February 15, 2011
Grace and Peace,
By the time you recieve this letter I will have completed my first year of serving with Word Made Flesh in Sierra Leone. Since my arrival I’ve been busy leading the Light House program which is designed to disciple youth who have lived on the streets. For three months begining in August I hosted an intern from Romania named Ionut Tanvuia. Tomorrow Kate Armour from Grand Rapids, MI will arrive for a four month internship which I will be overseeing. In October I also took over as Field Advocate which means I’m responsible for keeping Sierra Leones part of the website updated and passing along information for publication in “The Cry”. I also get to help run a good news club for children in Kroo Bay, and spend time with people talking about life’s joys and challenges.
Some of the joys I’ve experienced this past year have included watching youth turn from habitual sins and follow God in new ways, being able to assist friends when they’re in need of medicine or food, and studying the book of Ephesians with our youth. I’ve also found pleasure as I’ve learned more about the culture and subcultures through conversations, a couple trips to villages and dance lessons. Recently I moved into Kroo Bay and I’m finding that to be very life giving as well. It’s giving me the chance to learn the names of children who come to our good news club and meet their parents. My neighbors are very friendly and enjoying sharing food, drinks, stories and opinions.
One of the major challenges this past year was having 7 staff leave the field and our Field Director take sabbatical. We had to make the difficult decision to discountinue an out reach to teenage girls at risk for prostitution because we don’t have enough female staff. There was also a difficult period with our youth that began when we tried to run a camp with them and a team of teenagers from the US which we’ve thankfully made way our way through. Around the same time we prepared four youth to come out of Light House and begin to stand up for themselves. This wasn’t an easy task but in the last few months we’ve begun to see positive fruit. Lonliness been a trial with me sometimes wanting Benita specifically and other times just longing for someone.
Financially, it’s been a difficult year also. I didn’t get some support I had been planning on and the cost of insurance increased by about $50 a month. In August I reduced my monthly salary from $550 to $350 to help balance my support account. As of right now I’ll run out support around December so I’m considering further reducing my salary, looking into my options for insurance and praying for more donors.
God’s been teaching me a lot about boundaries this past year. I’ve been confronted with personal limitations and the limitations of the WMF community as we face an abundance of physical, spiritual, relational and emotional needs. At times God has called us to step beyond our limitations and trust Him to catch us but more often He left us to wait on His answer to our prayers. Standing still in faith has often been harded than taking steps of faith and at times we’ve gotten ahead of God to our own detriment.
I apprecitiate of all of your prayers for me. If your not recieving my online updates and would like to you can send an e-mail to barnabas_salone-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. If it doesn’t work you can read them by going to yahoo groups and search for barnabas_salone or you can e-mail and I’ll have someone forward it to you.
Love, Care and Dreadlocked Hair
Dan Henry,
P.S. I’ll be home by the 26th of June for a month and hope to see many of you then. 1 Timothy 1:12