Africa Update
A Journey of Hope: Visiting Freedom Challenge Projects in Zambia and Ghana
By Elaine Ellis
Dear friends and faithful prayer partners,
I recently returned from an incredible journey through Zambia and Ghana, where I had the privilege of visiting several Freedom Challenge-supported projects. Your prayers carried us through every step—thank you! Brenda and I stayed healthy, our flights were smooth, and I even had an empty middle seat on the 11-hour flight home—a small but welcome blessing.
Witnessing Transformation in Kabwe, Zambia
In Kabwe, we visited all six projects supported by Freedom Challenge. So much has changed since my last visit five years ago:
A second school for disabled children has opened in the slum area.
A new day center for street boys is now operating.
A security wall was built around the elementary school after two children were tragically abducted and assaulted.
At the Mercy House Day Center, children are learning to grow their own vegetables—each child has their own garden plot. But the most heart-wrenching moment came at the safe house, where 10 girls are being protected from abuse. One girl, who lost her hearing due to severe trauma, witnessed her father murder her mother at a young age. These stories are difficult to hear, but they underscore the importance of the work being done.
Love Africa Missions Conference: Worship, Wisdom, and New Connections
The Love Africa Missions Conference was a powerful experience—four days of worship, teaching from local pastors, and workshops. I also held 10 individual meetings with current and prospective project leaders, including those from Tanzania, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone. The stories from these regions—marked by witchcraft and Islamic extremism—were sobering.
And yes, the worship was loud! I was grateful for earplugs, as our African brothers and sisters love to praise with full volume.
A Miraculous Detour
On our way to Lusaka for our flight to Ghana, traffic came to a standstill due to an accident. Our driver performed what felt like a miracle—maneuvering a bus with a luggage trailer through a maze of tractor trailers and onto a one-lane dirt road filled with potholes and ditches. By God’s grace, we all made our flights!
Ghana: Rest, Outreach, and Empowerment
Our first day in Accra was a restful one at the beach. Interestingly, Tuesdays are reserved for the ocean to “rest,” a tradition rooted in local beliefs that the sea goddess plays with her fish-children that day.
In Kumasi, we visited the bustling marketplace where OM Ghana reaches out to Kayaye—young women and girls trafficked from rural areas to work as head porters. These girls carry heavy loads, sometimes up to 110 pounds, in metal bowls balanced on their heads. Thanks to anti-trafficking training, local churches now provide safe sleeping spaces, relieving the OM team of that burden. The team continues to offer medical clinics and share the Gospel.
OM Ghana Safe House: A Sanctuary of Healing and Growth
The heart of Freedom Challenge’s work in Ghana is the OM Safe House—a two-year program for girls aged 15–19 from the rural north. Many arrive with no education, some unaware of their own age. One girl was abandoned by her family, considered a “bad omen.” Another, “M,” lost her leg to infection and used to crawl to school. She now walks with a cane, and we’re praying she’ll receive a prosthetic in the future.
The girls are learning tailoring, cooking, baking, hairdressing, soap making, and beading. Those with no academic background are receiving basic education. After two years, they return home, where the house mother continues to check in and ensure their safety. All have come to know Jesus, and local evangelists help them form fellowships.
A cultural insight: in these communities, a man may propose marriage by offering a girl a meal of spaghetti and eggs. To prevent this from being seen as a special treat, the house mother regularly serves spaghetti—empowering the girls to make wise choices.
How You Can Help
Your generosity directly impacts these life-changing projects. Thank you again for your prayers, encouragement, and support. I continue to praise God for your faithfulness.
With love and blessings,
Elaine