I wanted to send a little update to those of you who I know have taken a personal interest in the work The Lord is doing here in Ghana. I want to thank you all for your prayers and selfless giving, especially under the circumstances. I know it seems there has been a lot of uncertainties in the world, but one thing that remains the same is God’s unchanging, never ending, all consuming love for His children. I have personally felt and witnessed His sustaining love that cannot be shaken no matter the situation whether it be: financial issues, hardship, fear, or health issues. I have selected a few photos to share with you to meet the ones I have been spending most of my time with since I’ve been here.
I arrived back to Ghana February 10th. I had no plan other than to be wherever the Lord lead me to be and do whatever He lead me to do. After spending time visiting around, The Lord made it clear I was to go back and settle in Aflao, which is the same place I was before. The Lord made a way for me to find a place to live, and with the help of friends in the community, I had a home ready to live in by the beginning of April! It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun! Thanks to generous donations, I now have a place to call home while I am in Ghana….. and then the unexpected pandemic hit, so thankfully I had a place to stay without having to move like a nomad as I had been! I live in this house with two sisters named Sonia and Sylvia that I have known since 2018. The Lord has allowed us to grow in Christ together and serve the community together during these hard times.
These are a few of my energetic and sweet neighbors! They are apart of a family of 8 that live right beside me along with another family of 7 beside them. It is obvious the Lord had a plan in the location I was able to settle because these families desperately need help. With the well we were able to drill, the place I live can now supply water to these families for bathing and cooking. Since school has been closed for going on three months now, I have been able to distribute schoolwork to these children along with other children in the community that I know personally. This was made possible with a printer I was able to purchase from generous donations!!
This is a photo of a food distribution we were able to do in the community for families that are most vulnerable during this time. My roommates got together with their other local teacher friends to form a list of families that they knew were most vulnerable to distribute the food package to. We were able to distribute to 100 families with maize and beans that would last at least 3 weeks of meals for the families. Again, all of this was made possible by donated funds!! God is good and faithful!! The families expressed how this food came right as they were stressing on how to come up with their next meal.
Here is a group photo after celebrating Prince’s birthday!! I have known Prince since I first came to Ghana in 2018. If you have been following my updates, then you know this boy is a miracle!! I am so thankful for this precious boy. He brings such joy to my life and to all who know him. He is a true example of how all things are possible through God who gives us strength! He celebrated his 19th bday with people who love and adore him. We had a local snack of yogurt and malt drink and danced and sang through the afternoon celebration 😊
This is another dear friend of mine named Rumana. She has also had a long journey like Prince. She lives in a Muslim community which by the grace of God has become some of my closest friends. I know God will continue to work through this precious girl’s life to draw those to Him that do not follow Christ as the Way. Building bridges of love one life at a time. As you can see, Rumana has the most beautiful smile! Her baby brother Jacubo is following in her footsteps to be a very happy baby despite difficult circumstances.
In this photo, my friend Lakpo is receiving a health screening from local nurses to find out why his long time wound on his foot is not healed yet after over 2 years! We have cleaned and dressed the wound since I have known him, and it has surely come a long way, as well as the other two wounds on his shoulder and chest that healed all the way, but his foot wound still has not closed up. We found that he has extremely high blood pressure, along with other defining health issues. We were able to put him on some medications to help stabilize his BP as well as give him the nutrients his body has been lacking over the years. Lakpo is a man that came to Christ late in his years from dark idol worshiping practices. He has a faith stronger than anyone I have met. He does not have much, but it is obvious His love for Christ is all He needs!
Since I’ve moved back to the community of Zuime, I have been able to spend quite a bit of time with this strong 95-year-old woman named Mawunyo. She also gave her life to Christ just last year after leaving a life of idol worship! My roommate Sonia and I have been able to visit her a few times a week to spend time listening to her, teaching her how to pray, and sometimes I am able to give her a full body message with powder because she sufferers from full body pains. This woman has many stories to tell like Lakpo. It amazing and encouraging to hear how God is working in her life and the life she left behind to follow Him. It is never too late!
This is my dear friend Fadilla. She also lives in the same Muslim community as Rumana. I have become close with Fadilla over the years as her mom has been on a long and painful medical journey. Just a few months ago we found out she had terminal rectal cancer. After a long and painful battle, her deal mother, Ieshia passed away just recently. It broke my heart and gave me a numbing feeling because I know this woman did not know Christ. She heard the gospel several times, but never showed interest to give her life to Christ. The bondage that Muslims have to their faith is strong. The more I get to them and hear their stories, the more my heart aches for them because I hear the hopelessness in their words. They have no certainty, but they fear if they leave their faith, then it would end in separation from their family…. but what they don’t understand is they will be eternally separated from the One true God.
I cannot believe how fast it seems the time is going by here. Every day is unpredictable and full. The biggest prayer requests right now are for the children here, and all over the world that are at home and not in school. Here particularly, families were already struggling to get by, and now with the COVID19 precautions, life has become extremely more difficult. Borders are closed which means the goods that most people depended to buy and resell for a living are no longer available. Prices are up on local goods, and no one really knows when schools will be able to resume. Africa as a continent is the youngest continents. Children outnumber adults, and most families have at least 4-5 children. Most families are also broken with only one mother or one grandparent left to care for the children. All of this is why I believe that as long as the Lord has me here, then my focus is to be to help the vulnerable children whether it be with education, healthcare, or just being a source of love that will point and lead them to the ultimate sustainer which is Christ. I also hope to be able to offer some sort of family counseling to educate the families here the importance of childcare and nurturing. I cannot do these things on my own or in my own strength. First and foremost, I desperately need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Second, I need the partnership and relationship with my brothers and sisters in Christ here in Ghana to help make these connections and build bridges of love. All of this is possible through discipleship. Next, I am asking that you, my brothers and sisters in Christ from the States, to continue lifting the people of Ghana up in prayer to our Father. If you continue to feel lead to give in any way, then please know that your contributions are being used directly either to feed a mouth, provide educational resources for a child, medical care for a sick person, or any unexpected need that may come up that can help a person in a desperate situation that will be a building block to sharing the love of Christ with them.
I am not here officially represented by any organization yet. I am just here. I want to be open and transparent in everything I do and say. My hope is, that if it is the Lord’s will, I will be able to establish something more concrete and official in the near future, but with the COVID19 restrictions it has made that a bit more complicated then before. Right now, I have friends helping me get a website set up so that I can be uploading more updates such as this, and have an online portal for donations for those who feel lead to do so. Please know that I am so grateful for all the Lord is doing and will continue to do in and through each of your lives as you have supported what The Lord is doing here in West Africa. God bless you!!
I would like to end my update with some scriptures the Lord has put on my heart during my time here to encourage me and help me to press on towards the goal!! Thank you all and feel free to reach out via email, fb messenger, whatsapp anytime!!
The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow….
Psalm 146:9
The Lord sustains the wear….
Isaiah 50:4
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
Hebrews 1:3
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