benedict info

Benedict had been helping the Dutch lay missionaries when I arrived in Ghana in 2004.  He had been working in Colinda’s house – she’s the one I took over from and also inherited the house from when I moved there.   When Colinda left for Accra, I didn’t want Benedict to be out of a job, so he helped to clean the house, do laundry, make sure the polytank had water in it and that there were buckets of water in the house for showering and flushing toilet.  He came by the house 2 or 3 days a week – I rarely saw him since I left early and came home after he was gone, but he helped a lot and made it possible for me to do things I did because I didn’t need to take time for cleaning the house, washing clothes, even doing some of the marketing. 

Colinda ended up finding that she wasn’t satisfied with helpers who were available in Accra, so Benedict ended up going a couple of days a week to help her.  Then another Dutch came to the same village I was in, and Benedict ended up helping her with a few things, as well.  Anyway, over the years he continued to help the lay missionaries in that way.  He was always trustworthy, hardworking, and dedicated.

When I moved back to Accra and Hope for Life in 2009, it was time that Colinda and the other Dutch lay missionary were leaving, so Benedict was out of a job.  He began to help out at Hope for Life with things I wanted to get done – like the vegetable garden, maintenance on the house, laundry, etc.

Over all these years of helping out the lay missionaries, he’s never had the chance to go to school and further his education.  He’s been able to save up some money and also make a few connections, and this past year he started school to study oil and gas processing.  At this point he’s a little jammed for completing the school fees needed for this term.  He has part of it, but there still remains $1,175 that he needs to pay, as soon as possible so he can take the upcoming exams.

Then there are 3 more years left to the course.  Each year is two terms, with each term costing $750 – so, $1,500 each school-year (this term is higher because of exams.  He’s been a help and dedicated to the lay missionaries he’s been involved with over the years, and is hoping now to have the opportunity to go back to Liberia with a degree and the knowledge to start work in a growing field.  I would love to be able to help him towards achieving this goal.