The document discusses the author's experiences serving with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The focus of their outreach work was social and community development, social justice, and education. They joined with a local church, Evangelical Mission, to have a positive impact in communities and society. The author learned that education, arts, and culture are essential for a healthy society and must not be considered solely as social aspects. Faith and recognizing our shared humanity can help overcome obstacles and bring people together to work towards progress.

1. If you have received this message it is because
you have been part of an awakening.
Awakenings become words, words become
ideas, ideas become movements, and
movements become ideologies that transform
the world.
And we are called to that!

2. “Butafter faith has come, we are no longer
under a guardian*. For you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:25-26
( * as in slavery)

3. WHERE I WENT?
Sierra Leone, West Africa
One of the first general impressions of Sierra Leone is that of a nation that is filled with
African diamonds and precious stones; as well as full of incompetent people. People
that are unable to utilize the resources that produce their land and therefore they live
in poverty, or everyone is starving and in terrible conditions, or living in an inhuman
war that kills thousands and millions of lives every day and that will never end ... the
first impression of God’s relationship with Africa, is that the He turned His eyes away
and forgot about it.
The truth is that after 10 years of civil war, Sierra Leone has begun to literally be reborn from
the ashes. Those 10 years of peace have been founded upon community values that
were needed in order to ​rebuild. These biblical principles and values are pro
reconstruction of the different communities that survived the atrocities of war.
What you see on the streets tumult of people, dust and noise are those yearning for an
awakening ... women, men, children working towards progress, but above all raising
their songs of hope, that may be diluted by the noise, smoke from motorcycles and
trucks, but that will not be silenced.
My thought is that if as humans we were able to deem wars, paradoxically , as a "bridge to
peace", how then can we lack the ability to at least try and establish a communication
based on forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration-- opening the way towards better
days for all, without selfishness.
Gathering those who have not had opportunities and relating them with those who have had
the resources, thus producing a joint effort that can lead to a better world.
This is my approach towards development and social justice.
It is happening in Africa, even without the mastery of the concepts, taking action steps of
faith that God gave through his promises. Hearts of those who lost the war have
repented, have reconciled, and are cooperating to build a new Sierra Leone for future
generations, as a form of restitution. They did not need big discourses; they only
needed the recognition that far from God nothing can be done. He is the answer to
what has been too big for the rebels and administrators of the nation. God answered
their cry! For He lives among them ... God does not forget Africa, but maybe the rest of
the world does.

4. WHAT I DID?
The focus of the DTS outreach was social and community
development, social justice and education. We joined the
work of the local church, Evangelical Mission. They are
generating an impact both within communities and in
different spheres of society. There is dialogue in the
church pertaining to the burden for evangelism that is
concerned about the problems besetting the nation and
the possibilities that arise with our gifts, talents and
professions as part of the solution. In the area of social
development, there is motivation within the community
at large, to operate healthily in collective hope for the
strengthening and prosperity for all. Regarding
education, the emphasis was that it is the catalyst that
sets truths that contribute to development and good
performance as a nation starting from the building of a
healthy identity and recognition that we are children of
God, created from your heart and purpose of life.
Consider for a moment in our young people, who are in the
process of identity formation, and the media and
communication technology involved in this construction.
It is we who must assume the risk of an identity based on
"debauchery". Given that there is a dropout rate subtly
produced by hyper-individuality. We have become the
prototype image and as a means of nonverbal
communication essential, but when this does not
correspond to the expression of a number of
psychological, emotional and spiritual individual and
socio – cultural needs. Increasing the so called
fragmentation refers to the segmentation and
disintegration of our reality, intellect, society and life
itself.

5. WHAT I LEARNED?
We cannot continue considering education, arts and culture
as solely social aspects among us, they are bricks that
underlie our society and ensure their healthy
multiplication and persistence in the world.
We have witnessed the downfall of many cultural
movements seeking social equality. Personally I feel that
there will be no success until we identify our
responsibility and as part of the destiny between one
another. Education is a fundamental part of
development, not only human but also social; in which
sense the school and teachers are then “initiators" of
something. I think it is possible if each person
contributes from what they have and are, but we have
to put our egos aside for a moment.
Let's look from the inside out; we have everything in our
favor to overcome all odds.
Education, creativity and the arts are not a luxury, not
privilege; but they are a necessity and urgent. If we take
God out of education immediately our personal identity,
social and cultural identity becomes alienated.

6. IN OTHER WORDS ...
Today pondering
how lucky I’ve been
....
I have had the
opportunity to meet
small hearts that
become like giants;
that like hymns
spread hope that
transforms lives and
open new roads.

7. Hymns written as flags of freedom bringing it’s light
into the shadows ...
Roads that are
inherited and that
make waters flow in
a desert. Men, who
even though he has
mutilated arms, his
words and laughter
become like arrows
that travel with notes
and colors of truth ...
freedom. Believing,
claiming that the
fight is not in vain.

8. And it is through them that I
have seen God; in their hard
worked hands as farmers,
fishers, they are weavers of a
dream of peace. Hands,
however small they are—
they can overcome the
indignities of war and gales
of the soul, without ever
letting go of their faith. Their
eyes lit up as the sunset on a
beach ... a heart of greatness.

9. The light of a lit
candle persisting
in its’ strength
and brilliance like
hope…a heart of
greatness
Hugs that are like
the path of
happiness…a
heart of greatness.

10. Steps that move
forward
together
marching firmly
in struggle,
working with
our heads held
high towards
redemption of
their dignity.
Discarding
rejection, for it
has no part in
this walk
towards to
progress.

11. It is not technical, it is
not discursive magna;
it is breaking
paradigms and
overcoming obstacles
that separate us from
the simple fact that I
recognize you as "son-
a" (of God) and I have a
purpose to live,
therefore even the
world's most atrocious
war cannot kill my
existence.
By: Adriana Garcez

12. Thank you for helping this dream
come true…
SIERRA LEONE – WEST AFRICA
Youth With a Mission
Diciembre 2012 – Febrero 2013

13. SPECIAL THANKS
I also want to highlight the
contribution of my teammates:
(Kimberly, Kathy, Michaela and
Yeison), headed by Bridge DTS
Director, Joseph Zintseme, with
whom I had the opportunity to live
this wonderful experience, whom I
love and bless you for your
commitment and sensitivity, not
only to the African nations but for
their support, being pillars builders
one of another.
The ministry of LIFELINE and
CUERDAS VIVAS, YWAM
Coatesville, Mr. Arnobio Cordoba
Palacios (Phelps Stokes), Mr.
Michael Mckinley (U.S.
Ambassador to Colombia), YWAM
Cartagena, World Christian
Concern (WCC), Evangelical
Mission, my family and friends.