"Evangel Baptist Church and School..."

Since we arrived in Sierra Leone in February, we have been attending a church in a town named Waterloo.  The area where the church is located was one of the largest resettlement camps that was used during the war.  It is predominately a Muslim area where the church is located. 

As part of the outreach to the community, two years ago the church decided to start a school that is connected to the church.  Today, the school has about 600 elementary students and 300 secondary students. Bear in mind, the church sees this as a ministry and does not charge tuition.  Because of the quality of the education they provide, they have students applying from all over the Freetown area. 

As part of our community services on board the ship on Thursday nights, the crew gives offerings for local ministries.  A few weeks ago, we did an offering for the school and church combined.  Last Sunday we presented the School Administrator and Pastor with the crew's offering.  It was a very touching time.  Especially since the School Administrator had just made a plea for money for a new building for the secondary school.

Right now, the elementary students go to school in the morning and the secondary school uses the same buildings in the afternoon.  The government of Sierra Leone is going to pass a law that requires all students to only go to school for a longer time each day.

This law places the school in a difficult position since they do not have enough room for both the elementary and secondary students at the same time.  Pastor Daniel said they were petitioning the government for more funds to build a secondary school.

We were invited to come and visit the school on Thursday.  It was a very humbling and overwhelming time.  I was so surprised to see how crowded the classrooms are, but yet the students are excelling.  The students are required to take government exams to graudate to the next level i.e. elementry to Jr High, and Jr High to High School.  All of the secondary students who took the test passed.  This is very unusual for a school to have all their students pass.  It is a great testimony to the dedication of the teachers and the congregation to support the school.

This is the level 1 and 2 classroom...(yes there are this many children in the class!)  In this classroom some students have to sit on the floor.

These are the level 4 and 5 students.  They have no room in the buildings so they are in a shelter outside.

Some of the elementary students....

Some of the secondary school students...

The village chief giving a speech...

Touring the grounds where they can build a new building....

Enjoying the children...

The High School Principal, Village Chief, and Mike

We were given a budget to help improve the school.  Supplies for improving buildings and giving them more school supplies would cost the church just over $2000.00 USD.  To many it is not a lot, but to the people of Sierra Leone where the average wage per day is less that $5 US it can seem insurmountable.  If you are interesting in helping the school, please contact us at m.d.jacobsen@juno.com

"God's Artistry..."

We have seen some incredible sunsets while we have been here in Sierra Leone.  This is just another example of God's amazing artistry!

"My Helper..."

On the ward, we have had some patients who have been with us for awhile due to the type of surgery they are having.  This young fellow had plastic surgery for burns he had from a fire.  He has become my helper.  Sitting in my chair while I am away, putting stickers on the nurses papers, just standing by me and colouring...it is a precious time with him.

"The Saga..."

 It started out to be an ordinary day...but really are there any ordinary days with Mercy Ships?  Unexpected events are not unusual...they range from an amazing surgery with a patient... to generator tests...to forklifts falling in the water....

Yes, you read that correctly!  A forklift ran over the edge of the dock and was wedged between the ship and that edge of the dock....

Until the ships moved-in went the forklift.  So, the port graciously brought over a TEREX to help to try to lift it out of the water.

With cables hooked up, they moved the TEREX over to the edge of the dock...with the crew lined up on Deck 7 watching the events...

But alas, it was getting too dark and the TEREX was unable to resurrect the forklift.  So, the forklift spent the night at the bottom of the ocean.

In the morning, the port brought over a larger crane to pull out the forklift.  It was such a sad sight!

Thanks for our wonderful divers for helping to retrieve the forklift!

"Teenage Thoughts..."

10 Reasons why Living on a Ship is Better Than Living on Land

by Alisia Jacobsen

1. You get to see your friends 24/7
2. If you have trouble in a class you can find a teacher any time
3. You learn about different cultures
4. You learn different ways to say one word
5. You pay $0.75 for a one shot frappachino
6. You become friends with people from all over the world
7. You experience different foods (whether you think it's good or not is your choice)
8. You get the opportunity to work in almost any department on board
9. You get to celebrate different holidays from different countries
10. If you break a bone you don't have to wait an hour for a cast, there are doctors everywhere on the ship!

 

 (So her friend did a counter attack...)

 

So in the counter attack of Alisia's "10 reasons why living on Ship is better then land" I (Lara) am going to write about why living on Land is better than living on the ship...

1) No UHT milk/milch! - This is milk that has been heat treated so that it can withstand higher temperatures and not expire, but it leaves the milk with a nasty after taste.

 

2) Next Day deliviery - When on land you can order things off the internet and have them delivered to your door the next day whereas on the ship it could take months to get here.

 

3) Better Internet - On land you can use Youtube, Download music, videos and shows

 

4) Can get away from Work - We live at work here, no matter where you go, your work colleages are always around and always wanting to ask a question

 

5) Malls and Shopping - There are no Malls and no shopping centres on the ship for obvious reasons.

 

6) My Own Room - Here on the ship families and many singles have to share a room.

 

7) Up to date Movies and Music- We are so behind the time that we have not seen movies or heard music that have come out over a year ago, let alone know about them

 

8) No Privacy - Everyone on the ship knows your buisness and you know everyone elses, this might be due to the fact that the walls are so thin and if you move in one room, they will hear you in the next.

 

9) Silence is golden - There is always a machine running or someone talking or some music playing everywhere you go.

10) Social Life - We, the youth, have decided that we do not have a social life. If we lived on land there would be places to go, people to see and places to do things.

"Tithe..."

The first two Sundays of the month, at church, are set aside for the giving of tithe and death benefit funds.  The members of the church come to the front of the church and present their tithes.

I am always touched by this action.  In a society where the average wage is about $5/day, church members faithfully present their offerings to the Lord. 

They hold up their tithe offering up to the Lord and the pastor prays a blessing over them.  The church members do this with joy in their heart and in their actions....

"Ship Kitty..."

Since our cat Shadrach died almost 2 years ago, Alisia has been pining for a new cat.  Well.........the other night she decided to come home with a "Ship Kitty".  There are a couple of these stuffed cats on the ship in different cabins.  So now, until we leave, we have an addition to our family....Welcome ship kitty to the Jacobsen Family....