We have called The Covering home for nearly ten years. It has welcomed children in their most vulnerable states, and it provides a safe haven for the children it serves. In ten years, we have dug a well, developed a garden, and taken refuge during the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic. Through your generous support, we've added new beds, mattresses, mosquito nets, and even basketball hoops. Our large generator allows us to have electricity more consistently for Skype and other activities. These added touches make The Covering feel even more like a home.
The Covering may be the name of a building, but our hope is that behind the walls is a place of refuge. The Covering is a haven where children can be children—a place where they can celebrate birthdays and be tucked in each night—a place where they can go to school and church. The Covering is a place that protects and nurtures them.
Over the past year, we are grateful to have made several improvements to The Covering. In late 2021, after eighteen months in lockdown, our landlord was able to come in and help us spruce things up a bit. We received new paint on the exterior buildings, railings were repaired, the roof was fixed, windows were replaced, and potholes in the play area were also mended. Since our last building campaign, our TRS staff painted inside the apartments, brightening the apartments with beautiful shades of blue and green. Most recently, the TRS classrooms were updated with new paint just in time for the new school year. These updates are only part of what makes The Covering home, but we are grateful to see the improvements.
This week, we are taking you on a tour of the compound to give you a better look at what our rent covers. To some, it may be just a building. To the children we love and serve, it is where they begin to heal from the inside out.
The Covering is made up of four large, apartment-style buildings. Three of the buildings are almost entirely designated as living spaces for our kids. There is an apartment that houses our babies and toddlers, The Hope Apartment that serves our children with special needs, and the remaining apartments are divided by age and gender. The fourth building serves many purposes. There is a room for the children to Skype with their sponsors, and the upstairs is a large open space that meets a variety of our needs. It serves as a space for our school, church, staff meetings, and birthday celebrations.
Also, within the compound is a small building for our nurse to do wellness checks as well as treat injuries and illnesses. There is a paved space for our kids to run, play soccer and basketball and jump rope outdoors. A connecting gate leads to an open grass area with a kitchen where, often with the children's help, our cooks prepare three meals a day. This space also includes a well that provides clean water, and next to the well is a garden. The entire compound is protected by a concrete security fence that keeps our children safe. Because of the space we have, we are able to nearly 100% meet the needs of our children without ever needing to leave the compound.
Aside from our very own land and our very own building, The Covering is truly our best option. Not only does it provide what we need to serve the children, but it also provides stability. We hope that you will join us this month in supporting our Na We Os Building Campaign. We still need $22,193 to meet our goal of $55,000 by August 31st. Your tax-deductible DONATION will help us continue to continue our mission in Sierra Leone. Can you help?
Many blessings,
The Raining Season