Rev Themi's PK4A's Sierra Leone blog

Precious things in life never come cheaply. If you want material things you generally have to pay for them; If you want a successful career the cost is focus and application; If you want a happy marriage the cost is your time and effort to communicate, share, compromise, and journey with another person’s needs at the forefront of your mind. Good children don’t come cheap either; the cost involves your application of love and discipline for them; financial losses occur because one parent takes time from work to be the foundation builder for children’s lives in their early formative years, and this is separate to the other costs of raising a child to become a decent human being. Good health often costs the effort of healthy living.
The list can go on but the point is…there’s no such thing as a free lunch as they say.

Our life as Christians didn’t and does not come cheap either; Jesus paid for us with His Blood. The ransom owed to the devil was death. Death is the ultimate fear, the final enemy, the great threat always hanging over the head of every human. We do so much to avoid this fear, this reality; some argue, it is the basic driver of human actions. This argument say's that everything from building big houses to big bank balances revolve around people trying to find ways of feeling safe in the face of death’s inevitability.

Jesus paid with His Blood to give us a way out from this impasse. He smashed death from the inside. Saint John in preaching about Jesus’ resurrection says that Hades received a body and encountered God, it took earth and came face to face with Heaven, it took what it could see and was conquered by what it could not see.
But first, Jesus had to pay with agony, suffering, humility, and death itself. None of it was “tax deductible” or self serving. There was nothing in it for Jesus except for you to have a chance at living without fear permeating every action consciously or sub-consciously. He did it because God is simply put, in love. In love with you, with me, and with all creation.

Easter means you can live with a different frame of reference in your life, that of eternity.

A lot of Christians unfortunately try to grab this gift and do a runner. They don’t get it! You can’t steal this thing, it is quite literally un-stealble. We can however, do a great con job on ourselves with it. We can “Christos Anesti” till the cows come home, with out ever letting the resurrection settle in our heart and transform our life. That why the principle of “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”, applies to being a Christian too.

So do yourself the favour and “get it” now, so you don’t waste so much of your life in things that won’t bring you what you want. Being a Christian isn’t free. It costs heaps whether you’re poor or rich or anything in between. It costs time, humility, conviction, self examination and inner journeys. It costs prayer, communication with God, Scripture reading, and serious times spent alone in meditation and contemplation. Finally, it costs the effort to reach out where, when, and how you can. In fact these aren’t real costs because when you really have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, these things start coming naturally…the Bible calls them “the Fruit of the Spirit”. Our work in Africa is fuelled by Christians who understand that Church and faith are not free lunches. Every gift, financial or other, is an expression of Christ’s real presence in people’s lives.

I sincerely and personally ask each and every one of you touched by Christ this Easter to help us here in the poorest of the poor countries of the world where most people die of simple curable things before they turn 40. One in three children die here before they’re one. I personally plead with you that are my friends to help through Paradise Kids 4 Africa by signing up on the website to make a monthly contribution. The cost of a hamburger there can save a life here. The cost of a drink there can feed someone here for days. If only 1000 people there sacrifice one hamburger and one drink a month and donate even a small amount like $10 each month through PK4A Ezipay, literally hundreds of people here can build a future. I, Fr Themi ask you my friends to do this in Jesus’ name knowing that God rewards a cheerful giver. I’m excited every time I see the name of each one of you that gives to this sacred work of our Church. With each name I see through the monthly contribution list I remember your love and feel more passionate to keep working and struggling in your name also for the good of the crippled, sick, the children, and broken people of Christ here. Visit www.pk4a.com straight away to sign up for Ezi Donate as a way of showing that Easter really does mean something for you.

Christ is Risen my dearest friends and your life can change and keep changing, for the better and better.

from nkounkou clotaire to PK4A date Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 2:47 AM subject Re: Hi from PK4SL signed-by yahoo.com

2:47 AM (23 minutes ago)

Reply

Deacon Silouanos. (Clauter)

Clauter

Mr. Louis Toumbas
Director
Paradise Kids 4 Africa
Brisbane

Hi Louie and supporters, greetings in the Name of Christ.

I pray that you are well together with all the PK4A Supporters, Volunteers and Commitee Members. It is good and comforting to know that PK4A is serving as a “guardian angel” in our missionary efforts here in Sierra Leone; I thank God for every one of you throughout Australia for your excellent efforts in the Lord’s outreach in Africa.

I have been following PK4A’s efforts with the EZI Donating system and thank everyone who has joined, Louie tels me just on 30 supporters have joined raising nearly $2000.00 every month, this averages out at approximatley $60 per month per donor, a great effort, I am following the financial crissis and understand these are difficult times, it has touched every corner of our planet,  but even the $10 every month would be greatly appreciated, so if you can, please join and subscribe $10 per month. This constant sourse of cash flow will help to eases my constant battle over finances and is Tax Deductible.

As I type this letter we face the battle of completing the Paradise Kids House, as yet it is not completed but is nevertheless nearing completion, hopefully by June – July. This House / Mission Centre will serve as the residence quarters for our permanent members of the Mission team as well as serve as accommodation for short term visitors from abroad . It is therefore very important in terms of the smooth organisation of our Mission; right now we are living in rented accommodation and likewise any visitor would also need to rent accommodation. This is an expensive and unnecessary exercise, so the sooner the PK House is finished the better it will be overall; we are losing visiting missionaries because of this situation.

The challenge facing us first is the need to construct a retaining wall and a good drainage system in the back of the House. The reason is that we have built this House on a hill and have literally dug out and carved out the platform upon which to lay the foundations. Consequently a sheer cliff faces the House at the back. In the rainy season this will become a veritable waterfall (see pictures 1 and 2).
I hope to complete this before the rainy season hits us here in May / June because it may well flood into the house itself.

The second challenge is the need of constructing a security fence around the House. The best way of discouraging potential thieves / robbers and to ensure the saftey of the mission visitors is to erect a security fence. We are only thinking of fencing the House at this stage rather than the entire compound.

When completed, the PK House will contail 7 self contained Bed Rooms with Toilet, Shower kitchenett, and beds; complete with Electricity and running water. A common comunal kitchen and recreation room is also included for thoes end of day fellowship sessions.

Each room will be allocated a special name to honor our supporters
So far we have allocated.....
1. The Gold Coast Room; in recognition of the Paradise Kids Gold Coast PK4A’s Parent charity.
2. The Brisbane Room; in recognition of the Brisbane Committee and supporters in Brisbane.
3. The Sydney Room; in recognition of the Sydney Committee and our Sydney Supporters.
4. The Melbourne Room; in recognition of the Melbourne Committe and their Melbourne supporters
5. The Aradippou Room; in recognition of my generous Cypriot friends in the village of Aradippou, in Cyprus.

This will leave 3 rooms including the Communal Kitchen in the PK House, a Child Care Centre and 8 Houses at the St Moses African Village and our College Library which are all yet to be named and will honor future supporters as we continue to serve Jesus Christ by humbling ourselves and serving the poor, needy and unfortunate in Africa.

 Now, to complete the above 2 challenges we will need about $ AU 50,000, so if there is any corporate or generous donour wishing to help, please contact myself by email on rev.t@pk4a.com  or our office in Australia on pk4a@pk4a.com.

 With all that faces us, we continue to feed several poor communities, improve the educational facilities in our schools, build a teachers college, build community housing and child care for amputees and in generally make life a little easier to everyone that we can.

 Respectfully in Christ
Rev Themistocles Adamopoulo
Freetown
12 / 3 / 09

from Rev Themi to pk4a@pk4a.com date Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 12:38 PM subject PK4A Feb 09 Newsletter

Dear Brothers & Sisters

Greetings in Christ

After several attempts to get the shipment of eight very large crates of linen, crockery and other goods out of the airport we were finally successful. Yesterday evening eight huge crates arrived at my apartment. They are now safely stored under lock and key in the storeroom awaiting for the fitting out of the paradise Kids house.

I thank Suzanne for her tremendous effort in purchasing and shipping the crates to SL.

Also, we are now beginning the process of clearing the 1st container which arrived sometime ago,
but shipping agent did not inform us of its arrival and it was simply by our own enquiries that we finally discovered its arrival; anyway we have started the clearing process. This 1st load of books will enhance the teaching and learning skills of every teacher and student and create a wonderful library; it should take about a week to clear the container and a few months to process the books.

Every time I am able to get the Internet, I am reminded of the financial crisis that has hit the world; my payer is that you are all able to withstand this attack from the evil one and that your faith strengthens from this adversity. I have read about the fires in Victoria and my prayers and love go out to the victims of this tragedy, it may seem our world is falling apart but it has always been like this, its just that we become blind to the suffering of others unless it is displayed in front of our faces, day in day out.

Here in Africa, there is no credit crunch, because there is no credit. (current joke going around Africa); But in reality the effect from this global crisis is that prices have skyrocketed, where once the staple living requirements were cheap, they are now expensive and causing more people to fall into poverty and seeking our help. Here in Freetown gasoline is the most expensive in the world and gasoline runs everything from the car to the generators that run the electricity and water.

Our mission here is growing by leaps and bounds daily, our schools are full, parents and students alike are thankful that we are here and helping; our feeding programmes are bursting at the seams and we are now in the process of taking all of our sponsored amputees and polio victims out of the city slums and creating a community of self sufficiency in the city fringe farm land that we have acquired. Our building programmes are slowly taking shape the Paradise Kids House will soon be ready for occupation; the school & college buildings are on the way and the church is going up block by block, all in all, things are progressing quicker than I anticipated.

You may remember last year I spoke about establishing Income Generating operations here in SL with local partners to make our mission partly self sufficient and not to rely only on donations. The first opportunity was buying Building Machinery, to establish a Building Machinery Hire business, this idea was eventually abandoned because our local would be partner's funds were not forthcoming and the PK4A director felt it would not prudent to put up all the funds.

However, over the past 6 months since leaving Australia, I have met one of only two men of Greek descendant living in SL. Some time ago I noticed a gentleman attending church every Sunday and you can imagine my surprise when he revealed he was a Greek living permanently in Freetown for sometime.

Since this meeting he has become a dear friend who although retired, is willing to start up a business that he has been involved in since childhood. And that business is Fishing, commercial Fishing.
His name is Captain Nick and today I went with Captain Nick to the Fishery, the harbour and port where the fishing boats dock, It is also where the fish are unloaded and sold.

He showed me the various types of fishing boats - from small to medium to large. These boats vary in quality, some have refrigeration systems, advanced fishing machines, etc, others are very plain; Some of these boats can even travel as far as Greece from here.

Prices range from USD$ 5000 to USD$ 100,000); Obviously the profit margin increases with increased boat sophistication, For example whereas a small cheap boat can average around USD $ 2000) per month the larger boats can bring a far higher profit margin  of up to USD 30,000 - per month.

After consultation with PK4A directors and the SL Fisheries, we are now looking to buy a boat. We are starting in Freetown. If we do not get a bargain we will then try Conakry. If we fail there then we will try Dakar (Senegal). All these are neighbouring regions. If unsuccessful on all, then he believes he can find areal bargain in France.  Now the aim is to get as good a boat as can be at the cheapest possible price.

Beginning in Freetown tomorrow captain Nick has made arrangements to speak to a fishing boat owner - one the major boat owners in SL, and he happens to be a Greek!!! hallelujah ( the second Greek living in SL)

If it all works out Captain Nick and I will approach the banks for a loan or preferably I would rather someone in Australia to lend the mission  $AU 70,000 which I will repay within six months plus an extra $ AU 7000, Captain Nick will put in his share (25%)

I am not saying there are no risks but they are minimal because even in times of global crisis people still have to eat; If this works out I can then use the profits from this project to sustain the missions...I think I'm starting to sound more like a business person than a missionary, but I dislike all the begging and pressure in collecting funds and never knowing where the next dollar will come from.

Finally, I want to say congratulation's to PK4A for implementing the Ezi Donate system, I have followed it closely and recommend all my supporters to join in support the $10 (or more) per month donation, it will help the missions greatly.

I hope and pray this newsletter finds everyone in good health,

My prayers are never ending,

Respectfully in Christ.

Rev Themistocles Adamopolou
Orthodox Mission to Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone Address:
4D Smart farm
off Wilkinson Road
Freetown

Thu 22/01/2009 7:41 PM

Hi Friends & Supportsers

Greetings in Christ! I pray you are all well.

Finally I am able to use the internet. However due to our new location it is not reliable. So I will be contacting you when it is possible to do so.

I received the last $ US 20,000. Thank you.
Though due to bank charges it was slightly less. Nevertheless I was able to pay  60,000,000 Leones towards the PK4A residence halls.This leaves a balance of about 61 m. Leones. This will not be paid until they have reached the final stages of the building.

Our Greek visitors have brought much assistance for the various building programmes which include:

1. A modern double story sixteen classroom bloc for our school "Freetown Orthodox Christian School." The new building will house the senior secondary school. Total cost 450 m. Leones. This project also includes four modern external toilet blocks for pupils and teachers. Cost of 50 m. Leones

2. A new modern offcie bloc consisting of four offices, a store room, a recption area and toilet block. Total cost 100 m. Leones.

3. The Cathedral building project. Total cost 70 m. Leones.

4. The St. Moses the African Orthodox Village in waterloo (last suburb of Freetown). We have acquired around 6 acres along the main highway where we are planning to house the amputees and polio victims. Building has started comprising of houses (about ten) a large dining hall, a kindergarten and a water well. Total cost 1195 m. Leones (in this project Mrs. Stella and Light of the World is also participating in the costs.) They are also planning to build a large modern clinic which includes an International standard apartment for the missionaries and visitors. In addition a church will also be built. Total cost about 250 m. Leones.

All these designs have been architecturally drawn by Mr. Nicholas Fournaris.

I am very grateful for their generosity. may God bless them.

Keep me informed about the Lord Mayor's Fund raiser in Brisbane.

Attached are photos of the PK House

Note the new address.

With brotherly regards in Christ

Rev Themistocles Adamopoulos

PK4A & Orthodox Mission to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone Address
4D Smart farm
off Wilkinson Road
Freetown
Babadore Hill,
Lumley
Freetown, Sierra Leone

From: Themistocles Adamopoulo [mailto:themistoclesrev@yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: Monday, 1 December 2008 9:13 AM
Subject: Re: Journey to the Bottom of the Earth - beyond the Smoke

Hi Brother Louis

I greet youin the Name of Jesus Christ our gentle Master!

Today, quite unexpectdly I was invited to visit a articular slum district of Feetown where I was told there would be land available for PK4A and development activities. I went for the bait hook line and sinker. Yes there is land there available for PK4A. Yes there is land here available for development. But what I did not expect to see was a town within the city, yet hidden fro the city. Coming in from the main road we walked along a pathway amidst Freetown's rubbish - refuse centre; garbage had been thrown there for years, where a  filthy drainage / sewer system flows  between the mountains of rubbish.

I walked for sometime in this horrible place escorted by the locals. Sometime down the footpath which now ceased to be a footpath but a pillow of rubbish we came to a place where rubbish was being burned. The smoke filled the air - I walked through dense smoke inhaling noxious smoke, coughing and thinking  that I would not be able to breathe much longer. Once we cleared the dense smoke a small city of some 5000 people lay before me. A  town where no white man had ever ventured before.  A town untouched by the rest o the city and in a sense beyond the city. During the civil war even the rebels did not bother to enter there. They did not think it worthwhile to bother with it. This little town at the bottom of the earth was the safest place to be during the civil war. And to this day they almost remain untuched by the movements and rythm of the rest ofhe city

When they saw me the entire town gathered along the narrow path which winds through their alley ways and began to chant, sing and welcome me in the most extraordianry manner. I understood what Jesus woud have felt on Palm Sunday. The singing did not stop.  Crowds came in front., Crowds gathered behind. Children were jumping with joy. Young and old womn were dancing. The scene was apocalyptic and unforgettable. I was then taken by the hand to the land which they would give us.  They have no school. They have no clinic. They need development.

They need us –

God led me here today!

                Do we have enough money to help these people?

Respectfully in the Crucified Christ

Rev Themistocles Adamopoulos
Orthodox Mission to Sierra Leone