(God willing, we will be at GH316 today, meeting Ato Sam and Tahameena. In celebration of this day, I chose to share my letter to Ato Sam, written in September, in which I announce our visit to him. Please note the letter was addressed to the Project Director so that it could be given to him at the appropriate time.)
My precious and beloved Sam Sam! Sept 14th 2011
A year ago today, on Sept 14th 2010, you prayed that God would grant me a double portion of health and that I would be well again. At the time, you had no way of knowing that my health had not been well, but God led your prayers and God answered them that very same day. It was obvious from the beginning that your life had been anointed by God and that He was doing great things through you, I didn’t need proof to see how special you were, but God loved me enough to show me in such a powerful way… That very day, on Sept 14th 2010, I began to run in response to the prayers that you prayed that day, not knowing God would use you to make me whole in health and to change my life in incredible ways. I still run, but now I run in worship of God and in honor of you and Tia, who inspire me to keep outrunning the enemy’s attacks so that I can live my best life for God.
There are so many ways God has changed my life for the better through this most special sponsorship, and through you and your family, your church, your community and your country. He has filled my heart to overflowing with blessings upon blessings – I have learned much from you, and I love you more than could ever be contained in this simple letter. It is sometimes so amazing to me that God joined our families less than 2 years ago – it seems that I have known you my entire life.
I loved you from the moment that God placed your name upon my heart, and He has grown that love beyond what I could have ever imagined. What you and I also may not have imagined was how many lives God would touch through this sponsorship, through your faith, heart and beautiful spirit, Ato Sam. You have been a leader in so many ways, son.
From the very first letters, you demonstrated a passion for your community and your country, and your desire for your nation to rise up above its challenges, to become a nation that serves God through the heart and soul of its people. When you heard that Tia had served in Africa before, rather than simply expressing your desire that we serve in
We were not the only ones moved by your faith. Remember the mustard seed of faith that can move mountains? (Matthew 17:20) That kind of faith can also erase physical distance. God heard the prayers of a wise, faithful and brilliant leader, a young man of God who never gave up praying that we would someday meet face to face. God used your love and prayers, Ato Sam, to lead Tia and I to research ways that we could serve the children of
There is a scripture in James that says “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." It would have been sin for me to walk away without responding to the knowledge that God had placed these children and this situation on my heart, to act and be His hands and feet, to share the hope and love of Christ with them and help them in their time of trouble.
You shared in a recent letter that you were proud of me for the love I have not only for you and your family, but because of the concern that I have for your church, your school, your community and your country. It is an honor to be serving Him in your country, Ato Sam, and just as you recently earned that award in school and shared it with me, I’m sharing the honor of this with you, Sam Sam, because God has used you to lead me to
In November of 2011, Tia and I along with a friend will be traveling to the
When God builds this school, it will provide for the education of these children, most of whom have never attended school or do not know how to read or write. Some of them have never played or do not remember what it is like to have freedom. While we are in Ghana, God will use us to help teach the children and to assist in their rescues, but we know in our hearts that it is the children who will teach us, and us who will be rescued from spiritual poverty through our time with these children, much as I have been the one who has been taught by you and whose faith has grown through my relationship with you and your family.
It is our prayer that through God’s provision to these children and through their rescues, they, too, can have the opportunity to become all that God desires for their lives, and so that they can be adopted into loving families like yours and grow into great Godly leaders for
As a blessing, part of this travel to
“Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8) – God does care, He knows our hearts and He does answer the prayers of a precious and faithful young man in
Please forgive us for not being able to share these news with you sooner -- God had answered your prayer all along, but we were not given permission to share with you what God’s plans were because Compassion requires that we do not tell you in advance so that if something were to happen and plans were changed, you would not experience terrible disappointment. It was important to me to be able to share with you as soon as I was able to, so I am writing this letter to you today.
I can not help but praise God for all that He has done through your life, through mine, but most of all, through our lives combined, together…
With all our love and prayers,
