Your Turn

Several people have contacted me asking what they could do for the people here in Sierra Leone. This will be my first (and last) post regarding any talk of donations or financial giving. Even though I only have a European news station to watch over here, I nightly witness the global hysteria over the economy and now the American concerns over the debt ceiling, recession woes, etc. BUT, I would be remiss as a Christian if I did not offer this message for those able and willing to give.

I know that many people want to donate something other than money. The problem is that the current regulations and powers that run the port in Freetown are a tad corrupt. Many well-intentioned givers have donated toiletries, food, school and medical supplies, but these all get caught up in the red tape of the port. There are shipping containers that have been sitting in Freetown for months, spoiling the food and voiding the medical rations. I’ve overheard several phone conversations of the priests (and Bishop Biguzzi) arguing with port officials. The safest and most efficient option is to donate money. The organizations I have been blessed to work with all concern themselves with subsidiarity (getting the people to be self-sufficient) rather than simply providing hand-outs. Here are the websites I can point you towards:

Catholic Relief Services: http://crs.org/ The overwhelming majority of CRS’ expenses go to on-the-ground services for the people. About 50% of their 2010 expenditures were for education; they also offer life-saving malaria programs, nutrition for children, and legal services for vulnerable persons.

The Diocese of Makeni: http://www.dioceseofmakeni.com/iniziale.htm The greatest expense of the diocese is mobility, that is, fuel and the purchasing/maintenance of the vehicular fleet for the priests to be able to travel across the God-awful road conditions to minister to the village outposts.

Caritas: http://www.caritas.org/worldmap/africa/sierraleone.html A sister organization of CRS, Caritas offers numerous services to the people of Sierra Leone, including assistance for farmers, programs for the youth, and medical outreach for the poor.

I also have the information for anyone feeling called to donate directly to Fr. Francis’ account for the parish. I can relay this to anyone who privately contacts me. His biggest expenses are fuel for his truck and funds for the poor who continually knock on our door. My email is bobangel.ttm@gmail.com

Pray about it—the people here need our prayers, but they also need our hearts and willingness to give. One of our dollars is worth about four times that amount in their currency, and most live under a dollar a day. So even a one-time donation of ten dollars equals about forty dollars for the people here, and that can provide food for a family for weeks. Thanks for reading this far, if you have. Don’t give out of obligation—give for the sake of love. “At the end of our lives, we will be judged by our love”—St. John of the Cross.

-Bob
written 07/16/11