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