a day's work

Woe, Keta District, Ghana. 

Revisiting Old Photos

A refugee camp on the border of Burkina Faso and Mali. 17 years and counting. 

Freedom & International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

Father's House Ghana, a rescue home for 8 beautiful boys that were freed from child slavery in the fishing industry, is on my heart today as we recognize the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.
 See more posts about Father's House International by clicking here,  
or check out the Father's House International website here.
Here's a few of my thoughts on how Father's House is beacon of hope for physical and spiritual freedom from slavery.   

In my first days at Father’s House I asked the boys how to say “Thank You God” in the Ewe language and they told me Akep na wo Mawu. When they taught me I put the words into a simple tune and we began to sing in our two languages.

One of the boys, Ame, seemed to love the song! Whenever Ame and I were sitting at the table together, or sitting on the beach watching a soccer game, after a few minutes one of us would begin to hum quietly. And then we would sing, in hushed tones (me because my singing voice is admittedly abysmal, and Ame because the English words were still foreign to him). 

I began to recognize that while on the one hand we shared very little: we lived on different continent, didn’t have a shared story, or speak the same language, we did share a common love for Jesus. And it seemed that was more than enough; it was a lot. 

I learned to love the moment he would look up at me, flash me a giant grin, and begin to sing. I loved that somehow without ever talking to each other we could become a part of each other’s worlds. 

(Singing with Ame and drawing in the sand...holding an unhappy neighbour child).  

Probably Ame will never know that he was showing me a little glimmer of how fantastic our God is; that Ame singing with me in multiple languages, while drawing in the sand, was a reminder to me of God’s overwhelming presence and power.  

It’s this side of Father’s House that struck me when I first walked through the gates and that continues to have a profound impact on my heart. In the week leading up to my arrival at Father’s House I’d found myself deeply discouraged as my research lead me to revelations about child trafficking & slavery that were foreign and disturbing to me. When I walked through the gates of Father’s House and discovered it was not an orphanage but a rescue house for child slaves, and I recognized the air was thick with the Holy Spirit I was undone. 

It was the recognition that God had used Father’s House not simply to free eight little lives from human slavery but also to free his children as they come to know the love of the Father. 

Today, on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, I am quietly humming ‘Thank you God’ and remembering that he has power over the darkness that is human slavery.   

Futbols to The Dominican: Futbols 13 - 16

This past spring 4 futbols made their way to the Dominican Republic as a part of the work accomplished by Partners in Deed. Working to facilitate partnerships between Canadian communities and communities in the Dominican Republic, Partners in Deed have many community initiatives in the Dominican. 

You can learn more about Partners in Deed here. 

Above is a photo of Partners in Deed volunteers handing One World Balls over to teachers from some of the school projects. The balls will be put to use once school opens again this fall. 

Futbols 11 & 12

 The 11th and 12th of the One World balls traveled with my friends Bobby & Brian to Ethiopa. Bobby & Brian were a part of a HOPEthiopia trip and spent a month involved in various activities with the organization, and its sister organization Hope Rwanda. 

The guys were able to use the balls in a sports camp put on by HOPEthiopia through a partner school, and then pass the balls on to school for future use. Brian sent the pictures you're seeing and said the kids didn't have balls in good condition and were very excited to see the new (and a little different) One World Futbols. 

HOPEthiopia is focused on a holistic development model that comprises smaller projects such as agriculture, community projects, reforestation and a peace garden project. HOPEthiopia is focused on reaching the vulnerable of Ethiopia by serving orphaned children and retired pastors. For more information on HOPEthiopia visit their website and learn about their sister organization Hope:Rwanda here.