Dear friends and family, on Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012 the community of Namankwan in northern Ghana broke ground on a medical clinic sponsored by Compassion for Africa and inspired by Annie Gorman and her passion for baking gourmet cupcakes. I will be traveling to Ghana August 1-22 to see firsthand the medical clinic's progress as well as check-up on some other projects. Please pray for safe journeys, God's blessing on these projects, and support them, financially, as you are able.
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Here’s a little of Annie's story as to why she is passionate about building the Namankwan medical clinic:
"As a person who has relied heavily on advanced medical technologies and incredibly gifted physicians, I cannot even begin to imagine what my life would have been like if I had been born in northern Ghana where medical treatments are almost impossible to come by. The truth is: I most likely would have died a long time ago without the healthcare I have needed since I was three-years-old. I want to inspire people to do good with their lives and to change the world. Everybody can do something.
As of today a little over $30,000 has been raised for this project. $30,000 is a lot of money, but only about half of what will be needed to finish the clinic. By focusing on other people's needs, my eyes have opened up to the challenges that too many in the world face. Focusing on the extreme needs of others has put my own situation in a new light. Instead of being tempted to feel sorry for myself, I am now seeing that my limitations can be used by God to bring hope and opportunity to others. For this reason I'm baking cupcakes and raising money to build this clinic so that fewer handicapped children and people in Ghana die needlessly."
Medical Clinic
During this trip to Ghana, Pastor Frank Mills and I will meet with Ghanaian health ministry officials to determine exactly what finishing touches and equipment will be needed to gain government certification. This last week I met with “Hands of Hope” here in Nampa. Hands of Hope collects medical equipment and supplies from the greater Boise area and then packs them in overseas containers for hospitals and medical clinics in developing countries. I will be taking over $3200 of medical supplies and equipment with me on this trip, thanks to Hands of Hope. Hopefully, I can give back some supplies to the clinic that sewed up my arm for no charge last summer.
Wells
Compassion for Africa will soon complete our 12th well in Ghana. While in Ghana I will check on existing wells (identifying GPS coordinates so the wells can be located on Google maps) and interview some of the local communities impacted by our wells.
Wilbur Project (Pigs for Girls)
I will also interview a few of the 200 plus girls who have received pigs through CFA's "Wilbur Project.” For a gift of $50, CFA provides a pair of pigs to 12-18-year-old girls in northern Ghana who would not otherwise be able to attend school. Most parents in northern Ghana believe that since their daughters will grow up only to work the fields and bear children secondary education is an extravagance. As a result, these girls are often tragically married off as the 4th or 5th wife to a 60-year-old man in a polygamous marriage. At CFA we seek to share the hope of Christ with these girls today as well as help them build a hopeful future as a teacher, nurse, lawyer, pastor, or to whatever God may call them.
A pair of pigs helps these girls develop a sustainable business that will generate enough income to provide for their school fees, school, supplies, and personal needs. Pigs have 2-3 litters a year with 8-14 piglets in each litter. A good-sized pig can be sold for $15-$25. Some of the 200+ girls in the Wilbur Project have now saved enough money to buy bicycles, sewing machines, or start other businesses. Wilbur Project girls also learn leadership through public speaking, community service, and stewardship in their local churches (for the importance of educating girls, especially in developing countries, see www.thegirleffect.org).
Compassion for Africa Website and Facebook
In addition to slowly building our website at www.compassionforafrica.org, you can also visit us at www.facebook.com/CompassionForAfrica (I recently uploaded several pictures of wells, girls involved in the Wilbur Project, and pictures of the Namankwan Medical clinic from ground-breaking to the most recent of a Northwest Nazarene University student team helping build the clinic one brick at a time.
Thank you and God bless you for your prayers and financial gifts-they are indeed making a world of difference, one girl, one boy, one community at a time. As Jesus said in John 15:12, "Love each other as I have loved you."
If you are able to give toward any of these projects, please send a check made payable to Compassion for Africa, 412 West Bayhill Drive, Nampa, ID 83686 and tell us which project you’d like your gift to go toward.
100 percent of all monies given to “Compassion for Africa” go directly to the project for which you designate them. There is no administrative overhead as any travel, transport, printing, postage or other costs associated with “Compassion for Africa” are paid through separate donations. Your gifts are making a world of difference one girl, one boy, one family, and one community at a time. Compassion for Africa is a registered 501(c)(3) with the IRS.
Isn't it neat what a cupcake can do?
Remember, you can purchase Uhuru (the Swahili word for freedom) from writingplaces.com. By doing this, I will donate $10 to the Wilbur Project. Uhuru is completely hand crocheted and is only $20. Here's a picture:
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| Uhuru |
