Shek Yayah Conteh, a Muslim cleric, was a lecturer at the Northern Polytechnic in Makeni, Sierra Leone. In the early phases of the Ebola virus outbreak in Sierra Leone, he participated in the washing of a dead person who later was suspected to have had the Ebola virus. Although Conteh’s home is currently quarantined in Makeni, a Christian, the Rev. Karim Kelvin Koroma has been visiting the home to ensure that those left there have adequate food, and to pray and encourage them. Just this past week he witnessed the district burial team removing the corpse of the seventh victim in this family of 12. The pain and devastation of the Ebola outbreak has, for many people in the affected contexts, seemed like drowning in a tumultuous flood.

Last May, Kelvin and I stood on the verandah of the Akrofi-Christaller Institute (a Christian Research University in Ghana) discussing the final submission of his MTh dissertation for examination. We had both heard about the outbreak of the Ebola virus, but it seemed insignificant at the time. I got to know Kelvin well while supervising his dissertation. I admired his commitment and constant positive attitude and gratitude even when I covered the pages of his work with corrections in red ink.

Kelvin returned to his wife Zainab and their children in their home in Makeni, Sierra Leone, in June and was immediately confronted with the reality of the outbreak of the Ebola virus.

As the virus spread, Kelvin who is director of church ministries and the second in charge of the Wesleyan Church in Sierra Leone, convinced his fellow ministers to participate in efforts to combat the Ebola virus in the northern Bombali District. Initially, they were involved in “sensitising” and comforting the families in 28 quarantined homes in their township. Kelvin’s team implemented the hygienic and preventive measures recommended by the health authorities for interacting with quarantined homes. Kelvin is also involved in visiting quarantined houses as the numbers of confirmed Ebola virus cases in Makeni grow weekly.

Kelvin and his team visit the quarantined homes at least three times a week.

Usually, when they visit the homes, they attempt to find out how much food has been supplied to them and endeavour to supplement this, especially where there are small children. They pray with the families and share the word of God to encourage them.

They have also raised support from their own church ministers for the quarantined homes. A group of them, representing the Wesleyan Church, travelled to Freetown to meet the President and to give some gifts towards alleviating the Ebola virus outbreak. Kelvin was soon granted an official pass to travel around Sierra Leone running Sensitisation Workshops for pastors wherever they are needed. These workshops are facilitated by the health education personnel of the district health management team. They involve sharing medical information on the Ebola virus such as its history, signs and symptoms; updated information on the number of infected persons, the dead, those undergoing treatment and survivors; and preventive and control measures. They also examine the cultural and traditional practices that hinder the prevention, control and eventual eradication of the Ebola virus outbreak.

The third aspect of the sensitisation drive is to listen to pastors’ experiences in their localities, learn how they preach about the outbreak and participate in comforting the quarantined persons in terms of their psychological and spiritual needs. Kelvin then compiles the sermons at the end of the rounds of the sensitisation drives or workshops.

During one such trip to the village of Kamakwie in northern Sierra Leone, they discovered that a pastor, showing hospitality, unknowingly hosted an infected woman and she died overnight in the home. The postmortem results confirmed that she died of Ebola. The pastor’s home was immediately quarantined and he could not attend the sensitisation workshop because of this act of kindness in a medical emergency.

During the three-day lock down from 18 to 21 September, aimed at stemming the epidemic, Kelvin spent the time with his wife, four other pastors and the wife of another pastor. 6 million Sierra Leone residents were ordered to stay indoors for the three days, while volunteers could visit households and educate them and medical staff could isolate the sick and remove the dead. But Kelvin obtained a pass to visit quarantined homes in Makeni to give the people much needed encouragement.

They also discovered some very sad situations and were able to liaise with the health authorities in Makeni to give urgent attention to some sick people who were not receiving treatment.

In these very challenging circumstances, Kelvin also managed to complete the final corrections in his MTh dissertation during the three-day lock down and to submit it for clearance for graduation.

Economically, life is coming to a standstill in many areas. There are huge obstacles to overcome such as cultural barriers and the sheer disbelief and denial that Ebola is real. Many unhelpful rumours keep circulating even from educated sources in the West.

It is now clear to us in West Africa that the West has finally woken up to the severity of the situation. Many more medical personnel are desperately needed. In the meantime, people like Kelvin and his church are trying to play their part to relieve distress.

The Akrofi-Christaller Institute (www.acighana.org) has opened up channels for students, staff and friends to give money and other gifts to be sent to Kelvin and the Wesleyan Church, Sierra Leone, to assist their ministry of providing food and for the purchase of cleaning products, protective clothing, and transport costs.

In addition, Kelvin’s church has taken up the care of orphans such as the two children in the photo, the only Ebola virus survivors out of a family of seven in their church in Makeni. For Australians who desire to give gifts, please contact Allison Howell at amhowell@acighana.org for further details.

Allison Howell is Dean of Research, Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Culture and Mission

This story is used with the permission of Rev. Karim Kelvin Koroma and the Wesleyan Church, Sierra Leone.