My
Pastor, Rev. Daniel Amoako Nyarko, turned 60 last Friday, July 18, 2015. He
decided to celebrate his birthday with the children of the Safe Haven Foster
home at Adenta in Accra. So as a gift to make his 60th birthday
memorable, we took over the event planning, design and coordination for the
day.
With
the horror stories of how children are treated in orphanages, I was skeptical
about the motives of the people at the orphanage. But when we visited the home
unannounced, I was highly impressed with the neatness of the place. The home
was established by a Ghanaian couple, based in Switzerland. They have built a
beautiful home for the 15 orphans. The children are in the care of Uncle Sam
and his wife, as well as two other women, who also live at the home with the
children. The children attend a good school in the neighbourhood, and they
speak very good English.
The
children thoroughly enjoyed the birthday party. They wore their party clothes
and were truly ready to party. The joy on their faces as they enjoyed the food,
drinks and good music was incredible.
I was
touched by this trip to the orphanage because recently I’ve been complaining
about the harsh economic conditions in Ghana and not having enough money to
cater for all my ‘needs’. But this visit was a wake-up call to look beyond my
own needs.
The
founder of the orphanage could be making a lot of money by renting the house,
yet he chose to make it a home for the orphans. The joy on the children’s faces
showed that I don’t need much to be happy.
I was
particularly touched by a three-year old boy called Kwame. I had a soft spot
for him because he’s about the same age as my son Nana Yaw. I was sad that he
didn’t have his biological parents taking care of him. However, thanks to the
management of Safe Have Foster Home, he now had a family.
I’m
sharing this post to inspire you to think of the less-privileged in the
society. Don’t wait until you have met all your needs before you give to
others. Remember that it is more blessed to give than to receive. So the next
time you’re organizing a party, consider extending the celebration to the
children in an orphanage.
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