March brought our second team of the year to the center. The team, led by Trent Laune, traveled from Nebraska. While many of the team members have supported The Raining Season through sponsorship for many years, they were traveling for the first time. The team spent the week loving and serving our kids and staff. This included playtime, devotions, visiting the Roots homes, Sports Day, serving the community, and a trip to the beach for EVERYONE!
The team spent the first days connecting with the kids and staff, touring The Covering, and taking their sponsored children on an ice cream outing. They also sorted the supplies they brought, including clothes, bibles, various medical supplies, and toiletries, such as soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Our staff at The Raining Season was very happy to receive these much-needed supplies. These items can be difficult to purchase in Sierra Leone or very expensive in Freetown, so having teams bring these items is very valuable.Â
Throughout the week, the team also had a chance to spend time in the community. Community outreach has always been an important part of our trips, and the team was able to venture into the community with Pastor William, Uncle Sorie, Uncle Osseh, and Pastor Sam. Pastor William spent time preaching the Gospel to the community, and then, each family received a bag of rice. The community welcomed the team and was grateful for the rice they received.
On Wednesday, the team had the chance to attend Sports Day at our kids’ school. It was a full day, but the team enjoyed seeing the kids participate, and our kids loved the special spectators. They got to cheer on the kids and experience what Sports Day looks like in Sierra Leone.
The next day, the team visited both the girls’ and boys’ Roots homes. The young adults were excited to give the team a tour of their homes, showing off their rooms, kitchens, and study areas. The boys also showed the team where they attend church each Sunday.
On Saturday, the team had the opportunity to take all our kids and staff on a much-anticipated trip to the beach. This is always a special time for our kids, and they look forward to it. They got to swim, run, have lunch, and play soccer on the beach.Â
It was a busy week for the team, but they most enjoyed just spending time with the kids at the center. Throughout the week, they made bracelets, painted nails, colored, played soccer and basketball, and more games of Uno than they could count! The team’s funds were also used to purchase a new air conditioner for the medical building at The Covering. The team’s goal was to complete a service project at the center, but the need for a new air conditioner was greater, so they used the funds for that and spent the extra time loving and playing with the kids.
Thank you to our March 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 on this trip, we were able to welcome so many first-time travelers. Finally, a special thank you to the March team for sharing so many of their photos, not only for this update but to be used on social media!
Many blessings,
The Raining Season