You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the rock eternal.
Isaiah 26:3-5
What shall I say unto the Lord?? All I have to say, is Thank You Lord!!
Hello once again!
I hope you all are blessed by this picture of the precious boy smiling as he is running and playing among other children in a big open field where we recently had a gathering of hundreds of other smiling faces just like this. What is humbling is that despite living in a remote, dark, and challenging environment in a community that has few homes with electricity and the only source of water being wells that are deep and not very clean, this boy, along with all the other children that came to our gathering, all had smiling faces as they played and ran with simple things such as balls and balloons to play with. To give a little more detailed picture of the community this boy is from, imagine the closest school for this smiling boy to attend is a good 30-minute walk. The school itself is a simple structure with some desks and chalk boards for him to be taught by teachers that try their best with limited resources and training as a teacher. The boy most likely goes home every day from school with no one to help him with his homework because of the lack of educated adults that he is under the care of. It is very possible he will not take an evening meal, and if he does, it will be boiled corn flour that is churned into a thick paste that he will use to dip into a soup of leaves and other spices that are grown locally.
To give a deeper understanding of the belief in this community, this boy from a young age is taught how to worship at the local shrine of the community idol. He is taught that this idol will listen to him if he does all rituals correctly and is dedicated to the idol’s rules for living to please this man-made god.
How is this boy smiling with such ease and JOY?? Because he is a child. Even with all the hardships he has already faced at such a young age, he is still just a child that enjoys playing with friends and being loved on by others. He craves it even more than food. He hungers for love. I trust that The Lord has a purpose for this boy’s life to truly know Himself. A seed has been planted in his heart. May it grow deep roots so that he can break free as he is in this picture from the bondage of cultural traditions, beliefs, and practices into the steadfast peace and freedom that comes from The Lord and rock eternal!
SHINING LIGHT IN DARKNESS
A prayer of mine has been to have collaboration with other ministries to do The Lord’s work hand in hand together. I am so grateful for the family I know in Ho came to Aflao to share their resources, talents, and love of Christ in two different communities over a weekend. The two areas we visited are both spiritually dark and both spiritually and physically impoverished. The first night this team came, we were in a Muslim community that is right on the border to Togo. This community is a mixture of languages and tribes of both Muslim and Ewe people. It was rough to be honest. We were not welcomed at first, but the longer we were there, children came to participate in the activities we offered. We played circle games, played football (soccer), and the team from Ho performed dramas that portrayed the Gospel. To finish the evening, we showed clips of the Jesus film. It was during this time that it was evident of the spiritual darkness. Women were coming to snatch their children away from the film. Crowds gathered around the film of youth and some men that were shouting insults and even laughing as the scene of Jesus showed dying on the cross…. It was the present-day fruition of what happened during the time of the Crucifixion. It was not a complete disappointment though. There was one girl that came for the program that I have known for some time now, and she expressed that she really wants to know and understand more about Jesus. She has always been interested, but has not had the chance to learn more. So I thank God for what seemed to be a failure, turned out to be an open door for one person to hear and know truth. That is worth it.
The second community is where I opened the newsletter describing the picture of the boy! This community is a traditionalist/Fetish community. They are under a Chief that makes all decisions for the community members, even what and how they worship. We got permission from the chief to be there for a program in promise of giving some gifts for the children. The area was remote, so the people who came were from spread out all over the area. But, we ended up having well over one hundred children and adults show up. When it came time to pass out the boxes of gifts full of simple items for the children, it was like an American Christmas morning. The children were so excited! When it came time to show the dramas and then the film, the whole crowd sat and watched with such interest. It was literally as if light was being shown in the darkness as it shows in the picture above! We even had a time of worship after the film where voices were lifted in singing and praise. I am sure most did not fully understand Who we were singing to….yet! But seeds were planted once again, and I am trusting that hearts will be in perfect peace with God through Jesus for those who really listened to the message sincerely.
SUSTAINING LOVE KIDS
The children at Sustaining Love Kids have been dedicated to come on program days, despite the “cold” weather. The end of July and August so far has been full of overcast days, rain, and lots of “cooler” wind. For me, I have LOVED it! But, as you can see in some of the pictures, the children and adults feel cold! Some exciting things that have happened recently is the SLK children made cards and signs for the JHS Form 3 students who were to write their Ghana BEC. This is an exam all JHS Form 3 students write to move on to high school (if they make good marks). This is a very stressful process due to the pressure put on them by teachers, headmasters, and even the government. So, we decided to provide an afternoon of fun and relaxing activities for these students to send them off to the exams in a good mindset. They came, ate fried rice, worked on cross word puzzles, danced, sang songs, and watched a motivational video. Praying the do their best, but do not stress!
Mama Florence is a woman of God that I’ve had the blessing of knowing since my time here in Ghana. She has dedicated her whole life to The Lord’s work and loving on others. She is the one who hosted the team from Ho, and has been going out with me sometimes to show the Jesus film in different communities on Sunday evenings. In one of the pictures above, you will see her talking with the SLK children about the creation and sin. The children love listening to her because she is funny and at the same time intriguing with The Word of God!
PRAYER POINTS AND UPCOMING POSSIBILITIES FOR MINISTRY
As I wrap up this lengthy newsletter, I want to share my heart full once again of gratitude with you all for being a sounding board for my thoughts, prayers, and insights from life here in Ghana! Some upcoming ministry possibilities include:
Hosting a University of Ghana student for 3 weeks to join me in ministry as an intern.
Traveling to the Central Region with Gladys and Mr. Joseph to host a training for women who find it difficult to provide for their children due to no husband, education, or other training experience.
The continued planning and organization of a collaborative Foster Care Training program with Social Welfare.
Some teachers that help with Sustaining Love Kids have some big decisions. Please join me in prayer for them to seek The Lord’s guidance and to walk in His Will for their life.
Continued outreach and relationships within the Muslim community and Fetish community we recently did the children’s programs.
As I write this, I am aware that many of you who are students are returning to school, sending children back to school, or walking through various life challenges. I want you to know that God is good. All the time. He walks before us, and with us. We are never alone.
May you keep in perfect peace,
Chelsi
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