Supporting communities held back by poverty
From Pastor Yatta Whatsapp 7 Sept:
“This is the camp of DON BOSCO run by the Catholics where a lot of children and woman are taken. We choose them to do the presentation. They have a bit over 300 inmates. We did the presentation and we where taken around to see the camp. They pitched 7 big tents. They try to feed then 3 times a day. I tell you it is a big work.”
Note from editor: Yatta used some of the money we sent him to buy supplies which he gave to the Don Bosco camp.
From Pastor Yatta, Sept 7th
“This Lady on the Black and White was taken away by the flood and was rescued at Lumley beach unconscious. We spoke and prayed with her, she lost her two children, husband and her parent she is the only survivor. We have to give her a special gift.”
Sunday 3rd Sept from Pastor Yatta Samura
Sierra Leone is at a CROSS ROAD and too many things are going on.
The flooding is still fresh in the minds of the people. Many people are still not able to find their missing family or relatives. The Rain is still coming very heavily.
Last week more rain took place, that’s also killing people. Last Night it was the same problem. Two children died in my community and we have been able to find the bodies this evening.
Please pray that the Lord stop this rain, as this is supposed to be the last month of the rainy season.
The presidential and parliamentary Election is around the corner and this has the potential to affect the fragile Peace we have in this country. The tension is mounting very high.
Pray that the Lord gives us the right leaders and a peaceful Election.
Government is working in removing people from the slums where the effect is always taking place. Trying to provide affordable housing for them.
Pray for the funding and partners to make it a reality.
I went this week to Don Bosco where many of the flood victims’ children are kept, it was pathetic to see. I presented food items to them and pray for them. I am trying to start a ministry with them. We are not allowed to take pictures of them to send out.
Pray that’s God use me to be a blessing to them.
Pray for sports life in December we are planning a youth Camp for over 400. We want children to come from all around the country with special reference to the flood victims.
Pray for God to help us with the funding and volunteers.
Again, I say a BIG THANK YOU for the assistance you have provided thus far to help with the problem that has be fall this our beloved Nation Sierra Leone. God will move us forward. Jesus is the Answer for Sierra Leone.
Stay Blessed
Yatta Samura
From Yatta
I write to say THANK YOU for standing by us at a difficult time like this in Sierra Leone. The money you sent we received and have represented you in one of the slum that was affected by the flooding.
Ya Bundu community was badly affected and up to this time have been neglected. When we made contact with those in charge they directed us to go there. We bought bought some food Items, Clothes, water and we also took cash and presented to them as a community.
The community ask me to say thank you on there behalf. May the good Lord bless you and Replenish you mightily.
Video of Yatta with community leaders
From Pastor Yatta Samura, Freetown, Sierra Leone
On Monday morning Sierra Leone is awaken up again to a news of devastated and deadly mudslide. Like the Rebel War and the Ebola epidemic. This is the worse this country has suffered in recent history. It has been reported over 400 bodies discovered at the moment.
I am impressed by the response, empathy and compassion shown by everyone near and far. I went to go out at 6.00 am Monday morning but the rain was heavy so I decided to stay indoors when I started getting phone calls from relatives and friends. Big houses came down flat to the ground. Our emergency services prove inadequate. I saw people digging out corpses several hours after the disaster. No tools no stretchers nor machines. The Red Cross has estimated over 600 people still not discovered, they are covered underground. People are identifying corpses at the hospital for burial Government has declared 7 days of mourning for the whole country. There is an Urgent need to provide healing, Relief and Support for the Survivors.
I have friends and relatives affected. Some are homeless, some without Food and Clothes, they lost everything. Many Children again that have lost their parents. Thank God, no news yet of any of my church members. Please pray for Sierra Leone we need your prayers and support at this time. Thanks for your interest and concerns.
Stay Blessed
Pastor Yatta Samura
Our charity has a special appeal at https://lovesierraleone.org. All help will go directly to those we know and work with.
PS: The pictures above show some of the devastation. Yatta sent other pictures including some of people searching through piles of bodies looking for loved ones. Heartbreaking!!!
From the head of Ahkom school – “two young girls newly promoted from Junior Secondary 3 to Senior Secondary 1 (form 4), spent a good deal of their morning break, last week , in the punishment corner for skiving class in a determined bid to attend the JSS 3 RTR class”.
Since the New year started in January we have been Fasting and praying in believing God to help us grow our Ministry. For God to take us to another Level in our ministry.. I believe that prayer is the secret weapon in the Kingdom of God. It is like a missile that can be fired toward any spot on Earth and hit it target at anytime.In john.17:20 Jesus Prayed ‘I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will believe’. His prayer is answered every day somebody believe in Jesus. I see God moving us higher in 2017. Let me start by thanking you very much for those of you who by the grace of God has been PRAYING and SUPPORTING our Ministry.
Let me quickly say to you that the ministry is growing. I am happy and grateful to God for you, may the good Lord bless you and meet your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 2016 has been a year of Challenge. We face a lot of challenges but God has always been their by our side. Our theme then was ‘Standing on the Promises of God’ so we took God at his word. National Training school was started, we went through the Level 1 training which was the Foundational principles of our Christian Faith and graduated about 20 people – we would then move to Level 2 this year. I see the Training as the foundation for our Growth and stability. Already over 60 Student have registered for the Level 1 Training. Working on time to go up and stay there for that time of the training.
We had the opportunity this past year to bring together the Kono churches for Fellowship , Reports and posting. Some of our pastors are posted into a new location. It was a wonderful time together. We also had the opportunity to License 3 of our pastors in Freetown. The church in Freetown is facing a lot of challenges with their place of meeting which double as the Office of the mission. The house master want to increase the rent but we are on negotiation. We were paying $3000 but now want to increase it to $3,500. I pray and hope he will understand when we meet. Pastor Marcarthy was sick but thank God he has recovered, we also have some of our pastors that was sick and have to bring them down to Freetown for medication. It was really a challenge for all of us..
SPORTS LIFE MINISTRY.. God is taking us some where, the Spot Them Young program is spreading. We have already started in three Location. The Coaches are doing very well, their responsibility is not just to coach the sports but to coach their lives as well. So they are ‘Whole Life Coach’. We are also working in schools where God is opening a lot of doors for ministry. Our age bracket is 6- 12 primary school level and a follow up program is been set up for those who go to secondary schools. Every child in the program must be a school going child , now we are face with problem – many children that want to be part of the program their parents cannot afford to put in the school so the responsibility come back to us. We have put many in schools now we are over stretched. We are now trying to raise scholarship for them. I give lunch to 10 kids every morning, not to talk about books, bag, shoes etc. The other Challenge is the sporting equipment, any help in that direction will be appreciated. Ian Gill thank you for the box please let it keep coming every months.
JOG 4 JESUS… The Biggest ever this past year, more and more people keep getting interested to the Jogging and the proclamation of the Gospel.It is done on the Saturday for Easter Sunday. This year we are involving the school to be part of it. So we are expecting a bigger crowed. We had the opportunity to feed the children for Christmas. they where so happy and excited, after the feeding they dance almost the whole day singing and asking when again. It was very emotional I almost shed tears. They were happy and they appreciated it very much.
SCHOOL….. Sister Magrete continue with her school but St. Andrews has been given over to the Local Government to supports it. But we still try to maintain our influence in the school. Pastor Marcarthy and Safia Sesay has made themselves available to help with the school.. We are happy and lucky the pressure ha been shifted .
OUR THEME FOR 2017….. ‘GROWING TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY’ We have no option but to keep moving higher, like new born babies.
Above all we thang God for providing us Land in Freetown to build a Church and School. Even though it was very expensive the good Lord provided the funds. Church and School in Freetown is strategic for the growth of the ministry in Sierra Leone.
PRAYER REQUEST………
1. For more students to develop interest in going through the training and to equip them for service
2. For SPOT THEM YOUNG program to keep growing and attract financial supports for kits, equipment and stipend for coaches
3. Prayer answered the St. Andrews School is now with he government. Please pray that the christian influence will continue in the school and for the children to continue to do well in their exams.
4. For the Church in Freetown as we meet with the land lord for settlement. Also as we start the Building project this year for wisdom and funding. For the minister of Lands to sign our survey plan.
5. Pastor Marcarthy motorbike has been broken down we need a replacement as he supervise the work in Kono
6. For peaceful 2018 National Election. already tention within political parties. The peace in Sierra Leone is frigile this election has a lot to do..
Stay blessed
Yatta Samura
Here is a class in progress – you can’t see it in the photos but the class is following their normal syllabus using ReadToMe software on the screen. It is great to see some pupils up at the front pointing out things on the screen.
[From Pastor Yatta on Christmas day]
We do had a good time yesterday with the children. We where able to feed 138 children far more than we expected because Children around the neighborhood keep coming. The children where very happy and excited . We went and played some games with them and they came eat, drink and dance. They stayed almost the whole day not wanting to go home. It was very emotional for .me. Thank you very much for your support. It was a clear sign yesterday that people are hungry in this country. Elderly people started coming from the neighborhood to ask for food. Thank you, thank you thank you. On behalf of our Team I say happy Christmas and a prosperous new 2017. May the good Lord bless you all
[update from Pastor Yatta Samura]
Sports Life brought together 8 primary schools in the Godreach Community as past of the SPOT THEM YOUNG program. It was so exciting and challenging. We had good FUN!
Children shared the equipment that is available
After training and playing the children shared some food
Some other pictures taken during the day
Love Sierra Leone 