Every two weeks we have three days off. This weekend was especially full with activities. We began on Friday with a tour of Freetown’s historic sites led by Abu, a young tour guide we met in 2021. Sierra Leone was colonized by England as they sent freed slaves from Nova Scotia and Jamaica to settle there. The city was given the name Freetown. Our first stop was at the abandoned old Fourah Bay College, which was the first university established in Western Africa.
The Railroad Museum was historic and fun. Queen Elizabeth visited Sierra Leone in 1961 to mark the independence of Sierra Leone. A coach was built in Freetown for her visit. There were many other historic rail cars in the museum.
We went from fun to sobering, as we toured the Peace Museum. This museum commemorates the peace that happened after their ten year civil war, 1991-2001. Many lives were lost and people maimed as the rebel soldiers of several factions ruled the land. The people do not want to forget what happened and make sure it never happens again. We also visited the Peace Monument. The words on the monuments are poignant and meaningful.
There are two historic churches in Freetown that we visited. St. George Anglican church was built in 1823 . St. John Maroon Church was built by former Jamaican slaves in 1822. The slaves were originally deported to Nova Scotia and then to Freetown in 1800. The ceiling of the church was made from the lumber from the ship that brought them to Sierra Leone.
We ended the day hosting our friends, Aaron, Mariama and family on the Global Mercy. The children had never seen western style living, nor had they ridden an elevator. It was a great experience for them.
Tim & Kathy Simonsen 