Dear Friends of Titian Ministries,

Greetings from Ghana! Change is in the air here, though the signs of it have been around for some time.

We said good-bye to Fred Kwao-Brooks in February. He left Ghana to join his wife in Canada. Fred had been the coordinator for our site in Anloga by the ocean. We thank him for all his work for Titian Ministries International as we developed foster families, followed children who were with extended family and in college, and developed a farm. Please pray for him and all the adjustments he will have to make in acclimatizing to a new country and different environment.

In Adidome, where I live by the river, we are expecting a baby! Kosi and Georgina are expecting a fourth child, their first boy! They already have three daughters. Kosi is our grounds keeper and Georgina cleans some of the rooms. Many of the costs associated with having a baby are not covered by the government insurance. In addition, they must buy things we normally would expect to be part of regular hospital care, such as delivery sheets. We are expecting to see the little guy at the end of August and would appreciate any donations you could make toward this wonderful event. We would like to help them welcome this child into the world!

I’m also excited to announce a new staff member in Adidome. I have been without steady help since October last year. Recently Xorve’s sister Patricia has come to work for Titian Ministries and for me personally. Patricia is well known to us because she lived with William and Xorve while she attended junior high and high school. Then she moved away to work. She has experience in household care as well as experience in some office work, so she’s a perfect fit for what we need. Patricia will participate in our Loaves and Fishes program in which we give food to the needy elderly every month.

Now for our biggest change, we have decided to sell the Anloga property at the ocean. As I mentioned, change was already in the air. Little by little we realized the effect of the changes on the usefulness of that property. Realizing that our focus has moved more and more away from having a discreet children’s home to caring for vulnerable children in a community environment, that property is no longer providing a benefit to the ministry. In fact, it is also difficult to upkeep because of the corroding nature of the salt sea air. We currently only have one foster family living there. The bungalow that was needed for the children’s home is now empty. When the property sells, William and Xorve will move into a town near Adidome. Being in the community is a preferred environment for a foster family.

I want to summarize our current way of caring for children:

• We support William and Xorve in their foster care of children. They have one three-year-old whom they have had since birth. A few months ago, they received two girls, Juliet and Angela, both from abusive households. Two boys, who were rescued from fishing up north and are supposed to be reunited with their family, are with them temporarily.
• We support Peter and Paul, previous children from the children’s home, who are with Pastor Fred and his wife Blessing. They are waiting to be trained as foster parents, but in the meantime, the boys are so happy to be there.
• We were ready to follow all the children discharged from the children’s home, but a number of them moved away or have not pursued contact. We support Daniel in senior high school, Lisa and Senanu in junior high school, and are making plans to help Kekeli start a sewing apprenticeship in a few months. We also help them with medical care, and some other small needs their families cannot afford.
• The “graduates” from the children’s home, those who “aged out, we have sent for tertiary education. Rita graduated from seamstress training, and we set her up in a shop. Joshua graduated nursing school and is doing his one-year government service. We continue to help because his salary has not started yet. Joseph is in the last part of his third year of teacher training college. He has one more year to go. Prosper is in this first year of university for Graphic Design.
• We are also concerned about the education of William and Xorve’s children. We have contributed to Janet’s two-year nursing program. She will soon graduate. We are now looking into helping their second daughter Angela get training in her desired field.
• A major focus has been on the education of orphans and needy children in the village of New Bakpa, specifically through Pastor Fred’s Christian school, Winning Star Preparatory School. The school would have closed if we had not stepped in to support it. Pastor Fred takes children who would not be going to school if he didn’t bring them in. We provide teacher salaries, food so the children get fed twice daily, curriculum and teaching aides, and have put in a computer lab and built a bathroom facility and a kitchen.

All this to say, we have not lost our focus on vulnerable children, it has just moved from “in house” to the community setting. It has been proven over time that children do better in the long run in a natural family environment, and also that it is more cost-effective care, allowing more children to be reached.

Our ministry to the elderly through monthly messages, prayer, and food continues. The Bible school is still in our plans, but because of the changes, especially in staffing, it has not restarted yet. But it will! It is part of what the Lord has commissioned us to do!

We appreciate your prayers for all that is mentioned on this newsletter and your donations, which make the work possible! Thank you!