Hi, this is Shelby. Mum is doing better but had to stay home and rest so you get me instead. Dennis had two Bible studies come to the meeting on Sunday. He was very busy helping them with their new Bibles. Dennis now has 15 regular Bibles studies and numerous return visits.
Sunday moring Lorie and Dennis went up to Regent to see the land we own up there. There is a new panbody (a new tin shack with cement floor.) A man and his mother live there as the care takers for the land.
We have gone to the ocean twice. The water is so nice and warm and the waves a really big. Some of them taller then Dennis, crashing right over his head. Dennis has also ejoyed playing checkers, (learning again) and reading to the kids as there is no TV. By the way who won the world series? We do not get any American news here. So if you would like to email headlines you are more then welcome. You can send them to Loires email ls2n2@yahoo.com thank you!
Monday Dennis was able to work at Bethel running a jackhammar all day. Horray!! He sweat so much that he joked with the brothers ther that some kid had dumped a bucket of water over his head. As that is what it truely looked like.
Thursday Shelby went on her first Bible study in the afternoon. Anitia (her study) was very enthusiatic and had already read most of chapter one from the last week when Shelby left the book, Bible Teach. They went over the first 7 pages and Anitia asked why do we suffer and how to make family life happier. Shelby was able to share the Gennis acount and other scriptures with her to answer her questions. Shelby is very excited as her study wants her to come back Thursday at 3:30pm and is very eager to learn.
The little ones are doing very well they really like their new teacher and being able to hang out with Mom and Dad some much. Lorelle and Shelby have been playing their guitar more and now that do not sound horible but still not that good.
Last night Mom, Lorelle and Shelby were able to go upstair and hang otu with the girls. They had a good time and watched a movie. Sister Samoura has a TV but they do not use it too much.
Saturday Shelby was able to go to the French Bookstudy (again) with Sister Hanna. She had a really good time. She was able to answer once, but it is better then nothing. Shelby is really enjoying learning and getting to use her French. Lorie and Lorelle are learning a little bit at a time.
Other then that every one has been busy in the feild ministry and the kids with their school work. Things are going quite well. We miss you all and think about you all the time, Dennis will be coming back December 11th to work. We hope some of you will visit us here someday.
Thats all I wrote.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Port Loko visit and school
Backing up in time again....
November 9 to 12 we traveled to Port Loko about a four hour drive out of Freetown. We visited a family that moved there last year to help the congregation. Port Loko was a small group that had not had an elder or servant in over 10 years. The brother his wife and three children age 4, 8, 10 arrived last september. they are doing very well,
We had the priveledge of working in service in port loko saturday and sunday, the family has many studies so asked us to conduct some for them while we visited. Dennis had the priveledge of delivering the public talk it was amazing over 70 in attendance!
We hope to visit every few mos. it is like a mini vacation to go upcountry and out of the city. There are few generators there or motorcars, so at night it is pitch black and quiet, oh so quiet.
We are enjoying the hustle and bustle of the outskirts of Freetown where we live. It is always busy and many ask us for literature as we walk by. As dennis related in his post earlier this week.
I missed posting and emailing on Tuesday as I was not feeling well, I have been exhausted so am taking anti malaria as a precaution as well as an antibiotic as i ran a high fever on monday after service. It is easy to get perscriptions here and medicine is very reasonable in price. I will lay low this week and should be back to normal on Monday. The kids have been doing very well, Hunter had a bit of tummy trouble so is taking an antibiotic as precaution, but seems fine with energy and all.
the kids started school the week we arrived, but only were able to stay two days, as the head mistress was not allowing them to not sing the devotionals in the morning, we tried to reason with her, that the children would stand respectful she said "no", then we asked if they come 15 minutes late, when devotionals are finished, she said sternly "no" " if they don't sing devotionals they cannot be in this school, take them out!" so the missionary sister I was with and myself went to each classroom and collected the children. (the sister came with just in case there was difficulty with the language, but it was just an over strict head mistress) when we collected the children the teachers asked why, when we told them that the children would not be singing the devotionals they said it was not a problem, one even went to the head mistress to plead for the children, we latter saw her come from the office head hung low, the head mistress is so stern....... latter in the week Dennis met Kadences former teacher in service she again expressed her sorrow in there not attending shchool. but she understand and respects our stand. She was glad to hear we have a tutor for the children and they are continueing their studies.
Our stand has made a good witness. Some of the friends in the hall even brought the 2007 year book to show us the experience in it of others thrown out of school for the same reason, it was encouraging for us.
The kids are doing well, in a way it is a blessing, they are now able to take turns in morning service with us and we have a sister coming four times a week for lessons to supplement what Dennis and I are able to do with them. They enjoy being all together to learn and Kadence said she was being picked on at school alot for being a witness, it was even effecting her studies as we could see from her report card.
She is so happy to be with her brothers and sisters now.
I will try to post pictures soon, Dennis will be visiting the US Dec 11 and will bring our camera chip with him to make pictures. But I will try before then to see how to post them.
The kh reconstruction is going very well, the last hall was only able to hold 100 or so and they often had many sitting outside. the new hall will seat 300 plus, what a blessing! we had 169 at sunday meeting this week in our home. they seat over 90 inside the rest outside and on our back varanda. it is hot but joyous!
the sound equipment didn't work on sunday, so we sang without the music, still thunderous, I think if we shut the glass window they would break!
christian love to all,
Lorie
November 9 to 12 we traveled to Port Loko about a four hour drive out of Freetown. We visited a family that moved there last year to help the congregation. Port Loko was a small group that had not had an elder or servant in over 10 years. The brother his wife and three children age 4, 8, 10 arrived last september. they are doing very well,
We had the priveledge of working in service in port loko saturday and sunday, the family has many studies so asked us to conduct some for them while we visited. Dennis had the priveledge of delivering the public talk it was amazing over 70 in attendance!
We hope to visit every few mos. it is like a mini vacation to go upcountry and out of the city. There are few generators there or motorcars, so at night it is pitch black and quiet, oh so quiet.
We are enjoying the hustle and bustle of the outskirts of Freetown where we live. It is always busy and many ask us for literature as we walk by. As dennis related in his post earlier this week.
I missed posting and emailing on Tuesday as I was not feeling well, I have been exhausted so am taking anti malaria as a precaution as well as an antibiotic as i ran a high fever on monday after service. It is easy to get perscriptions here and medicine is very reasonable in price. I will lay low this week and should be back to normal on Monday. The kids have been doing very well, Hunter had a bit of tummy trouble so is taking an antibiotic as precaution, but seems fine with energy and all.
the kids started school the week we arrived, but only were able to stay two days, as the head mistress was not allowing them to not sing the devotionals in the morning, we tried to reason with her, that the children would stand respectful she said "no", then we asked if they come 15 minutes late, when devotionals are finished, she said sternly "no" " if they don't sing devotionals they cannot be in this school, take them out!" so the missionary sister I was with and myself went to each classroom and collected the children. (the sister came with just in case there was difficulty with the language, but it was just an over strict head mistress) when we collected the children the teachers asked why, when we told them that the children would not be singing the devotionals they said it was not a problem, one even went to the head mistress to plead for the children, we latter saw her come from the office head hung low, the head mistress is so stern....... latter in the week Dennis met Kadences former teacher in service she again expressed her sorrow in there not attending shchool. but she understand and respects our stand. She was glad to hear we have a tutor for the children and they are continueing their studies.
Our stand has made a good witness. Some of the friends in the hall even brought the 2007 year book to show us the experience in it of others thrown out of school for the same reason, it was encouraging for us.
The kids are doing well, in a way it is a blessing, they are now able to take turns in morning service with us and we have a sister coming four times a week for lessons to supplement what Dennis and I are able to do with them. They enjoy being all together to learn and Kadence said she was being picked on at school alot for being a witness, it was even effecting her studies as we could see from her report card.
She is so happy to be with her brothers and sisters now.
I will try to post pictures soon, Dennis will be visiting the US Dec 11 and will bring our camera chip with him to make pictures. But I will try before then to see how to post them.
The kh reconstruction is going very well, the last hall was only able to hold 100 or so and they often had many sitting outside. the new hall will seat 300 plus, what a blessing! we had 169 at sunday meeting this week in our home. they seat over 90 inside the rest outside and on our back varanda. it is hot but joyous!
the sound equipment didn't work on sunday, so we sang without the music, still thunderous, I think if we shut the glass window they would break!
christian love to all,
Lorie
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The feild is white, but not with snow.
John 4:35 certainly applies here. When we go out to preach many take time to listen and if you leave them a publication to read and study they will prepare far past what you sugest. We have many calls and studys and this week as we are studing with one or two others passing by stop and jion in, then they wnat to show you where they live so that they to can have a study. Dennis was walking to help a brother monday afternoon and a group of men sitting in the shade called out to him to come and share with them something from the bible. They had seen him pass in service on sunday and now even though he was not even dressed for the ministry they knew him as a man of god. We always try to carry lititure and our bibles where ever we go, so he was able to share many scriptures with them and empted his bag of all his lititure 5 mags and 2 brochures. Today he and a brother from Liberia worked together and where following up on many rv's and studies that they started last week. As they were traveling a man in a shop called out to them, "Are you JW? I would like you to teach me about the bible". So the man took them to his home near by and they taught him many things. He had recieved an invetation to the Convention last year and went at the football stadium. He like what he heard and saw. He wants to learn about how the bible can change peoples lives.
Last Tuesday as Dennis and the young children were returning from walking along way in the feild they stopped to rest in the shade, a man near by came over and asked if they were JW, he had move here from England where he had run into the witnesses. Dennis left him with the magazines and returned on Friday for a nice one hour study in the shde of a big tree. On Friday Dennis and his partner walked over 10 miles in very hilly territory. That evening his legs ached, many freinds were visiting from the other congregation. Dennis was visiting with a CO form Liberia who was visiting SL. Just before Dennis was going to complain about his legs hurting the brother related how to visit one of the congregations in his circuit, he and his wife have to walk 22hrs one way it takes all of Monday and most of Tuesday, with the meeting that night. Plus they have to carry all the things they will need for the week on their head,then they walk all week in service and just about the time their legs stop acheing they have to walk back. Need less to say Denis did not complain about walking the day.
Shelby was able to start a study on Thursday. She is also commenting more in krio every meeting. Lorie, Shelby and Lorelle are attending a french bookstudy as they look to exspan their ministry. A young sister who has just finished secondary school is now tutoring the younger children four days a week, in addition to the time that Dennis and Lorie have each week to teach them. They are receiving the best education they can 2 Tim 3:16 and Isa. 2:3
Last Tuesday as Dennis and the young children were returning from walking along way in the feild they stopped to rest in the shade, a man near by came over and asked if they were JW, he had move here from England where he had run into the witnesses. Dennis left him with the magazines and returned on Friday for a nice one hour study in the shde of a big tree. On Friday Dennis and his partner walked over 10 miles in very hilly territory. That evening his legs ached, many freinds were visiting from the other congregation. Dennis was visiting with a CO form Liberia who was visiting SL. Just before Dennis was going to complain about his legs hurting the brother related how to visit one of the congregations in his circuit, he and his wife have to walk 22hrs one way it takes all of Monday and most of Tuesday, with the meeting that night. Plus they have to carry all the things they will need for the week on their head,then they walk all week in service and just about the time their legs stop acheing they have to walk back. Need less to say Denis did not complain about walking the day.
Shelby was able to start a study on Thursday. She is also commenting more in krio every meeting. Lorie, Shelby and Lorelle are attending a french bookstudy as they look to exspan their ministry. A young sister who has just finished secondary school is now tutoring the younger children four days a week, in addition to the time that Dennis and Lorie have each week to teach them. They are receiving the best education they can 2 Tim 3:16 and Isa. 2:3
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
All Afire
We hit the ground running here in sierra leone the first week, co visit was the tuesday we arrived, service was full speed ahead with many in the field, we all have rv's and many studies are starting. Lorie's study from her last visit, asked to study in the book instead of brochure, she is progressing wonderfully.
We have been blessed with running water in the house! something they have been trying to hook up to for over 8 years. We still can access the running streams in the backyard if the pipes from city pump go off, as they often do mid day.
They running water behind the house proved a true blessing our first saturday here, we were sleeping when Hunter awoke at about 2 am, Lorie rose to see why he was up, thought he was touching the mosquito net we had taped on the windows as she heard crackling sounds, they both lay back down to sleep, but then lorie heard more crackling, she rose and looked out the window to see a small fire on the other side of our compound wall, thought maybe someone was burning trash, she lay back down, but no sooner lay down when heard yelling, she looked out to see the flame twice the size, quickly she woke Dennis and the kids, and ran to get the landlord, the household and compound adults all ran to fetch water, the fire was on the other side of the wall but we have many trees in our compound and didn't want the fire to spread, the pig pen is just inside the wall, Ismael climbed on top and Dennis and at least 10 others ran buckets of water for two hours up to the wall. They were able to put the fire out before it spread to more of the metal hut homes that had caught fire, some of the compound wall could not sustain the heat and colapsed. Thankfully no one was hurt, not even those living in the tin shantys. They were very thankful for the water from our compound. There are three streams that run through.
Next day in service many approached Dennis and thanked him for his hard work, they had been learry to meet the big white man before this, but are now very happy to be our neighbor.
We are thoroughly enjoying the field, Dennis has 10 bible studies, 3 from the co from co week. this morning he had a fine experience while joining a brother at a shop on a bible study a small girl about 8 ran up and asked if they were Jehovahs witnesses, they said yes, she said please a man 4 shops down want to study. When they finished the study they went to the shop 4 down, the man has good bible knowledge and speaks english very well, he accepted the book and started studying.
Lorie's study from last trip has continued in the brochure, when she called on her today she asked to study in a book. Her brother who works in another shop has been studying in a book with another brother.
Lorie joined a missionary on studies today, but none were home, very unuassual. The last one they walked to the lady was out, but when the small child about three told her aunty that was visiting that Jehovah Witnesses were at the door, the aunt came running, saying, I want to study. She ran back in the house and came out with her book, she said I did my homework, she then explained that she lives near New England Congregation and attends meetings on Sunday, that she studies with a brother on Tuesday, but this week she had to watch her niece and was not able to contact the brother, she felt very sorry to miss her study. She thanked Jehovah we came so she would not miss. She had studdied ahead and prepared her lesson. She asked that we study with her every other tuesday, because she has to care for her neice every other tuesday, so she will do one week with the brother and one week with the sister.
Both Shelby and Lorelle are picking up the the krio language, it will take time for all of us. They both were able to work with the co wife and enjoy rv's, shelby has one that will soon be a study. For now they mostly enjoy the brief tract work that is done without having to do a lot of talking, there are always people to talk to as you walk along in service.
Thankyou to all for your love and support, our personal email is ls2n2@yahoo.com we enjoy brief emails. The server here often cuts out so brief emails are easier to access. Sorry for typos and spelling errors, I try to be fast before we loose service.
May Jehovah be with you all,
Love, Swift Family
We have been blessed with running water in the house! something they have been trying to hook up to for over 8 years. We still can access the running streams in the backyard if the pipes from city pump go off, as they often do mid day.
They running water behind the house proved a true blessing our first saturday here, we were sleeping when Hunter awoke at about 2 am, Lorie rose to see why he was up, thought he was touching the mosquito net we had taped on the windows as she heard crackling sounds, they both lay back down to sleep, but then lorie heard more crackling, she rose and looked out the window to see a small fire on the other side of our compound wall, thought maybe someone was burning trash, she lay back down, but no sooner lay down when heard yelling, she looked out to see the flame twice the size, quickly she woke Dennis and the kids, and ran to get the landlord, the household and compound adults all ran to fetch water, the fire was on the other side of the wall but we have many trees in our compound and didn't want the fire to spread, the pig pen is just inside the wall, Ismael climbed on top and Dennis and at least 10 others ran buckets of water for two hours up to the wall. They were able to put the fire out before it spread to more of the metal hut homes that had caught fire, some of the compound wall could not sustain the heat and colapsed. Thankfully no one was hurt, not even those living in the tin shantys. They were very thankful for the water from our compound. There are three streams that run through.
Next day in service many approached Dennis and thanked him for his hard work, they had been learry to meet the big white man before this, but are now very happy to be our neighbor.
We are thoroughly enjoying the field, Dennis has 10 bible studies, 3 from the co from co week. this morning he had a fine experience while joining a brother at a shop on a bible study a small girl about 8 ran up and asked if they were Jehovahs witnesses, they said yes, she said please a man 4 shops down want to study. When they finished the study they went to the shop 4 down, the man has good bible knowledge and speaks english very well, he accepted the book and started studying.
Lorie's study from last trip has continued in the brochure, when she called on her today she asked to study in a book. Her brother who works in another shop has been studying in a book with another brother.
Lorie joined a missionary on studies today, but none were home, very unuassual. The last one they walked to the lady was out, but when the small child about three told her aunty that was visiting that Jehovah Witnesses were at the door, the aunt came running, saying, I want to study. She ran back in the house and came out with her book, she said I did my homework, she then explained that she lives near New England Congregation and attends meetings on Sunday, that she studies with a brother on Tuesday, but this week she had to watch her niece and was not able to contact the brother, she felt very sorry to miss her study. She thanked Jehovah we came so she would not miss. She had studdied ahead and prepared her lesson. She asked that we study with her every other tuesday, because she has to care for her neice every other tuesday, so she will do one week with the brother and one week with the sister.
Both Shelby and Lorelle are picking up the the krio language, it will take time for all of us. They both were able to work with the co wife and enjoy rv's, shelby has one that will soon be a study. For now they mostly enjoy the brief tract work that is done without having to do a lot of talking, there are always people to talk to as you walk along in service.
Thankyou to all for your love and support, our personal email is ls2n2@yahoo.com we enjoy brief emails. The server here often cuts out so brief emails are easier to access. Sorry for typos and spelling errors, I try to be fast before we loose service.
May Jehovah be with you all,
Love, Swift Family
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Back in time, to catch up..
Hello family and friends,
we are doing very well, but before tellin you of current happenings we would like to step back a few weeks to fill in, i will try to do this on each email to catch all up on past and present happenings.
Thankyou so much for the love and support shown by so many, the get togethers were wonderful!
Brother and Sister Josiah from SL were at Patterson last mos. we had the priveledge of picking them up for a weekend. They say "thankee, thankee" for the love and hospitality shown by the friends. They enjoyed the gathering and seeing the sights of New England. Our family enjoyed spending time with them and getting tidbits to prepare us for the big move.
*i am currently in service and was able to stop at an internet cafe for a couple minutes while my service partner did a call in German
we have co this week, tuesday there were 120 in attendance at our home for the meeting, the kh is being demolished for rebuilding, they will continue to use our home for a few mos. it is such a blessing , both south and north congregations are meeting so we meet many new friends.
it was truly a miracle that they are using our home. they had been using it but when theyt heard we were coming they had a vote to move the meetings. they had two places to choose, neither easy for the friends to get to, the vote was tied..... this was last thursday..... they announced they would have a revote on Sunday. A brother emailed us friday night to get our vote, we did not know it was a tie or revote, they just asked our vote, we unexpectedly had email access at the room we rented in london, otherwise would not have gotten the email. we emailed our vote, but also let them know that our home could still be used if wanted. We were unaware of the tie vote or the big joy the friends had on sunday when it was announced to both congregations that they did not have to have a revote sunday, but could continue meeting in the home. It really is a convenient location for the friends and is a good witness in the neighborhood. Many know the home, because our landlord is a nurse and works out of her home. The blessing of 120 in attendance on Tuesday was wonderful! The other congregation has there service meeting on Friday, our is normally thursday but was changed due to co visit, we have book study tonight.
Goodbye for now, love to all,
Lorie
we are doing very well, but before tellin you of current happenings we would like to step back a few weeks to fill in, i will try to do this on each email to catch all up on past and present happenings.
Thankyou so much for the love and support shown by so many, the get togethers were wonderful!
Brother and Sister Josiah from SL were at Patterson last mos. we had the priveledge of picking them up for a weekend. They say "thankee, thankee" for the love and hospitality shown by the friends. They enjoyed the gathering and seeing the sights of New England. Our family enjoyed spending time with them and getting tidbits to prepare us for the big move.
*i am currently in service and was able to stop at an internet cafe for a couple minutes while my service partner did a call in German
we have co this week, tuesday there were 120 in attendance at our home for the meeting, the kh is being demolished for rebuilding, they will continue to use our home for a few mos. it is such a blessing , both south and north congregations are meeting so we meet many new friends.
it was truly a miracle that they are using our home. they had been using it but when theyt heard we were coming they had a vote to move the meetings. they had two places to choose, neither easy for the friends to get to, the vote was tied..... this was last thursday..... they announced they would have a revote on Sunday. A brother emailed us friday night to get our vote, we did not know it was a tie or revote, they just asked our vote, we unexpectedly had email access at the room we rented in london, otherwise would not have gotten the email. we emailed our vote, but also let them know that our home could still be used if wanted. We were unaware of the tie vote or the big joy the friends had on sunday when it was announced to both congregations that they did not have to have a revote sunday, but could continue meeting in the home. It really is a convenient location for the friends and is a good witness in the neighborhood. Many know the home, because our landlord is a nurse and works out of her home. The blessing of 120 in attendance on Tuesday was wonderful! The other congregation has there service meeting on Friday, our is normally thursday but was changed due to co visit, we have book study tonight.
Goodbye for now, love to all,
Lorie
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