Greetings to all from Ghana!!
The picture above is simple, but it is one of my favorites ever captured. Can this child read? Nope. Does he have the same potential to learn as anyone else? Yep! This child was inevitably born into a harsh environment which cycles into poverty. Does this mean he has no hope? NO! The fact that he has chosen to sit down and look at a story book is proof that he seeks to know and grow…. That hope and hunger is in us all from infancy. It only needs to be fed and encouraged along the way by truth and light. Paul wrote about how the challenges and even suffering in this life will produce perseverance, character, and finally a hope that does not put to shame. All of this is possible if we have the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:1-5). Reflecting on all of this lately has given me a new heart of gratitude and hope during a season that has been uncertain. The way forward is not exactly clear, but I have this unexplainable hope. The only explanation is my Jesus, the lover of my soul. I look forward to sharing with you glimpses of the hope and gratitude I have experienced since my last update!
HEALTH EDUCATION
With a labor of love and teamwork, we were able to organize and host a health education program last month! We all agreed that the parents in this community need to be educated on basic health and nutrition for their children. Most parents did not complete or even attend school before giving birth to children. We were able to partner with local health care providers that came to share nutritional and hygienic discussions and the dangers of malnutrition in this area. They answered questions and gave out samples of supplements that can be added to a simple porridge for a nutritional boost. The children contributed by singing songs that we learned during our after-school program and made a health and nutrition board to have on display during the discussions! The heart and goal of this project was to use the importance of health as a bridge of love to the Gospel.
END OF TERM
The students recently completed their second term of school. They will now be on a one month break before completing the third and final term of this school year. The tradition here is to have a program called: Our Day at the end of each term. For the last week of the after-school program we did special activities each day. We attempted STEM projects, hosted a Spelling Bee contest for the older students, watched a movie, and on the final day we allowed the children to express themselves through song and dance! This time of dancing and singing birthed a new idea in one of the teachers helping with the program to begin focusing more on the creative arts for these children in the future since they seemed to enjoy it and revealed talents that we were not even aware of!
PASSING THE BATON….
As I have been seeking The Lord for clarity as for the way forward, it has become more evident that it is time to pass the baton so that the teachers who have been helping with the after-school program here in Zuime can begin to take ownership and responsibility to continue running the race. I met with the teachers, and we discussed how I will not be fully present in Zuime for at least the next several months as I will be splitting my time between Zuime and a village near the town of Ho in partnership with a ministry there. We discussed how Jesus modeled how to invest in others’ lives through His three years with the disciples. He then sent them out to go and do the same. That is the hope and prayer I have for these teachers.
NEW POSSIBILITES
There has been several doors of potential partnerships that have opened recently. My heart is full of gratitude for God’s provision during a time of feeling isolated and unclear of the way forward. My organization, Equip International, has been so supportive during this season as well. My supervisor made a direct connection for me to an international group that has a presence here in Ghana. This group focuses on training and implementing a curriculum that they created for those who are interested in teaching English as a ministry platform to vulnerable children up to young adults. I am excited to meet with them and learn more about what and how they do what they do. For the next several months, I will working towards completing my TESOL course as I partner with the ministry in Ho. We will be traveling to remote villages to host English classes for a people group called the Fulani. Above are some pictures from a recent trip I made to their area to help drop some of the girls that have been boarding at the school of this ministry. As you can see in the pictures, these communities are remote so they have to use simple structures made of sticks and mud to live in. The Fulani are nomadic herdsmen that move from area to area following their cattle as they graze. Very similar to shepherds. The hope is that through this educational outreach, they will come to know more about The Lord’s Shepherd, Jesus.
I want to close by saying once again, I am grateful. Bellow are lyrics from a song that has been encouraging to me lately.
Find me grateful. Find me thankful. Find me on my knees. Find me dreaming. Find me singing. Find me lost in your grace.
Thank you all for the love, prayers, and support! Sending love and prayers your way from Ghana!
Chelsi
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