2013-2014 Budget

I haven't found a way to link my actual budget to my blog but I will give you all a rough outline below.

One Time Expenses
*Airfare (2 Round-trip Tickets):  $4,000
Mult-entry Visa: $204.95
Resident permit: $188.00
National ID Card: $100.00
Water taxi (transport to and from the airport): $200.00
12% Charge for Ripe for Harvest Support and Financial Services: $1,920

Monthly Exepnses
*In Country Travel Expenses (taxis and gas): $50.00
In Country Lodging (Rent): $300.00
*Miscellaneous (food, giving, other): $290.00
Medical Insurance: $168.00
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Total Expense for 24 month trip = $26,004.95


*Estimations: based on previous budget with World Hope International

I have contributed to the above 31% of the total cost. Current commitments at 69% of total expense.

Prayers

"So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer." Ezra 8:23

God continues to open the door for me to head back to Sierra Leone this January. I am going to be volunteering with an organization called Enable the Children an organisation reaching out to families of kids with disabilities by providing care and basic teaching of therapy and health practices. You can read of the amazing stories and more about the organisation on their website: http://www.enablethechildren.org/

As God begins to prepare my heart and Vez the founder of Enable the Children and I communicate back and forth in preparation of my trip I want to bring my family and friends alongside this journey and ask that they be in prayer with us. My trip is planned for two years, January 2013-December 2014, I also will be returning to the USA once for 3-4 weeks. In these two years I will be working alongside Abu and Ambrose two of the Sierra Leoneans who have been trained in physiotherapy and Ana a physical therapist from the UK. God has intricately placed my footsteps and as I continue to step I pray that I am always seeking his will. I would love to have the following things kept in prayer.

* Seeking his will, his word, and wisdom in all the preparations.
*Keeping Sierra Leone in prayer and all my dear neighbors and friends as I communicate with them a few times a month, that our relationships will continue to grow and branch across the cultures.
*Prayer on discernment to where I will be living- I have two options to return to the previous house or to live at the Enable the Children Team House. Both are a huge blessing!
*Prayer for Enable the Children- specifically Abu and Ambrose who I have met before while in Sierra Leone, their hearts are no doubt loving and caring for these children day in and day out as they face incredibly difficult situations that they will continue to be encouraged and Enable the Children will grow in the relationship with these families bring God's light to sometime very dark places.
*Prayer for an easy transition of returning to Sierra Leone and joining the team. That my gifts in nursing will be used to bring more health care- triage and teaching and that in it all I will be working alongside and learning from Abu and Ambrose as well as Ana.
*Finally that I remain humble knowing it is God not myself that has lead me here and he does not need me to do His work and yet he choose me.

God placed a passion on my heart long ago to work with kids with disabilities. I never imagined that might someday mean living in a foreign country, climbing mountains to visit a little child with Cerebral Palsy. Now it is hard for me to imagine doing anything else, yet wherever he chooses to move me I will go, sometimes after dragging my feet a little but I ultimately come back to being in awe that I have a God who desires his good and perfect will for me.

Faithfully and In Love,
Jaimie

This is James.

He loves trucks and motorcars.

I had the opportunity, or else asked for the opportunity, to stay the night in the village of Masongbo. It is the village of one of my Sierra Leone "Families". Mohammed is a driver with World Hope International and has been the one who has looked after me for nearly all of my travels in Country. He has become my Sierra Leone father as he watches out for my safety and has helped me in many cultural situations. When I asked about sleeping in his village he was very excited and immediately began planning the menu and activities.
After arriving it was not long before nearly the whole village gathered to warmly welcome me and voice their surprise of a white woman sleeping in the village. However, it was not the excitement of a white woman in the village that drew James near. His eyes had seen the truck and all he wanted was a ride! Many in the village have never rode inside a vehicle as many we have offered rides to are unsure of how to open or close the door.  James had never rode in one but he had seen them before and without doubt his little kid mind was positive that riding in one was going to be great! Of course I asked Mohammed to let us give this little boy a ride and I sat beside him videoing the moment. I captured a priceless video of this little boys happiness but the joy of that moment is not on video but inscribed on my heart.

This little boy was very sure of what he wanted and the joy and contentment that rested on him after this moment in the truck was clearly visible. A picture of our needs being met in Christ comes to mind. He gives us inexpressible joy, one that rests deep in our souls. In moments like this I am reminded of how grateful I am to Christ for this gift. Sometimes it just takes a little boy and a pickup truck to show us this.

Philippians ^2:1-4 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Moments

So I am going to share with you what I just read, such an odd story in 1 Kings 13…. We have Jeroboam, the new king of the Israelites (excluding the house of Judah which remained in the house of David still ruled under David’s grandson) this Jeroboam was given Israel because Rehoboam (David’s grandson) had missed his chance to receive God’s grace. So Rehoboam becomes fearful of David’s God and makes new gods for Israel. These influential people begin to worship two gold calves and in comes this Man of God (MOG) from none-other than Judah. The MOG speaks against Rehoboam and Reho gets upset and extends his arm to seize him and then his arm shrivels! So Reho becomes distraught, asks the MOG to pray for him, he does, Reho is healed and the MOG heads on his way listening to God’s rules not to stop and eat. However, on his merry way home the MOG is stopped by an old prophet, who lies, and brings back the MOG to come eat at his table. God then talks to the old prophet to make him tell the MOG that he will now die because he did not listen to the word of the Lord to not eat, and it happens, the MOG does die, killed by a lion! Then the old prophet has the nerve to say, “he was killed, as the word of the LORD warned him.”

WHAT?! This certainly does not seem fair? Seems like some major injustices here. We have selfishness, fake repentance, lying… and guess who dies?!  I am not sure what God is trying to say in all of this but I feel confused after reading this. Who am I in this passage? I know at any one time I could be any of these men. I selfishly and grudgingly argued with my taxi driver the other day because there was misunderstanding and I ended up paying a whole 50 cents instead of 25 cents for my taxi ride! Come on, that’s double the price of everyone else who paid! Not fair! (I know… How ridiculous I am…)

Looking at the MOG it seems that he did everything right on the surface. He went and told Reho he was in the wrong to be worshiping gold calves, God was obviously with him as he was able to heal Reho’s hand, and then when asked to eat and drink with the king, he declines knowing the Lord asked him to continue without refreshments, even if they were served at the kings table as tempting as that would be. Then as he is minding his own business, on his way out of town, a prophet stops him and tells him it is all right, God told him to come back and eat.  It is not always easy to discern when you fall into the traps that the world has set for us. It is likely the MOG very well thought of this as a good intention, surely he can trust this prophet. This was not the case, however, and the MOG paid a high cost. We do not know the full story of this Man of God but underneath it all he listened to the world instead of God’s instructions. I am guilty, falling into many traps of this world, praise God for his mercy and lack of lions here in Sierra Leone. It is not an action that leads us away from the God. It is when our heart turns towards the desires of the World instead of God’s but in those moments we can be covered by grace and the more we recognize this grace, we continue to learn and grow.

 Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works, if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

I do not know how things would have went if I would have given my 50 cents joyfully instead of grudgingly to the taxi driver. Maybe it would not have made a big difference but I pray that I can continue to learn from these moments. In a country in so much need to break free from persecution, corruption, and poverty, God can use the small moments to build into bringing his Kingdom to earth. Moments like when I first met David, a moment of deciding whether to speak up and ask the father for their address or should I just leave them be. It was the Holy Spirit who led me that moment and has led me through so many amazing God moments here. David was very ill just a few months ago, nearly dead you could say. However, this little boy is now full of the life a little 18 month old life should be! His smile can light up a room and his laugh captures your heart. What an incredible story of beauty this boy has been through. The family is Muslim but from the moment I met them I have been praying for this little boy and have had many others praying for him and his family. They are a beautiful family and have a love and devotion to one another. I pray that one day they will recognize the devotion that Christ has towards them, his grace and love at no cost.

I also have met some incredible young people with disabilities here and have, of course, a special place in my heart for them. What a whole new level of glory I have seen revealed through them here. I have never seen someone at such a disadvantage in their setting and still remain so full of ambition to overcome it. I am privileged to have had the opportunity to get to know Hannah and James, two kids who live out in the villages. They and their families are setting a huge example to those around them to demonstrate that, these are the ones who will inherit the kingdom of God with their ability to accept circumstances way before you and I would. Like my sister they not only accept their disability but utilize it to become a strength, an opportunity, a way to grow and extend, to make a difference and to challenge their families, neighbors, their society to rise to this same occasion. I cannot imagine the difficulties faced by them here but am totally in awe of what many of them have chosen to do with it. As my last three weeks is coming to, I pray for moments. Moments to have my eyes open to God’s movement and the beauty of those he is moving in. 

"My Power is Made Sufficient in You"- God

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 

2 Corinthians 12:9

Maybe it is all too big for me to do on my own… no it is all too much for me to do. Even if I tried to do it, I would fail. Things would be left undone. Maybe I should remove myself from the work or the situation(s). That’s not the answer though either. “Then what is?” I’ve been asking God a lot lately. What can you do, what can you feel, when you are surrounded by those who long not for wants but even the basic needs, needs to survive.

It is the rainy season here and up country rice is becoming scarce. Many scrape together what little they have to divide among their family and friends. The idea of being selfish during your needest time simply does not happen. Our families in the sponsorship program are eager to receive their bags of rice but right now school tuition is our first priority as school is beginning. Many of the families are in need; I feel the pressure to get tuition paid quickly.

Payments for school tuitions are moving forward. I will be taking an 8-10 day trip up country next week to offer my help where needed. The Scan Drive Sponsorship program is benefitting 26 kids this year. Our house at Scan Drive has been a blessing to us and to the community as our work in this community is intertwined in many beautiful ways. As I am filled with Joy that many kids, that may not have opportunity otherwise, are beginning school this week. Many others approach or look on with their own sad story to tell. Primary education is supposed to be free in this country; secondary education is supposed to be of minimal cost…

So many are overlooked, children on the streets selling instead of in the classroom learning. The hundred of beggars, I pass downtown two or three times a week. What can I offer them but a smile and a small greeting as I hurry on to do whatever else may seem important at that moment. Or those with disabilities, not able to access the buildings in the city for lack of ramps or handrails; their life full of inconveniences. It is easily seen by many that they are ignored by their government and sometimes even their families.

 The country has very affectively ignored those affected by trauma, drugs, abuse, and psychological problems. Laws can be passed but easily ignored that if good intentions were applied would greatly benefit many who are overlooked. It is encouraging to see that there are many who feel lead to bring about a change themselves. One such place is where I volunteer as a nurse twice a week. City of Rest is a drug rehabilitation and psychological rehabilitation center. A church and several pastors started City of Rest with a holistic approach to healing. People searching for attention, love, and care find a bit of comfort at City of Rest. The need is overpowering when you first enter City of Rest and at first it is hard to see past the chains on the ankles of many of the guests. The pain that rests behind the eyes and in the souls of these guests is overwhelming.  Though my time there is often very short and often very difficult, God has faithfully showed glimpses of his pure beauty in moments of prayer or conversation with the guests.

I stand in awe of God’s work here in many lives from housemates and friends who have left their homes, family, and friends to come here and passionately love and serve to the many Sierra Leoneans who are going above and beyond their means to sacrifice what little they have to make a difference.  Though, I have been struggling and continue to struggle with how to give not only my situations or plans to God but to give myself wholeheartedly to His work. How that I, broken and weak, can boast in my weaknesses knowing that God’s grace has made me wholly sufficient. That God’s power is made perfect in my weaknesses, that His power is the one displayed, and He is the one to receive the Glory. I am meant to be here, I am meant to be in every situation, every plan He has for me because though I am not enough and the need is Great He is enough and our needs and the needs of others who can be encouraged by faith in Christ will be supplied from his glorious riches. Though, like Moses and those he led, I and many others may not see the riches here on earth but we have a promised land and that is what we can Hope for while we wait. 

Going deeper without drowning

If we take from Jesus example, we must realize that he put a high value on relationships. He chose an intimate 12 guys to be his buddies. The guys he would mentor and eat supper with. He loved the crowd but would get in a boat to go see a desperate man who was possessed. He did not simply pass by Nicodemus but asked to eat at his personal table. God the creator knew he could not leave Adam alone, he placed in us a need to have intimacy. An intimacy he desires with us and one we should be encouraged to have with our brothers and sisters. As seen in the first in second commandments we are called to Love God and Love one another. The son of man demonstrated this perfectly and then called us to do the same.

I believe we can to some degree find blessings and happiness in relationships that are merely on the surface but we crave for some to know us on a deeper level. My closest family and friends are the ones whom we take the time for. There are various degrees on this intimacy but I certainly have a wonderful handful or two of people who know me on a deep level. For them I am ever grateful and encouraged that they stand by me in my journey of life.

Without these people I would likely never had the faith to journey to Sierra Leone, let alone live here for a year. Though here I am and I praise God that I have been obedient in coming here and am now on a journey to live out some personal relationship in a culture foreign to my own. This has proven to be one of the most difficult struggles.

This struggle meets with cultural differences, balancing time, and respecting others beliefs. In my first six months here I put emphasis on being open to anyone; spent wonderful times getting to know many neighbors and being open to friendships with those I met on the street. I loved this time; it gave me the chance to learn much. It left me though very exhausted at times and though I enjoyed the relationships it lacked the more personal aspects.

I have begun to invite only a few kids in the house, ones that I am working on their school work with or teaching them other skills such as cooking or computer. I have begun to know these children and their personalities. Sallay is a very patient young lady, she has started learning skills on the computer and stays encouraged and encourages her younger “sister”, Kadiatu. Kadiatu is ambitious; she can be stubborn at times though when she completes the work she has the feeling of accomplishment that she wears with a big smile. Aminata struggles to keep up in education, a girl who is in need of some individual attention. She is one who will act out of her frustrations but in time she has a huge capacity to learn.

I have become closer to one young lady and pray to continue a friendship with her. Halima is a young mother of two, as of late has been rather ill. I try to help the family when I can, as we say in Salone, I help small, small. She is a lady with much gumption and I continue to pray that will work towards getting her well quick. I see in many here from Emma, David, many guests at City of Rest that Sierra Leoneans have perseverance, a quality of many I hope they will teach me as our deeper relationships develop. It has surely become difficult as I begin these deeper relationships to see the need that remains on the outside. I am beginning to understand the reason Christ placed such a high value on deep personal relationships because this is what has the lasting effects.

I remain to try to continue to have openness and a love to all those I encounter but balance it with a handful of deeper relationships. Relationships that are overcoming cultural differences, balance my time, and respect others’ beliefs.

Isaiah 40:26  Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

Skirts

Eph. 2:8 Because of his kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God.9 Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it.10 It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.


When a friend and housemate Hanna came to Sierra Leone for a few months she told me about an organization that was trying to help people with disabilities here do something more than begging with their hands. Of course this caught my interest right away. When she left she didn't want the work for them to end.
Two tailors, Abdulai and Momoh can very skillfully make beautiful dresses and skirts. While many of the disabled population take to begging on the streets, we are trying to reduce a couple idle hands. So far I have made several of the generic one size fits all wrap around skirts and sold them among friends here. I would, however, love to extend this to my friends and family back home. This in turn would give them a steadier income, these men live in some of the poorest if not the worst living situations in Freetown. This money not only goes to them but I am sure helps out the many others living in these conditions. In Sierra Leone people who are disabled are cast out and not accepted in Society. They have very little opportunity if any to avoid a street life or begging or stealing. We have taken the opportunity to let them see a new way of life and offer them a hope for the future.

 This is a wax fabric and was made by Marie a dear friend of mine, it is very time consuming yet every piece is handmade and unique. It was enough to make two skirts, one of which I have kept the other is this one and because of the very unique fabric and time that goes into this, this skirt is a bit more expensive at $15.00.

The generic skirts are $8.00 Like the one above which is for sale, you can request a certain color or type of pattern.

$8.00 You can also get shoulder bags made and I will try to get some put on her soon, the shoulder bags will be around $10.00. 

Let me know if you are interested in any of the above three or have a request for any type or color. I will try to get more up soon! 

These who have been suppressed from society hold many gifts and talents, it is not them who are lacking but rather society is lacking because they have not recognized the best among them.
1 John 3:17 But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won't help him--how can God's love be within him ?