Today would be the last chance to have a bit of time to ourselves before what looks like a somewhat manic week.

This morning we headed into Freetown for a service at Lady Selina’s Chapel, where Rev. Lauretta Marah is Minister, assisted by Jamestina Sankoh. This was one of the first building projects I co-ordinated, and still one of the largest we’ve done. It was great to see Mulbah Harris, who designed the building and came over just to meet us. Thanks to ‘The Friends of Sierra Leone’ there’s now a set of offices on top of the church. The service was a wonderful blend of old time English hymns, and jubilant African songs. As always they were very welcoming. Tim preached this morning,talking on his favourite topic of the moment, Gideon, picking up on the time when he was cowering in a winepress, and God spoke to him, calling him a ‘Mighty Warrior’ and giving him the instruction to go in his own strength, and he would be with him. It was all spot on, and had much to say about not believing thy are insignificant, and avoiding the view that they are dependent on the rich West to acheive anything. We also taught them an English children’s song ‘My God is so Big’. I suspect they saw us as two mad white men!

This afternoon we had free! Our last chance to wander down Lumley Beach, dodging the crowds playing football and dancing to music pumped out at distorted levels from ridiculously large speakers. A pleasant stroll. We felt very safe wandering amongst them, greated with many smiles. We were approached a lot less by folks hassling us to buy trinkets than previous visits I thought. Feeling brave, we ventured into Lumley Craft Market – a real tourist trap. We made many new friends! Neither Tim or I are good at haggling or saying no, but we managed to do well and resisted buying every thing out of guilt at high prices!

Written by Pastor Augustine Williams

The second report is from Augustine Williams who is one of our agents and the Education Secretary, responsible for overseeing the education work in the Connexion.

‘I have endeavoured to put together the following information on the progress made in education and evagenlism within the purview of my lenght of service with the Countess of Huntingdon Connexion in Sierra Leone, from 1993 to date:-

THE SIERRA LEONE CONNEXION IN 1993: The Sierra Leone Connexion in 1993 was only known as a Christian Institution, by a small percentage of the inhabitants in the Western Area. Four Primary Schools and one Secondary School existed in the Western Area, as the connexional Churches and Schools were concentrated in this Region.

EXPANSION: Speedy expansion started after the war. From 1993 to date, more schools and churches have been established in the Western Area, Northern Region, Eastern Region, and Southern Region. We currently have eighteen primary schools, four secondary schools, one pre-primary school and twenty three churches.

TRAINING: Between 2004 to date the SLM has funded about forty teachers in training. The Connexion has gained much recognition in Sierra Leone for its continuous support of human resource development, which is uncommon with most Christian Istitutions here.

CONNEXIONAL LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION: With the credible leadership of the Connexion, we have been able to promote education and evangelism especially after the rebel war. One can now experience much unity amongst us. This is evident at Conference sessions, Fellowship Meetings and Sunday activities. With generious contributions by the SLM/FSL, we can now boast of a very magnificent administrative building at 9 West Street, in Freetown (part of the Lady Selina Chapel complex).

EVANGELISM: Much evangelism work is going on. New churches have been established in Wellington (February 2006), and in Kenema (2009).The work at Mile 91 is nearly completed and the congregation is growing with the effort of our Leadership and the young Pastor assigned to that church (Pastor Alfred Kobba). More converts are adding to the church at Wellington daily (a Muslim dominated area) where a very big building project is in progress funded by theFSL. I am the founder and present Pastor of the Church.

NATIONAL ISSUES: Our desire is to see most of our schools being assisted by the Government, but the Ministry of Education is yet to lift band on the approval of more schools and teachers. Please pray that we may see this dream come through.’