So here is the more I said was coming......

In the classroom we were able to share the world with the children......no really....the world. We brought a WORLD MAP and most of the children there had no idea that there was a world outside of yams farm. When asked what the blue areas were on the maps the common reply was "clouds?" Even the teachers of the school had a tough time recognizing the different countries and continents of the world. The schools are not only small and crowded but they are not equipped with the materials that we have taken for granted since childhood. There are several different schools in this area and we were able to visit and share the map with them. The children do have order and song in the schools, they wear uniforms much like the Catholic schools in the USA. We also visited a Muslim school and were very well received by the teachers and students. We had a large team so as the teachers taught the rest of us did manual labor.....digging, dipping water from the well, moving dirt, making blocks, and I had the chance to do the surveying and leveling of the floor for the school. We have formed a unique bond as a team and work well together. It is sooo hot working that you basically start sweating when you get in the "Poda Poda" or van to go the work site and stop sweating when you are ringing your dirty clothes out at the end of the day. The crew of men that are working with us are really cool guys and have known each other all there lives. They sing, dance, and play around like kids....it is so cool to watch how they love each other. We had the chance to take them to the beach and play soccer, swim, and eat with them. I have made some wonderful friends that I will never forget. So now that our time for field service in Yams farm has ended I miss those guys and pray for them and there families daily. Okay tune in next week when I will talk about going to African Church................

Okay, a little information about our project in Yam's Farm. We (Gateway Team) went to the little villiage to help in the construction of a school. In this community there were about 300 kids sqeezed into a room about the size of a 2 car garage. In this room there were 6 classes and all were being taught at the same time. From pre-schoolers up to jr. high level crammed together. This room also doubles as the church and the villiage taylor shop. The first day we arrived to work in the community we were able to witness the first cement for the foundation being poured. That in itself is a task.....no mixer, sand, rock or trowls. We used "head pans" to carry the cement after we hauled the sand and rock from the east side of the villiage and mixed it on the ground with shovels. "Head pans" are exactly what they sound like....pans that are carried ....well...on your head!! After the ceremonial first pan we quickly got to work moving dirt and making( yes I said Making) blocks and pouring the foundation. Part of the team were school teachers and started working with the kids and the teachers......what a blast!!!! Okay got to get to work.......more to come.........

YAMS FARM WHARF

OKAY I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY...........

THIS IS MY FIRST BLOG THAT I HAVE WRITTEN IN AFRICA AND THE FIRST CHANCE I HAVE HAD TO REALLY SIT AND RELAX SINCE I GOT HERE!!! I HAVE BEEN STAYING IN A PLACE CALLED JEWWEY ROAD AND WORKING BUILDING A SCHOOL IN A SMALL AFRICAN COMMUNITY CALLED YAMS FARM WHARF. THE FIRST DAY WE ARRIVED THERE, WE WERE MOBBED BY HUNDREDS OF KIDS SCREAMING "ELLO, ELLO, OPOTU" WHICH MEANS " HELLO, HELLO, WHITE MAN." WE ALL FELT LIKE ROCK STARS, IT WAS OVERWHELMING. THE POVERTY IS UNREAL HERE. THESE PEOPLE LIVE ON A DOLLAR OR LESS A DAY. THEY LIVE IN LITTLE SAND BLOCK DIRT FLOOR SHACKS WITH TIN ROOFS, NO POWER AND LITTLE OR NOW FURNITURE. THEY COOK CASSAVA ROOTS AND LEAVES WITH PEPPERS AND RICE. PROTEINS CONSIST OF FISH AND CHICKEN AND PEANUTS. THERE IS NO RUNNING WATER OR ELECTRICITY. THE SCHOOL HOUSE IS THE ONLY REAL STRUCTURE IN THE COMMUNITY, IT IS ONE ROOM WITH A DIRT FLOOR AND ABOUT THREE HUNDRED CHILDREN OF ALL AGES. WE ARE HERE TO BUILD SIX MORE CLASSROOMS SO THESE KIDS CAN FIT AND HAVE SPACE TO BETTER THERE EDUCATION. WE BROUGHT A MAP OF THE WORLD AND ALL OF THE CHILDREN HAD NEVER SEEN ONE!! THEY NEVER KNEW THERE WAS ANYTHING OUT THERE OTHER THAN FREETOWN. EVEN THE TEACHERS WERE FINDING IT HARD TO LOCATE OTHER COUNTRIES........WOW!!! I HAVE SEEN SO MANY THINGS SINCE COMING TO AFRICA THAT HAVE BLOWN MY MIND IT IS HARD TO FIT IT ALL IN THIS BLOG. WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD BUILDING THE SCHOOL, TEACHING THE CHILDREN, AND INTERACTING WITH THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY..................................MORE TO COME.