SL 1: First night in Freetown:

(NOTE: NOW IN GHANA... FIRST CHANCE AT INTERNET... HERE'S THE FIRST POST A WEK LATE)

First night n Freetown:

So the airport in Sierra Leone was different to say the least.  We had an escort set up ahead of time (thanks Wade) but I can imagine what it would have been like without him.  Forget the fact that I was drenched from head to toe the second we set foot outside customs... but we were immediately swarmed by people offering to carry our bags, sell us phone cards, etc.  Out guide (a young man studying journalism at the University in Sierra Leone and interning in PR at the airport this term) was a lifesaver.  He got us our helicopter tickets, a phone card and made sure we didn’t tip anyone we weren't supposed to.  Once safely on on the WWII chopper packed in like  a can of sweaty sardines we waited 8 minutes or the chopper to warm up and spent 7 minutes in the air before landing in Freetown.

I wish I could simply bottle this experience because I can’t put it into words... it may sound crazy, but we are LOVING every minute of the inconvenience and uncomfortableness!  And oh, the stories get better...

So we check in and meet up with Michael at the hotel (I’ll get to the hotel’s condition in our next blog) after grabbing a bite to eat we decide to cross the street and watch the sun set on the beach.  Keep in mind, all of the travel info on SL states you should NOT be on the beach after dark.  It’s a pretty safe country (with a crime rate much lower than most American cities) but there is petty theft & tourist scams (especially in the capital city of Freetown)... and what better targets than three unsuspecting white folks carrying camera equipment, right?

So we cross the street with plenty of daylight left and the first thing I notice are a bunch of dogs lounging all over the beach... you know me and dogs so I’m focused on taking scenic photos of the dogs  in front of the sunset, dogs in front of garbage piles, dogs eating garbage... you get the idea.  In the mean time Michael strikes up a convo with some random guys and before we know it he has a new BFF.  This man keep trying to get us to come home with him to meet his Wife and children.

Now we had been warned by EVERYONE not to give out money: A) for our own safety, and B: due to the old adage Give a man a fish/Teach him to fish.

So now it’s getting dark and people are coming out of the wood works and this guy keeps trying to get us to go home with him. I can see Sam is getting a little nervous (being the protector and all) so Mike finally calls us over and tells the guy he wishes we had more to give him, but instead, we would like to pray for him to find a job...

Sam and I are a little taken aback... but immediately join hands and go with the flow.  So there we are, standing on the beach, three tourist and this Leaonean holding hands and praying that God help him find work to feed his family... can you picture it?  Sun setting behind us... a dozen people selling fish on the road behind us... And what was amazing is that he actually seemed fulfilled when we were through.  No money, no handouts, but he was so grateful that we stood there and prayed for him.  Maybe not something we would have done had Mike not asked us, but I am so glad we did.