“Have you ever stared into the smiling face of an African child?”
To date, I have traveled to West Africa six times (within the last five years) as a team member of the non-profit organization, African Initiative Mission Foundation. Let me DECLARE that the Africa portrayed in the American media and the Africa that I have seen with my own eyes and experienced… they are not the same. I am not saying that the Africa which our media portrays does not exist… I am saying that our media tends to like to focus only on one aspect of Africa’s existence.
Where my African brothers and sisters are lacking in material goods, they make up for this lack - in spirit, creativity, gratefulness and joy. And everyone who is a part of the team which I travel with agrees… “we go to help them and they often help us.”
I believe that God is using Africa to impact the world.
When I first went to Ghana, West Africa, I thought to myself, “What can I do?” I could barely pay my bills here in America and here I was flying over to another continent to help out others! Some people close to me even reminded me of my financial condition and couldn’t fathom how I could even afford the plane ticket to take the journey, let alone make some kind of impact. But God provided the income, and it was a sacrifice… but I went for the first time (back in 2003) and my life would never be the same again. I experienced the hand of God at work and saw how myself and the members of the team I was with had made a difference. I experienced an Africa I had never seen before and what I experienced moved me beyond words.
I came back to America a changed man, thinking, “What could I not do?” After this trip, everything seemed possible. And when I returned, I realized how many things we take for granted, while our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world, couldn’t even have their basic necessities met. I also realized that often, where we were in abundance in material goods… we were lacking in character and genuine joy. Many of us in America, myself included, were not LIVING… but only existing.
I know there is a place where a person can have their material needs met with abundance AND be emotionally and spiritually WHOLE and ALIVE. Come… and let us find that place together.
What is the Result of my journeys to Ghana, West Africa? The group that I am a part of has been blessed to impact the lives of thousands of children and hundreds of parents. We have impacted the lives of many villages, schools and churches. Our own lives have been transformed. And all of this has happened because, God not only loves America - God loves Africa and the rest of the world as well. “For God so loved the world, that He sent his only Son…” (Jn 3:16)
Where do we go from here?
As an organization, African Initiative Mission will continue to make a difference to see that the people of Africa are empowered in three key areas: Education - Health - Business.