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A new school for gmad

8/19/2020

 
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Because all of the children at the Ghana Make a Difference (GMAD) home have come from dire circumstances many of them had never been to school.

The GMAD Academy of Learning was created in 2017 so we could better meet the needs of the children who were being brought to the GMAD home and to accommodate some of the children locally who also have unique circumstances.

In 2018 we tried raising money to construct a school, we didn't get the funds we were looking for. So we got creative and converted our chicken coop into a school.

After the GMAD Academy of Learning opened you could find the kids studying in their chairs an hour before school started. They are still very excited to be in school. As much of a step forward this school was for the GMAD children, it has serious limitations. The acoustics, size, electrical components and layout are a few of the things that limit our capabilities.

Our curriculum has been reviewed and hand tailored by volunteers who have Masters in Education and have backgrounds in teaching children from underdeveloped countries. The children at the GMAD Academy of Learning use tablets and laptops to learn. A school house will be the optimal space to springboard these children’s learning forward and unlock their full potential. Most of the children that stay at the GMAD home are in our care anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. Because of our relatively small window of influence we have in the lives of these children, a school house becomes a crucial element in our efforts to make a sustainable difference. The school will double as a vocational school in the evenings. Older children will learn valuable trades here. Our current makeshift school will then be the site for a Junior High School.

A distinguished architect recently returned from the GMAD Home - specifically for this school. His wife, himself and our in-country directors surveyed the land and had meetings with different local contractors and tradesmen. They also visited different schools within Ghana that have been built within the last couple of years, noting the difference good design makes with airflow and heat reduction.

The architect has selected a small team of volunteers from his architecture firm that have drawn up these plans for the school.
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Exciting stuff right!? We plan to break ground in November of this year. 

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​Based on our architects estimate and our past experience building in Ghana we believe this school and it's furnishings will cost $200,000.

We've predicted the annual increase in expenses for the school for teachers, staff and food, but without outside funding we simply will not have the funds to build this school. If you know anyone or any organization that would like to sponsor a classroom or help with the funding of this school, contact austin@ghanamakeadifference.org. 

This school will accommodate 125 children in manageable class sizes. Almost all of the GMAD children will attend this school. For the children admitted from the nearby village who also have unique circumstances, the breakfast and lunch served here will typically be their only meals each day. The largest class size will be devoted to children with special needs, plans are underway to pickup other children with special needs from the surrounding area who do not currently attend school. 

GMAD is a temporary home for these (GMAD) children. The impact this school will have will not help a static group of the same children each year, but will unlock the potential of many different children every year, children who also happen to be some of the world's most vulnerable children. 
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Mending Lives Net

10/30/2019

 
I wanted to quickly share an experience I had during this last trip to Ghana with you. It was impactful, I've been back from Ghana a little while now and am still thinking about everyday. 

I'm there at the GMAD home when I see Christopher making a big colorful net underneath the little pavilion we have there. I stand by him and ask if I can watch, he smiles and says "yes". Christopher is one of the boys that worked as a slave on Lake Volta for over a decade before being rescued and brought to GMAD. From where I was standing, I could see a scar on his head, given to him by his taskmaster with a boat paddle. Christopher was making another net. His hands were moving so fast. He knew all the knots. Only this time, he wasn’t tying a fishing net; he was happily making a new soccer net for the soccer goals here at GMAD. Christopher was safe, cheerful, and peaceful, as he made the soccer net. Old skills met with a new and hope-filled environment. I could have watched him all day.
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It goes without saying, I'm not a photographer. Hah! Here a few pictures anyway that I strung together to show you.
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- Austin Johnson

First time for everything

3/28/2019

 
There are a lot of “firsts” that happen at our GMAD home thanks to supporters like you. Here are just a few of them:
  • First time attending school or holding a pencil.
  • First time feeling safe, being encouraged to play and having a childhood.
  • First time getting three meals in a day.
  • First time being properly cared for as a child with special needs.  
  • First time seeing a laptop, let alone being educated on a laptop or with a tablet.
  • First time being reintegrated with a family!
We are all about “firsts!” Your help make all of these firsts, routine and sustainable for many children who could use the help.
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Kids are passing notes during class...via bluetooth...in rural Ghana Africa!

2/27/2019

 
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As many of you know, the GMAD Academy of Learning that was opened last year was established to meet the needs of those children that come to our GMAD home who haven't been able to go to school in the past. Children who have special needs or kids who have been rescued from forced labor trafficking. Many of these children had to be taught how to hold a pencil. Now we are pleased to give you a brief six month update on the school!

We have a full classroom set of Chromebooks in addition to our full classroom set of tablets. The students are starting to really figure out how to use these devises, they just figured out how to send messages to each other via bluetooth during class. Some might think that is a bad thing, but it's cool that they are learning to do new things on the devices on their own.  None of these children come to the home with much, if any, english, nor have they spent any time using a laptop or tablet and here they are sending written messages in english to each other through bluetooth! Huge win!

In addition to your typical school subjects (like reading, writing, arithmetic, etc.), the GMAD Academy of Learning has been incorporating basic technologies into their day to day curriculum. This is very very unusual in Ghana. In fact, I bet there is no other school like this in all of rural Ghana. One reason we have chosen this tech route is because we only have these children for a relatively small window (3mo. - 5yrs.) while our social workers reintegrate them back with their families, during that window we can better make them self reliant with basic tech skills. 
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The technology in the classroom has also allowed performance to be tracked individually for the first time so each child gets personalized attention to help them learn step by step. We know that progress like this, against such odds is only possible with support like you. Thank you GMAD supporters! 

Thank you for making our medical mission a success!

11/22/2018

 
Medical mission 2018 is in the books! Thank you for helping Ghana Make a Difference with this most recent medical mission to Ghana (Oct 12 - 22, 2018).  Your contribution to this past medical trip helped us make it a big success.  Our relatively small team of surgeons and medical staff performed 117 surgical procedures. In addition to the surgeries we treated 474 eye patients and performed 520 dental exams. You helped us positively alter and reduce suffering in the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of Ghanaians.
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Video and photo by @thetravelingshepards 

Eric

8/20/2018

 
​Check out this article about Eric! Eric lives at the GMAD home and we love having him here. He is inspiring to all of us how he faces his challenges.

How Eric Learned to Trust God
By Richard M. Romney
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READ THE LIAHONA ARTICLE HERE

22 Survivors

6/16/2018

 
​An additional 22 children that were recently rescued from labor trafficking are now here at the GMAD home are getting their childhood back, their potential back and their dignity back. They are also attending school, many for the first time in their lives.
 
Approximately ⅕ of children working in the fishing industry in Ghana are six years old or younger and more than half of all children working on southern Lake Volta were trafficked into forced labor (International Justice Mission). We are grateful that our 22 survivors are now here with us at GMAD.
 
What is child labor? According to the International Justice Mission, child labor is “work that deprives children of their childhood, potential, dignity, and that which is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that deprives them of the opportunity to attend school.”
 
It has been a beautiful things for us to witness our recently-rescued children have a childhood again. Things like doing crafts, reading books, playing soccer, singing and dancing are things that they haven't had the chance to do for a really long time. During their interviews with our social workers, almost all of them have mentioned how much they love to play and we are happy that we can offer that for them here at GMAD.
 
Often times when we read stories of children being sold by their parents into child labor we can’t comprehend how they could do that to their children and to their family. While parents are complicit in handing their children over for even 25 USD, parents often think they are doing the best for their children.

Many times they are only able to provide one meal a day for their child, so they take comfort in knowing that their child will at least be fed two meals a day on the fishing boats. They also believe that learning the trade of a fisherman at such a young age will be more valuable to them than an education.

With the proper intervention and education from the Department of Social Welfare, the Ghana police service and our GMAD social workers, our children can be successfully reunited with their families. In all societies and in all conditions, there is no better way to raise the next generation than a family. We provide vulnerable children with a place they can call home as we work to reintegrate them with their biological family or to place them in a new family. We preserve families and make a sustainable difference by providing a path to self reliance through shelter, life skills, education and medical care. That is our mission.
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Come serve as a family at the GMAD home

6/1/2018

 
It’s been an incredible year for our family as we’ve lived at the GMAD home here in Ghana. We have enjoyed being a part of the daily activities and having the privilege to get to know the children and the amazing GMAD staff. We have been inspired by how the children and the staff meet life’s challenges with strength and courage. We have great admiration for their positive outlook on life despite the challenges they face, and we have certainly taken notice of how they CHOOSE to be happy. We have committed to learn from their example and to remember this in our own challenges.

Being at GMAD has felt like being a part of a very large family that watches out and cares for each other. There is a lot of love within the walls of the GMAD home!
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GMAD has just finished up new housing so your family can bunk together with the comfort of A/C. Why should you bring your family to GMAD for a family volunteer vacation?
  • To create a culture of service in your family.
  • Explore and experience Africa safely with GMAD.
  • Have new experiences that will unify your family.
  • Make a difference to so many and have fun doing so!
The @thetravelingsheppards have been a joy to watch on instagram these past months as they make a difference together in Ghana!
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Click the button below to find out more about making a difference in Ghana. 
LEARN MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING AT THE GMAD HOME

GMAD academy of learning Grand opening

5/10/2018

 
We have been hard at work revamping a large chicken coop into a small school and our kids couldn't be more excited to move in. We've also installed pavers and wheelchair accessible bathrooms so the school is ready for our students with special needs. Our children with special needs will have their own classroom and will be attending school for the first time in their lives! 

Because of labor trafficking, poverty and other special needs, most of the kids living in the GMAD home haven’t been able to attend school in the past and are significantly behind. We started the GMAD Academy of Learning in October 2017 because the local government school isn’t equipped to meet the educational needs of these children. The children have been temporarily attending class in the dining hall and library, and are looking forward to having their own school.​
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Trip to Africa winner!

4/23/2018

 
From January 1st to April 30th, 30 contestants signed up to fund raise for Ghana Make a Difference (GMAD) with the hopes to win a trip to the GMAD home. The grand total raised during this Win a Trip campaign was $16,830! 100% of that money will do a lot of good in Ghana. To add some perspective - that amount pays for almost 34K balanced meals for the GMAD children OR that amount pays for all of the nannies, caregivers and security at the home for the year! 

Now for the winners of the contest ... drumroll ... 2nd place, raised $4,573 and winner of a free stay at the GMAD home is Chelsea Bryner! Nice work Chelsea, I know all at the GMAD home will be excited to see you again! ... another drumroll ... 1st place, raised $6,026 and winner of the Trip to Africa is Savana Stevenson! GMAD will also be happy to see Savana again! Well done and congrats!

So many did so much during this campaign, from everyone at the GMAD home, THANK YOU!

If you have not volunteered at the GMAD home yet, we would love to have you! 

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WomEN's trip - 2017

10/25/2017

 
Each year Ghana Make a Difference hosts and organizes a variety of different volunteer groups. Annual women's trip, youth trip, medical trip, etc.. Every group has had a wonderful experience serving in Ghana. Each groups impact is known and appreciated by those who are served. We have observed that each group brings unique skills and abilities to the people of Ghana. 

During this woman's trip it has been so cool to see these women helping and empowering other women. The ladies on the annual GMAD women’s trip visited the labor and delivery ward in a nearby hospital where they passed out delivery bags to women who needed them. 

The women’s volunteer group enjoyed holding newborn babies at the local hospital. They taught the mamas how to swaddle the babies so they’d sleep longer and the mothers were excited! They all fell in love with a 3 week baby who weighed 1.7 pounds at birth! Her mom was so touched to receive a delivery bag.

The ladies on this women's trip have focused a lot of their efforts helping new mothers. They have been giving cloth diaper kits to new moms that need them for their babies. The women would light up when they were told they were washable just like our clothes and could be used for their next child, and the next child.

We are grateful for the ladies who attended this years women's trip and look forward to the many more trips and the good they will do. 
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Community outreach - Mosquito nets

10/9/2017

 
​Kobi was a friend of GMAD’s from the village nearby who died from malaria (pictured on the right). In his honor, the Kents raised money to purchase and distribute mosquito nets to prevent this from happening to other families and to save lives. GMAD volunteer, Chandler Kent made this awesome video of them distributing the nets to those that needed them. Way to make a difference in so many lives!
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Working to end Child Labor in Ghana

4/23/2017

 
Last year, Ghana Make A Difference and International Justice Mission (IJM) signed an agreement to work together to end child labor and to preserve families in Ghana.

Earlier this month, IJM rescued children from working on fishing boats and GMAD is now sheltering these children as we work to locate and educate their families.
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Volunteers Wanted :)

6/14/2016

 
"Two sides to the same coin".  On one side of the coin you are serving and making a sustainable difference in the lives of those you serve, the time and recourses that you have sacrificed to be in Ghana are all for the betterment of those you are serving. On the other side of the coin you realize that you are the one most benefiting from your service experience in Ghana, you leave a changed person. 
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​"I loved working with Ghana Make a Difference because they are so organized. You get to just show up and serve the people of Ghana in a close and personal way! They give you so many opportunities to make very special relationships with the locals and get an "up close and personal" view of the real Ghana! I am certain that all who serve these people will fall in love with them as I did. The experience that I had in Ghana has changed my life forever!" - Deb Wood
LEARN MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING IN GHANA

GMAD's ncaa wrestling bracket

3/3/2016

 
For the children living at the GMAD home, getting the simplest of amenities and having the most basic of childhoods prior to being placed in our home involved quite the wrestle. In this metaphoric wrestle with life, these children are placed against opponents in higher weight classes with much more experience on the mat. Ghana Make a Difference has changed that for the children living at the home, with your help we have given their childhoods back and with social workers and other support staff we are successfully placing them back into society with capable families. This year for the NCAA wrestling tournament we ask you to support GMAD's efforts by filing out a GMAD bracket. 
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Thank you for taking GMAD's NCAA Wrestling Bracket Challenge!

Click on the URL below to access your NCAA wrestling tournament brackets.

You have until 10PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 8 to finalize your brackets. Any changes after this deadline will not be considered.

Immediately after the deadline, we will automatically retrieve your brackets; you do not need to submit your completed brackets. We will send you an email on Wednesday morning (March 9) containing a printable version of your official completed brackets.

Thank you for supporting Ghana Make A Difference. 100% of your donation will go directly to Ghana to protect children and to preserve families. Please visit us online at www.ghanamakeadifference.org and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GhanaMakeADifference.

Enjoy the wrestling tournament. Here is the link to your tournament brackets.

https://docs.google.com/a/ghanamakeadifference.org/spreadsheets/d/1LG6jF3kinj1iTqJSIepcn5v2gf4Ert8fLc6ZGxx6Sn4/edit?usp=drivesdk
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Pass the Popcorn Please

12/14/2015

 
2015 was a GREAT year for Ghana Make A Difference. ​Here are some highlights:
  • sheltered and cared for 47 children,
  • unified 21 children with permanent families,
  • constructed a new house for children with intellectual disabilities,
  • provided audiology care and hearing aids for Esther, a 9-year-old girl in Ghana,
  • started a poultry farm with 200 egg-laying chickens and achieved greater self-reliance by eating and selling the eggs,
  • purchased 1,000 more chickens for delivery to the home in early 2016,
  • formed an alliance with Ghana’s Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection to shelter children rescued from child labor,
  • formed an alliance with Acacia Shade to shelter and care for children with disabilities, and
  • formed an alliance with Look At Us to provide children with hearing aids and surgical procedures.

Our successes mean that we are helping more families and caring for more children, but we desperately need more monthly donors to keep up. Unleash your healing power and become an MD today.

QUESTION: What is the relationship between the following two groups of items?

(1) two hours of parking, a movie ticket, a popcorn, a soda
(2) clothing, school supplies, food, shelter

ANSWER:  The items in group #1 can supply a child in Ghana with the items in group #2.

We don't need a lot, but we DO need a little. The average cost of popcorn at the movies is $8.15. Pass the popcorn please, and become a monthly donor now.

When you sign up, you can pledge any monthly amount, but here are some ideas that cost between $5 and $200 a month.
  • CLOTHE: school uniforms for a child for a year = ​$5/month
  • SHELTER: help pay a utility bill and keep the lights on = $10/month
  • FEED: food for one child for one month = $45/month
  • ​CARE: a nanny's monthly salary = ​$100/month
  • ​EDUCATE: books, computers, internet = ​$150/month
  • EMPOWER: support our farm - help us help ourselves = $200/month

With a sufficient and predictable monthly cash flow, we will successfully house and nurture children by avoiding the paralysis caused by cash shortages.

As a reminder,
  • GMAD has no paid staff, and
  • 100% of our administrative costs are paid by a specific donor, so
  • 100% of your donations feed, shelter, nurture and educate vulnerable children.
  • Really, 100%. For example, when you make a donation using PayPal, another donor makes another donation to cover the PayPal fee associated with your donation so 100% of your money goes to Ghana.

2015 has been a great year for Ghana Make A Difference, but with your help, 2016 is going to be even better.

Pass the popcorn, and have a HAPPY HOLIDAY season!
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What is poverty?

9/17/2015

 
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What is Poverty?

Before coming to Ghana I always thought I understood the definition of poverty. I have been to quite a few major cities in America and seen many poor neighborhoods. But nothing compares to the poverty I see here.

I was in country for only 2 days when I went with Richard, the director of the home, to the next town over called Buduburam, also referred to as “Liberia Camp”. From the moment I stepped out of the trotro (van) and entered the market, I was instantly overcome with an intense case of culture shock. The living conditions that these people endure are none like any other.

After my visit to the Liberia Camp I had a completely new understanding of what it meant to be in poverty. All I wanted to do was help every single person I saw that day. This has motivated me to do everything I can to help people. It is experiences like this that keep me going with the work I’m doing here at Ghana Make A Difference.

Want to make a difference? Donate at www.ghanamakeadifference.org

Thank you!
Aidan Salazar

My name is Aidan...

9/11/2015

 
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My name is Aidan, and I am a volunteer here for Ghana Make a Difference. I plan to be here for a total of 5 months. During my stay, I will help maintain the blog to let you guys know about the incredible things happening here in the home!

Why Africa? Why Ghana Make a Difference?

I had Just recently moved back home to Las Vegas, after living in Boise for a while, when I came to realize something rather important. I have no clue what I want to do in life. After quite a bit of thought about things I have always enjoyed doing, I narrowed it down to a one thing. Serving others, I grew up a member of the LDS church and because of this I was always participating in youth service projects in the community. I am also an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. Because of this I have always been serving others in one form or another. Whether it be mowing the lawn of an elderly woman or repairing and giving out bicycles to children on Christmas, I have always loved seeing the smiles and joy that service brings to people in need.

Not long after, my mother came to me about an organization here in Ghana. This immediately caught my attention. After she explained some things about it, I rushed to my laptop to look up the website and began reading everything I could about the incredible things Ghana Make a Difference does for children in need. After speaking with the President of the organization, Cory Hofman, on the phone for a while I knew it was something I needed to be a part of. I sold my car that same week, bought a plane ticket and left for Ghana a month later. I have been here in Ghana for about a month now and I am absolutely in love with the country, the kids, and the service. Keep a lookout for some updates about the great things happening at the home. Thank you!

Want to make a difference? Donate at ghanamakeadifference.org

The Chicken and the Egg

9/10/2015

 
In December 2014, many of you donated generously to our self-reliance chicken program. And in January 2015, Ebenezer (our facilities manager) attended "farmers training" at The University of Ghana, we improved our chicken coop and we bought 200 chickens. Now, each day we collect 150 eggs, the children get a lot more protein, and Ebenezer sells the extra eggs and is unable to keep up with the demand. Given the success of our poultry operations, between now and February we expect to expand our coop once again and acquire 800 more chickens. Visit www.ghanamakeadifference.org to support this and other GMAD projects. Thank you!
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GMAD and Look At Us

9/6/2015

 
This past June, the Hofmans met the Williams in California. It turns out that the Hofmans help run a non-profit (GMAD) and the Williams run a non-profit (Look At Us). The Williams' explained how Look At Us helps kids get hearing aids. The lights went on and Stacey told them about a 9-year-old girl who lives across the street from our children's home in Ghana and who is deaf. Look At Us found an audiologist in Ghana, and this week I had the amazing privilege of taking Esther to see Dr. Offei at the University of Education in Winneba Ghana. It made my day. What a sweet girl and a sweet experience. Thank you Look At Us for making this possible.
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Esther's audiology exam.

Wholesome Recreational Activites

9/6/2015

 
"Successful families are established and maintained on principles love and wholesome recreational activities." Thanks to the time, money and awesome work of our volunteers, the GMAD home in Dabanyin has undergone a nice transformation. Our children have an increasingly safe and happy place to live and play.
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GMAD Newsletter

7/13/2014

 
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Four Weeks and Building

9/14/2013

 
Thanks to many generous donors, we have kept the construction of our new orphanage home funded for 4 weeks, and the project has progressed accordingly.  BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP!  This project is not totally funded.  Please help us provide shelter for parentless children.  Make a donation now at www.ghanamakeadifference.org.

On the Grid

9/13/2013

 
The plans are put to paper and then translated into a grid around the land.

Boards labeled with letters and numbers are laid around the eventual outside walls of the building to create a grid. The grid is used to lay the foundation walls and the supporting columns in the appropriate places.

A local stone quarry is donating half of all the rocks we need, so our cement costs have been reduced accordingly.

And by making our own bricks, we are building a good home within a good budget. Please help us finish the project by making a donation at www.ghanamakeadifference.org.
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A Floral Offering

9/10/2013

 
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In Bali, Hindus have used banana leaves as the containers for floral offerings to spirits and deities.  I’m in Ghana, not Bali.  And I’m a Mormon, not a Hindu.  Nevertheless, I think my three children holding this banana leaf would please any deity.  We took this photo on our hike to the Wli Waterfalls in the Volta Region of Ghana.

I’m not offering my children, but please join me in making a financial offering to Ghana Make A Difference (www.ghanamakeadifference.org)
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