encouraged by this today. 

It's not another feather in my cap.

There has always been much confusion about how to fill life. When I tell people about Ghana Rock, many react almost as though they were responding to a clever joke... “Oh. That was good. Nice! You must be funny.” Similarly, I can almost hear their silent thought, “Wow. How cool! You must be such a good person.” When, following the concert, I listened to some say, “Congratulations,” it struck me as odd. They were impressed because they viewed Ghana Rock merely as my discovery of a means of fulfillment that was not harmful to me and provided a real sense of accomplishment and joy. They believed I had somehow maneuvered life to construct for myself a niche of gratification in Ghana Rock, much as words, ideas, emotions, and stereotypes might be manipulated to craft a humorous remark. Perhaps they had been relying on substitute fulfillment through any number of the harmful products and vices encouraged by the clueless society in which we live. Perhaps they had been searching high and low for security and contentment, only to be let down time and again. (Those feelings were at one time all too familiar to me. That they could even see the peace of Christ in me is testimony in itself to the grace of God.) But whatever their past experience, they had tragically missed the point.

What a shame that this amazing opportunity to witness God’s hand at work is overlooked merely as a good way to “fill” life. The concert and the cause behind it is NOT and has never been a means of fulfillment. And the joy that I have experienced as a result of Ghana Rock I know I never would have felt had I been searching for my life’s purpose, rather than responding to and leaning upon God throughout the process. I will gladly testify to such a joy because I realize it was the product of grace that seemed unlikely to me at the time, of love that seemed absurd, of God’s overwhelming and glorious display of sovereignty and steadfastness as He brought light out of darkness and loveliness out of hopelessness before my very eyes.

As the Ghana Rock team is planning and praying for the concert, we are incessantly reminded about the reason for Ghana Rock 2012 – to watch a miracle unfold, to see God move in ground-shaking, faith-building, unforgettable ways. Thank You Lord for lavishing all that You are on the undeserving. Thank You for giving us true fulfillment and purpose, for allowing us to find our identity and our sustenance, in You.

-Katie Hensel 

Oh, Oprah.

Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Upon reading articles about Human Trafficking, someone shared a story Oprah did a few years ago about Lake Volta. When reading it, I started to cry... The story itself is heartbreaking and informative but that wasn’t what really bothered me. What bothered me was that someone with as much influence and fame as Oprah could not make a significant dent in ending child slavery.

Oprah did this story in 2007-- five years ago and child slavery on Lake Volta is still going on, in fact all the statistics are the same. Not necessarily an encouragement for us.  Ghana Rock has way less influence, fame, connections, and funding than her. Can we make even difference? I was forgetting one major difference though. What's different about Oprah and Ghana Rock is we have one super power much stronger than anything Oprah does. 

His name is Jesus. 

My encouragement? This would all be lame, worthless, and a complete waste of time if we are  trying to bring awareness by ourselves... but we're not. Jesus is right here, constantly providing for us. We have the unity of the body of Christ praying for us. We are a force, and we are a strong one at that. 

(to read the whole article Oprah did, click here) 

All that I do is in vain, unless the Lord is there.

Hey Everybody,

First off, thank you for taking a break on Facebook to read this, I know it's a pain.

 Just hold on, this isn't that long of a blog post.

Throughout these past two years I have helped out with Ghana Rock there has always been a time during the planning when we hit a problem, whether it be not enough money, no bands can make it, the world ends in 2012, or any other misfortune. During these times I can easily look at the situation and think "there is NO way we will be able to do this concert" especially when I am relying on my strength because, although it may seem I am in control of my life, in reality it's more like a bomb went off in a room filled with eggs... There is no way I can put on this concert!!! But here's the greatest part, and if you don't remember anything else get this (and that room filled with eggs illustration...just cause)

All that I do is in vain, UNLESS the Lord is there!

The Lord is the reason Ghana Rock 2011 happened last year, and the only way it will happen again this year is if I stop relying on my strength, and let the Lord work through me to help this concert happen.

This is not an excuse to do nothing, on the contrary it's a call to do much, much more knowing I have the creator of the universe guiding me!

Once again thank you for your time, pray that the Ghana Rock team goes

 to the Lord for comfort when it looks dreary.

- Micah Levinson

Last year...

was awesome. 

this year, will be totally different. 

GET PUMPED! 

27 million. 200 thousand. 7 thousand. and then there is me.

Did you know that 27 million people suffer from modern day slavery? 

Or that 200 thousand of those are child slaves just in western to central Africa? 

and that Lake Volta has only 7 thousand child slaves working on it?

Wait, there is a problem with that last sentence... I said only, like it isn't a big deal. "oh, no big... there are only 7,000 kids on the lake, it really isn't all that much comparatively." When actually it is a big deal. 7,000 kids are robbed of a life, they are reminded daily that they are no more than a piece of property. These statistics are overwhelming enough they make me want to give up. I am only one person. Even with the entire Ghana Rock team, we add up to nine. What is the point if all we can do is raise a little bit of money and bring a little bit of awareness when there are 27 million people suffering. The good news is, we're not alone! There is no debate, slavery needs to end, and despite how little or how much you are doing, it helps.

I've been talking with a photographer from Australia named Tom Goldner. He spent time in Ghana at The City of Refuge last year taking pictures to expose what is happening on Lake Volta. Tom has agreed to let us use his pictures (like the one above) for some of our promotional needs. I don't know if I am more excited that we have all these great pictures to use, or that someone halfway across the world is fighting for the same cause we are and is letting us use his talents to help.

The fact that people can work together to do good brings hope to the overwhelming stats of modern day slavery. On my own, I could do nothing to end child slavery. Together, we can change one child's life, and maybe even eighteen children's lives. That brings me hope. On the verge of sounding a bit dramatic; together we can be the hope to those 7,000 children. Together we can take a stand for those two hundred thousand. Together we can put a dent in ending slavery for the 27 million  So, let's do it!

Ghana Rock 2012, friends! We're Ghana Rock the boat! ;)

- Madi 

Those who look to Him.

We’ve had to make a lot of decisions these past few weeks. For the most part, we have a clear vision of what Ghana Rock 2012 is going to look like. In my head I can imagine a room full of people lost in worship, focused entirely on Jesus. From September of last year until now, when people ask me the purpose of Ghana Rock I would say worship. That’s our goal, to create a worship environment with a purpose. 

We want every single ticket sale to head to the City of Refuge for freeing kids out of a life of bondage. We want people to come and feel educated about the slavery epidemic on Lake Volta when they leave and compelled to take their new knowledge a step further and do something. More importantly though, we want people to come and experience God in a big way. 

As you can imagine, we don’t take any of those goals lightly. While we make the important decisions that will map out the night, we are continuously falling on our faces in prayer. We pray every Monday that none of our decisions will be made without seeking God first. 

I was reading through Psalm 34 yesterday when verse 5 hit me; 

“Those who look to him are radiant,

   and their faces shall never be ashamed.”

Can I get an AMEN? or a gasp of excitement? something? 

This is what we are praying for. We want to be radiant and unashamed because every step of this process we look to Him for advice, we seek His wisdom, we fall flat on the floor to His feet asking Him what to do. Come May 18th, we’re going to be radiant and unashamed. 

Thank you, Jesus, for helping us make these decisions. Keep us radiant and unashamed. 

On behave of the whole Ghana Rock team, I’m going to say,

Stay tuned... big things are coming! :) 

-Madi