Day Six - Thursday, January 24

Click Here for Link to Compassion International

Before I recount the events of day six, let me put a plug in for one of our favorite organizations. Fair warning...I'm going to put in another plug for them at the end.

Compassion International is an organization dedicated to relieving poverty around the globe by meeting the educational, spiritual, and health needs of children. As you can see from the graphic above, they do this in the name of Jesus. Compassion operates by establishing "Development Centers" where children can learn about Christ, receive correspondence from their Compassion sponsors, have regular health screenings and treatment, and receive financial support that helps to provide food, clothing, and shelter. Their mission statement reads:

"In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social, and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults."

We have been involved with Compassion for about five years. Our first sponsored child was Wincey. He was Henry's age and lived in Ghana. After about a year, Wincey's family moved to a different area where Compassion did not have a project so we were unable to continue sponsoring him. Since Wincey was from Ghana, we decided to choose another sponsor child from the same country. We chose a little boy named William, also Henry's age.

The credit for our family's involvement in Compassion belongs completely to Rebekah. She researched and introduced the rest of us to Compassion's work and it is she that writes all the letters to William. Sure, the rest of us have written at some point, but Rebekah is really the one who has a relationship with William. They are pen pals, at least.

When Rebekah and I made the first trip to Ghana, we hoped to get a chance to meet William. Sponsors are not told exactly where children live, so to have any hope of arranging a meeting, we had to communicate with Compassion agents who would attempt to work with the field office to schedule a meeting. The first attempt was a failure and it was really our fault. 

Our schedule during the first trip was anything but predictable. When we finally knew that we would not be needed at the embassy on a moment's notice, we only had one day left in Ghana and had not been able to contact the field office due to lack of internet access. Instead, we changed our flight schedule and came home a day early. Only then did we learn that the field office staff was expecting us and had already planned a visit that we would now have to miss. 

We felt awful.

We dropped off a gift for William and returned to the States without meeting him. From that moment, we decided that on the next trip, seeing William would be a high priority.

When Hugo and I got up Thursday morning, we had no idea what was going on. Boat had talked with the Compassion officials the previous day and learned that the visit was on. He told me where we were going but it meant nothing to me and I just figured I'd get in the car and get out when it stopped. The car arrived at eight (an hour late) and we were off to visit William.

We headed north on roads that I hadn't yet seen. The main road quickly deteriorated and became extremely bumpy. I have looked at this area of the world on Google Earth so many times and it was very interesting to be finally traveling in it. I saw so many interesting sights including a guy wearing a Steelers jersey (Kordell Stewart!) and the funniest (and scariest) business name ever:

"With Jesus Circumcision"

I just crossed my legs and cringed at that one.

Sammy

When we finally turned off that road, we traveled on one that was so pitted with holes that the driver was swerving all over and rarely drove more than 20 miles per hour. Eventually, the concrete disappeared altogether and then he just had to avoid the occasional chunk that now served as an obstacle. Boat had to make an occasional phone call to make sure we weren't lost and we eventually stopped to pick up Sammy, a representative of Compassion, who guided us the rest of the way.

Leaving this road, we turned onto a dirt road that was, at times, flooded. Cars had to take turns driving around small ponds or places where a nearby stream had invaded the path. We were passing forested areas on both sides but I noticed after awhile that if you looked closely, the trees seemed to be planted in reasonably organized rows. I guessed that these were cocoa farms.

The final turn, after nearly two hours of driving, was onto the road to William's village. Here's a little video to give you an idea of what it looked like:

Progressive Life Child Development Center

We drove on this road for miles, seeing only one car, a few people walking, and cocoa farms as far as the eye could see. When we finally arrived at Towoboase (pronounced toe-BWAH-see), the very first building was the Progressive Life Child Development Center. Sammy introduced us to the director and the rest of the staff. They showed us inside and spent the next 30 minutes telling us about the project, showing us demographic and financial statistics, and allowing us to examine William's file.

The file was amazing. There were records of medical exams and proof that the Compassion staff members regularly check on William and his family. But the most amazing thing - indeed, it brought tears to my eyes when I saw it - was that everything my wife had ever sent was in that file. Well, copies anyway since the originals were with William. There in this tiny office, half way around the world, I was looking at Rebekah's handwriting. It made me miss her intensely. 

Compassion keeps impeccable records. From time to time, Rebekah sends stickers, or photos, or a magazine along with the usual letter. On these occasions, William's mother (Ama) would have to "sign" for them to show that she received them. On a sheet in the back of the file, all the gifts Rebekah has ever sent were listed, and Ama's thumbprint was inked next to each item on the list.

Drying cocoa beans

We left the office to go find William in school. The plan was to walk to the school, find William, and take him home to meet his parents. I wasn't sure how William felt about my visit, but I figured that at least he'd be happy to get an early dismissal from school. As we walked through the town of about 1,000 people, nearly everyone who saw us came out to line the road and watch us pass by. The director (I don't remember his name now) told me that since it was Thursday, nearly everyone in town was home since this was the one day that the community did not go out to the cocoa farms to work. We saw tables of cocoa beans drying in the sun and a group of people roasting cassava. The resulting powdery substance was called garri and was used to make all manner of edible things. I told the man roasting the garri that I had an Uncle Gary and he thought that was hilarious.

This nice lady carried Hugo during the visit

The school was a collection of about five buildings with glassless windows and gathered around a central play yard. There was plenty of room for soccer and they even had a volleyball net. Many of the kids were outside playing but stopped what they were doing to watch us pass by. William’s school room was on the far side of the complex and as we approached, the numerous kids at recess began following us. By the time we got to his room, there were about 200 kids crowded outside the windows.

William and me

The Compassion folks had rushed ahead of me to try and play a bit of a trick. When I walked into the classroom, there were five kids lined up at the chalkboard and I was told that I had to identify which one was William. I knew him right away but decided to play with them a bit. I hesitated, acting like I wasn't sure, then began approaching the wrong boy. As I reached out to select the false William, I turned at the last moment and grabbed the real William's hand. The classroom, and 200 kids outside the windows, erupted into cheers. 

We spent some time talking there at the school but it became clear right away that William couldn't understand much of what I was saying. After a few minutes of difficult exchanges, the Compassion staff, William, and I left the school to visit William's parents.

We walked back along the same road and made a left about halfway through the village. We passed these ladies who were working outside and were thrilled that I took their picture. You can see the pleasure written all over their faces.

These ladies laughed and laughed.

William's home

William's house was modest and looked like most of the houses in Towoboase. I noticed that there was an electrical line running to the corner near the door which was simply a cloth hanging over an opening in the wall. This house was one of several that was situated around a central area under a grass canopy. We gathered here to meet his family and most of the neighbors joined us.

From left: Ama, William, Kwabena, and Sarah

His parents were very kind. Their names were Kwabena and Ama and they appeared to be in their late twenties. Kwabena smiled almost constantly but Ama seemed to be a little bit frightened of me. Every time I spoke to her, she would stand and bow a little bit. It made me really feel awkward to be treated with so much deference so I gave most of my attention to Kwabena. Pictured here is also one of William's sisters, Sarah. His other sister was not at home. We exchanged gifts - I only had some money to give them but they gave me this sculpture which now resides in one of the kids' rooms. 

A gift from William's family

We stayed for awhile and the highlight of the visit was when Kwabena went into his house and returned with all the things that Rebekah had sent to William. In the Compassion office, I had seen copies of letters and gifts, but here were the real things. Standing side by side, we looked through pictures of my children, other members of my family, and places near my home. It was a surreal moment of two very different worlds coming together. I was awestruck by the goodness of God and the amazing work that Compassion International has accomplished in nearly impossible circumstances. 

The Compassion staff

When the visit was over, we walked back to the office, said some final goodbyes, and left to return to the Home. As we rode back along the bumpy roads of rural Ghana, it struck me that Compassion International was a big reason that I was here in the first place. William had become a part of our lives years before Hugo had entered the picture. Without William, perhaps we wouldn't have been drawn to Ghana as we were at the beginning of the process. Without Compassion International, perhaps we would have pursued an adoption from China, or Russia, or domestically. Without William, Hugo could very well have been someone else.

But God has a plan for this little boy and it is amazing to see how He has been piecing it together for years. 

And now for the final plug for Compassion that I warned you was coming.

Reader, if you do not sponsor a child, please consider doing so. I won't bore you with the financial details - you can click on the link below and see how the program works. It is easy and we have so much to give to people who have so little. Don't put it off until later...now, while it is fresh in your mind, is the best time to start.

If you do decide to sponsor a child, or if you already do, please please please write your child letters on a regular basis. I have heard that request so many times from Compassion representatives but seeing William demonstrated how much those letters mean to these children. Receiving the gift of communication from a sponsor who cares about them is like gold for these children. They treasure it. It has value to them beyond what we can understand because we live in a culture of instant communication. There, receiving a letter is a miracle, and you can be part of it for a child. It will change that child's life.

I have this crazy idea. I'd love to have several people sponsor children from Towoboase. Then, in a few years, we could organize a group trip to Ghana and visit the town together. We could meet the children, visit their homes, eat together, and help with anything they or the community may need. It would be some adventure!

If you are interested in joining the adventure, call this number:

(800) 336-7676

That's the contact number to speak to a Compassion representative. Tell him or her that you are interested in sponsoring a child from the Progressive Life Child Development Center in Towoboase, Central Region, Ghana. Let's sponsor every kid in town.

And in case you missed it at the top, below is the link to Compassion International. Please check them out. I won't be offended if you don't want to take my word for it. Investigate them yourself and I think you will find an organization that is financially transparent, honest, committed to doing the most good that they possibly can, and most of all, being the hands of Jesus to the needy children of this world.

You will not regret it. Be Compassionate.

Click Here for Link to Compassion International