"Joyful, free, warm, funny, confusing, painful, busy, exhausting, dusty, exhilarating, lonely, hungry, tiring, amazing." 

-Words that describe the Kamanda family's life in Sierra Leone, Julia Kamanda

As promised, we are sharing a glimpse into the lives of Julia and Ali Kamanda, our partners in Africa, now like family to us. They have left the comforts and conveniences of life in the United States, along with their families, friends, school, and work, to dedicate 5 months working with the orphans of Mamaland and the grantee program, Salone Rising.

Here are some excerpts from my interview with Julia and next time we will hear Ali’s heart for the work they are doing and their adventures in Sierra Leone:

Heartbeats of Salone: What did you think when the idea first came up about you and the kids joining Ali to live in Africa for five months? Was it a difficult decision?

Julia: Even before we had kids Ali and I always knew that we wanted to live a bi-continental life. As someone who is fascinated by people and culture, I had been looking forward to the day when we could all come to Sierra Leone as a family. We first traveled here together in 2017 when the kids were 6 and 4. It was only a two-week trip but I think the four of us pretty quickly knew we needed to come back and stay for longer. Plus, I knew Ali needed to be here to focus on Salone Rising in a way that he has struggled to do going back and forth. My biggest apprehension has been the fear of what it means to be a mother here. What if I need something? What if we get sick? Should I put the kids into school? How do I cook? How do I navigate the marketplace? There were a lot of unanswered questions that made me feel nervous. But never did I question whether or not we should do this.

Heartbeats of Salone: What are the names and ages of your kids? In what ways do you see them growing and learning through this experience?

Julia: Cienna is 8 and Sekani is 6 and a half. This has been both a challenging and rewarding experience for them so far. I would say they have the most difficulty with food because they are used to having a more varied diet. Socially, they are doing very very well. Not only do they have friends to play with, they have become extremely independent. I feel like they are having a real childhood here; full of adventure and exploration. Sekani’s favorite thing to do is play organized games like Balance Ball and Base with the other kids. Cienna’s favorite thing is learning about and taking care of animals. She has been playing with goats, chickens, kittens, dogs, birds, and lizards. Now she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up! Our plan was to homeschool and we arrived with workbooks and textbooks, but since being here, it has shifted to a “world schooling” approach to learning. Every day they are learning through communicating with others across language, exploring a new environment, doing math at the market, learning to cook, making fires, and reading a whole lot.

My son Sekani was so proud to read my storybook “Haja” to Feremusu and Kumba! It’s a story that takes place right here in Kabala. They were looking at the pictures saying “There’s our house!” “There’s the mountain!” I’m not sure this part of the country has ever been represented in a storybook before. The girls followed the image of the roads with their little fingers and guessed which house was theirs. They were so excited! . I wrote Haja a few years ago after visiting Sierra Leone for the first time. I was inspired by the vibrant colors, the cultural fabrics, the mountain top view. A story came to me about a little bird who was afraid to fly. In my mind it was like  modern day parable about believing in yourself.  Little did I know that less than 10 years later I would be leading the enrichment program at a children’s community here. I never thought I would be sharing this story with my son and these sweet young ladies. It never occurred to me that they would understand the message right away and start drumming along with Haja’s heart.

Heartbeats of Salone: What are some words that you would use to describe what your life is like there? What has been the hardest thing? Most unexpected? Sweetest joy?

Julia: Joyful, free, warm, funny, confusing, painful, busy, exhausting, dusty, exhilarating, lonely, hungry, tiring, amazing. The most unexpected thing has been how little we have gotten sick since we have been here. Amazing that my biggest fear has not materialized. In fact, we have been very healthy other than the occasional cold and allergies from the controlled burnings, and stomach troubles every once and a while. The most difficult thing for me has been the feeling of isolation so far. There are people around all the time, but because of the language barrier, it is difficult to connect on a level that goes beyond greetings and niceties.

Heartbeats of Salone: What are you most missing about your life in PA?

Julia: To be honest, I don’t feel homesick too often. I miss my mother, who I am very close with. But life out here is such an adventure and I know the 5 months will go fast. I am trying to just BE here every day and not think about the things that I miss. However, a hot shower would be nice from time to time!

Heartbeats of Salone: What are some things that you are working on while there and what do you hope to see accomplished during your time there?

Julia: For the first two months my goals have just been to settle in and get us all situated as a family. Now that I feel like we have ourselves settled in I am concentrating on ways I can be of services to Salone Rising. In particular, I am working on the educational aspects of the Mamaland program. How can we set up our program now while the girls are still young so that they are in the best position to provide for themselves after they have moved on from Mamaland? I am working with their after-school enrichment tutor on ways to fill in their learning gaps and strengthen their English language skills. I am also working on ways to get them out of the compound to learn more about Sierra Leone and the world around them. Going to farms, learning basket weaving, learning about their cultural music, fishing, etc.

Heartbeats of Salone: What have been your biggest cultural adjustments?

Julia: I think some of the biggest adjustments have been made around food and communication. Learning Krio is very difficult for me! Even though I can understand it pretty well, I am not able to respond in Krio, only English. I’m able to get by, but out of respect for the culture we are in, it’s important that I push myself to learn more.

Heartbeats of Salone: When your life is over, what would you most like people to remember about Julia?

Julia: I would like people to remember me as someone who felt refreshing like a cool drink of lemonade or maybe a breath of fresh air. I want people to remember how I made them feel when they were around me. If I am able to stay true to my authentic self, while also genuinely connecting with others, hopefully, I will leave behind pieces of my spirit within the people I have touched during my life.