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GHANA INITIATIVE NEWSLETTER
WWW.GHANAINITIATIVE.COM
February/March 2015
Issue 3
Preparing to Serve
God is Good!
In just two months, a NEW team of missionary volunteers
will be heading for the beautiful country of Ghana in
western Africa. The medical team is made up of two
doctors, a nurse, an EMT and one pharmacist.
Accompanying the medical staff will be six volunteers. The
volunteers will work closely with the medical team as well as
be responsible for providing a Bible school for the children
in the village. We expect to examine and treat as many as
800 people from Pokrom Nsaba and the surrounding area.
All medical treatment and prescriptions will be provided free
of charge to those who come to our clinic.
The team looks forward to providing a Bible school for the
first time. The Bible school will be set-up in the local
school building adjacent to the Resurrection Presbyterian
Church. This is where the Hope child development center
of Compassion International is located.
The children will be introduced to Jesus as their savior.
They will learn how He died on the cross to take away their
sins. During the Bible school experience the children will be
given a chance to ask Jesus to come into their hearts and be
saved for eternity. The team is counting on God to bring
lots of local children to the Bible school just as we have been
counting on Him to provide the finances and needed
supplies for the upcoming mission experience. As always,
God has come through in a BIG way. He has provided for
medical supplies and the educational needs of the ministry.
God is Good! We look forward to a fruitful experience.
Bright Smiles
Brushing Up on Things
The Ghana Initiative relies on donations from individuals
and businesses from across the USA. One local business
has made it possible for us to bring brighter smiles to the
children’s faces. We thank the General Dentistry office of
Rebecca A. Parker, Lititz, PA for donating a large quantity
of children’s toothpaste and toothbrushes. These items
will be distributed to the children as a way of promoting
good dental hygiene. GI team members will discuss the
importance of brushing twice a day as a part of the Bible
school learning activities.
Children attending the Bible school will receive a bag
filled with school supplies, toys, Christian tracts and dental
care products.
Should you have an interest in donating items for the
children of Ghana, please contact the GI administrative
director, Troy Pfoutz at 717-664-4966. All donations are
tax deductible. Blessing others blesses you!
Ghana Initiative Newsletter 1
Hope Child Development Center
Moved By Love
A Caring Partner
Why Else?
By Troy E. Pfoutz
The Ghana Initiative is blessed to have a working
relationship with the staff and volunteers at the “Hope”
Child Development Center in Pokrom Nsaba. The director
of the Hope CDC is Aana Owusu-Agbe Jnr. of
Compassion International. He serves approximately 250
children from age 4-18. Working with the staff at the Hope
CDC has brought HOPE to the Ghana Initiative and to
the people in this hillside community.
The staff at the Hope CDC have been Helpful and Happy
in all they have done in conjunction with Ghana Initiative.
They have provided assistance with logistics and translation
services. They are true advocates for the children and have
made our jobs easier!
They are Optimistic that the children of Pokrom Nsaba will
put aside a life of poverty by placing their trust in Jesus and
by getting a good education. They never give up on their
mission of “Releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
Working with the volunteers at Hope is a Positive
experience. They are excited to work hand-in-hand with
the team members of Ghana Initiative and provide Positive
reinforcement in all they do!
They are Eager to please! When asked to serve in any
capacity, they are right there ready to get their hands dirty.
Hope staff have taken the blood pressure of patients,
helped sort medications, served on the prayer team,
directed those waiting to see a doctor and made things so
much easier for the GI team to serve.
Hope CDC staff and volunteers have partnered with Ghana
Initiative to bring HOPE to the people of Pokrom Nsaba.
We look forward to working with them again in April 2015.
As Americans, we tend to be success driven. We want
things done sooner rather than later. Ghanaians on the
other hand, take life at a relaxed pace and view time as a
series of events rather than a matter of hours or minutes.
To Ghanaians, people are more important than schedules.
“Let’s get to business” conversation is considered rude.
Ghanaians exchange pleasantries and inquire about family
before beginning business. They greet one another with a
welcome by saying “Akwaaba,” making extra effort to greet
older people. With the men, handshakes almost always
accompany a greeting.
The official language in Ghana is English. My experience
has been that “Love” is an important language there too.
Ghanaians emphasize values such as the importance of
family, respect for the elderly and honor for traditional
rulers. They place high value on dignity and proper social
conduct. Ghanaian people seem to express love in all that
they do. It may be through kind words, a pleasant greeting
or a sweet smile. During my time in Ghana, I was moved
by love. In the same manner, the Ghana Initiative team
members are moved by love to serve those in need!
Ghana Initiative is now a member of:
Hope CDC Staff, Pokrom Nsaba
Ghana Initiative Newsletter 2
Contact Information:
Ghana Initiative
PO Box 122
Mount Joy, PA 17552
717-664-4966