Second and Last Blog!!

Living in Banta has been an adventure up until now. We have been able to participate in a number of activities and have settled into a good routine. Everyday we have opportunities to experience the love God has for this place and work together as a team to be His hands and feet in this beautiful country.

So far the three major projects we have been involved with are... updating sponsorship records, tutoring students from the Junior High School and a select number of home children, and visiting local villages where we are able to build new relationships and help out with village life. Additionally, we have been involved in outreach to various villages for health education talks with the clinic staff, where we teach on sanitatin, clean water, nutrition, malaria, While there we also perform water testing and run a little clinic where we screen adults and children and hand out vitamins.

Recently, COTN's Mallory Johnson Secondary School held a Saturday workshop on goal setting that we were able to be apart of. We put together a skit that demonstrated the distractions that can come about as a young adult and how they can put a plan into action that would help them achieve their goals and dreams. We then broke up into teams and talked about what that might look like for them and what they could do to overcome those obstacles. We had a really positive response of about 100 students from both the Junior and Senior High and students from each group shared their thoughts and experiences. It was a successful outlet for both information and participation.




To my family and friends:
I miss you all so much. I can't believe that I will be home so so soon! Time has really been flying since may has hit. Banta has been amazing our last few weeks here. Visiting with our new skills family and building relationships with the children have been my favorite part! We are leaving banta next thursday morning to head to freetown for a little retreat before we hit the airport. We have such a short amount left! Its crazy! I can't to share all my stories and pictures with everyone! OH YEAH: we are recently building a pig pen. It is very hard labor, but it is paying off! Just not the sun burns :( love and miss everyone.

Mommy and daddy: I miss you both so much. Especially when I dont feel good :( I can't wait to be home and tell you all everything. Dont worry, im safe and healthy! Mom- stop crying :) Im okay! I miss you and I love you so much. Dad: I can't wait to work out at the gym with you. We've been walking so much, so I have been staying healthy and ready to go! I will call you both on my birthday around 4 ishh your time, so be free :) OH DADDY: im learning to make homemade peanut butter for you :)

Jackie and Matt:I miss you both so much. I am praying for your marriage every morning :) I hope all is well and little brady is healthy. Although he may not be little anymore! I will see you guys soon! Love and miss you both. And jackie, starbucks date is needed..asap!

Blake: I hope your enjoying being 16! I miss you bro! Im going to get you a sweet african knife for your birthday! You'll love it! Sorry dad! Haha. Love you brother, stay outta trouble.

Sarah lee, Max, Dina:I cant wait to snuggle at night again(: miss you all! I hope sarah is not chewing up any more couches!

Lauren Grenicles: You thought i'd forget about you..huh!? Haha, never :) I miss youuu. So much! Its weird not hearing from you everyday :( I hope your doing soo good lauren. I pray and think about you all the time. Remember to keep listening to that play list okay?! :) cause I do! I can't wait to see you and everyone soo soon! I hope your still counting down! I will call you on my birthday, so you better not be working missy! I love you soooo much and I can't wait to see you again. Stay strong for me and dont give in to ANYTHING. Haha. Give Patrice a shout out for me& Eric! Don't forget about our summer list now...(: Love youuuu muffin. Ohh: say hi to our small group for me(: miss you.

Maggie May: I miss you girl! I hope college life is treating you well! Im sure your almost done! And I can't wait to see you at that airport..even though I will prob hear you from miles away hahha. Miss you girl. I cant wait to blast tay swift in LAKE! Holla. Love you girl.OH pho date asap when I get back!

Thanks for everyone's prayers and thoughts! I can't wait to share my stories and pictures. God bless you all, and I will be home very soon. I am praying for you :)

Love Chelsea


Dear family and friends

Banta is amazing, we have all fallen in love with the people and the land. Its beautiful here, and the people are so amazing and so full of life even though they have so little. Sense the mines we have still been tutoring our students in English, and they are coming a long way. We are still doing Friday health talks, and still doing new skills which is where we go to a family in a village and learn about village life, and help out in any form 2 days a week. We have also started to build a pig pen for the farm because there are way to many pigs in 6 rooms so we are building two more for the piglets. Its been a lot of hard work and a lot of hours but its been worth it. I am learning so much here, and just changing so much as a person, growing up and seeing whats actually important in life. Banta brings a joy out of me thats unexplainable, a peace and a home. Thank you all who are praying for me I could not do it with out you, and thank you everyone who supported me, this tip would have never happened with out your support and you believing in me, Thank you for this amazing gift, and for helping me achieve one of my dreams. Thank you :)

Mom and Dad- I miss you both so much. I cant wait to see you in a couple weeks. Its going to be great. Sense last I talked to you on the phone we have still continued with our normal activities, and have added a few more. Daddy Chris the founder of COTN and Bruce from orange county came for a few days this past week. It was really nice to see white people, and to hear about whats going on at home. They stopped here on the way to Liberia because they are setting up a COTN there. Which is amazing, there will be Five places after that. I have gotten close to a few village kids even more lately and its going to be so hard to leave them, not to mention the children in the homes. Its amazing here! One day we should all take a trip down here, you two would totally fall in love with this place. Seriously its amazing. I'm bringing a food pounder home so I can make african dishes for you all, and PEANUT BUTTER be stoked!!!!! I love you two so much, and I cant wait to see you, tell the dogs I say hiiiiiii!! and give tanner a huge kiss!!!!

Reo- Hey love I miss you so much!! i'll be home to you soon and we can spend so much time together. And go to the zoo!! on the way to the zoo can we get fro yo??? please?? i'm craving it so much!! babe this place is amazing, I really hope you and me come back one day all the house kids want me to bring you here so they can meet you, and they have all demanded wedding pictures galore. So we will have to remember to order more and send some here. They all wanted me to say Hi to you and that they are excited to meet you one day. I'm excited for that day, the day I come back. Its going to be so hard to leave them here but i'm excited to come home to you. I hope work is going good, and that your enjoying your time. Specially because it will be crazy ness when I get home, and all the planning begins. I cant wait to see you I love you so much!! I miss you Reo a lot.

JENNA BEAN!!!- Oh how I miss my best friend!! and I miss hanging out and chatting with you, and spending time and just having Jenna and Kaylyn nights, which by the way will increase so much more when I get home. So about Africa I have a million and one bug bites on my legs but let me tell you its all worth it. I want you to come here so bad. I can totally see you just falling in love with these children and just loving it so much here. I miss you so much!! Red Robin will be so happy to see us together again!! haha, Girl I miss you. I cant wait to beach it up, and to just do summer fun. Its going to be great, and to plan everything will be crazy but it will be fun. Jenna I don't want to leave this place whats so ever but im excited to come home haha if that makes sense. But i'm going to pass the computer. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! i'll see you in two week now!!!
SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPP

Thank you again everyone for your support and i'll be seeing you in about two weeks!! love you all

Love Kaylyn


Hello everybody. (JESSE)

So there's only two weeks until we're home so there's really not much here to say that I'd rather not say in person very very soon. Suffice to say everything is of course amazing here and I miss you all so much and am so blessed by those praying for me every single day and I wish I didn't have to leave. The stories to tell... Can't wait to see you all and to tell you them! Just with I could pack up again and come back... Just with Hailey!
To Hailey of course I CAN'T WAIT to see you at the airport :) Oh how I love thee! See you very soon!!! So much to talk about for the both of us! Sorry I haven't called again I'll explain later. My parents should be able to give you a small update.
To family we just spoke to you know how I feel :) Love you all and speak to you soon! To my friends pretty much the same thing. I don't know what's goin on with the small group but I would love to have a party a few days after I get back for us all!
See you all very soon as we return to the “civilized” world!
Love,
Jesse




Hey everyone!!!! I hope that you are all doing well. I miss you all so very much, but I have fallen so deeply in love with Banta. The people, the landscape, the weather, everything about this place is so incredible and a constant reminder of how incredibly huge God is and how phenomenal His creation is. The last two months have been so incredible! I can't think of any other place that I would rather have spent my birthday (apart from with my family). It freaks me out that we only have two weeks left here and then we are off. I can't even begin to put into words how much I am going to miss Banta. On the other hand, I can't wait to see all of you and share all of my experiences with you!

To Mama & Daddy: I miss you both SO very much! Hearing your voices today was so incredibly uplifting and inspiring. It was exactly the second wind that I needed. Thank you so much for being such incredible parents and role models to Zach, Mikle, and me. I love you both so much and am counting down the days until I can see and hug you both! I read your letters everyday and my shell is always by my side, Daddy! And Mama, stay strong and know that I am thinking and praying for you all the time. I love you guys SO SO SO SO SO much.

BUDDY!: I can't wait to see you at the airport! I miss my sidekick! I hope that you are doing well and staying strong. I am so proud of you and the accomplishments that you are making in track. I wish that I could be there to cheer you on and support you, but know that I am rooting you on from a few continents away. =]. I'm glad that the concert and prom went well and I can't wait to see pictures! I love you very much and I am counting down the days until we can raise hell in Lakeland again! =]

My dearest Grammy: I love you!!!!!!! It was so nice to hear your voice today! Thank you for singing me Happy Birthday! I love you very much and I can't wait to see your precious face! Give Jazzy love for me!

Boo Bear: I MISS YOU! Life is so boring without my boo bear here to raise hell with me! I love you very much and I can't wait to see you at the airport! =].

To All My Friends And Family: Thank you again for all of the prayers and support! This trip would not have been at all possible without your help and support. I love you all so very much. Stay strong and take care! I will be home in two weeks!

God Bless,
Kaytee =]


Hey everyone!
It's crazy how quickly these past 2 months have gone by! Banta gets more beautiful every single day. I'm really excited to be seeing everyone again, but it's going to be tough leaving these kids. The people here are so wonderful and getting to know them and hear their stories has been such a blessing. It's incredible learning about where these kids used to be before they came to the home and seeing where they are now and how much God has redeemed their lives. God is doing such huge things in this community and it's exciting to get to play a small part in the work being done. I'm so thankful that we've gotten to have the opportunity to come here and my life has been changed forever. We haven't gotten to hear from home much, so I'm really eager to hear about all the cool things going on in Washington :) I pray for you guys all the time and I am so thankful for those of you who have been keeping us in your prayers, it's definitely appreciated. Please continue to pray for our team as we approach our last week here.
FAMILY- I miss you. Mom and dad, I know I just talked to you the other day, but here's another shout out... HEEEEEYYY!!! I LOVE YOUUUUU!!!! Oh! I forgot to say thank you for the goodie bag you gave me! The book of sudoku keeps me sane when my mind needs a break from my emotions haha the cadbury eggs melted all over my purse and the contents of my purse way back when we first got here... I did NOT see that coming! Haha basically all the candy melted everywhere. Oh well. It was a fun-filled moment to discover that! Hope school is going well and the kids aren't being too obnoxious as you approach the end of the school year :) I'm expecting dates for the hiking trip when I get home so my fiance and I can request it off from work! Can't wait to see you in a couple weeks! Erika- Hello I love you! Mom said you are coming to the airport with Josh! And the van! Yayyyy!!!! I'm excited to see you guys. I'm sure Josh is a golfing extraordinaire by now and is writing songs or doing something amazing. I'm excited to see him! and you and Mark! Tell him I say hello and thanks for all the words of wisdom! Jenny- I miss you! I hope that school is going well for you and that things aren't too crazy for you and Chad right now. I'm gonna have some time off when we get back so maybe we could reunite at some point this summer? :) I'm praying for you guys and am excited to see you.
J3- I am so excited to hear about how youth is going and how you are all doing! I haven't heard anything about youth since I've been here so I'm eager to hear about all that's happened this spring! I trust that God is doing amazing things and I hope that you are having a great time with the leaders that are there. I love you guys so much and think about you all the time. Umm... and I'm thinking we need to have a party when I get home :) I'm praying for you and can't wait to see you guys!
And to everyone else... I'll see you soon and I'm looking forward to hearing about all the good stuff happening back in America.
See you in a few days!
love love love.
Katie Miser

So we leave in a week!! Im so excited to see everyone! I have so much to tell you all and im excited to share with you all my experiences. I wont go into to much detail on here because I will see you so soon but Africa is still hard and uncomfortable but the best experience of my life. I have been able to find my identity here and I found parts of my heart I didnt even know I could love with. Im super stoked to come home and see everyone. Mom, shellee, grandma, bama (pretty much all the woman of my life) im sorry we have posted only 2 of these since we left but like I said earlier internet is hard to come by here. I love you all! See you soon.
Eric


Hello everyone!

I hope you are doing well at home. We will be home in a few short days and I am so excited to see everyone. I have really fallen in love with this place and all of the kids here. There are so many stories I can't wait to tell you all. JJ, I am trying to work on getting you a cool present for your birthday. Can't wait to see you. Carl... how's my little bro doing? Hope all is well and miss your smiling face. Mom, I hope everything is going well for you and I think about you often and wish you could see Sierra Leone and all it's wonderfulness. Dad, I can't wait to give you a big hug at the airport! Gramma, hope you and Peppie are have a good Spring. :) Kat, Selena, Steph, Jenay, Nadine, and all other friends and family.. I hope you are doing well and I love you bunches!

Thanks to everyone for your love and support! See ya soon!

Jen

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Dear Moma Landram,

Today your daughter turned 19 and celebrated with the help of her new little brothers and sisters. They sang for her. They wrote her letters. They gave her gifts. A special menu was also prepared with pizza (yeah, okay, so maybe we should have told the lady that cooks for us that Kaytee doesn't like pizza) and an amazing cake with pink icing. Tomorrow she is going to trek her way in to the jungle and cross a river in a dugout canoe. I know you're incredibly proud of her. And you should be. But you really need to do something about the size of that kid's thumb!

Just sayin'.

With love,

The Irishman

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