Ghana (MNN) — 2012 marks 10 years of ministry for Every Child Ministries Haven of Hope Orphanage in Ghana.
Haven of Hope was opened in 2002 outside the capital city of Accra. It was, and still is, intended to be a safe place for some of Ghana's most damaged orphans.
The children carry a lot of baggage. Some have lost their parents, and the families of others simply cannot afford to support them anymore. Either way, these children have been wounded and know little of love when they enter.
But Haven of Hope "is intended to be a safe shelter with a loving, family-like environment for children in crisis," says ECM's Lorella Rouster. She says even the most difficult children who have entered the ministry have made significant progress over the last 10 years.
Every child has been introduced to and seen the love of Christ through the Haven of Hope staff, and nearly every child has accepted the Good News. Now many of the children actively witness to friends, relatives, and strangers on their own initiative.
Since its initial opening, ECM has constructed a dining-activity center, apartments for staff/guest housing, and a school. They have completed seven large buildings and four smaller ones to best serve the children living there.
The ministry branch has seen enormous growth and success over the last 10 years, and yet Haven of Hope has never been able to afford to pay for a public celebration of their work. On their 10-year anniversary, that's going to change.
This June (June 30, 2012 to be exact), the ministry will host a celebration, welcoming local government officials as well as ministry partners to see all the orphanage has been able to accomplish. The event will serve as a celebration, but also as a means to give the ministry more credibility with officials and within the community. It will even be an opportunity to share Christ's hope with those who attend.
ECM is also hosting a vision tour in July for those who want to see their work in Ghana and elsewhere across Africa. You can attend the celebration or tour. Learn more here.
Most people can't just get up and leave for Ghana, but you can still be a part of the celebration through sponsorship.
"[Sponsorship] provides for all of their needs, and if it wasn't for Haven of Hope, I would say almost all–if not every single one–of these children would just be out on the street alone, by themselves," says Rouster.
Because there are so many expenses for the children, from school costs to housing, it takes three sponsors to support one child. Throw your hand in here.
