Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:18
Hello, my faithful friends and loved ones!
I write this newsletter from a heart posture of looking to God in celebration, even in times of uncertainty and challenges. As you are also aware, there has been much to cause distress happening in this world, and within personal lives as well. But, if we have our hearts and minds set on our Father in heaven, then we can still be joyful and celebrate because He holds everything in His hands. As stated in the verse above, Habakkuk was facing what would be a great challenge ahead. He first lamented, but ended a prayer in rejoicing to God, for He is good. He sustains us when no other source can do so. His steadfast love, grace, and mercy are all we need to continue to walk with Him in faith.
I look forward to sharing with you all that He has provided and revealed since my last newsletter. Thank you for your time and prayers in keeping up with life here.
Sustaining Love Kids Transition
Our Sustaining Love Kids program has recently gone through a change…or transition. Since the official launch of this program (back in 2021), we have been meeting on the grounds of a school that simultaneously had started within the same area where we wanted to conduct the program for school children. The owner of this school agreed to allow us to meet after school in hopes that it would even boost their school’s attendance. Glory to God, that happened! We are grateful for the years of partnership we have had with this school But, on the flip side, it had become a challenge for our program and their school’s end-of-the-day activities to coincide. There was no disagreement or misunderstanding, we just simply chose to relocate the program for the time being. Also, due to the after-school programs picking up in the area, some students have chosen to participate in those as well. All of this has naturally come to a core group of students that have stuck it out and participated through the thick and thin over the years. We now have what I would consider a group of students who have the potential to truly be transformative lights within the community. I have always tried to focus on quality over quantity, which is challenging here because so many believe in “the bigger, the better” mentality, which is difficult to accomplish when resources are not of quantity. I truly believe and have seen evidence that no matter the size of a group of children, youth, or adults, as long as there is sincere and quality care taken to invest time and discipleship, then God will move and Sustain according to His Will.
God’s Faithfulness
There is so much to celebrate to God for His provision and steadfast love for the people here. There is a Muslim family in a certain area right on the Togo/Ghana border that is quite difficult to get to, but God always makes a way and time to where I can go and check in with them. Their living environment is harsh and they lack bare necessities, and several weeks ago on one of my visits to them, I noticed great concern for Latifi who is one of the children living there. After rushing him to the local hospital they were quick and a bit annoyed to inform us that he would lose his life due to severe anemia and Malaria infection. Thankfully, he received the life-saving medications and blood transfusion in time to fully recover! Praise God! This was another reminder to this family that God is with them. He sees them. He loves them. My continued prayer is that they will no longer view God as “Allah” but in the intimate, sovereign, and loving Father through Jesus Christ.
Visit to East Africa
During the first two weeks of October, I traveled to East Africa to visit both Uganda and Ethiopia! After a couple of years of hoping and praying for this trip, the time came! My sending organization, Equip International, provided a unique opportunity for the ladies who serve in Africa under Equip to meet together for a weekend retreat. This was first made possible through the advocation from Tamara who serves as member care with her husband Jeremy for our organization. Tamara and I meet every month on a video call to discuss ministry and personal matters and pray together. She has been such an encouragement to me over the years. She invited me to come and spend a week in Uganda with her family before she and I traveled together to Ethiopia to meet the other ladies for our retreat. It was such a beautiful and filling time in both countries. It was so encouraging to see how many people are living life on mission in the town of Jinja, Uganda that I visited. I was introduced to countless brothers and sisters in Christ, both locals and those who live there from various countries. The fellowship was something I had been lacking for some time, and The Lord provided it in such a sweet way. Also, a neat full-circle moment is that I was able to visit the school that was started by Katie Davis Majors. This was a full-circle moment for me because I read her first book back when I was a college student still searching what it was I was supposed to do after college. Now, 10 years later after living predominately cross-culturally, I celebrate that moment and humbly acknowledge that God has been present and active through every moment, transition, challenge, and bump along this journey He has had me on!
While in Ethiopia, I was once again encouraged by fellow sisters in Christ living similarly and in a cross-cultural context. We laughed, we cried, we shared stories of praise and stories of heartache. It was such a sweet time together provided by The Lord. As we parted ways, we challenged each other to continue focusing on Habakkuk 3:18. To rejoice, though, there are challenges and unknowns.
SPORTS OUTREACH
Before leaving for East Africa, I had met with a group of teachers and school owners about continuing the sports program we had done back in July. They were interested and agreed, but we had set it for the same weekend that I had returned to Ghana. I was a bit concerned that we did not have time to pull it off. But, I was pleasantly surprised that on that day we had planned for, we had a great turnout of students who were ready to participate! We spent the first part of the morning cleaning up the local market in the area of the school that hosted the program. It is in the same community as the Muslim family I shared about earlier in the newsletter. It’s a rough environment, but we were able to clean up quite a bit of the market area, in hopes that it would encourage the locals to also do the same. We then used the rest of the time to do team-building exercises and play some soccer matches. This is in collaboration with an Islamic school where God has opened a door of relationship. I continue to remain expectant in prayer as to how God can and will make Himself known among these students and teachers.
The last several weeks after returning to Ghana from my trip to East Africa, I have been a bit unsettled concerning my continued presence here. I have wrestled back and forth with this decision and what will most Glorify God, disciple the people I am in a relationship with, and be a place of continued growth and discipleship even if I am not here personally. The Lord has been so kind in these moments of seeking Him for clarity. He has spoken through His Word, through close friends and brothers and sisters in Christ, and through the quiet moments of just He and I on an early morning walk….. I am yet to have clarity of the way forward, but this I do know, that He is Sovereign over it all. In the meantime, I trust Him and will continue to be fully present in whatever environment or circumstance I am in.
I wanted to share this with you, a faithful friend and participant on this journey The Lord has had me on here in Ghana. Through all the uncertainties and unknowns, I will celebrate His goodness and faithfulness through it all. His love Sustains.
Grateful for you, friend. Thank you for the prayers and I am also praying for you too,
Chelsi
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