The Cline Connection_summer_09

Cont’d pg. 2

Vol. 16 Issue. 02

US:

African Mission Evangelism

Attn. Scott Danner

7343 Ridge Rd.

Lexington, NC 27295

336-764-1900

[email protected]

Africa:

African Mission Evangelism P.O. Box DD142

Dodowa, Ghana

828-398-0637 (Skype: pcnghana)

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

In US, at Last. 1

Heather’s Happenings 2

Beads for Playground 2

Gone Before They Are

Found

3

Prayers and Praises 4

Inside this issue:

In The US at Last, Now to Work

Summer ‘09

African Mission Evangelism

One would think the article title

would be “Home at Last” but the reality

is that after so many years in Ghana

doing the Lord’s work and raising a fam-

ily the US seems like a strange land.

Still, we are happy to be here for now

but cannot shake the longing to return to

Ghana. We have a lot to accomplish dur-

ing our long furlough and time is not on

our side.

The most critical thing we need to

accomplish while in the US is to replace

the lost support that provided for our

medical insurance. At a minimum we

need to find $670.00/mth to purchase a

policy while in the US. Health insurance

that covers you in foreign countries usu-

ally runs about $200 more so the long

term need is to replace $1000/mth that

we lost.

The other, or I should say primary,

fundraising effort is Beacon House, the

children’s home in Accra. We have cre-

ated Beacon House USA, a US non-

profit, that will be a funding organiza-

tion for the children’s home in Ghana.

Here our intention is to write for federal

and private grants that address children

and family issues. More about this pro-

ject can be found on the Beacon House

website as well as throughout this newsletter.

These are formidable tasks in the current

economic environment and it will most defi-

antly be a “God-thing” if we can do it within

12 months. Like all such endeavors it will be

the saints that make this happen so let me

give you some ideas on how we can accom-

plish this task together with God’s children.

To all the ministers, elders, deacons, mis-

sion’s chairs, and mission-minded folk that

read this newsletter we need you to help us

network. Print copies of this newsletter and

forward on to friends and acquaintances. Of

course you can email them with the newslet-

ter as an attachment and even direct them to

our website but a printed letter speaks more

profoundly and is not easily discarded as an

email. Or, you can call or write me with con-

tact information and I will follow up. How-

ever, please let the person know that you are

giving their contact information to me so they

can approve its dissemination.

As always, we desire to speak to our sup-

porters face-to-face so we can more fully ex-

plain where our ministry is and what the fu-

ture holds. Please call me at 336-376-5530 or

336-745-1198 to schedule a date. We do ask

that you assist with the travel expenses so

that we are not creating a massive furlough

debt while in the US.

http://newsletter.clinefamily.us http://beaconhouseusa.org

Heather’s Happenings

Romana, director of Beacon House Ghana, and I made Bolgatanga home for a week

where we headed out early each day and returned well after dark. During this time we

were able to secure documents of 10 children that have lost one or both of their birth

parents. There were also several children that are eligible for Beacon House school

scholarships.

One of the primary reasons for this trip was to meet with four village chiefs wanting

to help the families in their areas. These families are under unimaginable difficulty due

to abject poverty and cannot possibly care for the abandoned or lost children in their

charge. They can hardly find food to feed themselves one meal a day. While counseling

the families of their options we shared Christ’s message of love and redemption. Hope-

fully we can plant a seed that will grow over the next several months through the local

NOTE: Our new website is up

and running, both of them! There

are more pictures, videos, and

expanded articles. Please check

them out often for updated mate-

rial such as PowerPoints with

scripts so mission’s committees can

keep the church informed.

http://beaconhouseusa.org

http://clinefamily.us

1

PAGE 2 VOL. 16 ISSUE. 02

evangelist’s efforts while we process the children’s pa-

perwork. We felt a deep sense of blessing through the

sharing of Christ while coming to understand the local’s

circumstances. They have so little and yet some are so

gracious in their poverty they are willing to take in an-

other lost little one. I tell you, it is truly a humbling ex-

perience.

Unfortunately, not all are gracious in their poverty

and are so quick to use evil to lessen their uncomfortable

predicament. We had opportunity to talk with one chief

boldly about the killing of babies often referred to as

“spirit children”. Especially, among the Muslim clans in

this part of the north, so-called “spiritual leaders” can

proclaim a child as a spirit child, condemning them to

death. These “spiritual leaders” are well protected by

many and even the police will never speak against them.

The mindset of the people are that “spirit children” are

not murdered but are removed to protect the family and

community. In their eyes, killing a child would be no

different than removing a cancerous tumor from the

body. They are not seen as a part of the family or com-

munity body, they are spirit. However, we know them to

be children of God waiting to be trained in His ways.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit

of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a war-

rior are the children of one's youth.” PS 127:3-4. If you

want to learn more about these poor children please lis-

ten to my radio interview on our website.

One chief, who believes that Jesus is his Lord and

savior, agreed among the community leaders, including

the Muslim leaders, to make a safe haven for any baby

in the boulders near his home. Any baby can be placed

there in secret and the chief will make sure that the

baby is taken to Mama Ladie’s foster home where we

have formula, bottles, and diapers. Once the child is offi-

cially designated an orphan we can begin the process of

placing the child in a home. Children that will be diffi-

cult to place we plan to educate them in Christ within a

loving atmosphere where God can sculpt them to His

plan.

However, there is one small problem, we do not have

any more room at our present location in Accra. We have

been operating out of a leased house and there is simply

no more room. The garage, that has been used as a Mon-

tessori-style classroom, cannot hold any more children.

The house is full with 35 children and we find ourselves

in the uncomfortable position of rejecting children.

Some, like the HIV babies, will die due to being starved

by the family because resources are already limited. We

have land (approx. 3 acres) on the outskirts of Accra in a

village called Bawaleshi. We want to build a facility ca-

pable of handling 100-150 children of various ages up to

14 yrs.

I am very much looking forward to meeting with Sun-

day school classes, women’s groups, and anyone I can to

share this vision. Our years in Ghana have placed this

burden on our hearts and we cannot continue to sit idly by

while children are being killed, or worse. Please help us

make connections with churches and/or organizations that

might be able to assist.

Mama Laddi (in white) is standing with a grandmother that is forced to raise

her son’s children because he and his wife died due to some unknown ill-

ness. We could take the children in but there simply isn’t any room or fund-

ing at Beacon House. The oldest child can go to a Christian boarding school

if we can find a sponsor.

Beacon House Beads for Playground Project

Heather’s Happening cont’d

The Beacon House compound is quite small and many

times the little ones will be outside playing while the la-

dies are washing the clothes. Being a busy place with kids

and visitors it is quite easy to get distracted. The problem

is it only takes a few minutes for a toddler to fall in a

bucket. Our ever observant daughter, while watching the

toddlers, noticed the looming danger as Romeo, the

watchdog, made a mad dash out the gate and everyone

was in hot pursuit.

She said the toddlers and dorm mothers cannot share

the same work area as a play area because of the danger

of a child drowning in a bucket. Not only this, but there is

nothing in the toddler area but rocks an old tree. They

need a proper play area with padded flooring and some

toddler-sized equipment. A little research turned up the

necessary costs for such a project but how to pay for it

was the question that needed some further research.

A dear friend Florence that lives near us and she runs

a bead factory where they make genuine African glass

beads for various jewelry designers. Some of the beads

are even sold to New York designers! Heather and Kayla

hatched an idea to bring back to America some beads for

bracelets and necklaces to sell for the playground project.

The idea is this; that you can purchase a bracelet for a

$25 minimum suggested donation and the money will go

2

PAGE 3 VOL. 16 ISSUE. 02

towards building a safer place for the toddlers to play. Kayla needs to

raise $4,000.00 to cement and pad a play area then add some toddler safe

playground equipment. She really would like to have this money raised

by December so she can, during Christmas break, get this built as a

Christmas gift to the children.

Some paint, padding, fencing, and age appropriate play items in this area will create a safe

place for the toddlers to do what toddlers love to do… PLAY!

The beads are designed by Florence Asare of TK

Beads, a friend of Beacon House. She has do-

nated training to at-risk women for Beacon House

in making jewelry, giving women a means to earn

an income and keep them off the streets.

The sad reality is that sometimes Beacon

House serves as a hospice for children, easing

their pain until they go home to be with our

Lord. As you can imagine, watching a child die a

slow agonizing death is a traumatic experience and we have

seen it all to often over the years. It is especially frustrating

when a child needlessly suffers because of poverty and a me-

tered health system that can spend limited resources on only

those who have a higher chance of surviving. It is all to easy to

errantly perceive healthcare professionals as being callous to

their own people but as someone who is regularly forced to tell

students they cannot get an education, even though very de-

serving, due to a lack of funds I understand their frustrations

and tendency to be distant.

A recent case where a baby was suffering from tonic-clonic

seizures illustrates some of the frustrations. We took the child

to the doctor and while his touches were compassionate his

approach to a diagnosis seemed detached. It was apparent he

was not acting with the determined approach we see in the US

but was reticent. However, being long-term residents of Ghana

we knew the realities of the situation. We knew the doctor was

constrained by a lack of equipment to scan the brain while the

seizures occurred to isolate the area affected. The only MRI

unit in the country was down. Even if the scan was available

neurosurgeons are rare and well booked. Furthermore, medi-

cines like Tegretol and Carbatrol (used in treating epilepsy) are also very limited and often cost prohibitive for the state to

prescribe. Even something as simple as the feeding tube

Heather is using (picture to left) had to be flown in from South

Africa after Romana spent 3 days searching Accra.

Heather is feeding a young child suffering from malnutrition .

We have several children that are HIV positive but are being

managed with anti-retroviral meds provided through the Bill and

Malinda Gates Foundation. If we had reached this child sooner

he could have lived a longer and fuller life.

Gone Before They are Found

Cont’d page 4

3

US Forwarding Agent: Scott Danner

7343 Ridge Rd. Lexington, NC 27295 Ph. 336-764-1900

[email protected]

AFRICAN M ISSION E VANGELISM

If we are successful in raising funds to build a new fa-

cility we are seriously considering making one wing a hos-

pice for children diagnosed with terminal illnesses. Still,

this is something that requires some serious prayer. Just

the few children that have died at Beacon House has emo-

tionally affected the staff. We will need someone trained in

hospice care to come and train the staff to deal with such

circumstances.

Furlough Address: Patrick & Heather

1053 Quakenbush Rd. Snow Camp, NC 27349 Ph. 336-376-5530

PC— 336-745-1198 Heather— 336-745-1200

Skype: pcnghana hcnghana [email protected]

Establishing Christian Education in Ghana

http:\\clinefamily.us

http:\\beaconhouseusa.org

As part of Kayla’s Christian service to the children of Ghana she

worked with Children of the Light, a small NGO started by our dear

Christian sister Jeanette Opoku in Abrui area that offers an after-

school bible lessons, reading, math, social studies program for chil-

dren . Here, Kayla is on Awards Day, The kids were so excited to

have their projects and awards presented. The flag in the background

is that of Ghana.

One of “our children”, Tenni accepted Jesus as Lord and was observant to the

example given by Christ by being baptized. Tenni lived with us for many years

before going to help her family up north. She recently finished high school and

came to visit. The truth touched her and she was obedient. Look at the smile

on her face!

Prayer Requests

1. We need contacts with mission-minded churches to tell them

about the work of the university and Beacon House.

2. We must replace lost support or we will not be able to con-

tinue in our ministry.

3. Health insurance

4. Our children can adjust to America. Hmm…, on second

thought, pray we all can adjust!

5. Please keep Romana Testa in your prayers as she is severely

stressed by all the work and our absence is not helping.

Praises to our Lord Jesus

1. God cleared our path and we arrived in the US with no hassle

and have settled down at Siloam Missionary Homes. Praise

God for them too!

2. For our home congregation, Burlington Christian Church, for

their unwavering love for our family and what we are doing in

Ghana.

3. Praise God for our supporters that continue to believe in us

and our ministry in Ghana, they are simply wonderful.

Gone… cont’d

4

PAGE 4 READ ONLINE: HTTP:/ /NEWSLETTER.CLINEFAMILY.US