In seven days, we leave for Ghana, West Africa.  The final week until departure is always crucial, intense… and exciting.  Those of us who are going can’t wait to walk the West African soil again.  We miss our sisters and brothers and look forward to the reunion: their smiling faces, warm hugs, exicting stories of their adventures since the last time we were there five months ago.  We will also hear stories of their incredible need…

In case you are wondering, there are places of poverty there that are incomprhensible to our American sensibilities.  Some think we know poverty in America - but it does not compare.

Empowering the Next Generation
by: Allen Paul Weaver III

In 2003, when I went on my first mission trip to Africa, I asked myself: “What am I capable of doing?  I’m only one person.” The task before our group was tremendous: four men carried in eight large bags of clothing, shoes, school supplies and Bibles to give out. Our group leader had traveled to Ghana for the first time six months earlier. It was all new to us and our misconceptions — often facilitated by American media — met with an altogether different reality. This year, I traveled with a group of 20 to Ghana, West Africa, again to give out clothing and school supplies, but also to provide key support for the residents’ education, health and business needs. Through donations of supplies and money, we’ve already spent over $200,000 to empower this global community.