Meet Baiwalla School Graduate Momoh Bundeh
By Anita Nerhus, Baiwalla Student Sponsor
Hello, I’m Anita Nerhus and I’d like to introduce you to Momoh Bundeh who has graduated from the Richard Ormsby Secondary School in Baiwalla, Sierra Leone and whom I have sponsored for the past six years. In March of 2019, I got to meet Momoh in person when I was privileged to travel to Baiwalla with five other Hennepin members to help get the school established.
Prior to our trip, I had been given some background information about Momoh and he and I exchanged letters. I learned that he had gotten the best results on the entrance test for secondary school and that he played drums at his church. Little did I know then, but later found out, what a kind-hearted and hard working student and person he is!
When we arrived at the school and upon Momoh and myself being introduced, his eyes filled with tears of joy and thankfulness and he was so overcome with emotion that he could not speak for several seconds. My eyes welled up also and as we hugged each other, he then was able to verbally express his most sincere and heartfelt gratitude for having a sponsor, thus enabling him to continue his education and to hopefully fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor. Our hearts and our futures were instantly joined — me as a willing and eager sponsor and Momoh as an incredibly appreciative and grateful aspiring student.
Every day that we stayed at Pastor Judith’s home, Momoh, along with so many of the younger children, would gather around the patio to talk and interact with us. Cheryl Hauser had brought bubbles they loved to blow and play with and she taught them how to throw kisses to each other. I showed them how to stack up and balance rocks and how to juggle using fruit that had fallen from the trees. On one of those days, Momoh took me by the hand and walked me to his home to meet his family who greeted me warmly and were as happy and appreciative as Momoh had been that first day we met. After graduating from the Richard Ormsby Secondary School, Momoh went on to high school and is now in his second year of college studying to become a laboratory technician.
Sponsoring a student in Sierra Leone brings me great joy for having the ability to pass on kindness and hope in a person’s life giving them the chance to further their education for their own betterment as well as for that of their family, community and country. As Mother Teresa said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. Do small things with great love.” And, as Ann Carlson says, ”A mind is a terrible thing to waste!”
Even though our U.S. government has shut down so much foreign aid, each one of us can individually extend our care and support to other countries. One very impactful way is to support the children and staff at the Richard Ormsby Secondary School in Baiwalla. So, please, consider sponsoring or renewing your sponsorship of a child or children or help fund the school in general. I’m sure you will be glad you did and I KNOW they will be too! Thank you!
Payment Methods:
ONLINE
Visit the OC Ministries donation page HERE to make a payment via credit card.
You may designate a specific category for your donation.
Please select the option: “Sierra Leone: Richard Ormsby School”
MAIL A CHECK
Prepare a check payable to “Minnesota Annual Conference.”
Include a note in the memo line specifying the category of your donation.
Please note: “Sierra Leone: Richard Ormsby School”
Send the check to:
Mn Annual Conference (OC Ministries)
122 W. Franklin Ave. Suite 400,
Minneapolis, MN 55404
QUESTIONS? Please contact Ann Carlson: [email protected]