So how does this all tie in and involve me… Many of you know I’ve been wanting to go to Africa for quite some time now. Didn’t really care where, was wanted to make that the next location on my list of places to visit. I had planned on going to the Village of Hope this last summer, but decided it wasn’t the best timing due to the job situation. When my friends Chris and Stacey moved up here to Rowlett and started work at Heritage, our church began dreaming and talking about finding an organization to help support, something that we could not just give money to, but be directly involved with. Chris knew of Pam Cope through contacts at ACU and started talking to her about the possibility of helping further/fund the rescue of children off of Lake Volta. One thing led to another, and Chris was able to go on a trip to Ghana this last month. Videos from before and after his trip can be seen here and here.
One of the greatest hopes for this ‘scouting’ trip was to see the lake situation first-hand and figure out where the greatest needs lie. And friends, there is much need. Chris was able to be apart of rescuing 3 children while he was there, but right now there are still over 7,000 children enslaved on Lake Volta. From what I understand, the biggest concern is that there are not enough places to take the children once they are rescued. The Village of Hope is maxed out, and while there are other orphanages in the area, more space is desperately needed.
I’ve been wrestling with a question for the last few months: Why this? What is it about this work that I am so drawn to? (I mean, I know there are hundreds of organizations supporting similar missions, there are thousands of children caught in trafficking all over the world.) I don't know. Maybe it’s just the timing of it all, the way things have fallen into place over the last few months. Maybe it's the images, the look in the eyes of the kids on the lake. Whatever it is, the opportunity is great and is staring me right in the face.
A few weeks ago, I was at a study time discussing the idea that we can be/are answers to each other’s prayers. I’d never thought about that before. There are plenty of people in my life that have been answers to my prayers. That’s easy to see. But I’ve never really considered that I may be an answer for someone else. If I don’t take the opportunity to help those around me, they may still be waiting for their prayer to be answered. Right? So here’s the thing: There are parents and house parents and teachers and leaders in Ghana who are praying for hope and futures for their children. And there are children who are laying down each night next to Lake Volta wondering if their 14 hour days of fishing are all they’ll ever know. What if I am supposed to be an answer to their prayers? What if you are supposed to help answer their prayers? If we ignore the opportunity, their lives continue on without change. But if we’re willing to ask some tough questions, they might know rescue.
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