Paul Dickens Doe and Center for African Missions
(formerly known as Wings of Love Foundation)
Founded by Christ Harvests
the Nations Ministries, Center for African Missions is a community development charity organization whose purpose
is to reach out to needy communities irrespective of their religious, social, political or cultural affiliations and backgrounds.
Christ Harvests the Nations was registered as an NGO in 1996.
The passion
of the Center for African Missions is to reach out to the underprivileged in both the rural areas and the city streets
in order to provide sustainable social services, quality basic education, and job training with employment opportunities.
Center for African Missions does not simply provide aid to the needy, but more importantly assists them in becoming self-reliant
and self-sufficient through community development projects.
The Center for African
Missions believes that the needy and the poor in society have great potential and ability. With a little help, these
qualities can be tapped to make them self-sustaining, greatly improve their standard of living, and also make this world a
better place.
CFAM has projects in many communities in Ghana and also works hand-in-hand
with other organisations in numerous other communities. Below are some of our current programs/projects. These projects are
prayerfully put into effect for the purpose of fulfilling the most pressing needs of the communities and they are designed
in collaboration with the community elders.
Tema: CFAM operates a youth development
centre and after-school program for over 200 youngsters. These youngsters are provided with numerous opportunities for both
learning and playing activities. They participate in drama, music, computer training, and choreography and also are afforded
the opportunity to participate in sports such as soccer and volleyball.
Potwabin: CFAM operates an
early childhood education facility for this rural community which has no school. Over 50 kids are enrolled in this project.
Free meals are provided for the kids to help keep them in school.
A farming project is being
developed to help with the feeding project in the community. The leadership of CFAM and Operation Blessings Ghana has
provided this village with a well to help solve their water needs. The only source of water in the village was a muddy stream.
The well will provide them portable water and help prevent water-borne diseases.
Deveme: CFAM is providing
this community with a permanent mud-brick school building. Currently there are three classrooms operating under makeshift
sheds made from thatch and bamboo. A feeding program has also been established to feed the people.
Keta:
In this fishing community many youngsters spend their time fishing in the sea or the lagoon rather than attending
school because they have become part of the work force, helping with the day’s haul. Center for African Missions has
acquired a piece of land by the beach and will build a school building on it so that the kids may attend school while the
men are out fishing. If the kids will not go to school, we will bring school to them.
The following excerpt is from the book, An Obruni's Tale: On Wings of Love
by Colleen McCallister, copyright 2006.
Today started with an early return visit to one
of the schools for what I thought would be another time with the kids; Prosper had scheduled an in-service for the teachers
instead. I found myself sharing my heart about children’s ministry with the teachers. Surprising visit for me, but all went
very, very well. I let the teachers know that I am not a teacher by profession, but a children’s church administrator
and have learned whatever I know from Pastor Bill Wilson and hard lessons in the Holy Spirit as I have grown in the ministry
(hopefully I have grown!).
When I shared my impressions about their
educational system and used the example of the teachers from Deveme to illustrate my thoughts, there were many heads nodding
in agreement. One teacher asked me how I intended to bring Western teaching methods into the African schools; it was a surprising
question. All I had intended to do was to bless the teachers with materials.
I answered that all I can do is share with one teacher at a time what little I know and leave it to
the teachers themselves to seek the Lord for guidance. Certainly I alone can do rather little, having no formal training,
but a trained teacher can certainly investigate new methods of teaching and pursue the Lord in prayer for direction and provision,
bringing their petitions not only to Him but then also to the school administration.
Then I just shared my heart concerning the things I have learned in children’s ministry: look
a child in the face and smile when you speak to him; acknowledge whatever he says, even if he is incorrect, and provide gentle
correction if needed; understand that whatever a child has to say is important to that child, even if it is foolishness to
adults. Encourage the kids to speak up and share their thoughts, encourage them to reason out problems, encourage them to
enjoy their lessons. Inspire a child; be the inspiration. Teachers change lives. As simple as these suggestions appear to
be, they are new ideas in this culture. Surprise, wonder and then understanding showed on the faces as the Spirit ministered
grace to listening ears and the words sank into hearts, bringing understanding.
|
| Sharing with teachers. |
The Children's Festival in Tema begins as the crowd begins
to gather in the midday heat.
After awhile, the crowd became an ocean of children singing and
worshipping the Lord. Glory to God!
At times the swell of the crowd pressed dangerously close to
the shaky stage; I thank the Lord for angels who protect us! I was surrounded by nearly 7000 kids drawn to the festival by
the power of the Holy Spirit and the praises being lifted to the Lord.
Late in the afternoon, the food was ready to
distribute. That got a bit hairy at times; those kids are hungry. It was mayhem at times, getting them to be somewhat orderly
as we corralled them into classrooms for the distribution. Fighting broke out and the workers were pressed by the rush of
kids grabbing for food no matter how many times we reassured them that everyone would get some food. Several times I had to
be rescued by the men because the kids were either knocking me down or crushing me against a wall or over a desk. Being the
first of the festivals, we quickly learned a few things for the next ones. Getting them to sing some of the songs while they
waited in the rooms helped enormously.
Small individual bags of rice with sauce and a small piece of fried chicken or a boiled egg in a plastic
bag were distributed to each child and also to those parents who clutched infants in their outstretched arms, begging for
food.
Memories
of Metro bus rides, cold pizza and White Castle burgers came to mind.
During the first part of the day, I had Keds on to protect my feet from all
the foot traffic but later on put on my sandals when the crowd began to thin out. The kids had laugh after laugh when they
saw my feet: my skin took a lot of color today, being out in the sun for so many hours, but my feet are half brown and half
white where the Keds had them covered. They became the entertainment of the day for a while.
We returned home just a few minutes ago at about
8 pm. Pastor James was eating his dinner at the table as I walked in; he looked up to greet me and laughed out loud.
“You look like one of the kids!!!”
I had to laugh back at him, for I certainly did.
Here I sit at the café with my clothes covered in handprints and face prints from the kids; I
am covered with dust from the field; and the sweat marks running through the caked dust all over my face make me look like
a five-year-old who spent the day in the sandbox. Uncounted kids had run their hands through my hair during the day; there
is no describing what I look like.
I wish I could say that I cannot remember
the last time I looked like this. It happens to me quite frequently here.
My body is tired and somewhat achy—those kids are skinny but after awhile they really weigh a
lot—and I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO want to shower, but I came to the cafe before I crash for the night to share the day before
I lose pieces of it.
When I had returned home from
my first visit here and shared the stories of my adventures, first in church and then in chapel at Faith Academy (and of course
with anyone who would listen!), my friend Gina came to me and said something most remarkable. She had truly defined the change
that the Lord has made in my life. She told me that as she read my emails she could see that I was so alive in what I was
doing. I think that is the best way to describe what it is like being here among the people, just sharing my life with them.
They make me alive as the Lord reaches out to them through me and they reach out to Him. Life is good.
So that was the day; I am going home to bathe and see what I can do about my hair. Tomorrow
I am going to the pool with Paul and later in the day to the beach with Alex. I am not allowed to go to the beach on my own;
I have asked. When I would ask to be allowed to walk to the cafe by myself during my first visit, I could see that it was
difficult for my hosts to set me loose on my own; they are a communal people and rarely do things alone. They also are very
protective of their guests.
Since gaining my freedom that first visit,
I have been allowed to go any where I have wanted until I mentioned that I would like to take a taxi to the beach. They don’t
actually say No; they just gently and persistently repeat that someone will take me.
So that is how it will be.
Smiles
