Recently, the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Koroma, declared that this West African state has overcome the epidemic of Ebola. For all of us who live in Sierra Leone and went through this nightmare of a deadly epidemic that in 2014-2015 claimed thousands of lives, this is wonderful and very comforting news. We no longer have to wash our hands every day with bleach! We don’t have to take our temperature every day. We are no longer afraid to shake hands with someone. We don’t have to be stopped by police officers every day to take our temperature. We are no longer bound by curfew. We no longer have the daily worry of deadly contamination! We honestly enjoy our freedom from the trader. We are now free to move without road blocks, free to go to churches and public places, free to travel from one part of the country to another without curfews and quarantine zones. We thank the Lord Jesus Christ for this freedom and spiritual peace.
However, the tragic consequences of the Ebola epidemic still remain and are all around us here in Sierra Leone:
- The deadly epidemic left thousands of children orphaned and in many cases homeless.
- The Ebola epidemic has devastated Sierra Leone’s economy, making it the second poorest country in the world with an 80% unemployment rate. Food prices have risen. Oil, transport and electricity have increased enormously and people are facing serious economic problems.
- The epidemic has adversely affected the nation’s medical facilities and capabilities. Many doctors and nurses have died. Many have left. Medical facilities and services are currently in a state of disrepair.
- Very recently students have started to return to schools, colleges and universities after a prolonged shutdown of educational institutions.
But how does our mission here in Sierra Leone deal with these national and religious challenges?
First of all, we accepted the challenge of the orphans of Ebola. In his letter St. James writes: “True and pure religion before God and the Father is to take care of orphans in their suffering” (1:27). At present we are ready to undertake the construction of 2 modern orphanages, which will care for 100 children. In addition to providing shelter and food, we are also providing free medical care and educational services from elementary to high school and college. In addition, we are happy to provide a hot meal 6 times a week to approximately 40 orphans at the orphanage and another 400 children and teachers at our school in Waterloo. We also provide all the children with imported shoes and wheelchairs. In relation to the unemployment problem that plagues the country, our mission provides jobs with good wages and other benefits to 60 Sierra Leoneans. We employ teachers in schools, lecturers for our colleges, local priests to guide the Orthodox flock. We employ administrators, drivers, security guards, cleaners, etc. In addition, through our College of Teachers and our scholarship system, we train young children to become competent and gifted teachers and tutors.
Then, in various ways, we are facing the challenge of an incomplete medical system, where basic medical services are not available. When someone from our mission cannot be treated here, we send them to another country with all expenses paid. For example, the wife of a local priest, Elder Elizabeth, developed cancer in her hand. Here we don’t have the option of chemotherapy. So our mission sent her and her husband Fr. Alexander Kamara to Ghana for treatment. She is now following chemotherapy treatments, which will be completed in December. The Mission is taking care of their medical care, transportation and living expenses. We are also grateful to the Archdiocese of Accra for hosting and caring for Fr. Alexander and Sr. Elizabeth. Also for less severe cases, we provide free medical services at our clinic in Waterloo for our teachers and students. Our mission in Sierra Leone is grateful to the Orthodox Foreign Missionary Fraternity for all the help they have provided us over the years. We are able with your financial support to help people in need of medical care, school tuition, funeral expenses and so many other costs. Over the past few years the Brotherhood has sent many containers to help our people here. With the food you send (rice, oil, flour, sugar, salt, milk, etc.) we are able to carry out the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ and feed the poor. For all this, our mission in Sierra Leone offers its thanks and gratitude to the Brotherhood of Thessaloniki.
Αρχ. Themistocles Adamopoulos
High Priestly Commissioner
