b'Children in the classroom at their new school, Burma IV. In Sierra Leone, chil-dren in primary school are required to wear a uniform. It is customary for the children to stand up and welcome visitors who are then invited to say a few words. To break the ice, Tim Roebuck, from Morrow Church, says he usually starts talking about soccer and asks what team they support,as they all know the European teams.Building Bridges,and Schools, in AfricaMorrow Church looks to lessen the divides between rich and poorBY TIA SWANSONL ike many congregations, Morrow United Methodist Church ingovernance, about a third of the countrys elementary schools are operated by Maplewood has long had a small mission presence in Africa. Forthe Methodist Church. (The Catholic Church and the Muslims run large num-many years, its gifts went to Tanzania, but 25 or so years ago bothbers of schools, too.)the direction and the scale of its missions changed when the con- Where the government fails, they step in, explains Tim Roebuck, who has gregation met a talented, brilliant, charismatic preacher workinglong been Morrows point man in Sierra Leone. The Methodist Church also runs with refugees in Ghana. a large share of the hospitals and health clinics in the country.When they became acquainted, John Yambasu was himself aYambasu devised a 10-year plan for building schools, farms, and health clinics. refugee, having fled civil war in his native Sierra Leone, and for several years heHe was always a champion of the poorest of the poor, says Roebuck. organized school supply drives for his fellow refugees, both from Sierra LeoneAs Yambasus dreams grew, so did Morrows connection to them. Initially, and Liberia. the church raised money to buy a used SUV for the bishop and his staff. After But he was always on the move, always studyinghe visited Morrow whileRoebuck and his daughter, Shona, visited in 2013 and saw the desperate poverty, getting his masters degree in theology from Emory University in Atlanta in thethe church began fundraising to buy an ambulance, and in 2016, at the end of late 90sand after the war ended, he returned to his native country and itsthe Ebola epidemic, the ambulance was shipped to Sierra Leone.fledgling democracy. In 2008, he became its bishop, in charge of all the Meth- Not long after, the church sent a second, larger delegation. Yambasu arranged odist churches in the country. He became one of the countrys leading religiousfor the Morrow folks to visit a few struggling schools and hospitals, among them voices, a critic of corruption in the government and a trusted voice during thea desperately poor school outside the countrys third largest city of Kenema. countrys Ebola outbreak in 2016. There was a very engaging principal, and shed put this school together, Roe-His responsibilities were enormous. Because of the countrys lack of reliablebuck remembers. But she was facing enormous obstacles, the most immediate 18/ matters magazine / holiday 2021'