For this month's CONNECTION:
- Listen to an audio story from Sierra Leone (2-3 min)
- Pray for all the children in Sierra Leone who are still waiting for safe water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and the eternal hope of Jesus.
While artistic license has been taken, Adama, the Mafonikay Community Primary School, and the events in this audio reading are based on a real story of impact depicted by Living Water Sierra Leone colleagues.
LISTEN: More than Water
Click here to read along!
“My name is Adama. I’m a twelve-year-old student leader at the Mafonikay Community Primary School in Sierra Leone.
Life was really hard when we didn’t have safe water.
Every day, we had to leave class and walk miles to fill our buckets with dirty water from a pond or a hole dug by hand. It took so long that we missed most of the school day.
After school, I still had to help my mom collect water. Most days, it felt like all I did was carry water back and forth. My body was tired, and my mind felt foggy.
But water wasn’t the only problem.
We had only a few old bathrooms, and we had to share them with the boys. Sometimes, it was so crowded that we had to go behind bushes or trees.
When I started getting my period, I stayed home every month because there was no way to take care of it at school. I missed so many classes, I thought I’d never catch up.
I prayed things would change. Even as a student leader, it felt like there was nothing I could do. Dirty water kept holding us back.
Then one day, a team from Living Water Sierra Leone came to our school. They installed a hand pump, and now we have safe water right in the school yard! They also built new bathrooms—some for girls, some for boys, and some for kids with disabilities.
They taught us how to wash our hands and even showed us girls how to make our own pads. Before, we felt ashamed, but now we feel safe, healthy, and strong!
Today, I help lead the team that keeps our school clean. I check the bathrooms, remind everyone to wash their hands, and help younger students who need support.
Now, more girls stay in school, even during their periods. We don’t miss lessons like before, and our grades show it!
It’s not just that my prayer was answered—it’s that I got to be part of the answer.
I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I know one thing: our future is full of hope.”
REFLECTION
Pray for all the children in Sierra Leone who are still waiting for safe water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and the eternal hope of Jesus.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the transformation that you brought to Adama and all the other students at this school. Right now, I lift before you all the precious children and families in Sierra Leone who are still longing for safe water, health, and hope. Your word says that we can ask things of you boldly and faithfully, and you hear us. So, in this moment, I ask that you show yourself as Jehovah Jireh in the lives of each of these children facing desperate need—not only meeting their physical needs, but also filling their hearts with your Holy Spirit. Thank you for everything you’re doing and will continue to do in Sierra Leone. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
