My name is Saa Sandy. I am 15 years old and from the Kono tribe, a district of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

I lost my father when I was 10. After that, I lived with my mother, whose main business was selling alcohol. Since this business was not working, my mother abandoned me and my 18-month-old little sister to go to the Republic of Mali, where my mother began working as a hairdresser. To protect my little sister from ill-intentioned men, I sent her to my mother’s older sister, who lives 12 miles away. Because of my studies, I preferred to stay and live alone in my father’s house.

How do I lead my life?
Every day after school, I must go out to look for work where I can sometimes earn 50 cents or a dollar, on which to live. There are days when I cannot find work, so I spend the night without eating, and the next day I go to school. Because of my courage, I have become the most famous youth in my neighborhood. I am surrounded by friends ranging in age from 10 to 13 years old. Sometimes it is my friends who help me find food or work.

Why Do I Do All This?
I do all this to survive because I do not want to be like other young people who refuse to work and study and simply indulge in extremely dangerous drugs.

How did I meet the Leno missionary family?
The Leno family lives 100 meters (110 yards) from my house. When Pastor Leno saw me alone every day without any adults in the house, it caught his attention and prompted him to approach me to ask me questions about my life and that of my family. I thank God for the arrival of this missionary family. I can say that the Lord sent them here because of me. Since their arrival, my situation has undergone significant changes. Now that I have time to participate in Sabbath prayers, I sometimes invite others to join me.

Please pray for me, because I want to know Jesus more and share Him with my friends.

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There are many children like Saa in this village. Due to the economic situation here, parents often abandon their children, only to find them later. By then, many of these children have become drug addicts, and others have dropped out of school. Please pray for God to give us wisdom and guidance in helping these children and their families and leading them to the Lord. Your continued support of the Kono project is greatly appreciated.

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