Thank You!

When I first learned we would be required to fundraise for the mission trip to Africa, I was pretty distraught.  I absolutely hate asking people for money.  However, the fundraising process has been a blessing.  Over the course of three and a half months, your kindness and generosity enabled me to raise $1800.  Some of you really stretched financially and I really appreciate it.   Even the "fundraising lady" became a blessing to me.   Although she constantly harassed me, she also helped me raise an additional $600 for which I am very grateful.  As a result, two-thirds of my trip was paid for.  That’s awesome!  Your generosity has touched my heart and I thank you. 

Further, I'm thankful also for all of the encouragement and support from so many of you. I have received so many words of encouragement from people.  The support has really been overwhelming.

Now, all I need is fervent and faithful prayer.  At our monthly mission meeting this morning, our guest speaker was Walter Pimpong, the Ghanaian pastor who has negotiated for the release of the women trapped in the Trokosi system.  He told us about the process of rescuing women trapped in the Trokosi system.  He even told us his team rescued  85 years old Trokosi slave woman who had been held since since she was 8 years old.  Can you even imagine?  She and the women like her who are held captive are called the wives of the gods.  The fetish priests are believed to be the personification of the “gods.”  And thus, they often impregnate the young girls who are enslaved and create a second generation of Trokosi victims.

Today, I learned that our team will be travelling to the villages where Trokosi slaves have been released.  We will be meeting with the fetish priests that were described as the embodiment of evil.  And though I know that greater is He who is me than He who is in the world, please continue to pray for our mission team and me.  Thanks again everyone.

Making Progress

Well, I did it!  I got two of my required shots AND I survived.  I escaped the travel clinic relatively unscathed (except for a couple of needle "pinches", a terrifying hourlong discussion on how to stay safe (don't eat or drink anything & wrap myself in mosquito netting) and a payment of a boatload of $$$).  The side effects have been relatively small, only a slight burning sensation in my arm.    And words cannot express how glad I am to be done with this part of it.

I'm also learning more about what my trip will entail.  This week, we received a work and ministry opportunity at a school in Ghana where I presume some of the girls who were subject to the Trokosi practice attend.  (I will confirm this with our trip leader and report back.)

I'm also making some fundraising progress.  As of last week, I'd raised approximately $500 from six donations.  I still desperately need your help.  If you can donate please do.  The funds are do at the end of September and I am approximately $2,400.00 away from my goal.  Anything you can do will be a great help.

Lastly, thank you all for all of your support.  To those of you have donated a BIG thank you.  To those who plan to donate, thank you as well.  You guys have been awesome.   Whether you have donated money, a kind word or  a "Like" on Facebook, I appreciate your support.

If you are interested in making a donation, please follow the instructions below:

Go to www.christchurchil.org/give.  When giving, please select Mission Trip & enter “Ghana-Kendall Mills” in the box below.  Please remember to enter Ghana and my name or I won't receive credit for your donation. (By the way, if you don't have a paypal account you can select the continue button on the left...or I can provide you with a donation envelope, just send me an email.)

I Need Your Help

July 5, 2012

Can you imagine your daughter of 6 or 8 being forced into slavery for a crime allegedly committed by your brother or your uncle?  As the video depicts, this is the price that many young girls must pay under the Trokosi system.  When the fetish priests tell a family that it is being punished because of something done by one of the family members, the family feels as though they have no choice but to comply with the fetish priests’ requests. 

My church is traveling with IN Network.  IN Network sends in negotiators who ask for the release of the young women who are trapped in the Trokosi system.   Ghana is a predominately Christian country and the women at the facility have already converted to Christianity.   I am traveling to Ghana to bring awareness to our country that slavery continues in modern times.  I am also traveling to Ghana so that these women know that there is hope for their sisters that are still trapped in the Trokosi system.  It is my sincere hope that I might be able to use my writing gifts to convey these women’s stories to the world.

But, I need your help getting there.  The trip to Ghana costs $3200.  I am raising funds to defray as much of that cost as possible. 

If you are able to donate, please do.  www.christchurchil.org/give.  When giving, please select Mission Trip & enter “Ghana-Kendall Mills” in the box below.  Please remember to enter Ghana and my name or I won't receive credit for your donation. (By the way, if you don't have a paypal account you can select the continue button on the left...or I can provide you with a donation envelope.)

If you aren’t able to give financially, please donate your prayers and spread the word about the plight these young women.  Love you all.  I’ll keep you posted on my progress…including when I finally get my shots.

The Plight of the Trokosi

June 19, 2012

Hi all.

Thanks for all of the positive feedback on my blog.  I'm going to update the blog again very soon.  Still, I thought you might want to learn more about the Trokosi.  Be blessed,

Kendall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6vr5aHc8hg

PS. I fixed the link to YouTube.

The beginning

June 10, 2012

Hello Friends,

As I have shared with many of you, I am going to Ghana this November on a 10-day mission trip.  Ghana is, from my understanding, a pretty modern country in West Africa.  However, outside of the cities of Ghana, in the remote villages there is a system called Trokosi.  Trokosi is a practice in which young, virgin girls are taken as sexual slaves to atone for the "sins" of the people in their villages.  These girls act as slaves to the priests that serve the fetish gods.

Thirteen members of my church are traveling to Ghana to work with an organization called the IN Network.  IN Network travels to the remote villages and negotiates with the high priests of these villages to end the practice of Trokosi slavery.  (I am fairly certain I won't be doing this.)  Once the girls have been freed, they are taken into the International Needs Vocational Center where they are provided education, counseling and vocational training.  (I'll be at the Vocational Center helping out anywhere they need help.) They are also permitted to attend church.  When the girls leave the Vocational Center, they are given tools to continue working and are able to apply for small business loans.

I thought I would create this blog to keep you guys up to speed with all of the details of the trip.  Right now I am in the beginning stages...i.e. working up my nerve to start the immunization process before June 18th.  The thought of the shots terrifies me.  I am also half way through the process of selecting prayer partners for the trip...please feel free to volunteer to pray with me.

I am anxious to share the story of my trip and the Trokosi women with many; so, please feel free to share my blog with others.  I'll update you all soon...

Love,

Kendall