It has been more than two years since a team has visited our center. Our staff and children are resilient, but it has been a difficult two years. We know what an important role travel plays in The Raining Season, and we are just as anxious as many of you to get our feet back on the ground in Sierra Leone. We know our teams miss traveling. Our kids and staff miss it, too. Travel is not only part of what makes The Raining Season unique, but it also plays a key role in sharing our story with others.
What does a trip to our center in Freetown, Sierra Leone, look like? Travel with The Raining Season is a unique experience. First, and most importantly, it is an opportunity to make personal connections and relationships with the kids at the center. It is another opportunity for them to know just how loved and cared for they are. A typical trip also includes service projects, playtime with the kids, nightly devotions, community outreach, a trip to the market, an authentic African meal, beach day, and church on Sunday at the center.
Travel with The Raining Season is a unique way to love and serve. It is impossible to fully paint a picture or describe what travelers experience, whether it is their first or fifth trip to Sierra Leone. You really have to experience it for yourself.
This year, we are cautiously resuming travel as we plan to welcome two teams to our center in 2022! Currently, we are planning to send teams in July and November. 2022 will serve as a scaled-back trial run with some new provisions in place. We truly wish that we were to the point where we could invite everyone to join us for a trip, but we are not quite there yet.
We have consistently evaluated when it would be safe to resume travel to our center in Sierra Leone. In 2021, both our founder and executive director visited and were able to evaluate what a trip would look like post COVID. As we resume travel this year, there are several new requirements in place. The requirements are not only for your safety but also for the safety of our children and staff. They are also in line with regulations in Sierra Leone. We will be limiting our teams to 5-7 travelers, all who have traveled before. Travelers will also be required to be vaccinated. Sierra Leone requires vaccination or quarantine upon arrival. Because of the length of each trip, a quarantine period is not feasible. Testing before and upon arrival will also occur.
We are hopeful that 2023 will be the return to our full travel schedule and appreciate your continued understanding and support.
Do you meet the requirements and are ready to join us on an unforgettable trip to The Covering in 2022? Email our Travel Coordinator, Ally Currie (travel@therainingseason.org), to see if traveling in 2022 is a good fit or if it is best to wait until 2023.
Many blessings,
The Raining Season