Tears of Joy

It was emotional for me to read this email and see this pictures. This morning was the first day of school in Kabala, Sierra Leone! The dream has become reality. There is no way for me to accurately express what this all means, but maybe the email from Lee and Ilean, friends who were there for this great moment, capture a bit of it. The pictures are amazing. Glory to God!

The sound of a brass bell began a new chapter in Christian education in Kabala. At 8 AM on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, when the bell rang out, over 100 students, their parents, their teachers, and a number of other local people who were instrumental in the formation of CRC Primary School in Kabala, began with singing a Krio hymn and other choruses and prayer. Ilean and I were filled with joy to represent the Fraser Valley Christian High School and Surrey Christian School communities. The people in attendance expressed great joy and thanksgiving for the school, its qualified teachers and the encouragement from the international community.

Later we spent a couple of hours just walking through the classrooms as teachers were beginning to implement some very creative teaching with most of their teaching materials still on the way. But that didn't dampen their enthusiasm for learning. They are trying to be a real alternative to many local schools where students are encouraged to be passive learners. No here.

Few of us get the opportunity as we have had today of seeing students and teachers come together for the first time in a community, in a country. In Krio we say, Plenti, Plenti, Tanke!

Lee & Ilean


J.T. Koroma, headmaster, signals the beginning of a new era!

Sweet uniforms, room to work, hand made desks!

Kids playing outside!