Update: Sierra Leone Keke Project

Update: Sierra Leone Keke Project
by David Scouler, Sierra Leone National Director
 
It has been more than three years since I started partnering with the CLC Africa Director (Liz Patten), working together with the national CLC team in Sierra Leone.
 
During this period, many shipments of new & second hand books and Bibles have arrived in the port of Freetown. Most of these have come from various American publishers (including CLC USA who has kindly consolidated all the orders for us), a church in Canada and KCLCT in the UK. All of this has significantly increased our ministry potential, with the majority of these books and Bibles now in the hands of spiritually hungry Christians as well as unbelievers looking for answers to their spiritual emptiness.
 
We are also privileged to partner and cooperate with Crossway Publishers in the USA. They have provided us with several special book sets that we have been able to distribute to pastors in different provinces, especially thinking of those who are far away from one of our three Christian bookshops in the country. For many years, Crossway’s mission has been to publish gospel-centred content that honours our Saviour and serves His church.
 
Alongside the positive notes, we have also had various challenges. Instances of these include acts of vandalism and theft at our bookshops, to the extent that we have needed to employ a night security guard. There have also been many occasions of unrest since the last elections, which have caused the capital city to shut down for days. Power outages are common. Life is tough in Sierra Leone and we regularly praise God for the faithfulness of our national staff and their desire to see Bibles and other Christian resources made available in their country.
 
In addition to the bookshops, we are able to run an outreach activity in Bo Town and the surrounding area, using a recently purchased Kéké, or motorised tricycle. This was made possible due to many generous donations from the UK, Canada and the USA.
 
Another fund-raising project involves the construction of a new bookshop in Bo Town, based on our constant desire to see a long-term future for a CLC ministry there. The bookshop and outreach in Bo are managed by married couple, Matthew & Isata Ndoinjeh. Having our own bookshop will not only release us from having to pay an ever-increasing amount in rent, but it will also provide CLC with more space. The new bookshop will not only be located in the centre of town, but in a church complex which is home to many church conventions and other activities.
 
I want to thank everyone who has given financially to support this ministry and to make it into “mission possible”, as well as those who have given their time and/or have provided good second hand Christian books and Bibles. Those of you who pray are also much appreciated! The ministry doesn’t just happen, so please do continue with your support in whatever form, so that the ministry will continue in Sierra Leone. You can donate directly to: clcusa.org/give (please write CLC Sierra Leone in the box) or by contacting KCLCT in the UK.