New kids at Golden Village

Here is a note from Randi George, who is in Kete Krachi working with the kids at the Golden Village...

The craziest thing has just recently happened. On tuesday, we were just hanging out expecting a non-eventful day of rest when all of the sudden some guys show up with three fishing children! Apparently, their master was near Kete Krachi building a house and left the boys unattended for a while. They took that as an opportunity to escape and paddled a conoe to the shore of Kete Krachi. They started running and a friend of George & family saw them and asked them what was happening. They told them that their master had been beating them and that they ran away. He immediately took them to George's house because they knew of PACODEP, etc. Immediatly, George got the police involved so that the fisherman sould be hgeld accountable. We went to the shore to collect evidence that these boys were indeed fishing children. We talked to the other fishing boys that were still there (it is unknown why they did not escape as well, but they looked in a lot better condition then those who did). They confirmed the story and told George that the fisherman had 12 children! We are now talking to the fisherman to gather more information. Fortunately because the children ran away, the fisherman has no rights to ask for any compensation in exchange for the boys. They came on their own free will- George did not go to do a resue of them. George has just obtained permission from the Woman and Children's Association to get custody of the children until their parents can be located and their situation can be assessed. We have bought them mattresses, clothes, soap, towels, toothbrushes, etc. They are so happy be safe and clean. They are finally able to eat 3 good meals a day, instead of one meagre one.

The boys are amazing and are so appreciative of everything! There is Sakura, Macho, and Famous.

Sakura is very skinny and malnourished. He has so much pain in his little face. He has been through so much in his young life and it is apparent in everything that he does: he is so quiet, timid, he walks with his head down, and has a little more trouble with eye contact than the other boys. He breaks my heart!!

Growing Family

I would like to introduce to you the newest "Touch A Life Kids":
(Left to Right) Israel, Ebenezer, Kobi, Ezekiel, Tete and Regina


The Original "Magnificent Seven"
(Left to Right) Richard, Sarah, Kofi, Kojo, John, Hagar and Mark is in Front!



I wanted to share on a maternal level with everyone today. I feel like a mom that needs to show pictures and brag on her kids. I do love my Ghanaian children. They have beautiful dark skin and radiant eyes. I am anxiously waiting for new pictures from George and Paul on the newest seven. Ghana has not been cooperating with electricity lately and the internet is considered a luxury these days in Kete Krachi. I am attaching a picture of the most recent six sitting on a bench. One more 12 year old little boy has been added since I left and I have yet to meet him. So I bless you with the first Magnificent 7 and now we have the second wave of Magnificent 7. A total of 14 children rescued off the canoes of Lake Volta.

All fourteen children are thriving and loving life!

Storms of Life

I spent all last week just resting up and regrouping to do life again. The trip to Africa was a very hard trip physically and emotionally. I have a real love/hate relationship with Africa. I love the people and children but there were times when I felt such despair and and hopelessness for the country that I was literally overwhelmed. I just could not comprehend the unjustice that is taking place on these small remote islands during the negotiations to free more slave children.

It's mentally and emotionally exhausting to think of ways to change what has become acceptable within a culture. For generations adults have caned children daily because his or her performance was not up to par. To beat a child due to lack of perfect obedience is the norm. When I think back to the stories of the village men laughing and bragging about the abuse of the children it is sickening. I need to pray for grace for these men who are called "masters".

The most memorable moment of the whole trip was out on the lake the day of the rescue. The storm had blown in out of nowhere. We had six children on the boat ranging in ages five to twelve who had just been released from slavery. In spite of the best efforts of the men in charge of our boat, it appeared that we were losing the battle of manuervering our vessel through the many dead trees protruding up out of Lake Volta. The wind was blowing so powerfully that the engine was not strong enough to gain control of the direction. There was a moment of real panic when the boat slammed into a tree and made a horrible cracking sound. At that instant I realized I was out of my comfort zone. I did not like the thought of being thrown overboard in Lake Volta without a preserver. The Krachi Queen is seaworthy but I am not sure it would pass American standards for safety. The thought of being one and a half hours from our destination was not a happy one for me.



I found myself crying out to God and asking for His hand to come down to protect us. Over the past few years I've often shared my brazen bravery about meeting death face to face--how I did not fear death at all. Well, I think I have to take all that back. I feared death on Lake Volta that day . I just could not imagine swimming in that demonic lake during that storm and surviving.



I have slowly been able to absorb the stories that the children shared with us. I reflect how they told of many times they have seen dead bodies pop up on the surface after working loose from the nets. They all shared that they had seen at least five to six friends drown during their work on the lake.

I have found renewed strength and energy for these children. I am committed to continue working and praying for the rescue of many more children sold into slavery.

The Magnificent Seven with Pam

(This post is written by Penny)

Pam is back home and doing well. The next few postings will provide information about the rescue and update you on the Magnificent Seven. We'll also be sharing what God is doing through Touch A Life with the establishing of a safe haven for rescued children in Northern Ghana. We'll also enlighten you with more Village of Hope news.

Check out today's pictures and notice the transformation in Little Mark. Could this be the same little boy whose face "haunted" Oprah? His countenance is a reflection of what love can do (not to mention food, fun, friends and and freedom!).

Enjoy today's pics. Pam will be sending details with the next few blog entries.


Is the the cutest kid ever, or what?

Back in the United States

(This post is written by Penny)

Pam is back in the U.S. I’ve not been able to talk to her, but I was able to obtain some incredible pictures from David Lettow (the photographer who accompanied Pam and Aimee). I will post a few of them since I promised I would. I’m sorry that I will not be able to provide adequate info, but I’m sure you’ll be as I was--just blessed to be able to “be there” via the eye of a camera.

Pam has a speaking engagement in Texas on Monday, then she’ll return to her home. We’ll be sharing with you as stories unfold.

The pictures I will share today will tell a story of there own:











Blessings to all as we pray for African Child Slave Rescue!

The trip up north...

Oh how wonderful to have Internet. Coming back from up north to no power was not fun yesterday. It has been the hottest part of the year. It is just crazy here.

Where do I even begin? It was just wild going up north. You see so much along the way and then going out on the islands and seeing how people live was just like out of National Geographic.

Aimee was bloody sick and slept most of the day. The power was out and I did not have one stitch of clean clothes. I started washing my clothes out by hand.

You will not believe the 7 and their English. It is so much fun to just sit and speak English with them. They are so funny. I am heading into Accra today to buy the boys some football boots (soccer shoes). I just have to spoil them a little bit. I told them when I was here in January that if they worked hard, I would buy them shoes on the next visit. I think they have kept their word so Ma Pam must keep her word.

I am just so proud of them I could cry. John has a new best friend Francis. Francis came two weeks ago and they are constantly together. Francis just smiles all the time. Hagar is a little leader for her group and keeps the girls her age in line. Sara is clueless and we are always looking for her – she beats to a different drummer. Kojo is still Mr. easy and happy to be hugged and smiles all the time. Kofi is doing his own thing and doing great at school. He has kind of made his own group of friends and we usually have to call for him. Richard still concerns me, just not as plugged in as you would hope. He needs prayers. Mark is a brat. We have cracked up. He gets jealous if I have anyone else on my lap. He has thrown several temper tantrums and definitely expresses himself. I would love for Aunt Kathy to tell me that is great and healthy. He is so funny in class, he just writes his alphabet over and over and talks constantly. They have 12 new kids from up north so it is already like they are the old group helping the new group.

I really want to help Village of Hope finish the second floor here at the school. After they finish the third floor it will be a boarding school and they will turn a profit for the school. They do such an amazing job here that I want to help them in anyway. They are in the same boat we have been in - a lot of contacts and promises but have yet to see the money ship come in to port. Fred is so cool with everything. He is like, "God has provided up to now, why would I worry he won't bless our efforts hugely since we have been faithful with little?" I feel he is so positioned for blessing that he is about to be blown away also. I really like him.

I think Touch A Life should stick to first house in Krachi, 15 kids, and see how that goes for one year. Fred and Tommy had a meeting with George and Paul two weeks ago and gave them great advice. Start small and then your mistakes are not as costly. Fred said he really supports George and he did not get his district teacher title unless he was a man of integrity.

As far as the Pacodep team, they are awesome amazing men. George's house is the nicest house in Krachi and it is the community hangout center. They feed at least 25 people a day just dropping in or passing through town. One morning Aimee and I saw a whole room full of women and children sleeping in the next room and it was just friends passing through needing a place to stay. George's kids are amazing and that in itself speaks volumes. His daughter Erica came home from Accra just to cook all week for us. She is in catering school. That is a whole story also. She just wants to come to America and work in a restaurant. She is 23 and exotically beautiful. She has such a servants heart.

I am only hitting the highspots. One is the slave castle Elmina in Cape Coast. I want to come home and read a whole book. This castle was occupied by the Dutch and I cannot believe that Van Dorn belongs to that heritage. I know several countries were involved in the slave trade but why did we end up gong to that on over the British castle a mile away. The dungeons and the stories just blew me away. We had a great guide that spoke excellent English. The guide was saying how this should never happen again.

The lake up north is the most demonic thing I have ever experienced. The children have stories of bodies popping up dead that have worked loose from the nets. It is just the creepiest place I have ever been to. I have to tell in great detail the night of the rescue and the storm that blew up. We have to negotiate for several hours at each village. The rescue is a long process. There were 14 children targeted and getting six released was a huge deal. Anyway, the storm blew up out of nowhere. It was like an attack of Satan. There is so much detail and I have to say I was scared. I could only think of the boat capsizing and the children drowning after all with us too. The thought alone of going down in the water was enough to freak anyone out. I just held those kids so tight and thought of the many times they endured a storm and had no one to tell them they were okay. We passed canoes paddling for shore and they would spend the night on the island and head out after the storm. AT one point we saw four little boys that could not of been older than ten taking refuge on the shore all alone. It is really too much to even comprehend. I will have nightmares. It makes me even more determined to keep working and rescuing more slaves off that hell on earth lake. They told that a 12 year old died just two weeks before we came. George ran to the morgue to take a picture and he was already buried. George is so passionate about this work.

Back at Village of Hope

Pam and Aimee are back at the Village of Hope after a couple of long days. They dropped our friend, David Lettow, off at the airport on Monday evening and then went to V of H, where they are trying to rest for a day or two before heading home.

Pam called by cell phone because the electricity has been off there for the last several days. She was hoping to get to a computer soon, so she could catch up on emails and give a little more detail about her trip up north.

She said they were unable to rescue the other eight kids the end of last week, but the six they did rescue are safe and sound with George and Paul. She felt the other eight would be rescued soon after a little more negotiating.