Preparing for the Birthday Party

Pat and I have been busy shopping for items to use at the "Birthday Party". We have enough candy to keep all the dentists in Kumasi busy plus plenty of sunglasses, blow ticklers and party hats for everyone. Pat also bought some special "party bags" that we can use as a pinata since we couldn't figure out how to get a real pinata into our luggage. The bagpipes have been tuned with a new reed and I've practiced "Happy Birthday" so I get it just right.

The planning phase

The 2010 Ghana Mission trip will begin on January 10, 2010 and return to Birmingham on January 20, 2010. Team members have been hard at work preparing for the many jobs and activities that will take place. We are in the process of collecting "flat sheets" for the orphanage, various clothing supplies, particularly underwear as well as party items for a large birthday party we will host for all the children at the orphanage.

How It All Began

Our Ghana mission was born in 2006 out of our Student Ministry’s Penny Project, an initiative to raise 23 million pennies - one for each victim of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. We completed that amazing goal in 2009!

The students’ first wave of funding from the Penny Project was directed toward two projects in Kumasi, Ghana — an orphanage and a women’s HIV support group. That initial effort has blossomed into the synergistic, three-pronged mission project that we support today, which now includes a community supported by micro-lending.

We have sent four mission teams, adults and youth, with the fifth trip scheduled for January 2010. See the blog for the 2009 youth trip for wonderful photos and stories of how this trip was transforming for our students.

King Jesus Orphanage

King Jesus Children’s Charity Orphanage is home to 144 children ranging from 3 to 23 years old. While none of these children are infected with HIV, most of them are orphaned because of AIDS. The children are under-nourished and under-clothed and under-educated, but all are bright and eager to learn. They are cared for by a wonderful man, Pastor Kofi, and a handful of dedicated teachers and staff. They are in constant need of food, clothing and school supplies in addition to cash to pay for expansion of the children’s sleeping quarters.
The photo above is Pat Gardner with some of the children from the trip in 2008.

Check back periodically to see updates and photos from when we arrive in January 2010.