Week #3 - Sierra Leone Mission

Dear Family and Friends,

 

The internet is so sketchy here, that's to say it is challenging to get emails off once a week is an understatement, let alone pictures, but I will do my best. The following is an observation list of what I have seen/experienced in just two short weeks in Freetown, Sierra Lone.

 - young babies nestled on their mothers' backs are beautiful

- men can use anything as the bathroom whenever and wherever they want (not fair)

- the people, for the most part, are very lean (they walk everywhere)

- chickens are scrawny (the Kanzler girl-chicks are 3 times the size)

- kids don't require electronic devises to entertain themselves (stick, rock, tire will do)

 - the head is a very important part of the body that is used to transport a variety of items to name a few - tires, food, blankets, mattresses, household products, televisions, jugs for carrying water, clothing, bread, eggs; my guess is, less pick pocketing this way

- women carry the majority of weight, literally and emotionally; they have one baby on their back, another toddler at their side and a head full of items they have purchased or are selling for the family

- dogs are not pets (some veterinary organization needs to come over here and spay and neuter 100's of dogs)

- no cats

- bleach is my scent of choice

- plaids do go with stripes

- no public restrooms and with my weak bladder, I have a major problem

- you sweat daily

- there are no trash receptacles and gargabe is just tossed and burned on the side of the road

- there is always smoke, there is always exhaust, there is always red fine dirt

- if the internet does work, it is very weak and doesn't last long

- if we are not short on water, then we are short on power

- anywhere we drive it is like “off roading” and anyone prone to car sickness will not survive (I will never see Sue S. here, not that she would have come anyway, but this seals it)

- I live to go grocery shopping (because there is nothing else to do)

- Sunday is like any other day with thousands of people going every which way, but the women dress up and look beautiful in their native garb

- always, always traffic congestion, but no road rage (go figure)

- you can't be faint of heart and use the motorcycle taxi

- everything looks the same to me so I can't pinpoint landmarks to help us find our way home

 

Carry on....Robin

Here are some more pictures from the last week:

Three Young Women from the Wellington Branch.

 It's a 15 minute walk down to the river for the baptism.

Coming out of the water!

 Elder Kanzler walking back from the baptism.

 Digging a well to the side of the Waterloo Chapel for water for a font.

11 new missionaries and the AP's.