Face Down

We ought to see the face of God each morning before we see the face of man

- D.L. Moody

Hello loved ones!!

Where to begin?! It has been over the normal amount of time that I prefer getting an update out to all of you, but it has been quite a busy season here (which I am sure most of you can also say the same). The title and quote above fit perfectly to what has been essential for me the past couple of months. Whether it is has been going through a sickness, experiencing the loss of a child in our community, back and forth travels between to locations, miscommunications to work through, or just the daily sense of need all around me, it has been crucial for me to get face down before my Father as often as possible. He has been so gracious in those moments when I am at my physical and human end. He has sustained me. He has met needs around me that I just physically cannot do. He is a good good Father!

I snapped this picture back in September when I started my final course for the TESOL (Teaching English of Other Languages) program I have been doing through Colorado Christian University. It has been a challenge to balance online course work along with the other things happening here, but I am grateful for the opportunities and relationships and like-minded connections it has provided. The course material has been so useful to equip me better for using education as a ministry platform of sharing the love of Christ among a culturally diverse population. Lord willing, by December I will complete the course requirements and be TESOL certified!

Before I started the back-and-forth travels between Ho and Aflao, I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Accra to connect with an organization called Open Schools. This is a picture of me with Gladys who is the Ghana coordinator for this organization which focuses on providing education to vulnerable children from ages 7-17 that either have never attended or dropped out of school due extreme poverty, abandonment, or neglect. They have a curriculum that is set up to provide a safe and Christ-centered learning environment to ensure basic literacy and numeracy skills within a set program. Gladys walked me through the curriculum and even gave me some samples to take back with me. I look forward to hopefully continuing our partnership however The Lord leads and provides.

A special part of this trip to Accra was that my roommates got to join me sense it was during one of the breaks for students. We got some sight seeing in while we were there and experienced things that were “firsts” for these sweet sisters of mine. Accra is the capital of Ghana, so there is a lot of history and places to see that any Ghanaian would appreciate to see and experience! So grateful to have had the opportunity to witness them explore and learn through experience about their own country. We even found a place that served hamburgers!! So of course, we all had one! They loved it!

Finally, after almost a year, these ladies received their certificates for completing the training we did through Literacy Evangelism International last December. These four ladies have been so instrumental in keeping the after-school program available for children as I have not been around as a full-time facilitator. I am praying that wherever and whatever my next steps are, that if it is The Lord’s will, God will use these women to continue planting seeds of truth and light within the village of Zuime with the trainings and discipleship they have received.

I officially started my traveling to Ho in September. I have been spending several days at a time there working with a school that I have partnered with. At first, I was supposed to join a team going out to remote villages of the Fulani People to teach English, but due to heavy rains, we have not been able to get access to these communities. So, it has actually worked out for me to get more hours in that is required for my TESOL while working in the school itself. Hopefully once the rainy season slows down and Ghana enters the hamatan (which is dry season), then I will be able to join the Fulani outreach without having to worry about meeting certain requirements for my course. I have been spending 4-5 days in Ho, then traveling back to Aflao for a check-in with everyone there. I usually end up having at least one day where all my neighbors are over from morning to evening. Sweet sweet times!!

To end this update, I will share about the most recent cycle of life we all experience. Unfortunately, due to extreme poverty, lack of education, and spiritual darkness, children in this part of the world tend to pass away by preventable issues. Wisdom is a child (who was actually 17 years old in this picture!) that experienced a life of ongoing health, mental, and spiritual battles. Over the years I knew him, I witnessed him be severely ill almost to the point of death, to a miraculous transformation and being stable once again. But, unfortunately, his family just could not maintain his health. The environment where they live is in the center of a Fetish Shrine, which has added to the spiritual oppression. After a long and hard-fought battle by this precious Wisdom, he is now in the arms of Jesus. I rejoice in my sorrow that he is no longer suffering. The next picture is of new life! Babies are being born here quite frequently, and to be honest, I have struggled with this because I know that the circumstances they are born into are quite challenging. The baby I am holding in this picture was born into an already struggling family, and at the time of deliver, all family members abandoned the young 20-year-old mother. Thankfully, my roommates were able to support with the little funds they had to send her to a village clinic for delivery. Once I reached Aflao, we were able to go and pick her and the new baby up from the place she delivered (which was basically someone’s house. I am grateful to say that everyone is healthy right now! These situations I tend to find myself in often are also what keep me face down in prayer for the reality of life and death to awaken a sense of urgency to not just focus and live by cultural traditions which can lead to a vicious cycle of hopelessness, but to seek truth in Jesus who is the Sustainer of life.

Above is a picture of the area I have been splitting my time. The community which this is located is called Adakulu. The environment is different, but the needs are the same: which is discipleship through the sustaining love of Christ!

Thank you all for continuing to stick with me prayerfully on this journey. It is often hard to express all that happens here in words and even pictures, but I hope you all know that even when I am not able to get out an official update, that you are all on my heart and prayers as well. Life is different here, but I know that we as family of Christ all face similar challenges and sufferings within our own contexts. What unites us is our Savior. (1 Peter 5:8-11)

I look forward to hearing from anyone who would like to reach out either by email or social media to know more about life in Ghana!

Love and prayers from Ghana,

Chelsi