In my last update I wrote about the number of children who were living on the streets around our base when we first arrived in Conakry. Over the years we have done our best to help get them off the streets, back living with family or friends, and then back into school.
To date we have rescued upwards of 350 children but, today, I would like to go back to the time I started a school to help the children who didn't have a family or friends to go back to.
This was in 2011 and, although we started with just a few children, the number attending the school grew rapidly and by 2014 we had over 1000 pupils. The school was funded by charging those with families, and able to pay school fees (those that were very poor, or were still living on the streets. did not have to pay).
Unfortunately the devastating Ebola virus hit the country in 2014 and the school had to close. Children died, parents died, and when the Ebola outbreak was finally brought under control, we found ourselves with a school building badly in need of repair, no way of paying the rent, and even more children than before(some our ex students) living on the streets and needing a school to go to.
It is my dream to renovate the school building and to once more see it filled with eager young learners studying their way out of poverty, but once more I have to cast my cares upon Jesus because, personally, I have no way of achieving this dream by myself so I'm relying 100% on Him to make it happen.
Will you pray with me please. and lets trust God together that the building will be repaired and once more open to children to learn, regardless of their ability to pay their fees, and whether or not they even have a home..
Blessings from all of us at Iris in Guinea,
Sia