"This is Africa!"

This is a phrase that is used very often here in Africa. Sometimes it's shortened to "TIA." It is said to remind us that we are no longer back home...and things are very different here. Unpredictable. This past Saturday I had quite an adventure. It was a TIA day. :)

I set out with a group of about 14 people early in the morning. Our destination was Bunce Island, which is about 2 1/2 hours driving from Freetown, and the last leg of that was to be a canoe ride across the river. Bunce Island is famous because it was one of 40 slave castles built along the west coast of Africa during the period of the Atlantic slave trade. British slave traders stationed on Bunce Island shipped thousands of slaves to southern US colonies during the mid and late 1700's. Colin Powell visited Bunce Island in 1991 and said, "I am an American...But today, I am something more...

I am an African too...I feel my roots here in this continent." I was so excited to have the opportunity to visit this historic island.

We were in high spirits, and it was a beautiful, sunny day. We met our poda-poda driver and three translators who wanted to join us outside the gate. Once many of us had already loaded into the van, we realized that the price for the day of driving was still being decided. This negotiating took over a half hour. Meanwhile we got out of the van and stood around. That was the first TIA moment. 

Once we hit the road, things were going well for the first two hours of driving (minus the fact that we were sitting on hard, metal benches). I really enjoyed getting to talk with several ladies sitting near me. Our driver suddenly stopped on the side of the road when someone spoke up to say we were going the wrong way. We pulled out a map, and showed our driver where Bunce Island was. Our translators told us that the driver thought we were going to a different island...Boathes Island. Apparently they sounded a lot alike...we had never heard of it before! Second TIA moment.

Our poda-poda. The man on the right is Pastor Samuel, who helped translate, and the man in the middle is Pastor Joel.

We turned around and headed what we thought was the right direction for another hour and a half. Again, the country was absolutely stunning. I have never seen vegetation this green and lush in my entire life! However, just like in the city, there is much poverty out in the rural areas. We soon realized that we were not going in the right direction. Instead of heading north of Freetown, we were very far south. Soon, our driver told us we were near Banana Island. We couldn't believe it...he had seemed to know where to take us. We were not going to see Bunce Island that day. TIA number three. By this point were were tired of bouncing around in the poda-poda, so we decided to spend a few hours at the beach that we were near. My butt couldn't take any more time in the poda-poda. :)

We really enjoyed our time at the beach, but I am still hoping to see Bunce Island. There is usually a trip every month, so I will try the next one!

Here are a few sights on the way. This is a mosque in Freetown - Islam is the number one religion in Sierra Leone.

The beautiful landscape!

We passed many homes like this one...and this one is considered nice in comparison to many others I have seen. Many homes simply have a roof made of palm branches because tin is too expensive.

Majestic mountains around Freetown.

An abandoned schoolhouse we passed while walking toward the beach. The man giving us a "tour" said that slaves were kept under this building before being shipped off. We weren't sure if this building was old enough for that though?

In God We Trust :)

One of our translators, Florence, and my friend Anne who is from Virginia!

The beaches here are amazing. It seems that at one point, this veranda area was a nice restaurant. We guessed that since the war it has been abandoned. This is where we ate our lunches.

A shot from Bad Boy Lane, the road we walk down to reach the ship. The homes are literally falling apart, and they are crammed together so tightly. 

My roommate, Sandra wearing her African dress. This was given to her by a friend of ours who works on the ship but lives in Freetown. Sandra is heading home to the Netherlands in one week, and I will really miss her! :(

I want to share with you a scripture that I read today. I just happened to open my Bible to Psalm and read this passage:

 ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
   Where can I flee from your presence? ⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. ⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
   if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
   your right hand will hold me fast. ¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
   and the light become night around me,” ¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
   the night will shine like the day,
   for darkness is as light to you.

Psalm 139: 7-12

This was so comforting to me to realize that God is with me, no matter if I'm in the US or Sierra Leone or anywhere else, He is there! While living here, there are times when I have doubted His presence with me. The culture is so different, and can even be scary at times. However, I will not give in to Satan's lies that say God is not with me. Also, this verse brings comfort for my future decisions. Whether I go into full-time missions in a foreign country, or stay close to home, God will still be with me. 

Thank you for reading. God bless!