A Global Intern Gains Thirteen “Sons” in Sierra Leone
POSTED ON Aug 31, 2010 / UPDATED ON Feb 25, 2011
Global intern Krystle Spoon (with intern Victor Li) and her new "sons" from House Six.
Krystal and Issa grew especially close.
Krystal helped the boys study, and even taught a few piano lessons.
The relationships they formed will last a lifetime.
“My parents have both been to Sierra Leone a few times, so I thought I knew what to expect,” says Krystle Spoon, a Children of the Nations (COTN) Global Intern. “But when I got there, God told me: ‘Krystle, you’re going to have your own experience, and I’m going to give you that out of my grace.’ Suddenly, I was way out of my comfort zone!”
Global Interns are sent into our countries each summer to live in COTN villages, learn about their culture and way of life, and serve in ministry with our children. Being out of their comfort zone is part of the territory. None knows this better than Krystle, who recently returned to her hometown of Silverdale, Washington after spending eight weeks in Sierra Leone. She writes in an essay about her time:
“The house aunties (who take care of more than twelve children) were going on a short, but very necessary, holiday. We were told we would each be in charge of one of the houses. I was excited, but a little nervous. We were only in week two, unaware of the home children’s routine, let alone our own.”
Krystle was thrilled to be assigned to House Six, where her grandmother’s sponsored child, Pastor, lives. She then found herself and one other intern in charge of thirteen little boys for three straight days. “Every day we would get up at the crack of dawn, get them out of bed, lead them in their devotions,” she describes. That was only the beginning of the long days that included school, tutoring, meals, baths, and chores. “I got to know each of them, sang with them, disciplined them; they were so surprising to me. When one thinks of taking care of thirteen boys, it’s daunting. These boys work hard, and play hard—they are strong and hilarious.”
“I only did this for three days,” she points out later, sharing her experiences with the staff of COTN–USA. “The house aunties do this every day without a break!”
Not only did Krystle gain an appreciation for the hard work done by the house aunties, but she forged relationships with the children in House Six that were stronger than she’d ever experienced. “I felt like I gained thirteen sons,” she says of her love for the boys. “And the best part is that it was still the beginning of the trip, so those relationships only grew over the next few weeks.”
She remembers a boy named Issa particularly warmly. “He was a boy who gave us a lot of trouble,” she says with a fond laugh. “He was always where he wasn’t supposed to be. But he was the only boy who stayed to help until every other boy was finished with his chores.”
When it came time to say goodbye, Krystle and the rest of the children found it nearly impossible. “Issa was down on the ground, with his head down,” she says. “He wouldn’t look at me. I told him it wasn’t goodbye, and that someday we would all be together in one house, with Jesus. He would always say, ‘Auntie Sing!’ And have me sing to him. So I sang ‘Shine on Us’ [by Michael W. Smith] to say goodbye.”
What she gained during her internship was another family across the globe. The experience was unforgettable, and a lesson in the value of stepping out of your comfort zone. “You can’t stay in your comfort zone and gain true family. You have to step out!” And it was different than she expected. “There was no Superman moment where I would swing in and tell the kids about Jesus and they’re saved,” she says. “It’s more about planting seeds.”
Seeds were planted both ways, with relationships that will never be forgotten.
Want to step out of your comfort zone? Learn more about Venture trips or Global Internships.