Thursday, November 20th

This morning I went to town to just re-acquaint myself with Freetown. In the afternoon I visited the offices of Network Movement for Development and Justice, a local NGO started by one of my colleagues when I was the chaplain of the Young Christian Students. Mr. Augustine Abu Brima started Network in the early 1990’s while he was working at the National Pastoral Center in Kenema. By the time I came to Kenema, he had moved the operation to Freetown and was on his own. Network is considered a lay movement for justice. It has done some very serious work with local communities in Adult Education and Development education. One present challenge it is addressing is mining contracts and interest reforms in the diamond areas of the East. Augustine has over 90 staff members throughout the country, including Joseph Pokowa, another colleague of mine from those YCS years. It was a great reunion.

In the evening at 8:00pm I was at St. Paul’s Major Seminary where I spoke of the work of AFJN and our Restorative Justice Project. In the question and answer session, it was interesting to note that even the seminarians are deeply affected by the victimization and it will take quite an effort to overcome the feelings of betrayal, loss, and jealousy for those who got reparations through DDR. The feelings are very raw.

I was very glad to have been there and honoured by the support of the Rector, Fr. Matthew Kanneh.