Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr attends Everyday Wimbledon – this is the true story of how God moved her and others to take action in response to the Ebola crisis that broke in May 2014; it’s an eye-witness account and testimony to God’s compassion and faithfulness in answering prayer. Yvonne was called into the eye of the storm – you’ll hear how God spoke to her and gave her a workable response plan which she took to the Nation’s leaders… As amazing as this story is, you need to hear Yvonne’s opening pitch – God wants you to experience the same journey, to move you from bearing a burden of compassion to being his answer to the problems which so move you…
I am documenting this
testimony to encourage others that God does answer prayers; that He is
faithful; that no challenge is too big; and that He is able to use anyone to
fulfil His purposes. God can use a stone to do His bidding, He can use a donkey
to speak, God can use you and I to do what He wants done. When He places a
burden on our hearts, He equips us to act on that burden.
testimony to encourage others that God does answer prayers; that He is
faithful; that no challenge is too big; and that He is able to use anyone to
fulfil His purposes. God can use a stone to do His bidding, He can use a donkey
to speak, God can use you and I to do what He wants done. When He places a
burden on our hearts, He equips us to act on that burden.
On 25th
May last year, the first case of Ebola was recorded in Sierra Leone. I was in
Sierra Leone on business at the time but the case didn’t really make the news.
A week later I travelled back to London. In the weeks that followed, the
disease spread like wildfire and on 30th July 2014 the Government of
Sierra Leone declared a National State of Emergency. All schools and markets were closed and public
gatherings were banned. Within the space of 8 weeks, the number of cases had
climbed from 0 to over 500 and there were now about 100 new cases being
recorded each week.
May last year, the first case of Ebola was recorded in Sierra Leone. I was in
Sierra Leone on business at the time but the case didn’t really make the news.
A week later I travelled back to London. In the weeks that followed, the
disease spread like wildfire and on 30th July 2014 the Government of
Sierra Leone declared a National State of Emergency. All schools and markets were closed and public
gatherings were banned. Within the space of 8 weeks, the number of cases had
climbed from 0 to over 500 and there were now about 100 new cases being
recorded each week.
On 5th
August 2014 British Airways cancelled all flights to Sierra Leone. Other
international and regional airlines did the same and even ships began to cancel
disembarkations at Sierra Leone’s ports. Expatriates and nationals who could left
the country in droves. Businesses closed down and hysteria and fear spread as
the health system and medical responders were overwhelmed with the scale of the
unfolding epidemic.
August 2014 British Airways cancelled all flights to Sierra Leone. Other
international and regional airlines did the same and even ships began to cancel
disembarkations at Sierra Leone’s ports. Expatriates and nationals who could left
the country in droves. Businesses closed down and hysteria and fear spread as
the health system and medical responders were overwhelmed with the scale of the
unfolding epidemic.
I watched the crisis
developing from my television here in London and to say that my heart was
burdened would be an understatement. I made desperate calls to family members
and friends enquiring about their safety and trying to understand what was actually
happening on the ground. On Saturday 9th August, I woke up crying
for my country; for the next 3 hours I wept before God, pleading for Him to
intervene and to save my people. I felt so burdened to act but did not know
what I should do. And here, let me pause to say that God often leads us in ways
that are unclear to us at the onset. That morning as I cried out to the Lord, I
could never have anticipated the path along which God would eventually take me.
developing from my television here in London and to say that my heart was
burdened would be an understatement. I made desperate calls to family members
and friends enquiring about their safety and trying to understand what was actually
happening on the ground. On Saturday 9th August, I woke up crying
for my country; for the next 3 hours I wept before God, pleading for Him to
intervene and to save my people. I felt so burdened to act but did not know
what I should do. And here, let me pause to say that God often leads us in ways
that are unclear to us at the onset. That morning as I cried out to the Lord, I
could never have anticipated the path along which God would eventually take me.
When I got up and
dried my tears, I decided that I was going to volunteer and go to Sierra Leone.
At that time, Medicine Sans Frontiers (MSF) were the organisation that were
most visibly responding to the outbreak and were on the news campaigning for
more help from the international community. I searched the internet, found a
phone number for MSF in London and called with the intention of offering to
join their team. The call went to voicemail and I left a message. It was only then
that I told my husband and my best friend what I was planning to do. As always
my husband was supportive but he pointed out that I had just had major surgery
so perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea for me to travel at this time. My best friend’s reaction was also supportive
but she questioned the value I could add on the ground given that I do not have
a medical background. She suggested that I use my fundraising skills to raise
funds for those who were on the ground.
dried my tears, I decided that I was going to volunteer and go to Sierra Leone.
At that time, Medicine Sans Frontiers (MSF) were the organisation that were
most visibly responding to the outbreak and were on the news campaigning for
more help from the international community. I searched the internet, found a
phone number for MSF in London and called with the intention of offering to
join their team. The call went to voicemail and I left a message. It was only then
that I told my husband and my best friend what I was planning to do. As always
my husband was supportive but he pointed out that I had just had major surgery
so perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea for me to travel at this time. My best friend’s reaction was also supportive
but she questioned the value I could add on the ground given that I do not have
a medical background. She suggested that I use my fundraising skills to raise
funds for those who were on the ground.
And so I started to
galvanise funds through SLWT, (www.slwt.org) a charity that
supports disadvantaged children and youth in Sierra Leone, and of which I am
Chairperson. Within a matter of weeks, and by the grace and power of God, SLWT
had raised over £20,000 and on a weekly basis we were shipping protective
equipment to healthcare workers in Sierra Leone, providing hand-washing
stations for peope living in vulnerable urban and rural communities and
supporting the protection of “okada” (motorcycle) riders who were potentially
unwittingly being exposed to infectious Ebola patients when carrying
passengers.
galvanise funds through SLWT, (www.slwt.org) a charity that
supports disadvantaged children and youth in Sierra Leone, and of which I am
Chairperson. Within a matter of weeks, and by the grace and power of God, SLWT
had raised over £20,000 and on a weekly basis we were shipping protective
equipment to healthcare workers in Sierra Leone, providing hand-washing
stations for peope living in vulnerable urban and rural communities and
supporting the protection of “okada” (motorcycle) riders who were potentially
unwittingly being exposed to infectious Ebola patients when carrying
passengers.
But the disease
continued to spread and by September 2014 there were over 1,000 confirmed cases
in Sierra Leone. There were insufficient beds to treat the sick, dead bodies
were being left on the streets and the economy was collapsing as Sierra Leone
became increasingly isolated and many countries closed their borders to our people
and even to pineapple juice concentrate exported from the country!
continued to spread and by September 2014 there were over 1,000 confirmed cases
in Sierra Leone. There were insufficient beds to treat the sick, dead bodies
were being left on the streets and the economy was collapsing as Sierra Leone
became increasingly isolated and many countries closed their borders to our people
and even to pineapple juice concentrate exported from the country!
Along with Christians
in Sierra Leone and all over the world I continued to pray and to ask God to
step in. On 3rd September 2014, MSF published an open letter to the
British Government in the Guardian calling for the deployment of civilian
and military assets with expertise in bio-hazard containment in West Africa
(Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia).
in Sierra Leone and all over the world I continued to pray and to ask God to
step in. On 3rd September 2014, MSF published an open letter to the
British Government in the Guardian calling for the deployment of civilian
and military assets with expertise in bio-hazard containment in West Africa
(Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia).
I reached out to MSF
and later that day I had a conference call with them to understand their
perspective of what needed to be done. I was convinced of the need for a
stronger and more specialist response from the international community and on 5th
September 2014 I started a Change.Org petition asking Minister of State Justine
Greening to immediately dispatch disaster response teams with expertise to
provide treatment centres and mobile labs to end the Sierra Leone Ebola
epidemic.
and later that day I had a conference call with them to understand their
perspective of what needed to be done. I was convinced of the need for a
stronger and more specialist response from the international community and on 5th
September 2014 I started a Change.Org petition asking Minister of State Justine
Greening to immediately dispatch disaster response teams with expertise to
provide treatment centres and mobile labs to end the Sierra Leone Ebola
epidemic.
So much happened in
the following weeks as a result of many interventions by many players but in
summary, God moved miraculously. The British Government committed to provide
700 beds, to deploy the British Military and to support NHS staff to travel to
Sierra Leone to work in the Ebola treatment centres. SLWT launched a
recruitment drive in support of this and we held road shows in London,
Manchester and Birmingham, particularly targeting diaspora Sierra Leoneans
working in the NHS. To the glory of God, the SLWT road shows received an
incredible amount of media coverage and I found myself on BBC Breakfast news,
BBC Radio 5, Sky News, China TV and many others news outlets. Momentum grew and
volunteers began to come forward to support the efforts in Sierra Leone.
the following weeks as a result of many interventions by many players but in
summary, God moved miraculously. The British Government committed to provide
700 beds, to deploy the British Military and to support NHS staff to travel to
Sierra Leone to work in the Ebola treatment centres. SLWT launched a
recruitment drive in support of this and we held road shows in London,
Manchester and Birmingham, particularly targeting diaspora Sierra Leoneans
working in the NHS. To the glory of God, the SLWT road shows received an
incredible amount of media coverage and I found myself on BBC Breakfast news,
BBC Radio 5, Sky News, China TV and many others news outlets. Momentum grew and
volunteers began to come forward to support the efforts in Sierra Leone.
By this time, DFID had
asked me to join their weekly planning meetings in respect of the establishment
of the treatment centres in Sierra Leone and the deployment of NHS health care
workers to work in the centres. Without me knowing how, God was working His
plans out to bring glory to His name in the midst of the storm.
asked me to join their weekly planning meetings in respect of the establishment
of the treatment centres in Sierra Leone and the deployment of NHS health care
workers to work in the centres. Without me knowing how, God was working His
plans out to bring glory to His name in the midst of the storm.
By the end of October
2014, the commitment for the beds was firm, plans were underway for the
construction of the Ebola treatment centres and the deployment of foreign
medical teams from the UK and other countries was scheduled to begin. At that
point I knew that my work in the UK was finished and that I now needed to be in
Sierra Leone. The disease was actually spreading even faster now and there were
over 400 new confirmed cases a week. I was praying about the outbreak
constantly and had peace about going to Sierra Leone. I discussed my decision
with my husband and children. My son was scared initially but we prayed about
the decision as a family and he soon joined my husband and daughter in fully
supporting my decision to go.
2014, the commitment for the beds was firm, plans were underway for the
construction of the Ebola treatment centres and the deployment of foreign
medical teams from the UK and other countries was scheduled to begin. At that
point I knew that my work in the UK was finished and that I now needed to be in
Sierra Leone. The disease was actually spreading even faster now and there were
over 400 new confirmed cases a week. I was praying about the outbreak
constantly and had peace about going to Sierra Leone. I discussed my decision
with my husband and children. My son was scared initially but we prayed about
the decision as a family and he soon joined my husband and daughter in fully
supporting my decision to go.
I did not know what I
would do when I got to Sierra Leone but I knew I had to go. And again, let me
pause here to give God praise because He truly makes a way where there seems to
be no way. I informed my main contact at DFID of my decision to go to Sierra
Leone and his initial reaction was that he really wanted me to continue to help
the DFID team here. When I explained that I felt compelled to go to Sierra
Leone, he asked if I would join the DFID Quality Assurance Team that would be deploying
to Sierra Leone in mid-November to provide quality assurance, advice, support
and co-ordination to the deploying UK funded clinical teams and DFID supported
Ebola Treatment Centres in Sierra Leone. I agreed and travelled to Sierra Leone
on 12th November 2014 as the Quality Assurance Team Enabling
Environment Lead. 6 days earlier, on 6th November 2014, Sierra Leone
recorded 110 new cases in a single day; that week there were 570 new cases. I
got off the plane at Lungi Airport trusting God that somehow He was going to
turn the situation around.
would do when I got to Sierra Leone but I knew I had to go. And again, let me
pause here to give God praise because He truly makes a way where there seems to
be no way. I informed my main contact at DFID of my decision to go to Sierra
Leone and his initial reaction was that he really wanted me to continue to help
the DFID team here. When I explained that I felt compelled to go to Sierra
Leone, he asked if I would join the DFID Quality Assurance Team that would be deploying
to Sierra Leone in mid-November to provide quality assurance, advice, support
and co-ordination to the deploying UK funded clinical teams and DFID supported
Ebola Treatment Centres in Sierra Leone. I agreed and travelled to Sierra Leone
on 12th November 2014 as the Quality Assurance Team Enabling
Environment Lead. 6 days earlier, on 6th November 2014, Sierra Leone
recorded 110 new cases in a single day; that week there were 570 new cases. I
got off the plane at Lungi Airport trusting God that somehow He was going to
turn the situation around.
On my first day on
the ground I went to the newly formed National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) and
met Palo Conteh, the Chief Executive Officer who I knew from before. He was
formerly the Sierra Leone Minister of Defence and had only been in the role at
NERC since 1st November. I explained to him that although I was here
with DFID (as I have dual nationality), in this context I was first and
foremost a Sierra Leonean and would make myself available to help him in any
way that I could. I told him that I was convinced that God would deliver us and
I asked if he would pray with me. We held hands as we sat in his office and I
asked God to give Palo wisdom and direction to lead the fight. I spent the next
few days trying to assimilate as much information as I could about what was
going on and to see where I could help.
the ground I went to the newly formed National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) and
met Palo Conteh, the Chief Executive Officer who I knew from before. He was
formerly the Sierra Leone Minister of Defence and had only been in the role at
NERC since 1st November. I explained to him that although I was here
with DFID (as I have dual nationality), in this context I was first and
foremost a Sierra Leonean and would make myself available to help him in any
way that I could. I told him that I was convinced that God would deliver us and
I asked if he would pray with me. We held hands as we sat in his office and I
asked God to give Palo wisdom and direction to lead the fight. I spent the next
few days trying to assimilate as much information as I could about what was
going on and to see where I could help.
Incredibly God led
and guided me as I began to quietly contribute. I would sit in meetings with technical experts
where no-one knew me. On several occasions when asked who I was I would
laughingly say that I am a free spirit who knows nothing but is willing to
help. I began to trouble shoot
operational issues and quickly became known as a “go-to’ person for the
international organisations and national colleagues.
and guided me as I began to quietly contribute. I would sit in meetings with technical experts
where no-one knew me. On several occasions when asked who I was I would
laughingly say that I am a free spirit who knows nothing but is willing to
help. I began to trouble shoot
operational issues and quickly became known as a “go-to’ person for the
international organisations and national colleagues.
Within a couple of
weeks, the then UK Deputy High Commissioner asked if I would formerly support
the NERC and arranged with DFID for me to be seconded from DFID to the NERC
Planning Directorate. The number of cases in the capital city was rising
rapidly and by the end of November 2014 50% of cases nationwide were in the
Western Area. We needed a plan and during the weekend of 29th
November – 1st December 2014, I worked on what became the Western
Area Surge plan. With input from others, very little sleep and most
significantly direction from the Holy Spirit, the Western Area Surge plan formed
the basis of response activities in the Western Area for the next 6 weeks
resulting in a drop in case numbers from a national peak of 570 cases per week
in mid-November to 80 cases a week towards the end of January 2015.
weeks, the then UK Deputy High Commissioner asked if I would formerly support
the NERC and arranged with DFID for me to be seconded from DFID to the NERC
Planning Directorate. The number of cases in the capital city was rising
rapidly and by the end of November 2014 50% of cases nationwide were in the
Western Area. We needed a plan and during the weekend of 29th
November – 1st December 2014, I worked on what became the Western
Area Surge plan. With input from others, very little sleep and most
significantly direction from the Holy Spirit, the Western Area Surge plan formed
the basis of response activities in the Western Area for the next 6 weeks
resulting in a drop in case numbers from a national peak of 570 cases per week
in mid-November to 80 cases a week towards the end of January 2015.
At the start of
January, I was asked to officially assume the role of Director of Planning at
NERC. It was surreal. I felt completely out of my depth – increasingly I have
come to realise that this is how God often works.
January, I was asked to officially assume the role of Director of Planning at
NERC. It was surreal. I felt completely out of my depth – increasingly I have
come to realise that this is how God often works.
As a response team,
we had made tremendous progress in the fight against Ebola but having seen a
rapid decline in case numbers from December to January, we then plateaued for
several weeks and couldn’t seem to get below and average of 60-80 cases a week
from late January to early March. There was a sense of frustration within the
response as the disease persisted and the road to zero seemed to evade us. I
felt completely overwhelmed and once again turned to the Lord for His leading.
I decided to fast and pray for 3 days and on the fourth day, I walked into my
office, put my rucksack down, picked up my marker and wrote the outline of the
Getting to Zero strategy on my whiteboard. God just did it and I give Him
praise! The Getting to Zero plan was built on and eventually presented to the
President and Cabinet and approved on Friday 13th March 2015.
we had made tremendous progress in the fight against Ebola but having seen a
rapid decline in case numbers from December to January, we then plateaued for
several weeks and couldn’t seem to get below and average of 60-80 cases a week
from late January to early March. There was a sense of frustration within the
response as the disease persisted and the road to zero seemed to evade us. I
felt completely overwhelmed and once again turned to the Lord for His leading.
I decided to fast and pray for 3 days and on the fourth day, I walked into my
office, put my rucksack down, picked up my marker and wrote the outline of the
Getting to Zero strategy on my whiteboard. God just did it and I give Him
praise! The Getting to Zero plan was built on and eventually presented to the
President and Cabinet and approved on Friday 13th March 2015.
God is awesome and
God is faithful. On Friday 20th March 2015, Sierra Leone recorded
zero new cases in a day for the first time since the outbreak began in May
2014. But the battle was not over. The Getting to Zero strategy was implemented
and with continued interventions from technical experts, various international
and national organisations we continued the fight.
God is faithful. On Friday 20th March 2015, Sierra Leone recorded
zero new cases in a day for the first time since the outbreak began in May
2014. But the battle was not over. The Getting to Zero strategy was implemented
and with continued interventions from technical experts, various international
and national organisations we continued the fight.
The last year has
been without question the most challenging and intense year of my life. I have
again and again witnessed the power of God and His amazing grace. I have been
reminded that God can use anyone to be His hands and feet. I had no prior
experience or epidemiological training; no medical background. I had no route
into the outbreak response; but God directed me and made a way so that His
plans would be developed and His plans would be implemented.
been without question the most challenging and intense year of my life. I have
again and again witnessed the power of God and His amazing grace. I have been
reminded that God can use anyone to be His hands and feet. I had no prior
experience or epidemiological training; no medical background. I had no route
into the outbreak response; but God directed me and made a way so that His
plans would be developed and His plans would be implemented.
Throughout the Ebola outbreak
Christians all over the world were praying. I had an email prayer group (which
included members of Everyday Church) with whom I regularly shared challenges
and difficulties as they arose in the response. The foundation of every
decision and of every plan was prayer.
Christians all over the world were praying. I had an email prayer group (which
included members of Everyday Church) with whom I regularly shared challenges
and difficulties as they arose in the response. The foundation of every
decision and of every plan was prayer.
On Saturday 7th
November 2015, after recording zero new cases for 42 consecutive days, the
Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone was declared over by the World Health
Organisation. Sierra Leone had recorded a total of 8,704 Ebola cases of which
3,589 had died. A year earlier, the US Centre
for Disease Control (CDC) had forecast that Sierra Leone and Liberia could
together record over 550,000 Ebola cases by January 2015. I can never thank God
enough for delivering us and for preventing those projections from
materialising. I thank Him for all that He did in seeing us through what was
one of the darkest times in my country’s history. I give Him all the glory and the
honour.
November 2015, after recording zero new cases for 42 consecutive days, the
Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone was declared over by the World Health
Organisation. Sierra Leone had recorded a total of 8,704 Ebola cases of which
3,589 had died. A year earlier, the US Centre
for Disease Control (CDC) had forecast that Sierra Leone and Liberia could
together record over 550,000 Ebola cases by January 2015. I can never thank God
enough for delivering us and for preventing those projections from
materialising. I thank Him for all that He did in seeing us through what was
one of the darkest times in my country’s history. I give Him all the glory and the
honour.
I ended my secondment
with NERC on 11th November 2015 and returned to London on 12th
November 2015, exactly one year after my journey began. There is so much more
to share but this in a nutshell is my story. To God be the glory.
with NERC on 11th November 2015 and returned to London on 12th
November 2015, exactly one year after my journey began. There is so much more
to share but this in a nutshell is my story. To God be the glory.
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr
2 December 2015
Yvonne is involved in the production of a documentary which captures the role ordinary, everyday Sierra Leoneans played in tackling this crisis; it will be released on the 16th December, but you can enjoy the trailer here… all glory to God 😀