You may recall an article we posted on the website this time last year about Abdul and Mariatu. They are the two oldest children at Bethesda Orphanage, having been rescued at a very young age from the streets of Freetown by Magnus Bendu. They were brought to live at Bethesda, which gave them a home, new brothers and sisters, and ensured that they had a good education with opportunities to study hard.

With their time at Bethesda coming to an end Abdul and Mariatu were making plans to move on to further education - something they could never have dreamed of doing living on the streets. 

They continued to apply themselves to their studies throughout their time at Bethesda. Abdul was appointed Head Boy and Mariatu was elected Student Chaplain. Having worked hard for their final exams, they hoped for results that would make them eligible to gain a place at University. Abdul to study law and Mariatu to study medicine.

An appeal was made at the end of 2020 by the Sierra Leone Mission for financial contribution towards the cost of enabling these bright, hardworking teenagers to achieve the next stage of their education. The estimated cost of Abdul’s four-year course was £542 and Mariatu’s seven-year course was then estimated at £620. Thanks be to God for his answer to prayer in bringing a generous donation to the SLM to enable them the possibility of going to University. 

We are now delighted to inform you that both Abdul and Mariatu received good exam grades and as a result have been able to apply for University courses. Abdul had at one time considered studying Law, but decided to apply for a BSc course in Computer Science, as an alternative, at the Canadian University of Modern Technology. During his application interview, however, he was advised to switch to Mass Communication. This option  reduces the need for a strong background in science (which has been limited for Abdul) and also offers a path to study Law as further study. Mariatu continues to seek a career in medicine and has successfully gained a place on a BSc course in nursing at Njala University. 

We are hugely thankful to the sponsors who came forward with money to cover Abdul's and Mariatu's University tuition fees (which have since doubled). However there are still additional costs that have not yet been funded...  

Both Abdul and Mariatu will need a personal computer and mobile phone. The computers are estimated at £368 each and the phones are £103 each. In addition, the costs that will be incurred for their food is estimated at £23 per month.

Prayer is a marvellous thing and every time help is needed, God prompts the right people to come forward. Our prayer today is that God will again prompt 'someone out there' who may consider making a contribution, or perhaps a one-off payment, to cover these additional costs. And in doing so they will enable a hugely exciting and beneficial adventure for two street children.

Thanks be to God!

 

Donate

If you would like to make a donation, please click on the Donations button, located at the top of each website page. Please state if you would like your donation to go towards a particular project (eg Abdul and Mariatu).

Alternatively donate 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. When making a bank transfer donation, the donor's name is needed for auditing purposes, but this information will remain private.)

Or send a cheque to:

Sierra Leone Mission. Postal address: Janet Foord, 2 Cheyne Close, Church Milton, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 2SQ