Home Again

We have returned to Sierra Leone after a long stay back in England.  So, about 12 months, another baby and a big decision, we are back.

I found out I was pregnant around February 2012 and we had felt that, in light of this and the fact that the Trucking business was not looking bright long-term Thea, Bump and I should return to the UK whilst we decided what to do.

Thea and I had a good summer in London, we made lots of friends (we miss you all) through Thea’s nursery (The Russell School) and enjoyed Olympic London with Grandma and Grandad.  The lack of Winston was hard although the support of my parents was invaluable! Especially my Dad taking Thea off my hands every Thursday for a full day and my Mum pretty much taking over child care/ cooking every weekend.  My respect for single mothers who have no family support is immense, I really do not know how you do it alone!

Happily, in September Winston joined us and in October so did Kenneth Joseph Luba Davies (yes, it has been argued that we have given him a dictators name, but I assure you that was not our plan and does not indicate our intentions for his future!) our baby boy.  The best way I can describe having a second baby was, as my friend Emma put it about how she had felt: “The gangs all here now!”

November brought a lot of discussion and serious thought, we were being squeezed out of the logistics business – as Sierra Leone becomes increasingly stable, bigger international companies with much more money and many more trucks than us come in and take the better work contracts because of their greater capacity.  Eventually, after looking at our options we re-realised that our plan had always been to ultimately plan our long-term future in agriculture, so why were we not pursuing that? 

A risk? Maybe, but what was our alternative? We could sell everything and return to the UK as we had been discussing, but what did that mean in reality? It would mean living in a small flat with 2 children, me having to return to work and putting Kenneth into childcare asap and ultimately not being able to spend anywhere near as much time together as a family as we would like to. After all the hard lessons we have learnt over the last 5 years it seemed like such a waste.  Something was calling us back!

So back we have come to Sweet Sierra Leone.  Winston returned in late December 2012 and after three very very tough months alone with the two angels we are all together in SL again! I think this is the first time I have returned and felt like I am coming home.

A new focus and undoubtedly a whole world of new challenges lie ahead for us, most of which I will share with you.

Enjoy some of my favourite photos I have amassed of Sierra Leone's children, including my own two.