Reflections on Sierra Leone & Grace

Before he left, Olly mentioned that Sierra Leone was even lower on the world poverty rating than Liberia.  Walking out of port and driving through the countryside, it's so easy to see.  And I find myself thinking, what can I, a lone white woman do to make a difference?  We have so very, very much - even on the ship with brown water and no chocolate, we are blessed beyond all measure.  And I have to wonder what difference do I make?  Last night, as I was laying in bed, God reminded me of Samuel.  Samuel is a ten year old boy on the ward who half of his face was badly burned - scary beyond all belief would be an apt description.  He was my partner on Friday when my group went down to visit and I told him about my husband Samuel and my daughter who was eleven.  Sunday morning at worship on the ward, Samuel sat two rows in front of us and waited to talk to us after church.  He is the sweetest one-eyed boy and a wonderful big brother to the other children, helping them with crutches and keeping them quiet when they need to be.  He wanted to meet my Samuel and we gave him grief about being shorter than Micah (he doesn't know that everyone is!).  The pastor that morning had talked about how so many of the patients on the ward were teased and ridiculed and hidden away because of their infirmities, but through Mercy Ships, they had received grace and their lives would now be different when they returned home.  They would be called by their names and they would no longer be hidden.  I can't change the world, but I play a small part in changing the lives of Samuel and the children at the ward and the children at Hope Centre.  Thank you for joining on us this journey.  Margo