23 Aug Relief for Sierra Leone Flood & Landslide Victims

On August 14, flooding and a landslide in Freetown, Sierra Leone, resulted in the deaths of more than 400 people, and left thousands bereft of shelter, clothing, food, and safe drinking water. The dead include a number of United Brethren people from our churches in Freetown.

Some have been asking what they can do in response to the devastation. Rev. John Pessima, bishop of Sierra Leone Conference, sent the following update.

We have some of our members whose relatives died in the incident. Some bodies were discovered, and some are still missing. The wife of our national men’s ministry president, Mr. Christopher Mattia, is still missing eleven family members. A steward at the Au Memorial United Brethren Church at Kissy, Madam Sia Mannie, lost all three of her children. Hawa Conteh, a nurse at the Mattru Hospital, lost seven of her relatives in the same house. None of these have been found. We are still investigating as the search is ongoing.

All heads of churches were called on by the government to visit the site and agree on what to do as a church. We are to send to our partners and request assistance for our members whose relatives died in this ugly incident. Locally, we have started making appeals in our local churches for used clothing.

On behalf of the conference, I am appealing to United Brethren around the world for assistance in any form for families of the victims, and for the survivors who are still on the streets without food, safe drinking water, shelter, and clothing.

I am attaching pictures I took at the site during the heads of churches visit. Paramount among these is your prayers for our nation. We have suffered a lot, from civil war to Ebola and now landslide and flood. God bless you as you remember us in your prayers.

Donations can be sent through UB Global. Mark a check as “Sierra Leone Relief” and send to:

UB Global
302 Lake Street
Huntington IN 46750

You can also go here to give online. Select “2-9898 Sierra Leone – Special Projects,” and indicate in the comments box that your gift is for “Sierra Leone Relief.”