I cannot even think of where to start as I write this blog, with tears in my eyes and the most joy imaginable in my heart. This morning, I had the wonderful oppurtunity (along with Rev. John, Rev. Ezekiel, and Pastor Maxwell, my wonderful Zambian, Nigerian, and Sierra Leonean brothers who are helping run the program on the ground here) to award scholarships to four wonderful, amazing, and very deserving youth in Kabala.First of all, I want to offer a HUGE congratulations to Saio M. Jalloh, Martin Koroma, Foray Sesay, and Martin Jonal Lisa, the first 4 recipients of the scholarships from The People's Foundation for Sierra Leone! You are all amazing, deserving, wonderful youth, and I am SO SO excited about the great things you will do for your families, community, and your country! I also want to offer a HUGE thank-you to everyone who has contributed to make this dream a reality - whether through financial support, prayers, thoughts, or simply spreading the word - we could NOT have done this without you, and I am eternally grateful for your past and continued support. Let's keep it going...believe me, this program will make a difference in the lives of these youth and the lives of people all over this country! I also want to offer a huge, heartfelt thank-you to my beloved sister, friend, and partner in this organization, Katie Jenkins, for working so hard to help make this dream a reality, and not laughing at how ridiculous the idea of sponsoring youth for university seemed for Canadian two girls who hadn't even finished their own schooling - Katie, you are amazing, and I am so so thankful for your love, support, and hard work on this project! I could not and cannot do it without you!
I am absolutely unable to express how blessed I was to be apart of this amazing dream becoming a reality...it was probably one of the most joyful, wonderful moments of my entire life, to see 4 beautiful youth so happy, fufilled, and enabled to reach their dreams.It is impossible to express through words the pure, genuine joy that these 4 youth conveyed after I told them they had received the scholarships...but I have added some pictures to try to express it as best I can. When I return to Canada, Katie and I will be making a video with some of the footage I was able to take of the interviews and the awarding of the scholarships - what wonderful, encouraging, inspiring moments! The best part about doing this kind of work is seeing how valuable and how needed it actually is...NEVER ever think that the work you do for others, or the work you do without pay, is unimportant...it is the most life-changing, beautiful work imaginable!
The only girl to receive a scholarship this year, Saio M. Jalloh, made some incredibly powerful and encouraging statements during her interview. When I asked her what she wanted to do as a career, this is how she responded:
"I want to be a teacher, because I know that there are very few people who want to teach in this country. Teachers are not paid well, and they are often looked down upon...people laugh at me when I say I want to be a teacher, and say I should find money in something like accounting or business. But I want to be a teacher because I want to change that in my district and my country. I want to help develop my country by improving the basic levels of education, and I want to come back to my community and teach so that the children here can have a brighter future. Eventually, I want to be the minister of Education in Sierra Leone, so we can make a change all over the country."
What an incredible, emotional, moving, and amazing statement from someone who just finished secondary school! I was so encouraged and inspired by this to keep pursuing my own dream of becoming a teacher! I am so amazed at the heart, the dedication, and the love for their country that the youth in this town express. I truly believe that if they can pursue education, they will contribute to their community in ways we cannot even imagine now! I am so excited to see how Saio grows in the next years, and how she will come back to her community and change lives for the better!
I could go on forever about how incredible this interviews were, and how inspired I am, but there will be time for all that when I am home in Canada, and I don't want to make you all read a ten-page essay here :) But please know that I am SO thankful for everyone who reads this blog, contributes to this project, and will continue in the future...and please know that this project is truly changing lives beyond our wildest dreams. How good is our God...He makes the impossible possible! I am so blessed that he has chosen to use Katie and I to bring hope through education to this wonderful community, and I am so blessed by what this community gives us in return - the most love, care, and gratefulness imaginable. I truly believe that the youth in this country CAN and WILL change this country...so let's keep believing it, and working towards it! I am so excited about the amazing things the youth we have sponsored will accomplish this year and in future years. I think this is all summarized best by the words of Martin Koroma, one of the scholarship recipients:
"Why do I want to pursue education? I want to be independent, so that I can be a blessing to others just as they have blessed me. Give me a challenge, and I will handle it."
What an incredible statement! So from the bottom of my heart, thank-you...and lets accept this challenge of bringing University Education to even more wonderful, deserving youth in this country in the years to come. It is blessed to be a blessing.
With more love and gratefulness than I could ever express,
Krissi
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