from all the witchcraft, and the possessed, rabid dogs that wander the streets. I am convinced that it's the mercies of God and your prayers by which I have been kept safe. There is still a long way to go and I do covet your prayers.

A few other annoyances: Walking into cobwebs as you walk along the street. It's just not fun trying to wipe those off. Huge bugs that keep flying into walls, windows, and the nape of your neck unexpectedly. Being invaded by armies of ants, crickets in your room at night, and tiny little flies that you can only see when you turn on your flashlight - they are small enough to fly in through a mosquito net, and they crawl all over you at night. (Could the throat ache might have been caused by swallowing flies at night?) Walking into mud puddles thinking you're stepping on grass. Flashing. It's when people call your mobile and hang up just when you pick up. They then expect you to call them back. Cabbies. I thought New York was bad! I used to say that if I had a license to kill, I'd go after New York cab drivers first. They think they own the road, and they are absolutely mean. Seems the same problem exists here in Sierra Leone. When David and I were on our way to Tombo to pick up fish and Cassava leaves, we slowed down to take a look at an accident on the street. A poda-poda was trying to squeeze through traffic, and sidelined a private car. The man in the car came out and began slapping the driver of the poda-poda with the back of his hand while his passengers and others on the road watched. No one jumped in to stop the fight because the guy deserved a good lashing.

In a country where few laws govern the dwellers, I notice that the people govern themselves rather well. When political institutions are utterly useless, the people take the law into their own hands, and corporal punishment can be administered by anyone. It's just the same in India. Growing up in India, I remember getting some good licks in school by my teachers, at home by my parents and neighbors, in church by pastors and believers, by family members, and just people on the street. Yesterday, Lahai and I went out on a stroll to visit some of the locals. Walking along streets framed by groundnut shells on either side (groundnuts are a favorite snack here, and the shells are strewn along all the paths that people walk), we saw a young boy standing in the middle of the street with his legs spread apart doing a half way split. There was an SUV approaching, honking for the boy to get out of the street. He stood there in his stance as if to test his strength against the oncoming vehicle. Lahai walked by him and gave him a good, hard, unexpected slap in the back of his head. The wicked child jumped up and over to the side of the street and stood there rubbing his head with tears in his eyes. There is discipline among the locals. If you're attacked on the street by a thief (tif), you yell out "THIEF!!!!" and a herd of people will gather around, grab the cluprit and give him a good beating he will remember for a long time to come.

Almost everyone in this country speaks English, and they are very quick to learn new skills. If they see something new being done once, they will immedietly learn it and begin reproducing it. I had mentioned earlier that Sierra Leone was the first sub-Saharan country to to offer an English university education. People from Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia, and elsewhere in Africa came here to be educated. Depending on who you speak to, some will say that Independence from Britian destroyed the country. Many were happy with Colonialism. There was continuous electricity, an extensive road system, wealth, education, good heathcare, etc. Such luxuries are scarce of late. The road system is still pretty extensive, and covers much of the country and extends into bordering Guinea and Liberia, but large sections of roads have been destroyed during the war. Potholes are not fixed, and many times, you'll come across civilians who carry dirt and stones to fix a small stretch of road, and they collect tolls (whatever you can give them) from vehicles and pedestrians to use as pocket change. Those who lived during the Colonial period tell me that hospitals had a very high standard during those times. The same hospitals are now dilapidated. Speaking of hospitals, I notice many young and old whose belly buttons protrude out like the stem of a fruit. Some of them are swollen and extend out a little over two inches. Some are even bigger. Is this because the umbilical cord was not cut properly?

It's now almost 10 PM and the generator will be shut off soon. More about Salone in time.

posted by bthomas24 @ 10:54 PM 0 comments

the daily news

I have finished reading "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn," and have begun reading Elisabeth Elliot's "Through Gates of Splendor." I am already very much encouraged after reading just two chapters of the book. I have decided that mine is a problem of the heart and mind.

I am a perfect mixture of the following two quotes:

Katie, in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" responds to a question by Francie; "I don't know. I don't know anything, really. I just feel. And when the feeling is strong enough, then I just say I know. But I don't."

At other times, I feel as Jim Elliot does as Elisabeth Elliot quotes from his diary; "How do I know it is His counsel? 'Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons.' Oh how good! For I have known my heart is speaking to me for God!... No visions, no voices, but the counsel of a heart which desires God."

And still at other times, I am quick to take sides, and empathize often not thinking past the situation presently before me.

I had a half-minded conversation with Bro. Kelvin in vague terms about things that bothered me, and even through that, many things were cleared up. I feel a bit more focused now, and some of the verses that I recently came across have been encouraging.

I still need prayer.

I, along with the other four have begun a revolt against the stray dogs that think we are responsible for keeping their bathroom clean everyday. Every morning, and evening, we find ourselves shoveling dog excrement from the back and sides of the house. We're fed up! Each time we see a dog passing through our yard, we pelt him or her (and SHE really is the one we're after as she is very evil and always manages to do her business clear in our path) with a large stone. We feel that several such peltings will re-condition them. Good old Pavlov! Bell equals food, squatting in backyard equals a broken rib.

At night, I fall asleep to the howling of these possessed dogs - even though I've turned up the volume on my "diskman" (It's what the Sierra Leoneans call a cd-player). They are peaceful all throughout the day, and at night, they're vicious, and howl and fight amongst themselves. In the morning, they're bruised and bleeding. I am woken up at 4:50 AM by either Bro. Kelvin, or the cocks crowing of the alarm on my mobile phone. After morning praises which lasts an hour, I head back to bed to fall asleep to chants of "Allah Oh Akbar!" coming from the Hera mosque on the other side of the street.

I have heard no news about my barrel and I have packed several more books that I wanted to read in the barrel. The way I am going, I'll finish reading this book in three days (traditionally, I am a VERY slow reader and only recently did I adopt the habit of reading). All this free time only lasts till the work in Freetown is completed and Bro. John returns to Waterloo. Then I'll be at the site all day. I have been surviving on four smart shirts and two smart pants. I've been hand washing them, and ironing them with a coal iron (kol gus). I've been surviving pretty well so far by the grace of God.

World Cup fever is on, and everywhere, you can hear the BBC commentators on the radio. Today, England is playing Wales in the Qualifier games, and so far, it's England 1, Wales 0. Every so often, I hear, and I am tired of hearing it already, "Tu-tu Party" by the artist named Emerson whose album is titled "Bobo bele". It is currently the top track in Sierra Leone.

Across the street, little Peter who must be four years old runs outdoors in his birthday suit every so often and yells "White man!" and waves at me. Little Peter is a funny lad. His mannerisms are very manly though he's only about 3 feet high, and has a bobo bele. He knows everyone in the neighborhood and calls to them as they pass by. He flashes a devious smile as he waves at me and runs back indoors.


I keep hearing that if I can survive in Africa, I can survive anywhere. But I hear that about New York as well. Does that mean that if I can survive Africa and New York, I am good for any corner of the world? By His grace.

It's almost time to break the fast, shower, and get ready for church. Speaking of showers, I have a confession. I like to shower at night before I head to bed. Most days, it's warm outside and my body is heated up and it's nice to take a cold shower. It's the only kind of shower you can take here. Unless you heat up your water - which will take long on the coal stoves. Some nights, it's cold outside and I really don't feel like a cold shower. So on Wednesday, I skipped the shower. I was ready for it on Thursday but the generator ran out of fuel. I thought twice about a cold shower in the dark, and then decided I'd shower under the warm glow of a kerosene lantern. You really wanted to hear that!

On the streets, I see that many of the donations of clothes made in the West does indeed arrive in Africa. I saw a tee-shirt which read "Ivy Ridge Panthers", another from a McDonalds Playplace in Northlake, Illinois, yet others from family retreats like the "Johnson Family Retreat" held at Wisconsin, Ivy Ridge Baseball, and Ohio State Basketball Camp. Keep on donating. Hopefully, clean clothes that are not worn down. NGO's keep this country functioning. World Vision, AfriCare, Care International, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), and many, many more. Donate to such organizations as their work is invaluable in Africa. Adopt a child and see him through school. So many ways of helping. Think on these things and if you decide on a way of helping, let me know so I can be encouraged.

FOOD!!!!! I am off to eat!

posted by bthomas24 @ 1:59 AM 0 comments

the life

I am back in Waterloo again, and I could not be happier. It's very peaceful and everything is done decently, in order and with respect. There are five of us here: Bros. Kelvin, Emmanuel, Lahai, John, and myself. I am getting used to new routines. I share the room with Lahai and sleep on the same bed that David was on when he was here in Waterloo. The same bed whose baseboards fall at the slightest movement. I've had to get up at night and fix the boards only to be woken up again to fix the boards. It's quite funny until you're in deep sleep and are startled up because half of your body is on the floor.

Lahai and I walked to the Waterloo market today in the rain in order to buy some fish, onions, peppers, two chicken legs, and ground goundnuts to make goundnut sauce. The market, on a sunny day is quite odiferous. The rain accented the odors. The smell of fish, rotten rubbish, something dead, the smell of bad hygiene, and several dozen other very pungent odors. Some of the vendors literally stand with one foot in a small stream that flows past the market. Others have placed a stone in the water to stand on. Still others place stools in the water. The rain water had filled the massive potholes along the dirt road. The vendors take their places along both sides of the road while customers walk along looking for a better deal, and bargaining when a good deal has been found. The road is packed with customers, and other vendors yielding baskets on their heads. Often the crowd is forced to either side of the street to make room for a car or motorbike to pass. At such occasions, you find yourself wedged up against vendors or customers. We walked through a narrow pathway between two stalls to enter a section where fish is sold. Women sat along the floor on little stools or rocks with makeshift tables or baskets of not so fresh fish. At intervals, they call out "fresh fish de!" We point to the snapa (snapper and ask "How much?" and they all call out prices. A large woman who had had her shirt pulled up airing out her two massive breasts, and a toddler on foot attached to one of her breasts, called out "5000" and we went to her. We tried to bargain down to 4000 but she refused. We asked to be given Le400 worth of fish and she packed a two fishes that were a bit smaller than the Le5000 fish.


We went next to get the chicken legs. We were quoted Le1500 for each leg. We bought four legs. We went to get groundnuts. We purchased Le1000 worth of groundnuts and then wanted them ground. We had to pay another man to get it ground. He stuffed the groundnuts into a meat grinder and turned the wheel. When the grinding was done, he picked up the result and placed it into a plastic shopping bag. He then began to lick the remnants off his fingertips. I am pretty sure he did this with every customer, and as there really is no fresh water to wash his hands, he licked them clean and dried them on the tail of his shirt and waited for the next customer, with unwashed hands. I was a bit turned off by it especially after I witnessed vendors scratching themselves or picking their nose. I have two choices: Either I pray and eat cooked food, or live on biscuits, parched groundnuts, and bottled water. I opted for the first choice. The groundnut sauce actually does taste very good.

Monday evening, we went visiting the locals' houses and sat especially long at one house. There I met a young woman named Betty. She is troubled in her mind. She refused to look at us when we spoke to her and she sat there fidgeting with small pebbles. Ocassionally she would stare at me because I was the odd one out. Her aunt told us that she is a victim of witchcraft, and she was quite normal before the attack. I am not sure what exactly happened as I did not understand some of the Krio because it was spoken too fast. Her aunt asked us to keep Betty in our prayers. When we go visit a family and sit down on the veranda to talk to them, many others walking by will stop and listen. Some find a seat on the cememnted steps to the veranda, others stand and listen keenly to every word that is said, and join in the conversation. This time, a few kids who were playing football in the yard stopped their game and came to listen to us.

It was a beautiful sunny day on Thursday and I decided to sit down and read. I pulled out a chair on to the veranda and brought out a glass of water (as we are fasting till Saturday) and began reading "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" by Betty Smith. I sat out there for hours and read about twenty chapters. As I followed the life of Francie, I could not help but unconsciously relate what I am reading to my own life, experiences, and things I've seen and felt.

'"The difference between rich and poor," said Francie, "is that the poor do everything with their own hands and the rich hire hands to do things. We're not poor any more. We can pay to have some things done for us." "i want to stay poor, then," said Katie, "because I like to use my hands."'

"She knew from listening to her grandmother that old age was made up of such rememberances of youth. But she did not want to recall things. She wanted to live things-or as a compromise, re-live rather than reminisce."

"Dear God," she prayed, "let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry...have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or well dressed. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost." I said Amen to this.

"Here I am," she thought, "fifteen years old and a drifter. I've been working less than a year and I've had three jobs already. I used to think it would be fun to go from one job to the other. But now I'am scared. I've been fired from two jobs through no fault of my own. At each job, I worked as best I could. I gave everything I could give. And here I'm starting all over again somewhere else..."

"She grasped the idea that nothing was ever lost or destroyed. Even if something was burned up or left to rot away, it did not disappear from the face of the earth; it changed into something else - gases, liquids, and powders. Everything, decided Francie after the first lecture, was vibrant with life and there was no death in chemistry. She was puzzled as to why learned people didn't adopt chemistry as a religion."

"And he grieved because he was a failure"

"...I wait for death with the courage I gained from living. I will not speak falsely and say to you: 'Do not grieve for me when I go.' I have loved my children and tried to be a good mother and it is right that my children grieve for me. But let your grief be gentle and brief. And let resignation creep into it..."

I unwrapped a piece of Bazooka gum and read the comic: "Waiter, your finger is in my soup!" "Oh it's alright Sir, the soup is not too hot!" The fortune on the comic said: "Your restlessness will make you a celebrated traveller"


And while I sat there on the veranda, sipping water, reading my book, glancing at a group of ducks parading by galantly, despising the dogs that defecate in the backyard, and hearing Craig David's "I am Walking Away" play loudly at one of the neighboring houses, I felt majestically retired, and at peace.

A verse came to me this morning; "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy..."

posted by bthomas24 @ 1:39 AM 1 comments

Editor's note

A few photos have been added to posts as far back as July 26th ("torn").

Also, to give some perspective on all the different places mentioned, check out the map below: (click on it)
More to come!

posted by bthomas24 @ 5:15 AM 0 comments