Catalyst for Peace (formerly Catalyst Peacebuilding)

We had our last interview yesterday with an incredible Muslim woman–the only woman to join the first coalition that met with the RUF in the bush. She said she represented the face of the mothers of Sierra Leone. Those who were a part of that first meeting have said that her presence, as a woman, helped calm down the RUF, enabling them to sit and talk. She had a powerful, compassionate, and humble presence and I felt blessed to sit with such a remarkable woman.

Although we are entering our last few days here, the stories will continue. As we return to the US, we will be posting more of the words and stories of those we have met with, those we have learned so much from, throughout the next few months.

It is hard to say goodbye to this beautiful country–especially the people. The sights, sounds, and voices that have meant so much in this short month will stay with me long after I return to the US:

I will miss…
1. Hearing “How De Body” as a morning greeting—and the feeling of broken krio rolling off my tongue
2. Fresh mangos, papaya (paw-paw) and pineapple for breakfast
3. Black eyed beans, rice, and Peppered guinea fowl
4. Overcrowded streets full of vendors, small refreshment stands, and people
5. Brightly colored fabrics and dresses that decorate the beautiful Sierra Leonean women

6. The powerful downpours that are only found in the African rainy season
7. A Cold Coke in a bottle on hot day
8. The smiles, greetings, and hands of children everywhere we go
9. Bargaining in the market
10. Mohamed, our driver
11. Mohamed’s cell phone ring: a recording of the call to prayer, which we get to hear from his phone about 20 times a day
12. The white sand beach—with the Atlantic Ocean stretching for miles in the distance
13. “Pack-n-Go”—the newest Sierra Leonean hip hop hit single—blaring from the trucks of the All People’s Congress and Sierra Leonean People’s Party as they try to rally support for the upcoming elections
14. The countless futbol matches being played on the beach and throughout the city during the day
15. And the many, many people whose stories, voices and friendships we will carry with us across the Atlantic…