Beautiful

It is hard for me to update the blog because I love the video so much. I wanted to post this picture of the girls that live in one of our shelters in Vietnam and everyone will agree that they are worthy of replacing the video. These young women were rescued out of very hopeless situations and now are living as a family with plenty of food and receiving an education. They just returned from school and they look so precious in their school uniforms.

Watch these videos

When you get a minute, watch these two videos that our friend Patrick Cone put together about the Art Camp in Ghana...

Christian Family Services

Feb 5, 1988 meeting Crista Marie for the 1st time at CFS in St. Louis

Crista and I were invited to share at the fundraiser for Christian Family Services on friday night in St. Louis. Almost twenty-one years ago we adopted Crista through that agency. I opened by sharing the need we have for adoption agencies like CFS that operate with integrity and pure motives. I remember calling several agencies and getting lukewarm feelings about their programs. Immediately when I talked with the caseworker at CFS I knew I found the pathway for our family to grow through adoption.

Working on the speech for friday night stirred up some emotions that possibly have been buried for way too long. Processing all my emotions of gratitude that I feel for Crista's birthmother made me grow a new love for her. Crista's birthmother was a young, unmarried twenty-one year old girl who found herself unequipped to raise a child on her own. I thank this woman from the bottom of my heart for accepting the pain and ultimate sacrifice to do what was best for her daughter.

Crista came up to share after me and spoke from her heart. I was so proud of my daughter and I realize how far she and I have come to appreciate each other. I love her more everyday. Adoption is such a part of God's plan. I wish every child could have a forever family. I wish every orphaned chid could be embraced through adoption. My definition of World Peace is that no child lives on the streets or is dying a slow death through child slavery.

Can the church not start a movement to take in orphaned children? Every family has to take just one child. We will go around the world once and then if there are any children left we start over and everyone takes two. Until there are none. Sounds like GOD THING to me.

Great T-Shirt/Great Man

George Jr stands next to John Arthur who had been sold twice by his family to work as a slave. George is one of those guys you want on your team. Randy spent several day with him out on Lake Volta and he has earned Randy's respect. Thanks to George and his team John Arthur is safe, happy and living at Village of Hope where he has already advanced to the 5th grade.

Emmanuel and Cazarius

Below is a picture of Cazarius working the nets when Randy and the group met him.



George just sent this picture of Emmanuel and Cazarius embracing their new life. Everytime I talk to him on the phone he tells me how the boys are having so much fun playing and becoming good friends. I am so happy thinking about the two of them sleeping together at night and with each new day absorbing the fact that they will never fish again. George said they are eating plenty and love drinking minerals (fanta).

Emmanuel has been rescued!!

George called today to let us know that Emmanuel and one other boy have been rescued and are now safe and sound at his house.

He said that after they finished their first big meal he gave them each a piece of candy. They ate a portion of the candy and then put the rest away to save for later. Soon they will learn that they don't have to worry about their next meal.

He also said that they had made arrangements to rescue Kwasi and Moses (and one other boy), but was calling to see if we would be able to rescue two girls (8 and 10) who are also being kept on this island. We said of course, which means that soon six new kids from the lake will now be living a life they never dreamed existed.

Thanks to all of you who have helped make this possible.

As a reminder, here is Emmanuel's photo. I can't wait to get a new one of him with a big smile on his face.


- Randy

21 Precious Kids

Meet 21 precious children that have been rescued off Lake Volta. I think this picture speaks volumes for freedom and Village of Hope. I want to thank all the supporters for donating to Touch A Life who have made this possible.

Hula Class

I met Chantilly, a college student at Pepperdine, last spring when I spoke at convo. She wanted to volunteer immediately and help with our vision of bringing art and music to the kids at Village of Hope. Chantilly is native Hawaiian and brought her beauty and culture to Ghana. I was paralyzed with joy many afternoons just watching the children having so much fun in her class.




I choose to believe Van is super focused and embracing the moment.

A Whole Lotta Lovin and Paint

Meet just a few of the wonderful volunteers that poured out their hearts to the kids at Village of Hope during the Music/Art Camp.







Today I just want to share pictures of JOY. The group that volunteered to help with the music/art camp were amazing. Everyday fun-filled activities were scheduled for the kids that included paint, dance, music and a whole lotta lovin. What a special group.

Richard is Healing

Richard is one of the original children we refer to as the Magnificent 7. He was rescued with Mark in the first group about 21 months ago. Richard is the child that has always seemed more broken and hardened because of the abuse he endured for so many years. It was painful to look through pictures of him working on the lake because he was always naked. I just cannot imagine the humiliation a child that age faces by not having clothes to wear day after day. My very first meeting with him he would not even make eye contact and when you tried to show him physical affection he would stiffen and turn away. I have always worried more about him than the others because he did not seem to share the same hope the other children embraced.


What a blessing to see him so focused and enjoying his art project. He loves art and reading. He has made such huge strides and with each visit I see him softening and smiling more. He is so proud of his masterpiece and I love how he wrote his name to take such ownership of his butterfly. How appropriate that he painted a butterfly the symbol of freedom. He truly is free to be the special little boy that God created him to be. Patrick was interviewing Richard and his dream is to drive the van for Village of Hope and pick up the children rescued off Lake Volta and bring them to V of H. Priceless.

Hopeful eyes

I'll have to tell you, it is hard to close out this series on my trip to Lake Volta. In a way it is the same feeling I had that day as we pushed our canoe away from Emmanuel's – like I can't just turn away and go on with my life – not while there are still Emmanuels out there - cold, hurting, and one big wave away from death.

But I'm not turning away. Not only will my days be filled with thoughts of these boys, but my dreams will be also.

It is not just the hollow eyes of the boys on the lake that push us, but also the bright, hopeful eyes of the boys we have rescued that help us see that we really can make a difference.

Please keep coming back to this blog over the next few days as Pam tells the story of the kids at the Village of Hope. It was so amazing to see the 21 kids that were just a year ago themselves out on the lake. I could tell you about each of these kids and how they have healed and grown, but the one that says so much is John Arthur.

John Arthur really started it all. His whole story is haunting, but briefly, one night after being beaten and tied to a tree by his master he escaped and ran to Kete-Krachi. Someone in the community listened to his story and immediately directed him to George Achibra, a man they knew would help him. At two in the morning John Arthur beat on George's front door and when George opened that door, he opened his life and all of ours to a problem that we are now determined to end.

Here is a picture of George and John Arthur that first night:


And now a picture of John Arthur at the Village of Hope two weeks ago. John is a handsome, confident young man, who I feel will someday make a big impact in Ghana.


Finally, I would like to thank my two new friends who joined me on this journey – Patrick Cone, who was videoing the journey for a Touch A Life documentary that fully explains the situations – and Rachael Wise, whose gift of photography will tell the story in a way words can't. If you know Patrick and/or Rachael, please get with them and ask them about Lake Volta. Like I told them on the lake, this is no longer someone else's story - it is your own.


If you would like more information on how you can help, please feel free to call or write Pam or I at prcope@mac.com or 417-673-0616.

Village of Life

By the time we worked our way around the lake it became obvious that the problem was not getting the trafficked kids off the lake - George is building great relationships with the masters and village chiefs and it is obvious that they are ready to release dozens, if not hundreds of young boys and girls over the coming months.

The pressing issue is what to do with all of these hurting little guys!

Long term there are several options, all of which we are exploring. For some of the children, going home is the best option. To do this, however, they need time in a rehabilitation center, getting treated for their physical and emotional issues. At the same time a team will be needed to go to the family, identify if they are a candidate for reunification, then come up with a plan to make sure the children are successfully reunited. A more detailed plan is the topic for another day.

Other children, however, will not be able to be reunited. Either they are true orphans or the family simply is not stable enough to take the child back in their home. For these children we are working on other options.

Whatever the long-term solution, one thing is clear – all of these kids need a place to go the first night the come off the lake.

Because of that Touch A Life has teamed up with George Achibra and his team to build a safe house for these kids. Eventually this center, the Village of Life, could turn into a large complex complete with school and long-term rehabilitation center.

But on this trip I was excited to go visit the 16-acre parcel and see that the first home is nearing completion. In fact yesterday we wired the funds to George to finish the home and get ready for the next round of kids. We also told George that we had support to go rescue 10 kids, including Emmanuel, Moses, Kwasi, and the several other boys we had seen on this trip.

One of the ironic things is that from this peaceful piece of land in Kete-Krachi you can see Lake Volta in the distance.

May this home be filled with healing, joy, and hope for a better life.


Tomorrow – final thoughts on my trip to Lake Volta.

George to the rescue

After stopping to visit a few of the canoes on the lake we pushed on to about three different villages, where we met with the village chiefs.

It was obvious that George had really done a good job of educating these men on why these trafficked kids deserved better. It is a tough call for them because they are struggling to survive and need all the help they can get to bring in enough fish for the village, but I really feel they are seeing that child labor is not the long-term answer.

As part of our child rescue program we really are going to have to help these village chiefs find alternative ways to provide for the families in their village.

Along the way that day we made a visit to Moses and Kwasi's master's small village. Actually, they didn't live in a village as much as a small group of huts off on their own.

After pulling up and walking up to the huts we met a woman, who said the master was not there. George started in and began explaining to her why these kids deserved a better life. About that time an older lady walked up and got in on the conversation. While the younger woman wasn't softened, the older lady heard it and sided with George. That lady, bless her heart, turned things around immediately.

Soon the younger lady went inside the hut and out came a fellow about 30 years old. George started talking to him and the guy denied that he was the master. After about 20 minutes of talking, though, George stopped and looked at us and said, "Praise God, we have found the man we have been looking for." It was the master and George's reasoning had finally worked its way through the master's hard outer shell.

Because of that conversation Moses (the boy with the possible hernia), Kwasi, and four other boys (including Joseph, pictured above, that was outside the master's hut mending nets with two other trafficked boys) will soon be rescued.

As we left this little group of huts we ran back into Moses and Kwasi's boat, the boys we had seen the previous evening. It was still hard to see them, but made easier by knowing that they were just days away from a whole new way of life.


Tomorrow – where do we take the rescued boys?

Leaving Emmanuel

The plan for our day on Lake Volta was to travel to a number of villages and work with the village leaders – trying to convince them that child trafficking was not acceptable and that they needed to release the children to us so that they could get a good education.

We did eventually make it to a number of villages, but along the way we kept coming across canoes filled with these young souls – slowly about their business of dropping, then retrieving their nets.

We had finally started to make progress when I saw a canoe with a particularly small little shadow in it. I asked George if we could go check on the boy and as we pulled up to the boat I felt my level of commitment to this project going to a whole new level.


Emmanuel and one other slightly older boy sat frozen as we pulled up. George instinctively stepped over from our canoe to theirs and sat right next to the boy. As he did I realized from the perspective of George right next to him, how small Emmanuel was – perhaps maybe four years old.

Emmanuel was visibly shivering from the cool morning breeze. George felt his chest and said that he was running a temperature.

Where was his mother? Why wasn't he in a bed somewhere sipping on hot soup and watching cartoons while he got feeling better? Why was he sitting here in the middle of this lake while he was cold, sick, and probably hungry?

One of the greatest acts of compassion I've ever seen came next. George, Jr, George's 27-year-old son and assistant in this rescue effort took off his own shirt and threw it to George to put on the boy.

George talked both to the boy and then to the leader of the group, getting as much information about where the master lives and where the boy originally came from. This is all information that would be needed to later rescue both boys.

But that day there was nothing more we could do. George climbed back into our boat, we handed the boys a couple of suckers, and we left.

This morning as I write, Emmanuel is still out on the Lake.

And that is why we must keep working.

Please pray right now for Emmanuel, for Moses, for Kwasi, for George and George, Jr, and for all those who are fighting for the trafficked children around the world.

Emmanuel - God is with us. May it be so.

Diving into the dark

Our actual day out on the lake was Tuesday, August 19th. I'm not sure I will ever forget that day.

We pushed off in a motor-powered canoe and immediately started coming across other canoes in which men and boys were about their business of retrieving their nets. It was an overcast morning with a cool breeze blowing across the lake.

One of the first boats we pulled up to was a boat with an older (18 or 19 year old) boy and three younger boys – probably ranging in age from 9 to 13, most likely all trafficked. We saw that the leader was hoping down into the water to untangle the net. I had heard stories of this but it was very uncomfortable to watch as the boy disappeared into the dark water of Lake Volta for what seemed like several minutes.


As he was underneath the surface the youngest boy pulled on the net, although he had one eye on the strangers that had pulled up next to the boat. When the older boy made it to the surface and saw the young boy distracted he barked at him, probably to focus on his job and pull harder.

Seeing that they were in no mood to talk we slowly backed away and headed to another boat. Finding others was not a problem as they were everywhere. It was difficult to navigate the lake because of all of the nets. So many boats, so many nets that the once productive lake has now become over fished and it is hard for the masters to make a living. Their answer, it seems, is more boats, more nets – which require more trafficked children.

As you read this story please be thinking with us on how to solve this problem. Touch A Life is committed to help them, but it is overwhelming to think about how you change the whole culture and move this remote economy away from this downward spiral.

Tomorrow – Emmanuel.

A boy named Moses

The trip from Accra to Kete-Krachi was an adventure in itself – 15 hours, about half of which were on some of the worst dirt roads I've ever been on. George Achibra, who is leading the effort to rescue the kids off of Lake Volta, greeted us in Kete-Krachi. To date, between the work he is doing with Touch A Life and other groups, he has rescued over 150 children.

After resting for a while, George took us down for our first glance at Lake Volta. We would head out early the next morning for a long day on the lake, but he wanted us to get a feel for it before we went.

As we pulled up and got out we saw a mixture of beauty and business. The sun was getting low in the sky, so the lake was alive with color and because Kete-Krachi is gathering point for many of the remote villages, there was a beehive of activity as people loaded canoes to go home for the day.

Yet in all of this activity it was easy to spot the fishing boats, usually with three or four shadows slowly paddling or bringing in their nets.

One such boat came up to shore and we could see that two of the three occupants were young boys. George slowly walked over to talk to them while we at first kept our distance. After a few minutes of conversation George waved us over and introduced us to Moses and Kwasi – two boys who had been sold by their families. Kwasi, now around 12 years old was sold several years back for a "she cow." For that cow Kwasee must now get up at 2 am every morning and go out onto the lake to fish. After about five hours of first setting out and then gathering their nets, they would come back to the village to mend and prepare their nets so that they can repeat the process in the late afternoon and early evening.

Kwasi and Moses likely get one or possibly two meals a day, but these meals are mainly carbohydrates, which the master knows will give them the energy they will need to paddle all day.


Moses broke our hearts. As you can see from the picture above he obviously had something going on in his stomach – possibly a hernia. If it were a hernia, it really wouldn't surprise me because his young 8 or 9-year-old body surely wasn't meant to do the work it is having to do.

George told us that it is not unusual for these kids to die from this work. Some die when they are forced to go down to the bottom of the lake to untangle the net and get caught up in it themselves. More likely, though, they die from injuries and diseases that simply go untreated, such as parasites, malaria, and infections.

After about forty-five minutes of talking with the boys George had everything he needed to go visit their master the next day. We said our goodbyes and watched them push off to go finish their night's work.

We went back to George's house to get some sleep, but sleep was hard to find that night as I thought about these two boys. Instead of sleeping in a warm bed they were probably sleeping out under the stars on the bare ground, soon to be woken up to start a new day on the lake.

Join me on Lake Volta...

While in Ghana this last week, I was able to break off from the art and music camp for a few days and go up north to see firsthand how the children are being trafficked out onto the lake, to talk at length with our rescue partners, and to see the progress of the new rehabilitation center that will be used for the kids that we rescue. Over the next couple of days I hope to take you on a journey. My prayer is that somehow I can convey to you a part of what I saw.

While there is a wide range of estimates about how many children there are actually on the lake, I can just tell you this - they are everywhere. At one point I looked around me and counted 25 canoes. As we went from boat to boat I realized that there were at least two trafficked children in each canoe. While that is just 50 children, you have to understand that Lake Volta is the largest man made lake in the world. The little section we could see represents less than 1% of the total of the whole lake. I feel the number could easily be in the thousands.

Please come back over the next few days and I will take you on a journey that the whole world needs to see.

- Randy

Art/Music Camp

Where do I begin..........this is my fourth trip to Ghana in 18 mos and my love for the country and the kids continues to grow deeper with each trip. I will start out by posting the art/music pictures and share the stories of how much fun we had hanging out with the Village of Hope children all week. We had the most amazing group of volunteers that brought great attitudes and big hugs to the art camp. The children were blessed with choices of art, music, dance, and photography classes.

Below are pictures of Van and Tatum bonding with their new friends in Ghana. I have to tell you that adopted Asian children with white parents are not a common sight seen at Village of Hope. All the children had many questions about Van and Tatum being in Ma Pam's tummy. I don't think they have it figured out but all embraced one another and friendships were formed that will last a lifetime, I am sure.

Tatum with Sara and Hagar


Van with his new BFF Ishmael


Van also offered fencing lessons to anyone interested.

Ghana BOUND

Randy and I are heading to Ghana today. We are taking Van and Tatum, our two nine year olds, Jill, my niece and Ivy Shepherd, a friend of the family. We are expecting great things to happen this week. We will be meeting 17 volunteers in New York that will join us on the trip. We have so many talented people that will sharing their creative gifts this week with the children. There will be classes on photography, sculpting, watercolor, dance and music at the Village of Hope. There will be tons of stories and pictures when I return. Thanks to all who continue to support Touch A Life.

Left Behind

This picture was taken last spring when I was in Ghana. It is a constant reminder of the boys that we have left behind still working as slaves on Lake Volta. Hopefully we will soon rescue the 20 boys that have been targeted for this fall.

It has been exciting buying new backpacks and school supplies for our trip next week. Randy and I will be taking Van and Tatum, our two nine year olds with us on this trip. They are eager to join us on this journey and help with the art/music camp. It is their first trip to Ghana and we are anxious for them to meet the children who they consider their Ghanian brothers and sisters.

I want to thank all the supporters of TAL for making Phase II possible. The Village of Life is completed and we will soon have 20 children that will have a place to call home. There will be many pictures posted to update the work when I return. Have a great week.

Left Behind

What season are you in?

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING

1 For everything there is a season,

a time for every activity under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3 A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

8 A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.


Ecclesiastes 3

Wedding Weekend!

Things are finally starting to settle down after Crista and Zach's wedding last weekend. It couldn't have been a better time and we are so happy for them. You can read more about it from Randy's brother's blog by clicking here.

Meet George

George Achibra is the director of our program in Ghana. He has spent his whole life working in the field of education and is the regional director of education for the Krachi Region. George has such a passion for helping these children and spends his days brainstorming and networking to help abolish slavery in his country. We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to partner with George and his team. Randy and I will travel back to Ghana in August and launch the second phase of our vision.

Meet Marie

This is my dear friend Marie Ens. Marie runs Place of Rescue in Cambodia. The Rescue compound is home to 200 orphans, 16 families dying from AIDS, and a home for widows left without family to care for them. Every person that visits this amazing place shares how they felt overwhelmed with emotion and experienced a special sense they were walking on sacred ground. You can tell by the picture that these children are loved and safe. Marie has spent her life serving the least of these in Cambodia. Marie is my hero.

Meet Kim

Nguyen Thi Kim Hong

My situation about why I live in the Touch a Life Shelter. I come from a broken home – my father left my mother twice for another woman. My mother had to work very hard to raise us alone. I have two brothers and we lived in a shack. When it rains the shack almost falls apart. Now I am living in the Touch a Life Shelter which has eased my mother’s burden.

Spiritually I am growing in the Lord and I am happy and have hope. I am very thankful that my life is better now. I want to thank Touch a Life for making my life different and for giving me the opportunity so that I can go to school.

Vietnam Prevention Program

Above is a picture of one of our new programs in Vietnam. All of these children are tribal and living in extreme poverty. Our staff noticed that many children in this province were left home alone all day while their parents worked. We have learned from experience that these children become easy targets to be trafficked or violated when left unattended at such a young age. So for a few hundred dollars a month we have been able to feed these preschoolers two hot meals a day, provide schooling, and a safe haven for them to nap in the afternoons until their parents pick them up after work. It has been a blessing to the parents to know their kids are happy and well cared for during the day.

Missing Ghana

"The world breaks us all, and afterwards some are stronger in the broken places." - Ernest Hemingway

I am missing the kids in Ghana. Oh, the simple days of teaching the boys to play cards and blow bubbles with their gum. These kids in Ghana are definitely an example of strength and endurance as they slowly rebuild their lives after being shattered. They are my heroes.