New England Ville is a community located in Freetown, Sierra Leone within the Dwarzak Ward geographical boundary. There are no well-constructed roads- only crooked footpaths between buildings, rocks and trees. Approximately one thousand people live in this community, about fifty of whom are members of the Church. The people in the community are mainly traders who leave their homes early in the morning and return late in the evenings. They leave the house chores to be done by their children and dependents.
The most felt need of this community was clean and safe drinking water. In fact, water of any kind was difficult to get especially during the dry season. People would queue for hours in line to scoop water from the ground between rocks.
Moses Shaka Kargbo, Bassey Conteh, Alusine Turay, Aminata Kamara, Karim Kamara, Paul Sieh, Ibrahim Samura and Sorieba Bangura are all Seminary-aged members of the Church who live in this community.
Since 2011, several attempts have been made to get the Seminary program started there as traveling to the Berlia Park chapel in the morning poses a challenge because of the terrain. An additional stumbling block explained by both the parent and the potential students was that they have to fetch water in the morning and evening.
In 2013, Elder and Sister Burns, the Humanitarian Missionary couple in Freetown, received approval to construct a spring box in New England Ville. Soon after the construction of the spring box, Brother Abdulai Conteh, who hails from this community, returned from his mission. He was invited to teach seminary in the area and with the approval of the ward bishop, one of the ward members offered his own place for classes to be held.
When asked about the impact the spring box has created in their community, Aminata Kamara, a seminary student, had this to say, ‘’it is really a blessing to just pick up a bucket, walk to the spring box and within minutes, the bucket is full. We used to wake up at 5:00 am to go and fetch water but now it is easier. Now we have time to do so many other things including attending seminary’’.
Paul Sieh, another seminary student said, ‘’Waking up early to fetch water was my preparation for early morning Seminary. So coming to Seminary at 5:00 am is not a problem at all.”
Another seminary student, Bassey Conteh, said “as for me, I am so proud to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each time I hear non-members expressing gratitude for this gift (the spring box), I feel like telling them it is my Church”.
This spring box at New England Ville has made it possible for eight potential students to be enrolled in Seminary and they are bringing their non-member friends to class. It is wonderful how the different activities of the Church come together to bless the sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.