Meet Sammy!!

I don't know why, but there is something about this child that makes me want to hug and kiss him all over his face.  He is precious. This is Sammy, he is 8 years old. His father passed away a few years ago, and after his father's death Sammy’s mother married another man. Since then Sammy’s mom has been hiring Sammy out to work for fishermen on the lake. Sammy hasn’t been going to school and has been working long hours on the lake fishing. 

City of Refuge first found Sammy over two years ago during their first community entry event at Ada Kope, The village where he was living. Since living at CORM Children's Village Sammy has been working on learning english. He will be starting school in September at Faith Roots International Academy with Rapheal and Benard! 

Please pray for Sammy's transition into his new family. Rescuing them is only the beginning of healing and there is still a long road ahead. 

-Madi 

We're going to Africa!

With less than three weeks to go, the Ghana Rock team is counting down the minutes until we head to Doryum, Ghana! We all feel honored and blessed to get to be the representation of Ghana Rock in Africa for a week. While we are there we will get to serve with City of Refuge staff, meet some of the newly rescued kids, distribute 200 pairs of shoes courtesy of Samaritans Feet, and venture to Lake Volta to witness child slavery first hand and by Gods grace bring kids to safety and freedom!

We would love your support as we prepare for the trip and while we are there. For a lot of the team this is their first trip either out of the country or to a third world country. I am pretty certain there will be some culture shock! ;) I asked a sweet sweet man I love and respect so much how we even begin to prepare your heart for the poverty and hurt we are going to see, his response? You pray God wont ever let you forget it, you'll be more significantly changed that way. So pray with us, that we never forget what we see and come home significantly changed.  Pray for good attitudes in any situation (after all, it is Africa and it's hot... all the time). Pray every opportunity we have to share God's love, grace, and compassion we take... without hesitation, and that we will be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak God's word with boldness.

Also, pray we can miraculously pack all 200 pairs of shoes... look at all these boxes! 

- Madi 

P.S. Going to Africa is really expensive, if you would like to support the team in monetary or physical expenses please email ghanarockteam@gmail.com and we'll give you more details. 

Pictures!

Hello All! This is my very first blog post this year, and I've come to bring you all the first few official pictures of the Ghana Rock 2012!

A lot of work went into this concert, and God came through in such an amazing way! We were able to raise money for such an incredible cause, and I cannot wait until all eighteen of those kids have been rescued. 

Enjoy the pictures! 

This is the sound booth during Shawn McDonald's sound check.

During the show, the work never stopped. 

Before the concert, people were encouraged to write notes to the children at the City of Refuge in Ghana, where we will deliver them ourselves when we go to Ghana in July.

Shawn McDonald doing work! It was so incredible to hear his story and his music!

Kristian Stanfill. 

By the end of the night, hundreds of notes had been written, collected, and hung up by our volunteers as tangible evidence of the impact that Ghana Rock 2012 had. 

I cannot WAIT to deliver these incredible messages expressing God's love and simple words of encouragement.

Thank you all for your participation in Ghana Rock 2012, and we can't wait to see you next year!

-Katy

Benard & Rapheal. What cuties!

Meet the first two boys City of Refuge Ministries has been able to rescue because of the support they've received from Ghana Rock. These two boys lives have been rocked because of every person who has given finically or prayed for them over the last few months. I am already head over heels in love with these two cuties, and God is going to use them big someday! We cannot wait to see who else God brings into CORM, but for right now... let's brag on Benard and Rapheal a moment :) 


Meet Benard!! 
He is around 8 years old. Benard has been living at Lake Volta for the past 5 years where his responsibilities were to fish and maintain the nets. He went to work for the fisherman after his parents passed away. A few months ago Benard's older sister went to visit him at the lake. She saw the harsh conditions he was living in so she decided to bring him back to live with her in her village near Lalonya (this area is a large supplier of children to the lake, sending communities). Due to lack of money Bernard's sister wasn't able to put him into school after bringing him back to live with her, so he was sent to fish in the lagoon near their village.

City of Refuge knew Benard needed help. When they first saw him, his body showed all the signs of malnourishment. Benard and his sister came back to the CORM Children's Village she signed guardianship rights over to CORM.Since being with City of Refuge he has been to the clinic for a complete physical. He is receiving a daily nutrition supplement and his doing very well. Benard doesn't speak English or Twi (only Adangme - the local language in our area). Benard will be starting school next year, as the school year is almost over in Ghana. He will be a part of a special classroom where all of the newly rescued kids will be learning in a self paced environment so that they can work towards transitioning into new classrooms with the other students at the school.




Meet Rapheal!! 

He appears to be  approx. 10 years old (although he really wants to be 12 :) Rapheal's parents passed away and he was left to live with his VERY elderly relatives. Rapheal was brought to CORM during a community education event - he had been living on the streets for the past 6 months because his elderly relatives were unable to care for him. After further investigations and interviewing Rapheal's guardians we concluded that he was very vulnerable to being trafficked as the community as a whole is a sending community and he was easily accessible to being sold. Before Rapheal's parents died he was living with his mother in Ashaiman and attending school. He is able to speak Twi, Adangme and some English. He is a very bright child and will be able to attend school next year without the help of the special classroom - although extra help will be made available to him if he needs it. Rapheal's physical went well - he is getting some extra vitamin supplements as he is low on iron.

In the pictures Benard and Raphel are holding SAVE A CHILD WATER. These bags of water have a message about the issues of trafficking and the importance of our children having a childhood and a future. SAVE A CHILD WATER company only hires single mothers. Through their upcoming marketing campaign, CORM will be able to educate the people in our area about the issues of child trafficking through local media. How cool is that?


Keep Benard and Rapheal in your prayers as they start to adjust to their new life! Also, continue to pray for the ongoing investigations. CORM is working on the immediate release of 5 children all working under one fisherman. There are also 2 boys working for a fisherman they have been in negotiations with for over a year. Slavery is a huge problem, but thankfully we serve a God who is bigger! 


And in the words of Paul, "To God be the glory, forever, and ever. Amen"


I will keep everyone updated as we get more information!
-Mads