Dear Friends and Family,
Have I wasted the last two years of my life?
This fear creeps into the corners of my conscience, corroding my confidence
Betrayal. Theft. Lying. Disrespect. Anger. These have punctuated my life the last few weeks.
When I arrived in Freetown 28 months ago, I started hanging out with a couple of street kids, let’s call them Daniel and Fred. We¹ve been friends from the beginning. They’ve taught me Krio (the local language), how to get around Freetown, and much about West African culture and beliefs. We’ve seen each other about five days a week all this time, sharing meals, going to church, working together in Kroo Bay slum, learning together at the Lighthouse center for former street children. These young men have been my family, my friends. We’ve laughed and cried together, building trust over time, or so I thought.
Three weeks ago Daniel was kicked out of his second tailoring shop where he¹s been apprenticing for over a year now. He was disrespectful and short-tempered with his Œboss-man, a big NO-NO in this traditional culture Will Daniel ever change? Will he ever grow into the self-controlled, gentle leader God intended Him to be?
Right about the same time, Fred stole my camera with the intent to hock it on the black market and shame another Lighthouse boy who had been responsible for it. Thankfully, our seemingly hardest and most streetwise Lighthouse boy, knowing Fred’s plans, couldn’t sleep, and so informed the staff before the camera was sold. Has Fred just been using me all this time? Does he see me just like a walking ATM like all the other Sierra Leoneans here in Freetown?
Broken, hurt, and discouraged I was. But now I am not.
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
God has used these initially seemingly destructive situations for good. Like cleaning out an inflamed festering wound so it can heal, we’ve had several of difficult, painful, purifying talks, not only with these boys, but also with the entire Lighthouse community about these events. We are already witnessing stronger bonds, like scar tissue, replacing and torn hearts and relationships.
Daniel, who has struggled with anger, unforgiveness, and pride during our entire friendship took the higher ground today and apologized to his less than welcoming boss. In Krio we say KUSHE which means BRAVO!
Fred has also sincerely apologized to all those he wronged, and he is responsibly fulfilling all the consequences placed on him by the community for the camera theft. Further, he has opened up and enjoyed a new level of intimacy with Joe Eichorn, a fellow WMF staff member, during their prayer and accountability times.
Hopefully, all of the Lighthouse youth are learning how to deal with conflict and problems in a loving and gracious way as we attempt to model unconditional, yet tough love. Perhaps they understand in a new way that Father God¹s love is just, honest, and tenacious, calling them to maturity. Maybe they realize that they are more important to us than things.
It is our sincere and fervent hope that God continues to transform the lives of these beloved teens. I often imagine the metamorphosis of a butterfly or the tree in Jeremiah 17 when I pray.
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7,8)
Would you pray with me for them? Pray that God would be good to them. Pray that God would continue the good work He has started in them (Philippians 1:6).
During quiet moments these last few weeks, I have been powerfully convicted of the amazing grace the Lighthouse youth extend towards me on a continual daily basis as they witness the disparity of our lifestyles. I am humbled by how hurt I was when Fred took my camera, and how I struggled with forgiving him. How much more tolerance and patience must Fred extend to me on a daily basis when he sleeps in a shack and carries water, thankful to eat one meal of rice a day, while I relax, enjoying my tap, generator, and abundant food?
Thankfully we are growing in grace. Pray that we would grow towards equality and that lofty ideal in Acts where we freely share things in common.
May God permeate you with grace, hope, and peace.
Thank you again for the opportunity to be your ambassador here in Sierra Leone.
I would love to hear how you are doing, what you are up to, and what you are learning and processing these days. Please keep in touch.
Love,
Cami Sigler
Acting Field Director
Box 545
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Phone: 00232 76 862 147
wordmadeflesh.com