Janet O’Shea, Chair of Sierra Leone Mission (SLM), is preparing for a return visit to Sierra Leone this May. This time, she will be joined by Kwai Moon from Turners Hill Free Church and Martin Brown from Hailsham Gospel Mission.

An exciting and full itinerary has been mapped out by Magnus, with visits planned to a number of schools and churches across the region. The trip promises to be both busy and impactful.

Key objectives include delivering training programmes for head teachers and classroom teachers, painting educational murals at the new Brama Nursery School, officially opening the new school at Foo Foo Water, and visiting the Health Centre at Brama.

Each member of the team will also bring their own focus to the visit. Janet will spend dedicated time supporting and encouraging the development of head teachers and staff. Kwai will work closely with the Health Centre and lead First Aid training for teaching staff during zonal visits.

Meanwhile, Martin will preach at St. Mark’s Cathedral, which serves the Foo Foo Water community, and take part in important church ceremonies, including inductions, receptions, and ordinations.

There will also be a special highlight for the children of Bethesda Orphanage, as Janet, Kwai and Martin plan to take them on a trip to the beach for a time of fun and relaxation amid the busy schedule!

As preparations continue, Janet, Kwai and Martin would greatly value your prayers for a safe, fruitful, and encouraging visit.

 

Last month concluded with the graduation ceremony of one of our Bethesda youths, Abdul Mansaray, who has completed four years of study for a BA (Hons) degree in Mass Communication from the Canadian University.

Abdul is pictured below with Mariatu who graduated in December with a BSc degree in nursing.

 

Currently we have eight Bethesda children attending University, which is a huge achievement, and Magnus is keen to provide further education for three more boys, who are hoping to gain university entrance at the end of this year.

This means we are looking for sponsors to help the boys to realise their dream of university. Each of their four year degree courses would cost an average of £1,000 per year, which covers all expenses.

The Sierra Leone Mission (SLM ) has been greatly blessed by the generosity of sponsors who have helped to fund the Bethesda children currently attending university, particularly in light of the rising costs over the past four years. We are now praying hard for new sponsors to come forward and make it possible for Magnus to fund these Bethesda boys.

All of these children have been blessed beyond measure in answer to our prayers. Rescued by Magnus from trying to survive on the streets, they have been released from a place of no hope, into a future which has provided opportunities they would never have believed possible! 

Thanks be to God!

SIERRA LEONE DONATIONS

If you would like to make a donation, to help SLM's work in Sierra Leone, just click on the Donations button, located at the top of each website page. Please also state if you would like your donation to go towards a particular project.

Donating by Bank Transfer

Barclays Bank

Sort code: 20-16-08, Account number: 30799076, Account name: Sierra Leone Mission 

(NB We are very grateful to receive anonymous donations, but when making a bank transfer donation, the donor's name is needed for auditing purposes. Please be assured this information will remain private.)

Donating by cheque

Please send cheques to: Sierra Leone Mission. Postal address: Janet Foord, c/o Sheppey Evangelical Church, Warden Bay Road, Leysdown on Sea, Isle of Sheppey, Kent ME12 4NA

 

Over the past couple of years the Sierra Leone Mission (SLM) have been aware of the dire situation of the school buildings at Foo Foo Water (also known as Hailsham).

We'd been advised that the primary school was very near to collapse, causing much concern within the SLM committee for the safety of the children.

We are now pleased to advise you that in February, by the grace of God, we have been able to send out funds to build a new school, which will be named Huntingdon Primary School, Foo Foo Water.

External artist's impression (with variant spelling..)

Proposed Floorplan

We expect to be able to post photographs of the school’s construction in March, so watch this space for the actual school - with correct spelling!

 

From Wednesday 11  to Friday 13 February, members of the Sierra Leone Mission (SLM) committee came together at the Sheldon Retreat Centre in Devon, accompanied by Ben Quant, Trustee and Minister of Wormley Free Church, who kindly joined the group as a facilitator. 

Our reason for organising this retreat is that since 2020, the committee has been unable to meet up in person. We’ve held monthly catch ups and quarterly formal meetings using Zoom, but in addition, we each felt it would be hugely beneficial to organise a ‘face to face’ session for prayer, discussion and the sharing of ideas.

Our main purpose was to seek God’s guidance for the work that we do in partnership with our community leaders in Sierra Leone.  Looking afresh at our SLM Vision and discussing the many aspects of our involvement in that country.

The evenings were very special times as we focused totally on worshipping God.  We prayed, sang and read scriptures together, sharing in a special and spiritual time where time was forgotten. 

I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who invested their time and money in attending the retreat, enabling us as a Christ-led group to share such a productive and valuable experience. 

We ask for continued prayer for the work of SLM and look forward to sharing more about our deliberations with you in the coming weeks. 

We thank you also for the continued concern and support you give to our communities in Sierra Leone, which in turn helps them to spread the gospel among others.

Janet O'Shea
Chair of SLM

Abdul Mansaray graduates from university in February with a degree in Mass Communication. In addition to his academic studies, during a two-month internment at Bo, he gained first-hand experience of news editing and presenting, camera work, investigative journalism and script writing. He has also spent time working at the television station, Classic Media.

Abdul (pictured centre with fellow students Ibrahim, Issa and Andrew) was rescued from the streets of Freetown as a young boy by Magnus. He was brought to live at Bethesda Orphanage, where he received a good education and new possibilities for future opportunity.

Throughout his time at Bethesda, Abdul proved himself to be hard-working and able: he achieved good grades and was also appointed Head Boy.

His entrance into university was made possible by Sierra Leone Mission (SLM) supporters, who made generous donations needed to cover his tuition fees.

Now, as he approaches the next stage of his life, Abdul hopes to set up a media business, drawing on his learning, experience and strong work ethic. In order to help him with this start-up, SLM are making an appeal on Abdul’s behalf for the provision of equipment he needs – or financial donations to enable him to buy some (or all) of the items!

Equipment needed

Camera

Tripod

Lavalier Microphones

Mafi (Audio recorder)

Studio lights

WiFi

Drone

Computer

If you are able to supply Abdul with any of the items on his list or make a donation towards their purchase, please follow the guidelines below or contact Janet O'Shea, Chair of SLM.

SIERRA LEONE DONATIONS

If you would like to make a donation, to help SLM's work in Sierra Leone, just click on the Donations button, located at the top of each website page. Please also state if you would like your donation to go towards a particular project.

Donating by Bank Transfer

Barclays Bank

Sort code: 20-16-08, Account number: 30799076, Account name: Sierra Leone Mission 

(NB We are very grateful to receive anonymous donations, but when making a bank transfer donation, the donor's name is needed for auditing purposes. Please be assured this information will remain private.)

Donating by cheque

Please send cheques to: Sierra Leone Mission. Postal address: Janet Foord, Sheppey Evangelical Church, Warden Bay Road, Leysdown on Sea, Isle of Sheppey, Kent ME12 4NA

The primary school in Brama village, Sierra Leone, which is close to Bethesda Orphanage, has been expanding fast with increasing numbers of children attending. 

With space at a premium, the nursery children had been using the church as their school room. However, a problem unfortunately occurred with the Government banning the use of designated buildings for alternative purposes, which in the absence of the church facility, would make it difficult to include the younger children.

This left the school in a dilemma about how to accommodate all of the children - and save the nursery facility.

Prayers were said, and through the providence of God, a generous donor came forward with funding for a new nursery block. Miraculously, work began on the project immediately and the children have been welcomed into their new nursery block in record time. An uplifting reminder that when God moves, He does so with speed!

Bolney School Donation

Brama school has also benefited from the donation of classroom furniture by Bolney School in the UK, which was included in the December 2025 shipment to Sierra Leone. We've been delighted to receive a photo of the furniture in place - and also encouraged to see that the walls look as good as when SLM members painted them back in 2019!

 

 

SIERRA LEONE DONATIONS

If you would like to make a donation, to help SLM's work in Sierra Leone, just click on the Donations button, located at the top of each website page. Please also state if you would like your donation to go towards a particular project.

Donating by Bank Transfer

Barclays Bank

Sort code: 20-16-08, Account number: 30799076, Account name: Sierra Leone Mission 

(NB We are very grateful to receive anonymous donations, but when making a bank transfer donation, the donor's name is needed for auditing purposes. Please be assured this information will remain private.)

Donating by cheque

Please send cheques to: Sierra Leone Mission. Postal address: Janet Foord, Sheppey Evangelical Church, Warden Bay Road, Leysdown on Sea, Isle of Sheppey, Kent ME12 4NA

Following the generosity of our Connexion community, donating more than £14,500 towards the purchase of a replacement car for Magnus, we have received a letter of heart-felt thanks from him.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters

Deepest gratitude for the gift of a car

Grace and peace be to you all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am writing to you today with a heart full joy and gratitude. When I received the news of your incredible generosity to set money aside toward the purchase of a new vehicle for my ministry here in Sierra Leone, I felt really humbled and very thankful to God. I felt so blessed by your love. Clearly, I cannot afford buying a car for myself but with God, all things are possible. Please accept my profound thanks for this great and worthy gift.

As you know, the ministry takes me into some of the most remote and challenging terrains. Reaching our brothers and sisters in the interior has often been a struggle against distance and the lack of reliable transport. This car is much more than a vehicle to me; it is a partner in ministry.

Because of your kindness, I can again deepen outreach, visit distant village churches more frequently and consistently, deliver essential aid, especially from the shipment. I can safely transport  shoe bags, gifts, Bibles, and help to communities that are often overlooked.

Your partnership is a tangible reminder that we are one body, working together across borders to further the Gospel. Your sacrifice will directly translate into more miles traveled, more hands held, more people prayed for, more children smiled to and more lives touched by the Word of God.

Please know that you are in our daily prayers. We ask that God blesses the Connexion and the SLM and all of you abundantly for your faithfulness and your heart for the people of Sierra Leone.

As Paul wrote: 'I thank my God upon every remembrance of you... For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.' (Philippians 1:3, 5)

With sincere thanks and blessings, I am yours in His service,

Magnus Bendu

Following the arrival of the UK container of goods and donations in Sierra Leone early in December, Magnus has determinedly been distributing shoe bags to all of the children, despite, at the time, having a problem with his car repeatedly failing and deemed 'beyond repair. Undeterred, he begged and borrowed vehicles from whoever and wherever he could so as not to disappoint the children of their Christmas presents - and he was rewarded by the pure delight on their faces!

 

The Connexion and our communities in Sierra Leone send huge thanks to everyone who contributed to making up the shoe bags. The photos of many very happy children makes the effort more than worthwhile!

 

The next big event was a Christmas Day treat at the beach for the children from Bethesda Orphanage, which was also throughly enjoyed by all.

 

Thank you for making all of this possible!

Following an appeal for donations towards purchasing a new car for Magnus, we are delighted to say that our prayers have been answered beyond expectation, with a total of £14,625 being raised! As Ephesians (3: 20) teaches us, God is able to do immeasurably more that we can think or imagine!

Magnus' ageing car had a failing engine that was preventing him from taking goods in the UK container out to Sierra Leone's churches, schools and communities. He was needing to borrow cars from other people to try to get the job done.

We send a huge Thank You to the kind and generous donors for this gift. The money will go a long way in buying a new car to help Magnus to carry out his important work. 

We hope Magnus will send us a photo of the new car when he picks it up!

Thanks be to God!

 
(The image shows Magnus with some of the children at Kono nursery)

Janet O'Shea, Chair of the Sierra Leone Mission (SLM) brings us pre-Christmas news from our communities in Sierra Leone.

Container Arrival

The best news to hear at the beginning of the month was that the container had been released from Freetown docks and had arrived at Bethesda on 4 December. Inevitably it arrived in the middle of the night so the wonderful children spent until 3am unloading the contents!

Magnus' Car Problem

Magnus is overjoyed with all of the items that have been sent from the UK, but unfortunately he is experiencing a huge problem with his car. The engine has been deemed irrepairable due to its age and he is having great difficulty distributing everything. At the moment he is borrowing cars from different people. 

Magnus has not asked us for help, but as part of The Connexion we strongly feel a need to raise money to purchase another car for Magnus. If you are able and would like to contribute towards another car a restricted fund has been opened and will remain open until 9 January. Please mark any gift as CAR. Donation options are below.

Grant from The Stuart Hine Trust

We are very thankful to The Stuart Hine Trust, who gave the SLM a grant for £5,000. This was to be used to purchase bible story books for all of our schools, and Magnus has started distributing them.

Mariatu

We have also learned of the exciting news that Mariatu Hannah Kamara has graduated with a degree in nursing.  She is the first ‘street child’ raised in Bethesda to complete a university course. We are bursting with pride for her!

Pastor Retreat

Every year in December the pastors in Sierra Leone gather for a retreat. This year they met from 18 to 20 December. We ask you to please remember them in your prayers, and for their hard work and dedication.

On behalf of the SLM we thank you for your continued concern for our brothers and sisters in Sierra Leone. Please pray for the spread of the Gospel in that country.

Janet O'Shea

SIERRA LEONE DONATIONS

If you would like to make a donation, to help SLM's work in Sierra Leone, just click on the Donations button, located at the top of each website page. Please also state if you would like your donation to go towards a particular project. If your donation is towards a new car for Magnus, please reference it CAR.

Donating by Bank Transfer

Barclays Bank

Sort code: 20-16-08, Account number: 30799076, Account name: Sierra Leone Mission 

(NB We are very grateful to receive anonymous donations, but when making a bank transfer donation, the donor's name is needed for auditing purposes. Please be assured this information will remain private.)

Donating by cheque

Please send cheques to: Sierra Leone Mission. Postal address: Janet Foord, Sheppey Evangelical Church, Warden Bay Road, Leysdown on Sea, Isle of Sheppey, Kent ME12 4NA