I reached Sierra Leone by mid May 2014. I enjoyed the beauty of the country with lot of palm trees and the wonderful flora and fauna that was very familiar to me. It was the season of Mangoes that cheered me up.  In the Archdiocese of Freetown there was a beautiful practice of all the priests serving in the archdiocese coming together on the last Sunday of every month to one of the parishes for a get-together and a meal. This practice died off as the Ebola became severe and the Government restricted movements and gathering.

Do not believe in the rumors

On 6^th April 2014, we had the Annual Lenten Pilgrimage. About five thousand people walked about five kilometers, reflecting on the Stations of the Cross led by the Archbishop. The pilgrimage ended with a Mass presided by the Archbishop. At the end of the Mass there was an announcement by the Ministry of Health about the thread of Ebola and the possibility of it to reach Sierra Leone. The message was so encouraging saying that the sickness has not entered in our country, do not believe the rumors, and don’t eat bush meat. Though the government was telling that there was nothing to fear about it, the people were spreading rumors that the sickness was in some parts of Sierra Leone.

The virus has quickly propagated

By end of May and the beginning of June there were cases of Ebola identified in the Eastern Part of the country. The country was not well equipped to handle the situation. It was a new thing to all. The need for isolating the sick was known to the health workers; but we did not have proper infra structures to face the situation. By July and August the sickness spread so fast in Southern and Easter part of the country. In those days, I thought of going to one of my friend priests, Fr. George from the diocese of Kenema, in view of assisting him in the time of crisis; but I was worried about the implications and the complications involved in going there. Those days, there were few cases in other parts too but the Isolation center was available only in the East. The patients were taken to those centers by ambulance. During the transportation of the patients lot of chlorine was used in the ambulance. In many cases the patients reached the center in very bad condition or dead. 

It was as if prisons without food
By September, the sickness spread to all the other parts of the country including Freetown. When an individual in a family is proved to be Ebola positive, the whole family and all those who were in touch with that individual were quarantined. These quarantined people would not be allowed to go mix with other people in the village. Sometimes the whole village could be quarantined at those times the people from this village cannot go to other villages for any purpose. At those times, the government through World Food Program [WFP], should provide enough food for them. Normally it does not happen. These houses are guarded with Army and Police. It was brought to our notice that many of the quarantined houses were not given food or water. It was like caging someone without food. Having my motto “Ever ready to respond to the needs of the times”, I could not resist my desire to do something for the situation.

Donating one month’s salary

At this time one of our conferrer Fr. David was on holiday in Ghana. He went in the month of June thinking that he would come back by September. Due to the ban on flights, he could not come back. Fr. Valery [from Togo] and I discussed about the response we could give at that situation. We agreed on using our monthly allocation to get at least some water to the people in difficult condition. We started to give packaged water. On arrival to the place, we found the pathetic situation of the people, so we bought some bags of rice to give them. Meanwhile one of my friends in Jesus Youth, India volunteered to donate something more than his one month salary for feeding the hungry in quarantined homes. This inspired me to appeal to our friends all over the world through Facebook. That brought a great success. 

SMA entities have responded favorably to our appeal

The unit of Gulf of Guinea [SMA] appealed to all her members and sent their support to us through Rome. We made appeal to all the units. We are grateful to the units for their positive response. The continuous encouragement of the SMA, OLA, Friends of SMA, Jesus Youth, Parishes and our friends and family made us to do more in the time of crisis.   

Two patients transported in a wheelbarrow

We kept a close watch of all the Ebola outbreaks in and around our area. When there is a delay in supply of food, we reached those places and gave food items. When we go with the food to these places, we find sick people in those houses. Till end of November 2014, the management of Ebola was not organized. There was not enough ambulance to respond to the crisis situation. This moved us to another step in Ebola Response. We came forward to take the patients to the Ebola Centers. At this time we started the habit of keeping a container with concentrated [.5%] Chlorine solution at the back of the car always. There was a time when the people in a village [Campel Town], took two of their patients in a wheelbarrow to the Ebola Centre, since the Ambulance did not reach them. We picked the patients from the wheelbarrow and disinfected all those who pushed the wheelbarrow and accompanied them by washing with Chlorine [0.5% strength]. 

Patients refused for lack of space

When we take the patients to the Ebola Centers, we were often rejected due to lack of space in the centers. There were times we would move from one center to other in search of space. There was a day, we picked four patients of the same family [Father, Mother, Daughter and Son] from the main road since they were driven out by the villagers. We travelled to four Ebola Centers that were available in our district; but rejected due to lack of space. At the end we decided to leave the patients out side the hospital and came back with bitter heart. Later, we were informed that they were taken in for treatment. Three of them died except the father who is an Ebola survivor.

We have equipped the Center with five beds

We familiarized ourselves with the neighboring Ebola Care Centre. We were able to check the number of available beds in the centre by calling the one in charge, thus making the process easier to take the patients. When there is delay in the delivery of food items to this center, we came forward to provide food and water. We also provided five beds for the center. 

An orphanage for the children, victims of Ébola

One day in the Ebola center there was a girl [Mabinti] of about four years. Her parents died of Ebola. She was sick, and was taken to the center. Fortunately she was Ebola negative; but those in the center did not know where to send her. There was no family to take her. Even the extended family was not ready to take her. We came forward to take her to our house. Even now she is with us. We are planning of developing a home for the children who are orphaned due to Ebola.

The young volunteered

The youth of the community came to us, on their own and expressed their desire to do their part in the fight against Ebola. We sought the support of Kwama Community Development Program [KCDP], it carrying out a seminar for the youth and encouraged the youth to go to 34 villages and do house to house sensitization. 103 youth joined this venture.

A Community support centre

In view of responding to the need for more beds for the Ebola patients, in collaboration with the Shepherd’s Hospice we planned and established a Community based Ebola Care Center. We enjoined a great support from the Archbishop, Caritas- Freetown, Salatians, Xaverians and the local community.

Towards other health problems

We ran the center with 20 trained nurses and 34 voluntary health workers. We operated a short time of one month. As the number of cases comes down and many of the centers are without patients, we decided to close down the Ebola care Center but to plan for other health issues. 

We have chosen the most abandoned

Now with the help of our Community Chairman Mr. Clement Kanu, we have opened a Home for the children who lost their parents to Ebola. Though there are many children who need attention, we took only the most abandoned ones. When there is some relatives to care for them, we encourage them to cater for the children. With the help of other organization we try to assist them in providing food and other necessary things. At present we have eight children in our Home ranging from the age of 5 to 13 years. 

It is time for us to think of the Post Ebola Crisis.

Fr. Francis Patrickson, sma