Ghana (MNN) — No matter the weather, orphans at Every Child Ministries' Haven of Hope in Ghana will be able to play outdoors. A building team comprised of five Americans and
some Ghanaians spent the first two weeks of September constructing a 30 by 80 foot pole-barn-like activity center.
One of the American builders, Joe Roberts, says the center has more purpose than
simply recreation. "They are in the process of conducting a Haven of Hope academy–a school, and they needed the additional classroom space and an activity center for the kids to play in year round, in case of rain or something of that sort."
All the materials were pre-cut and shipped from the U.S. to Ghana, ready to assemble earlier this year. The Ghanaians will later pour a concrete floor in the building.
The activity center is just a step toward Haven of Hope's ten year expansion plan which began in 2004. Right now there are about 32 children living at Haven of Hope. Until there is room for everyone, Haven of Hope ministers to children still on the street. "Sunday mornings the ECM volunteers and local staff travel to the train station in downtown Accra. They actually conduct Sunday school classes for the street kids and provide them a meal," said Roberts.
During the trip, the five American builders were able to join in the ministry in downtown Accra as well as read and play with the children at Haven of Hope.
"They've banded together as a family," Roberts said of the children at the orphanage. "I think that's going to be the key as they grow older in this particular type of facility. They have each other, and they trust each other, and they trust God to see them through."
Roberts asks you to pray as Ghana continues to develop. "It's just a wonderful thing to be able to travel to another part of the world and to experience God, to see Him
at work, and to be a part of it."
