so, it has been a while...

I realized today that I haven't posted anything here in almost a year! I'm very sorry for the lack of communication this year. Keith and I are so thankful for the faithful support and prayers of so many - Change One would be nothing without each of you. We've had a busy year personally, and I'm afraid that has pulled us away from all the things we'd like to be doing with Change One (like writing letters and emails and posting things on the blog!).

Here's an update of some of the things that have happened with Change One this year:

1. A new well in Grafton! We are so thankful that this well project is nearing completion! It has taken nearly a year to get this one done, due to the rainy season and other problems along the way. It is another really deep well, too, and I guess it just takes a long time to dig that deep! This well will supply water to City of Rest, Sierra Leone's only home for those struggling with mental illnesses and drug addictions. Click here for an article about City of Rest and here for their website. It really is a beautiful organization, doing a difficult and wonderful work in Sierra Leone. Change One is happy to have played a roll in developing their new facility!

2. Pastor Menyongar visited in August. We had a great (if brief!) visit from Pastor Samuel Menyongar this summer. It is always a blessing to spend time with him. Pastor M is working on his autobiography--he has an amazing story, so keep an eye out for that in the future! We had the opportunity to put together a meeting where several of our friends and supporters came together to hear him share. Keith and I also cooked up some Sierra Leone specialities--cassava leaf and ground nut soup. Our wonderful hosts, Abigail & Tim, are pictured with us below:

3. Ongoing school sponsorships and micro-business loans. Change One continues to fund small business developments in Freetown, especially in some of the amputee and refugee communities. There are almost 100 people in the micro-loan program! We are also providing the finances for several children to attend school.

4. Food assistance. Remember our Christmas Rice program from last Christmas? Well, it seems that the funds raised for that project have allowed for continued food distribution for several months into 2009! Thank you for your generosity last Christmas and for feeding many people this year.

5. IMC support. Change One has been so grateful for our partnership with IMC. We have been able to provide some funding for the operational needs of IMC, especially to help support local pastors in the numerous churches IMC has planted.

Future plans? We're still prayerfully considering the holistic training center we've written about in the past. We are also thinking and praying about the future of Change One and the possibility of the 2 of us moving back to SL in a couple of years. Keith is working on his applications to a couple of different PhD programs - it feels like we have much to consider in the upcoming months!

Thank you all again for your continued faithful support!

a new well!

Change One has been working on a well at a home for the mentally ill in Sierra Leone. Well, maybe I should say THE home for the mentally ill, since it is the only place in the country for those suffering with mental illnesses or drug addictions.

This well has been a bit of an ordeal, but we heard yesterday that they finally hit water! Very exciting news! (you can see the water shimmering at the bottom of this huge hole!)

In other news, Pastor Menyongar has been visiting in the US again this winter. He had the opportunity to help out as a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army. I just had to share this picture!