In February, our first mission team of the year traveled to Sierra Leone. This team was a vision team led by co-founder Jason Rust. The team included our Executive Director, Travel Coordinator, and two first-time travelers who learned about The Raining Season through Jason. As The Raining Season looks ahead to building our dream center in Kono, this vision team had the opportunity to see firsthand the current needs of The Raining Season and also spend time at the new land and in the community as TRS dreams and plans its future in Kono.
This trip was shorter than our typical mission trips, but the team still had time to connect with the children and staff at the center. They spent time playing soccer and hanging out with the children. They also brought some supplies for the center, including school supplies, flip-flops, and soccer balls.
This team was the first to visit The Raining Season’s land in Kono. They had the opportunity to see the land and serve the community. After eighteen trips to Sierra Leone, dating back to before The Raining Season opened its doors, this trip was filled with many firsts for Jason. Seeing the land firsthand was an emotional experience. He shared, “I was able to put my hands in the dirt and really thank the Lord for being so faithful. There were times we were a month from going under, and God was so faithful to provide, and now we were standing on the land that He has gifted us.”
During their visit to Kono, the team was able to serve the community. They supplied every child with a goodie bag, and each family within the community received food bags filled with rice, vegetables, and palm oil. Jason noted that the chief made a comment about TRS being the first outsiders aside from corporations to visit the community in twenty years.
Thank you to our February team for your hearts for our children, staff, and Sierra Leone. We are grateful for the time you took away from your own families and jobs to love and serve at The Raining Season. We are grateful that you join us in our vision for the The Raining Season in the coming year and beyond. Jason described it best, “We went from year to year, and now we are a generational organization. We’ll be in Kono for 100 years at least, and that is a powerful feeling knowing that we will be there for generations.”
Many blessings,
The Raining Season