Monday November 3rd - Tuesday November 4th

Monday 3rd

I'm afraid everyone that Monday was, without a doubt, one of our most testing days in Sierra Leone so far.
We awoke earlier than we'd planned due to the intense heat in this stifling African climate, and proceeded to gently wander over to the diocesan office to begin some light work. Some serious light work later (i.e. i printed off some songs and planned my visit to the orphange the next day, and Parks caught up on his auditing masterpiece) and an early lunch seemed quite necessary. Some African food was consumed and some beer also, then some more beer. 6 hours and a few beers later (Parks, by the way, having met the Bishop's own personal supplier of beer had been forced to by a ridiculously cheap crate; this i hope explains our beer drinking predicament, anyway) an early dinner seemed quite necessary.
Some how, the evening, like a beer thief in the darkness, had crept up on us. Thus, we settled back (with a beer or three) to indulge in our familiar evening ritual of uno thoroughly exhausted by the events of the day.

Tuesday 4th

Tuesday began....slowly. Lazy Iain, on this rarest of occasions, was permitted to lie in bed whilst I set off for the Orphange at Kissy. On arrival, I was treated like a king returning from the battlefield ( as we always are,) as the children gathered together smiling, shouting and singing their songs of welcome loudly! I spent the morning, guitar in hand (reminding myself how my distinctly average i'd become,) teaching the children various songs which I was delighted to hear through the windows as I left for home later. The children were quick to pick up the songs, so I asked them to copy them down so they could learn them for next time. Anyway, it was a great morning, spent singing and dancing (the dancing competition was a highlight!) and I was sad to leave the kids, as potentially, it may be the last time I see them all.
Once home, Parksy and I switched places as he raced off to Annie Walsh and Holy Trinity Schools whilst I finished another book. Iain's visit to Annie Walsh was particularly successful as he was introduced to the new head teacher, meeting with her for half and hour or so.
We spent the afternoon at our local haunt, the Seafarers, enjoying the company of Claire and her kids. Claire is the ex-CMS treasurer and her stories of her time in Sierra Leone, before, during and after the war, are dramatic and torrid to say the least.