Coming into Focus.

I know that it is dangerous to think that you know what the future holds, particularly in ministry and, specificly, ministry in Sierra Leone.  Still, I've discussed with two of my colleagues here (Rev. John Phiri and Rev. Ezekiel Sudu) whereI will be helping while I'm here.  Not accomplishing.  Not achieving.  More being than doing, as hard as that sometimes can be. Tentatively, we're talking about the following:

• Plans are coming together for a CRC pastors' conference in Foria from February 20-25, where Timothy Leadership Materials (TLT) will be used). 
• A few of us (my family will likely come, too) plan a trip to Freetown to explore what Reformed Theological education is available.
• A smaller-scale pastors' conference in Bo, the second-largest city in Sierra Leone, where there is a growing movement and hunger for things Reformed.
• A meeting with the local head of the Kabala Pastoral Council (equivalent to a "Ministerial Association") to propose and plan the use of TLT materials cross-denominationally here in Kabala.
• A series of three mid-month gatherings (March, April and May) in Kabala with leadership of the CRC in SL, where we will explore Reformed teachings and their impact on the church.



I have the privilege of preaching at the Kabala CRC this Sunday.  Here is the evidence of me modifying a sermon on Ephesians 2 for the Sierra Leonean context.  (Complete with contextually-appropriate 'Squeez', a local Orange Crush-like drink.)

The 'worship team' at the CRC school.

The tailor is on-site at the school right now, mending and hemming and altering the uniforms (including those of our children).

 

That's right, those are hot coals in this iron, which is used by the tailor to press the newly-fitted uniforms.

Naomi and Maria striking a pose in their 'formal' dress uniforms - as opposed to their everyday ones (yes, I know it is sideways, but once it was uploaded, there was no turning back, unless I wanted to wait).

This is a bat which shocked Ella when it was flying around our room one night.  We managed to corner it and Souliman caught it and kept it until morning, when it managed to free itself from the plastic bag.  Did I mention that we have since covered the attic access in our room?

Most trucks have a religious saying or two, like this one, embossed across the hood or tailgate.

The origins of some of the phrases are, to use a common Terrace phrase, a bit sketchy.

As per request, more flora ...  this one is for free.  You'll be happy to know (my kids were!) that our recent houseguests, Tim and Kim Vanstelle (from Denver, helping with a gravity water project last week), sent a case of peanut butter, some knock-off Nutella and some type of sugar-laden cereal to us -- from a grocery store in Freetown as they were departing the country.

The view from the CES (Christian Extension Services) office.  Not a bad place for an office.

More Kids' View.

January 19^th, 2012 (Jacob)

I woke up this morning Lazy and went to the bathroom.  Got back in bed started to read Harry Potter and the half blood prince.  Got dressed in my school uniform.  Had breakfast – okay. We had to take are malaria medication (Pill).  Then we brushed are teeth and went to school.  We had an assembaly.  (Had to stand for ½ and hour)  Then we had to write (copy) off the third temtation in the Bible. … after another ½ day at school we went home and had a good (exalant) Lunch.  then, well, I finished my book.

January 20^th, 2012  (Maria)

Today on the way tot the CRC school Dad started honking at a biker to let him know that we were coming.  But when the biker moved, out popped a duck and Dad kept on honking and the duck kept on walking.  Dad slowed down (hoping the duck would make it through).  And luckily it did – we drove right over it and it went between both sets of wheels and came out the back, wings flapping and beak quacking.

When it was dinner time we went to the roundhouse [at the CES office, for supper with Paul and Mary Kortenhoven, former missionaries who are visiting this month].  We had a meal of NO rice!  It was noodles and cabbage and meat.  We came home and there was a bag of beans and other green stuff.  That is from Mr. JT Koroma, the principal of the CRC school.

Today at school Jacob had a BIG wipe-out.  He was playing with the kids lassoo and he was chasing them and he tripped and fell and skinned both his knees real bad.  And it looks nasty. 

January 23, 2012

today was Monday  we went to school.  (pink unaforms). (crc).  yester … wait … two days ago wen we were getting eggs Dad dropt them  the dogs liked that.  yesterday we cot martin a mouse, mom named them martin and stephiny  today at school we had chocolat things they were like cofey crisps  they actuly are called bonbons

Bye-bye
Naomi

Scattered Images.



City Center of Kabala.  The "Hondas" congregate here (Honda is used here like Canadians use the terms Kleenex or Q-Tip for facial tissue and cotton swab respectively.) These "Okadas" are like taxi motorcycles and are exceedingly cheap but only occasionally risky.

Lunch on the veranda consists of bread toasted with "Topper" (margerine) and slathered with Laughing Cow Cheese.

Landscape shots, as per requests.  Future requested photos will cost one jar of Kraft Peanut butter.  Delivered.



Gift carrying her baby brother Immanuel.  Both are children of Ezekiel and Tabitha Sudu.



We caught "Marten"!  For the record, nobody ate him. 

We attended Sunday School and the lesson was James 5:1-10.  You can imagine it was exceedingly convicting to be an affluent North American in one of the poorest places in the world and the text of the day was read aloud: "Now listen you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you..."

20 Pictures. Equivalent to Twenty Thousand Words.

It frustrates me that some of the pictures are distorted, but such is life with intermittent internet connectivity ...

... under an African sun ...

The view from our front porch.  Those are 'controlled' burns on the hillside across from us ...

Freetown:  Cellular shack surveillance shot.

The best vehicle in the CES (Christian Extension Services) fleet.  It is getting a real workout these first couple months of 2012. 
A plug:  CRWM aims to inject some money into vehicles soon, with your help ...

We are not in Kansas or Terrace anymore ...

Bustling streets.

Our night watchman, Souliman, trying some western 'chop' (pasta and beans).  If you think the toque is something, you should see the load of clothes he wears overnight, when the temperature plummets to 16 Celsius.

More landscape within view of our home.

Our Sierra Leonean residence until June.

Adama is 'planting' Maria's hair.  This is required for school (either that or shorn hair, like Jacob).

The neighbourhood kids often gather on our veranda in the evening.

Helping carry water up to the house - African style - for clothes washing.

Some games translate more easily.

Naomi's skirt is her own creation.   Keeps her cool!

Ella with 'Mama' Tabitha (wife of Ezekiel Sudu) and Immanuel, from Nigeria.
I work with Ezekiel, whose role is leadership development in the CRC in SL.

Freshly squeezed oranges and water from a bag ... in our living room.

It's all I can do to make my two left hands clap, let alone drum as well as these boys.



In the spirit of contextualization, my children and I think Terrace CRC should spring for some snowmobiles (notice the CRC logo on the bike?).

OK, it was 21 000.

Order of Worship?

I have a few pictures below, but Ella is the better photographer and I promise I will post a run of her pictures soon.

We went to the Christian Reformed Church, Kabala this past Sunday.  As one of my children noted, one difference here is that church can sometimes be longer in Sierra Leone than at home - OK, it's WAY longer (church was slated to begin at 10 AM and didn't finish until well after 2:00 PM, refreshments included).  But the differences don't end there because we are also not used to:

• worship services being held in an open-air building beside a dusty road
• church services in Krio
• worshippers clapping and dancing during every song
• 'bidding' prayer time where everyone is encouraged to simultaneously speak out loud their confession or praise or thanksgiving (and they do willingly, the result being a rousing cacauphony of the prayers of the people)

But despite these differences, there is so much that is familiar; so much that is similar to worship in churches - particularly CRC churches - in North America.  To begin, if you attend a CRC in North America, take a look at the 'Order of Service' below from our worhsip service this past Sunday.  If it looks familiar, I'm not surprised.  It stems from a hybrid of John Calvin's Genevan template and the input of CRC missionary Paul Kortenhoven (somewhat to Paul's chagrin, I might add).

The 'Order of Service', Sunday 15th January, 2012, CRC Kabala.  Missing on the order of worship was 'Praise and Worship', which was #6a ...

An interesting feature of the worship services is the 'song contributions' by various groups.  Usually members from within the church (and sometimes guests) contribute to the worship service through singing.  Below is one such 'guest' group, contributing to the worship service through song.  It is not uncommon for these groups to have uniform dress, to process to the front and to distribute an offering plate for their own ministry or the ministry of the church (so you can sometimes have upwards of 6 or 7 offerings).

The Daindenbeh school group prepares to process to the front of the church for their contribution to the worship service.

At the service on Sunday there was the dedication of the child of the school's principal, J.T. Koroma.  This brings to the forefront another area that the CRC in Sierra Leone and the CRC in North America have in common:  What to do with infant baptism in emerging congregations?  (The CRC in NA had something to say about this at our 2011 synod regarding infant baptisms and dedications, especially relevant in church plants in North America - if you're really keen, see Acts of Synod 2011, pp. 822, 829. 831-32 available here: http://www.crcna.org/site_uploads/uploads/resources/2011_acts.pdf

Parents respond to questions at the dedication of their infant son.

I found it very interesting to witness this and discuss dedication and infant baptism with various pastors and leaders in the church this past week. In the missionary context, what is most prudent? I have been asked to prepare a discussion paper for staff and church leaders on the subject of infant baptism and an examination of relevant scriptural texts and themes. I look forward to the discussion and trust God will lead it.

The prayer of the congregation, with hands outstretched towards the parents and child in blessing.

Adjustment #2: School.

Maria, Jacob and Naomi in their spiffy pink and navy blue CRC uniforms. 

Maria, Jacob and Naomi began attending the CRC school here in Kabala today. While there were mixed reviews from my own children on wearing the pink uniforms, there was uniform nervous excitement (read: some fear and trepidation) about this new beginning. Ella will be joining them at school during the week, offering her gifts as a teacher to support, encourage and mentor classroom teachers. 

If you were wondering:  Yes, they are the only white kids in the school. 

Education is a huge part of the work of the CRC in Sierra Leone's Koinadugu district.  Class sizes in government (and most private) schools are ridiculous (a neighbour boy's report that there are 120 kids in his class is not uncommon), reading comprehension is atrocious (we met Dr. Jo Kuyvenhoven from Calvin College who is here for sabbatical - she has been working both with the Ministry of Education and Kabala CRC school and her word for her test results re: reading comprehension in the country was "catastrophic"), funding and resources are extremely limited and because we are in one of the poorest areas of the world, local folks can't afford education when daily sustenance is at stake.

We are privileged and humbled to have our kids learn with the kids in the CRC school and thankful that their presence does not displace any local folks. The school has class sizes of approximately 30 and has done tremendous work to improve the education standard for the area. It is considered a benchmark in the whole of the country. While the math and language arts are important for us, we aren't too worried about this for our kids (but we don't emphasize this too much to them!): In one sense, the entire trip, and their schooling is one big lesson in Social Studies for us all ...

For an update on the relationship between Surrey Christian School and the CRC School in Kabala, check this out:
http://www.surreychristian.com/about/sierra-leone/kabala-school-projects/
If you are not familiar with the history of the school, click on the history link on the left margin of that page.