Dear Friends--
We wanted to write to you briefly about Change One's Christmas rice project. Over the past year, the price of rice has doubled in Sierra Leone. This dramatic price increase on the staple food has created new challenges for individuals and families who are already living in strained financial situations. For Christmas this year, we would like to purchase several large bags of rice for distribution in some of the refugee and war wounded communities. A 110-pound bag of rice currently costs about $40 and, we would like to purchase as many bags as possible. We will be raising money over the next month for this Christmas gift to our brothers and sisters in Freetown.
If you are interested in making a donation toward this project, please send a check to Change One, PO Box 82044, Columbus, Ohio 43202, include a note that designates your gift to "Christmas Rice." Or if you see us around and want to give us a cash or check, feel free to do that as well. Every dollar is valuable and no gift is too small!
Thanks!
Keith & Laura Padgett
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
October 2008 prayer letter
Dear Friends,
Recently, Keith and I visited Freetown for about two weeks. We had the opportunity to visit some of Change One’s completed projects, including the well at Rokel and the latrines at the polio community in Grafton. It was great to finally see in person the work that your financial and prayer support has accomplished in those communities! The folks at the polio community were especially thankful to have sanitary toilets and clean places to bathe.
One of my favorite parts of the trip was reconnecting with some of the young men and women we knew from the Lighthouse program. One young man in particular continues to hold a special place in our hearts. Since we left Freetown, he decided to leave school, where he was struggling academically, to pursue a trade. He is now excelling in a youth carpentry program and has been given some leadership responsibilities over some of the younger apprentices. He told us that when he first started the program, he was given many small tasks, such as sweeping the floors and running errands for his boss. He never complained at these seemingly menial tasks, but carried them out joyfully. His faithfulness in these small things has propelled him forward and caused his boss to give him more and more responsibility. Keith and I were able to visit him at his carpentry shop one morning. He proudly showed us some of the work he had been learning. As we left him that morning, tears welled up in my eyes. I remember sitting in the poda-poda (mini-bus) as we left his shop that morning, thinking how all the work we’ve been trying to accomplish in Freetown over the past several years is worthwhile for the sake of this one young man. The meaning of “Change One” hit home on a deeper level that day. To see the change in this former child-soldier over the past few years has been profound. I’m so thankful for the light and love of Jesus in his heart and am excited to see what amazing things God will do with him in the years to come.
We also had a great time connecting with Pastor Menyongar and the staff at IMC. Keith had the opportunity to preach at Pastor’s church, as well as to participate in a call-in radio show. We discussed with Pastor several options for Change One for the upcoming months. Together, we decided that Change One would allocate $1000 toward micro-business loans, providing up to 10 additional families with a small business, and $1000 for school scholarships, granting many more children the ability to attend school this year (school fees range from $10 – $30 per year).
Over the past year, the price of rice has doubled in Sierra Leone. This dramatic price increase on the staple food has created new challenges for individuals and families who are already living in strained financial situations. For Christmas this year, we would like to purchase several large bags of rice for distribution in some of the refugee and war wounded communities. A 110-pound bag of rice currently costs about $40 and, if possible, we would like to purchase 50 bags. We will be raising money over the next couple of months for this Christmas gift to our brothers and sisters in Freetown. (If you are interested in donating toward the Christmas rice project, please send a check to Change One, PO Box 82044, Columbus, Ohio 43202, with a note marked “Christmas rice.”)
Finally, we are also beginning to pray and discuss the possibility of building a holistic training center in Freetown. The center would exist to train pastors to return to the provinces to plant churches, offering training not only in Bible and ministry, but also in a business or trade. This would be a large undertaking and we would love it if you would pray with us for God’s leading and wisdom for Change One and IMC as we are evaluating this possibility.
We cannot thank you enough for your continued prayers and support for the ministries of Change One!
With love,
Keith & Laura Padgett
Recently, Keith and I visited Freetown for about two weeks. We had the opportunity to visit some of Change One’s completed projects, including the well at Rokel and the latrines at the polio community in Grafton. It was great to finally see in person the work that your financial and prayer support has accomplished in those communities! The folks at the polio community were especially thankful to have sanitary toilets and clean places to bathe.
One of my favorite parts of the trip was reconnecting with some of the young men and women we knew from the Lighthouse program. One young man in particular continues to hold a special place in our hearts. Since we left Freetown, he decided to leave school, where he was struggling academically, to pursue a trade. He is now excelling in a youth carpentry program and has been given some leadership responsibilities over some of the younger apprentices. He told us that when he first started the program, he was given many small tasks, such as sweeping the floors and running errands for his boss. He never complained at these seemingly menial tasks, but carried them out joyfully. His faithfulness in these small things has propelled him forward and caused his boss to give him more and more responsibility. Keith and I were able to visit him at his carpentry shop one morning. He proudly showed us some of the work he had been learning. As we left him that morning, tears welled up in my eyes. I remember sitting in the poda-poda (mini-bus) as we left his shop that morning, thinking how all the work we’ve been trying to accomplish in Freetown over the past several years is worthwhile for the sake of this one young man. The meaning of “Change One” hit home on a deeper level that day. To see the change in this former child-soldier over the past few years has been profound. I’m so thankful for the light and love of Jesus in his heart and am excited to see what amazing things God will do with him in the years to come.
We also had a great time connecting with Pastor Menyongar and the staff at IMC. Keith had the opportunity to preach at Pastor’s church, as well as to participate in a call-in radio show. We discussed with Pastor several options for Change One for the upcoming months. Together, we decided that Change One would allocate $1000 toward micro-business loans, providing up to 10 additional families with a small business, and $1000 for school scholarships, granting many more children the ability to attend school this year (school fees range from $10 – $30 per year).
Over the past year, the price of rice has doubled in Sierra Leone. This dramatic price increase on the staple food has created new challenges for individuals and families who are already living in strained financial situations. For Christmas this year, we would like to purchase several large bags of rice for distribution in some of the refugee and war wounded communities. A 110-pound bag of rice currently costs about $40 and, if possible, we would like to purchase 50 bags. We will be raising money over the next couple of months for this Christmas gift to our brothers and sisters in Freetown. (If you are interested in donating toward the Christmas rice project, please send a check to Change One, PO Box 82044, Columbus, Ohio 43202, with a note marked “Christmas rice.”)
Finally, we are also beginning to pray and discuss the possibility of building a holistic training center in Freetown. The center would exist to train pastors to return to the provinces to plant churches, offering training not only in Bible and ministry, but also in a business or trade. This would be a large undertaking and we would love it if you would pray with us for God’s leading and wisdom for Change One and IMC as we are evaluating this possibility.
We cannot thank you enough for your continued prayers and support for the ministries of Change One!
With love,
Keith & Laura Padgett
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Lighthouse Youth
Lighthouse is the program we worked with when we lived in Freetown. The program worked to get youth off the streets and into educational programs (whether traditional schools or training in a trade such as tailoring or carpentry). We loved getting a chance to interact with them for a couple of weeks. We miss these kids!
Keith wrestling with a couple of the boys:
Me & David:
David & Santigie playing mancala:
Cooking cassava leaf and rice:
Here's me with Fatmata:
Keith wrestling with a couple of the boys:
Me & David:
David & Santigie playing mancala:
Cooking cassava leaf and rice:
This is Joseph, showing us the ceiling he was helping build (Joseph is a carpentry apprentice). I love this boy so much! 
A Day in Konde Farm
Pastor Menyongar lives outside Freetown in an area called Konde Farm. He has started a church and a school in this community. We had the privilege of visiting his home and church one Sunday.
Here is their current church building, that is also being used for classrooms for school children during the week:
Pastor Menyongar, Manasseh (Pastor's son), and Keith at the site for the new church building. They are working slowly to raise funds to build a more structurally sound building to use for their church as well as the school. Change One is funding the latrine project here, since there is currently no toilet facility in this area.
Here is their current church building, that is also being used for classrooms for school children during the week:
Pastor Menyongar, Manasseh (Pastor's son), and Keith at the site for the new church building. They are working slowly to raise funds to build a more structurally sound building to use for their church as well as the school. Change One is funding the latrine project here, since there is currently no toilet facility in this area.
These next 2 photos are of the "bridge" we had to cross to get to Konde Farm. To be honest, I was scared I was going to fall in the river. Thankfully, I had Rugi (pastor's small niece) holding my hand to keep me steady!
This one is me with Pastor's kids: Rugi (she's actually a niece), Manasseh, Becky, and pastor's nephew (who's name I don't remember...):
This is just an example of the types of fine roads we got to drive down... Ah, Salone...
Percival Street
One of my favorite things about our trip was visiting our old house on Percival Street. Zara, the little girl who lived downstairs, was my saving grace so many days when we lived in Freetown. When I would come home from a long, tiring, stressful day, I could just go sit and play with Zara and feel it all melt away.
When we first walked into the house this time, Zara ran out to greet me and gave me a huge huge. That one moment made the whole trip worthwhile.
This is Zara and another little girl that was at the house:
When we first walked into the house this time, Zara ran out to greet me and gave me a huge huge. That one moment made the whole trip worthwhile.
This is Zara and another little girl that was at the house:
This is Ishmael--we didn't even recognize him, he's grown so much!
Kroo Bay Kids
The Kroo Bay Good News Club didn't meet while we were in Freetown. They had taken a break for the month of August, due to the excessive amount of rain they were having. The Bay floods terribly during the rains, especially since it acts as a drainage ditch for most of the run-off from the city.
Keith and I walked down toward the Bay one day to visit some friends, and were swarmed with children. It was so good to see Remie, Saidu, Kuami and some of the other kiddos we used to see every week.
Kids love Play Station games everywhere, I guess! It seemed like Freetown had more electricity in the 2 weeks we were visiting than in the entire time we lived there! The kids were sure taking advantage of all the power for things like video games. Keith even showed Kuami & Saidu a few new moves on Mortal Kombat.
Keith and I walked down toward the Bay one day to visit some friends, and were swarmed with children. It was so good to see Remie, Saidu, Kuami and some of the other kiddos we used to see every week.
Kids love Play Station games everywhere, I guess! It seemed like Freetown had more electricity in the 2 weeks we were visiting than in the entire time we lived there! The kids were sure taking advantage of all the power for things like video games. Keith even showed Kuami & Saidu a few new moves on Mortal Kombat.
my boy, the preacher
Keith preached at Pastor Menyongar's church one Sunday while we were in Sierra Leone. I was so proud of him! He spoke all in Krio and seemed to really be connecting with the people. (He even got some cheers!)
I also took a video of some of the women singing in the Loko language during the church service. Loko is unlike any language I've ever heard!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Keith on SL radio!
Pastor Menyongar does a radio show every Saturday. This week the show included guest contributor, Keith Padgett. They talked a little bit about empowering church members to serve in the church and the community and even took a few phone calls.
Here they are in the studio:
Pastor Felix, Keith, & Pastor Menyongar, outside the station:
Here they are in the studio:
Pastor Felix, Keith, & Pastor Menyongar, outside the station:
Friday, August 29, 2008
Rokel
Rokel is where Change One and IMC completed our first project--a water well.
Here's a shot of the well, complete with sign board:
Here we are going up the hill:
Here's a shot of the well, complete with sign board:And the view from up the hill:
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Keith & Laura in Freetown!
We've been in Freetown for several days now, and are enjoying visiting all the Change One projects and reconnecting with old friends. I've been posting some things on my personal blog if anyone is interested. Our internet connection is rather slow, so I'm trying to maintain at least one blog while we're here!
Grafton Polio Camp
Change One recently finished a latrine project in the Polio community in Grafton. This community supports individuals with polio and their family members. We went to "dedicate" the latrines yesterday. We were so welcomed and the people were so thankful to have a decent toilet.
Below is a picture of Keith with the community and the sign board for the project (I think it's a cultural thing to have to put up a sign board for everything):
Below is a picture of Keith with the community and the sign board for the project (I think it's a cultural thing to have to put up a sign board for everything):
This is me with Samuel Sessay, the pastor for the church at the polio camp. He is one of the most thankful and joyful people I've ever met:
I had some bubbles in my bag, and the kids loved them!
One Fabulous Road
This is the road to Grafton, a community east of Freetown, where many of the war wounded and displaced persons were relocated after the war. I tried to take this picture out the back window of the car. Rainy season makes road maintenance even more difficult.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Freetown
These are some views of the city from where we are staying. Freetown has become even more overcrowded and congested in the past few years. It's amazing to see all the little houses cropping up farther and farther up the mountain-side.
Sweet Salone chop! This is the lunch we had today. Keith had beans and rice, and I had jollof rice with fried chicken. delcious.
Sweet Salone chop! This is the lunch we had today. Keith had beans and rice, and I had jollof rice with fried chicken. delcious.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Ferry Incident
Keith and I are enjoying our first full day in Freetown, Sierra Leone! We flew out on Thursday afternoon, around 2:30pm, routed through Washington DC, London, then to Freetown. We landed a bit late at the Freetown airport. Not terribly late, but late enough that it was already dark (it gets dark around 7pm here).
Just for reference, the Freetown airport is located in Lungi, a peninsula across a really large "river" from the main city of Freetown. I've included a map below for people like me who need visual aids:
Just for reference, the Freetown airport is located in Lungi, a peninsula across a really large "river" from the main city of Freetown. I've included a map below for people like me who need visual aids:
So, at this point, we'd already been traveling for over 24 hours. We're pretty worn out. Pastor Jacob (the pastor/construction manager who has helped us on our building projects with Change One) met us at the airport, and helped us get our luggage and everything to the ferry dock, so that we could make our way over to Freetown. Once we reached the dock, we learned that we just missed the ferry, but they would send another one soon. So, we waited.
The other ferry arrived around 10:00pm, and we loaded ourselves and our luggage onto the boat. At about 11:30pm, the engine died, and we were stranded, free floating in the river. They finally found a small fishing boat to tug us into the dock, but about half way there, the decided they wouldn't be able to dock properly. So, around 2:00 am, the ferry "docked" at a place called Government Warf, and all the passengers had to climb over the side of the boat, with our luggage, onto the warf. It was an interesting experience being stranded in an unfamiliar part of town in the middle of the night. Thankfully, one of the security guards offered to drive us to where we needed to go. He even helped me haul my suitcase up what seemed like thousands of stairs.
So, today, we slept in a bit and have been trying to rest after last night's ordeal. We got to spend some time with some of the lighthouse youth this morning. It was really sweet to see them again. We had dinner tonight at one of our favorite Lebanese restaurants, too. So, things are looking up a bit!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Kushay-O! (Hello, everyone!)
(August 2008 prayer letter)
Laura and I are brushing up on our Krio as we prepare for our trip. There are just about two weeks until we head back to Sierra Leone. We leave on August 21st and return on September 4th. We’re extremely excited and nervous for this trip. Pastor Menyongar, who we continue to work with, sent us a list of ministry opportunities Change One can engage in, so we have several options for new projects. As of right now, we have completed a water well project, two bathroom/latrine projects, and we have 9 micro-loans for small business under way. The possibilities for this trip include another latrine project, more micro-loans, school sponsorships for children, and/or helping with materials such as desks and benches for the grade school Pastor Menyongar has started. We had originally hoped for a short medical team to come with us, but have decided to postpone it until next year when we can have more time. We are praying about spending 2-3 months in Freetown next summer which will allow for more opportunities for medical missionaries, teachers, and pastors to come. Please keep us in your prayers for God’s guidance as we make decisions for this trip and future plans for Change One.
This will be an important trip for us. It will be Laura’s first trip back since we finished our work with Word Made Flesh. Along with visiting the completed projects we are hoping to spend a lot of time with our friends and the children that we ministered among while we lived there. Because our leave from the field 2 years ago was rather abrupt, we still feel there is a need for time spent healing those relationships.
This is a busy and exciting time for us. Just a few months ago Laura had a much needed surgery to correct some health issues she has struggled with for a very long time. She is still in the process of healing and we are hoping that over time her condition will be completely healed. So far the Lord has provided almost all of the $50,000 surgery costs. Also, Laura has been working on a bill in the State of Ohio that would create an emergency alert system (similar to the Amber Alert system), for missing elderly and mentally impaired individuals. This new alert system went into effect in June.
As for me, I recently finished my Bachelor’s degree at Ohio State and have been accepted as a Graduate Teaching Associate at OSU while I work on my Master’s in Religious Studies. It is an incredible honor and blessing from the Lord. The university will be paying my tuition and giving me a quarterly stipend as I teach classes in world religions and religious diversity in America. Only 6-12 people are accepted annually out of approximately 200 applicants and even less get to teach. It is a great opportunity and we thank God for it.
We appreciate all of your prayers and support for us in this time. Please pray for us as we make decisions on our trip for Change One’s next direction, as well as safe travel and on time flights. Also please pray for Laura’s continued healing. We will send out an update as soon as we return. Any donations you would like to make would be extremely helpful. We would be able to use anything we receive by August 19th.
Thank you again for your prayers. They are truly what guide and move forward the work of God’s kingdom. We look forward to telling you some amazing stories and sharing pictures when we return.
Blessings,
Keith and Laura
Change One International Ministries
Laura and I are brushing up on our Krio as we prepare for our trip. There are just about two weeks until we head back to Sierra Leone. We leave on August 21st and return on September 4th. We’re extremely excited and nervous for this trip. Pastor Menyongar, who we continue to work with, sent us a list of ministry opportunities Change One can engage in, so we have several options for new projects. As of right now, we have completed a water well project, two bathroom/latrine projects, and we have 9 micro-loans for small business under way. The possibilities for this trip include another latrine project, more micro-loans, school sponsorships for children, and/or helping with materials such as desks and benches for the grade school Pastor Menyongar has started. We had originally hoped for a short medical team to come with us, but have decided to postpone it until next year when we can have more time. We are praying about spending 2-3 months in Freetown next summer which will allow for more opportunities for medical missionaries, teachers, and pastors to come. Please keep us in your prayers for God’s guidance as we make decisions for this trip and future plans for Change One.
This will be an important trip for us. It will be Laura’s first trip back since we finished our work with Word Made Flesh. Along with visiting the completed projects we are hoping to spend a lot of time with our friends and the children that we ministered among while we lived there. Because our leave from the field 2 years ago was rather abrupt, we still feel there is a need for time spent healing those relationships.
This is a busy and exciting time for us. Just a few months ago Laura had a much needed surgery to correct some health issues she has struggled with for a very long time. She is still in the process of healing and we are hoping that over time her condition will be completely healed. So far the Lord has provided almost all of the $50,000 surgery costs. Also, Laura has been working on a bill in the State of Ohio that would create an emergency alert system (similar to the Amber Alert system), for missing elderly and mentally impaired individuals. This new alert system went into effect in June.
As for me, I recently finished my Bachelor’s degree at Ohio State and have been accepted as a Graduate Teaching Associate at OSU while I work on my Master’s in Religious Studies. It is an incredible honor and blessing from the Lord. The university will be paying my tuition and giving me a quarterly stipend as I teach classes in world religions and religious diversity in America. Only 6-12 people are accepted annually out of approximately 200 applicants and even less get to teach. It is a great opportunity and we thank God for it.
We appreciate all of your prayers and support for us in this time. Please pray for us as we make decisions on our trip for Change One’s next direction, as well as safe travel and on time flights. Also please pray for Laura’s continued healing. We will send out an update as soon as we return. Any donations you would like to make would be extremely helpful. We would be able to use anything we receive by August 19th.
Thank you again for your prayers. They are truly what guide and move forward the work of God’s kingdom. We look forward to telling you some amazing stories and sharing pictures when we return.
Blessings,
Keith and Laura
Change One International Ministries
Monday, June 23, 2008
Travel plans
Keith and I booked plane tickets for our trip in August! We'll be in Freetown from August 22-September 4!
I'm excited to go and see old friends, visit the ministry sites and refugee communities. We'll be planning some events and things with Pastor Menyongar as well. I'm also hoping to have a decent amount of time to reconnect with my friends there.
Please pray for us as we go! Pray for safe travels, that we'll be able to continue to build relationships in Sierra Leone, and also that we will be able to discern future ministry and long-term goals for us and our involvement in Africa.
I'm excited to go and see old friends, visit the ministry sites and refugee communities. We'll be planning some events and things with Pastor Menyongar as well. I'm also hoping to have a decent amount of time to reconnect with my friends there.
Please pray for us as we go! Pray for safe travels, that we'll be able to continue to build relationships in Sierra Leone, and also that we will be able to discern future ministry and long-term goals for us and our involvement in Africa.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
gas prices in SL are the highest in the world
According to a CNN Money article, Sierra Leone has the highest gas prices in the world, where gasoline costs $18.42 per gallon. When we lived there a couple years ago, gas cost over $4.00/gallon, which was expensive for public transportation and everyday life. The the main power plant in Freetown uses diesel generators and electricity was sporadic (supplying power only a few hours each week) at best. I can imagine these prices are causing all sorts of problems.
(See CNNMoney for more information on world-wide gasoline costs.)
(See CNNMoney for more information on world-wide gasoline costs.)
Monday, April 21, 2008
food costs are a growing concern
I read an article today that stated that the price of rice has risen 74% since March 2007. That is an astronomical increase, nearly doubling the price for the staple food for many places around the world, including Sierra Leone. For a place where many still live on a dollar a day or less, these rising costs are contributing to more malnutrition and hunger issues in an already struggling nation.
If you're interested in more information, the BBC gives a good breakdown on the rising costs of food around the world: The cost of food: facts and figures
If you're interested in more information, the BBC gives a good breakdown on the rising costs of food around the world: The cost of food: facts and figures
Doctors forgo local practice for jobs in Africa
I thought this was a great article about a couple from Ohio moving to northern Sierra Leone to run a hospital. There is a huge need in Sierra Leone for medical professionals. For the full text of the article, click below:
"We just really felt called: 'This is what we're going to do,'•" recalled Dr. Karen Asher, whose husband is in Kamakwie getting guidance from the departing longtime director.
The Ashers and their youngest, Matthew, 14, plan to move to Kamakwie this fall after raising funding - $60,000 a year, including their combined salary of $17,000 - and finishing work in the Toledo area. In November, the doctors closed their Toledo family medicine practice after 14 years, although they still have patients in nursing homes and elsewhere.
By JULIE M. McKINNON
The Ashers long had planned to do full-time medical mission work, probably somewhere in Central America, after their three children graduated from college. But when Drs. Thomas and Karen Asher learned Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital in Sierra Leone was in dire need of a director, their career-mission timing was accelerated by at least eight years.
"We just really felt called: 'This is what we're going to do,'•" recalled Dr. Karen Asher, whose husband is in Kamakwie getting guidance from the departing longtime director.
The Ashers and their youngest, Matthew, 14, plan to move to Kamakwie this fall after raising funding - $60,000 a year, including their combined salary of $17,000 - and finishing work in the Toledo area. In November, the doctors closed their Toledo family medicine practice after 14 years, although they still have patients in nursing homes and elsewhere.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
April Prayer Letter
Dear loved ones:
I (Laura) have been reading in Isaiah some recently, and I wanted to share a few verses with you that really struck me:
These verses share a promise new heavens and a new earth. It seems to be a two-fold promise—a promise of things not only in the afterlife, but also to the Jews in their return from exile in Babylon, to offer them hope of a new Jerusalem. What a beautiful picture these verses paint! My heart aches for a place where there is no weeping or death, a place where life will be rich and good, where none of our hard work will ever be in vain.
A few weeks ago, my friend Kim wrote to me to share some sad news. Kim lived in Sierra Leone for about 6 months last year, working in an orphanage near the city of Bo. While she was there, one of her main tasks was caring for an infant named Solomon; she basically became his adopted mom for those months. Solomon was small for his age and malnourished, but while loved and nurtured by Kim, he seemed to be growing and gaining strength. She returned to the US a few months ago, and Solomon continued to receive loving care from the other staff at the orphanage. However, on March 5, little Solomon passed away. They weren’t really sure why—it just seemed that his little body wasn’t developing properly and he didn’t have the strength to fight off a sickness that came his way a few days prior.
About the same time that I read the email from Kim, I received the news that my 97 year old grandfather had also gone to be with the Lord. My grandfather had been such a gentle, constant presence throughout my life, and his funeral was truly a celebration of his life. Grandpa had a story for almost every topic, and I always loved hearing him reminisce about his days growing up in West Virginia and working in Akron. At his funeral, though, I got to hear many other stories about my grandfather—stories about his faith, courage and love, stories about the countless lives he touched in his 97 years. Although we rejoice that he is with Jesus and no longer suffering, his passing has certainly left an empty spot in the family, especially for my grandmother, his wife of nearly 72 years.
On this one day, March 5, 2008, these two went to be with Jesus. On this day, I sat with my Bible, and read Isaiah 65, thanking God for these two lives and longing for that day when, like in Isaiah 65:20, babies like Solomon won’t die so young, and when a 97 year old grandfather will be considered a mere youth. Both Solomon and my Grandpa touched so many lives, each one in unique and profound ways. I am grateful that these two individuals have been a part of my life, and that I have been forever changed by knowing and loving them.
It is our continued hope and prayer for Change One that each person we minister among will be changed by encountering the love of Jesus. We hear constant reports of high infant and child mortality rates and short life expectancies for our Sierra Leonean brothers and sisters; we would love to see the day when Isaiah 65 could become more of a reality in Sierra Leone as well. We hope that we can play a part in this by helping to provide nourishing food, safe shelter, and life-saving medication to the poor in Sierra Leone, all the while praying for the Kingdom of God to come in that country!
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for this ministry. Thank you for changing one.
With love,
Keith & Laura
I (Laura) have been reading in Isaiah some recently, and I wanted to share a few verses with you that really struck me:
Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth…I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth…They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit…They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD. (Portions of Isaiah 65:17-23, emphasis added)
These verses share a promise new heavens and a new earth. It seems to be a two-fold promise—a promise of things not only in the afterlife, but also to the Jews in their return from exile in Babylon, to offer them hope of a new Jerusalem. What a beautiful picture these verses paint! My heart aches for a place where there is no weeping or death, a place where life will be rich and good, where none of our hard work will ever be in vain.
A few weeks ago, my friend Kim wrote to me to share some sad news. Kim lived in Sierra Leone for about 6 months last year, working in an orphanage near the city of Bo. While she was there, one of her main tasks was caring for an infant named Solomon; she basically became his adopted mom for those months. Solomon was small for his age and malnourished, but while loved and nurtured by Kim, he seemed to be growing and gaining strength. She returned to the US a few months ago, and Solomon continued to receive loving care from the other staff at the orphanage. However, on March 5, little Solomon passed away. They weren’t really sure why—it just seemed that his little body wasn’t developing properly and he didn’t have the strength to fight off a sickness that came his way a few days prior.
About the same time that I read the email from Kim, I received the news that my 97 year old grandfather had also gone to be with the Lord. My grandfather had been such a gentle, constant presence throughout my life, and his funeral was truly a celebration of his life. Grandpa had a story for almost every topic, and I always loved hearing him reminisce about his days growing up in West Virginia and working in Akron. At his funeral, though, I got to hear many other stories about my grandfather—stories about his faith, courage and love, stories about the countless lives he touched in his 97 years. Although we rejoice that he is with Jesus and no longer suffering, his passing has certainly left an empty spot in the family, especially for my grandmother, his wife of nearly 72 years.
On this one day, March 5, 2008, these two went to be with Jesus. On this day, I sat with my Bible, and read Isaiah 65, thanking God for these two lives and longing for that day when, like in Isaiah 65:20, babies like Solomon won’t die so young, and when a 97 year old grandfather will be considered a mere youth. Both Solomon and my Grandpa touched so many lives, each one in unique and profound ways. I am grateful that these two individuals have been a part of my life, and that I have been forever changed by knowing and loving them.
It is our continued hope and prayer for Change One that each person we minister among will be changed by encountering the love of Jesus. We hear constant reports of high infant and child mortality rates and short life expectancies for our Sierra Leonean brothers and sisters; we would love to see the day when Isaiah 65 could become more of a reality in Sierra Leone as well. We hope that we can play a part in this by helping to provide nourishing food, safe shelter, and life-saving medication to the poor in Sierra Leone, all the while praying for the Kingdom of God to come in that country!
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for this ministry. Thank you for changing one.
With love,
Keith & Laura
Saturday, April 5, 2008
2008 Ministry Updates
Sanitation Project: Toilets and bathing areas were completed recently in the Grafton war-wounded community. There was a great need for sanitary bathroom facilities in Grafton. In some areas, the latrines were completely filled and people had to resort to relieving themselves in drainage ditches that flowed throughout the camp. For our next project, we plan to dig latrines for a school that does not have any toilet facilities. Students and teachers are currently going into the bush to relieve themselves. We hope to help provide safer and healthier bathroom facilities for this school. All of these latrines will help prevent disease and encourage proper sanitation.
Micro Business Loans: Change One has distributed several loans to individuals and families in the Newton war-wounded community. Some of these businesses include selling rice or kerosene, weaving and dying cloth, etc. As these loans are repaid, new loans can be granted and the program can expand. We hope that the loans will help these families to have a sustainable income in the future.
Medical Team: We are planning a medical outreach trip in late August/early September. We are working with a group of nurses, EMT’s, and doctors that will provide medical care for the war-wounded and displaced-persons communities around Freetown. We are also hoping to do a training session for workers in local churches, equipping them with basic first aid and other fundamental medical skills. There may also be opportunities to offer training sessions in impoverished areas for parents on basic hygiene and health care for their children.
Grafton Houses: We are still waiting on the Sierra Leonean government to offer the Grafton community a land grant so that we can begin building houses. There are nearly 2,000 people in Grafton still living in tents and tarpaulin shacks that were provided by the U.N. nearly a decade ago. We continue to pray for favor with the government officials so that we can move forward with the construction of homes for these families.
Micro Business Loans: Change One has distributed several loans to individuals and families in the Newton war-wounded community. Some of these businesses include selling rice or kerosene, weaving and dying cloth, etc. As these loans are repaid, new loans can be granted and the program can expand. We hope that the loans will help these families to have a sustainable income in the future.
Medical Team: We are planning a medical outreach trip in late August/early September. We are working with a group of nurses, EMT’s, and doctors that will provide medical care for the war-wounded and displaced-persons communities around Freetown. We are also hoping to do a training session for workers in local churches, equipping them with basic first aid and other fundamental medical skills. There may also be opportunities to offer training sessions in impoverished areas for parents on basic hygiene and health care for their children.
Grafton Houses: We are still waiting on the Sierra Leonean government to offer the Grafton community a land grant so that we can begin building houses. There are nearly 2,000 people in Grafton still living in tents and tarpaulin shacks that were provided by the U.N. nearly a decade ago. We continue to pray for favor with the government officials so that we can move forward with the construction of homes for these families.
Prayer Requests and Ministry Needs
- Pray that the relationship between Change One and Pastor Menyongar’s team with IMC continues to be strong, as we partner with IMC on several projects.
- Pray for Pastor Menyongar’s wife, Mariama, who was in a terrible car accident in January. Both of her arms were broken and required surgical repair. She is improving, but we ask that you continue to pray for her full recovery.
- Pray for the land grant to come soon for the Grafton war-wounded community.
- Pray for the Jonathan House orphanage, as they are mourning the loss of baby Solomon. (See also the Jonathan House Blog.)
- Pray for the medical team, as we plan our curriculum and iron out the details of the trip. We also have a financial need of about $4,000 for travel expenses and medical supplies.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
my article from The Cry
At The Feet of Jesus
By Laura Padgett
Published in The Cry, Vol 11, No 2 (Summer 2005)
Before I arrived in Freetown, I had heard a lot of things about this city. I had heard about the horrendous civil war that raged here during the 1990’s. I had heard statistics stating thousands of children were living on the streets. Thousands of young girls were sexually abused and taken as war brides. Thousands of young boys were kidnapped, drugged and forced into armed service. Thousands of amputees and war refugees were living under tarpaulin shacks in refugee camps. Thousands of people were unemployed. Thousands of people suffered from polio, leprosy and AIDS. Thousands and thousands of people in need. Thousands and thousands of people to serve.
Now, after living here for several months, my perceptions of the needs here are taking on more
personal forms. My friend “James” is confined to a wheelchair because his legs are withered and twisted from polio. He sits and begs on the streets each day and prays for Jesus to cover me and bless me each time I see him. He is thankful for the new wheelchair that another nongovernment organization gave him. However, he is tired of the city and would like to return to his village in the provinces. “Could you please help me return home?”
Once a week, I am confronted with the immense needs Kroo Bay, one of the poorest slums in Freetown. Our community holds a Good News Club for about 240 small children there. During the club, we take time to give basic first aid and medical care to the children who need treatment. A desperate mother brought her little girl to us one weekend. The baby was obviously in pain, and the sores on her tiny body resembled an STD like gonorrhea. The mother pleaded with us to help heal her child. “Could your medicines please make my baby well again?”
There is a group of children who spend each day walking up and down one of the main streets of Freetown. When we walk by, they swarm around us with hands outstretched. “Could you please just buy me some peanuts?”
There is a pregnant woman who sits on our street corner each day with her small daughter and sells packages of biscuits and other odds and ends. Biscuits are 500 Leones (about 18 cents) a package. “Would you please buy some biscuits so I can get rice for my child today?”
I feel bombarded by needs here. How do I serve in the face of so many who need so much? The needs here are so great, and I could work endlessly, barely making a dent in the face of poverty in Sierra Leone.
The Gospel of Luke gives account of a wonderful story that has been close to my heart here. Luke writes of Mary and Martha, two sisters with different priorities. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to his teaching, but Martha was busy and preoccupied with working and serving.
When Martha came to Jesus to ask him to rebuke Mary for her idleness, Jesus gently replied, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).
Often in my attempts to serve the Lord and others, I lose sight of the one necessary thing: sitting at the feet of Jesus. Like Martha, my days are busy. By evening, I’m usually exhausted. It is only when I’m filled up on His good portion that I will be able to serve and share His love with people here.
Recently, I was sitting with my friend, “Paul,” a teenager who has suffered great loss due to the civil war. He struggles with depression and is at times sad and detached, remembering the pain of losing his loved ones and mourning the horrible ways they died. As we sat together, I asked how we could pray for him. He shared a couple of requests, then he grew quiet, a tear welling up in the corner of his eye. In my mind I prayed, “Oh, Lord, how do I serve this young man when I cannot begin to fathom his pain?”
I simply sat with him for a few minutes in silence, upset that I had hurt him by asking him to share with me. Finally, I mustered the best Krio I could to say that even though there was no way I could understand what has happened to him or the pain in his heart, I was here to pray for him and cry with him. He sat with his head down for a moment longer, then he squeezed my hand and said, “Thank you.”
With nothing but tears and prayers to offer, I hope that we can sit at the feet of Jesus – together.
By Laura Padgett
Published in The Cry, Vol 11, No 2 (Summer 2005)
Before I arrived in Freetown, I had heard a lot of things about this city. I had heard about the horrendous civil war that raged here during the 1990’s. I had heard statistics stating thousands of children were living on the streets. Thousands of young girls were sexually abused and taken as war brides. Thousands of young boys were kidnapped, drugged and forced into armed service. Thousands of amputees and war refugees were living under tarpaulin shacks in refugee camps. Thousands of people were unemployed. Thousands of people suffered from polio, leprosy and AIDS. Thousands and thousands of people in need. Thousands and thousands of people to serve.
Now, after living here for several months, my perceptions of the needs here are taking on more
personal forms. My friend “James” is confined to a wheelchair because his legs are withered and twisted from polio. He sits and begs on the streets each day and prays for Jesus to cover me and bless me each time I see him. He is thankful for the new wheelchair that another nongovernment organization gave him. However, he is tired of the city and would like to return to his village in the provinces. “Could you please help me return home?”
Once a week, I am confronted with the immense needs Kroo Bay, one of the poorest slums in Freetown. Our community holds a Good News Club for about 240 small children there. During the club, we take time to give basic first aid and medical care to the children who need treatment. A desperate mother brought her little girl to us one weekend. The baby was obviously in pain, and the sores on her tiny body resembled an STD like gonorrhea. The mother pleaded with us to help heal her child. “Could your medicines please make my baby well again?”
There is a group of children who spend each day walking up and down one of the main streets of Freetown. When we walk by, they swarm around us with hands outstretched. “Could you please just buy me some peanuts?”
There is a pregnant woman who sits on our street corner each day with her small daughter and sells packages of biscuits and other odds and ends. Biscuits are 500 Leones (about 18 cents) a package. “Would you please buy some biscuits so I can get rice for my child today?”
I feel bombarded by needs here. How do I serve in the face of so many who need so much? The needs here are so great, and I could work endlessly, barely making a dent in the face of poverty in Sierra Leone.
The Gospel of Luke gives account of a wonderful story that has been close to my heart here. Luke writes of Mary and Martha, two sisters with different priorities. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to his teaching, but Martha was busy and preoccupied with working and serving.
When Martha came to Jesus to ask him to rebuke Mary for her idleness, Jesus gently replied, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).
Often in my attempts to serve the Lord and others, I lose sight of the one necessary thing: sitting at the feet of Jesus. Like Martha, my days are busy. By evening, I’m usually exhausted. It is only when I’m filled up on His good portion that I will be able to serve and share His love with people here.
Recently, I was sitting with my friend, “Paul,” a teenager who has suffered great loss due to the civil war. He struggles with depression and is at times sad and detached, remembering the pain of losing his loved ones and mourning the horrible ways they died. As we sat together, I asked how we could pray for him. He shared a couple of requests, then he grew quiet, a tear welling up in the corner of his eye. In my mind I prayed, “Oh, Lord, how do I serve this young man when I cannot begin to fathom his pain?”
I simply sat with him for a few minutes in silence, upset that I had hurt him by asking him to share with me. Finally, I mustered the best Krio I could to say that even though there was no way I could understand what has happened to him or the pain in his heart, I was here to pray for him and cry with him. He sat with his head down for a moment longer, then he squeezed my hand and said, “Thank you.”
With nothing but tears and prayers to offer, I hope that we can sit at the feet of Jesus – together.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Kroo Bay website
Save the Children has a really neat website, with interactive pictures and stories from Kroo Bay:
http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/kroobay/
http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/kroobay/
Friday, March 7, 2008
Kroo Bay on the BBC
Below is the beginning of an interesting article on the BBC about a medic in Kroo Bay. Please visit the BBC for the full story.
Diary: Sierra Leone slum medic
7 March 2008
Medics running a clinic in a coastal slum of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, are keeping a diary for the BBC News website about their work. In this instalment, Adama Gondor brings us the latest from Kroo Bay clinic, where nearby shanty houses have been built on a rubbish dump on the banks of the Crocodile River.
"We have a chicken pox outbreak in the community at the moment - you can see a lot of children and adults going around covered in white."
Diary: Sierra Leone slum medic
7 March 2008
Medics running a clinic in a coastal slum of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, are keeping a diary for the BBC News website about their work. In this instalment, Adama Gondor brings us the latest from Kroo Bay clinic, where nearby shanty houses have been built on a rubbish dump on the banks of the Crocodile River.
"We have a chicken pox outbreak in the community at the moment - you can see a lot of children and adults going around covered in white."
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Baby Solomon
I had an email from my friend Kim this morning. She spent several months in Sierra Leone recently, working at an orphanage near Bo. During her time there, she cared for an infant name Solomon. Solomon was her primary focus during her time there; she was basically his adoptive mom.
In her email today, she shared the sad news that Solomon had passed away this morning. Here's a bit of what she said:
"I was told today that he passed away this morning. We're not sure why--the only thing that Roger (the director of the orphanage and a good friend) had heard was that he has been sick the last few days and stopped eating and just became weaker and weaker. There has been a concern the last few weeks especially about his very slow physical development and how grim his future looked if it didn't improve. But he is now in heaven and no longer in pain or restricted by his physical limitations, so that is a praise isn't it? Not all that comforting at the moment, but God is good."
Please pray for Kim and all those who cared for little Solomon. For all the lives that he touched and the hearts that are broken at his loss.
I'm reminded of Isaiah 65:19-20:
"I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years..."
This verse is my new vision for Sierra Leone...stories like Solomon's really encourage me to pray harder for this to be realized in that country. I long for the day when there is no more weeping, or small children dying.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Malaria vaccine trials!
Catch malaria — and get $4,000 for it
Volunteers would be bitten by infected mosquitoes in vaccine study
Wed., March. 5, 2008
SEATTLE - The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute will pay volunteers as much as $4,000 to be bitten by mosquitoes infected with malaria. (For the full story, visit MSNBC. See also The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute.)
Volunteers would be bitten by infected mosquitoes in vaccine study
Wed., March. 5, 2008
SEATTLE - The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute will pay volunteers as much as $4,000 to be bitten by mosquitoes infected with malaria. (For the full story, visit MSNBC. See also The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute.)
Monday, February 18, 2008
Latrines and Micro-Loans
Here are a couple photos and updates on some of our most recent projects:
- Building toilets and bathing areas in the Grafton war-wounded and polio communities. There was a great need for sanitary toilet facilities in these communities. In some areas, their latrines have been over-full, and people have resorted to relieving themselves in drainage ditches that flow throughout the camp.
- Micro-Business Loans. We've distributed several loans to individuals and families who submitted proposals for small businesss. Some of these businesses include things like selling rice or kerosene, weaving and dying cloth, etc.
A woman selling palm oil and rice.
Another woman who now sells brooms.
This amputee family is selling a variety of market goods.
A rice sales-woman
A gravel business.
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