Who is Acts 2 Collective and What Do We Do?

Acts 2 Collective has ministries in 4 African countries including Ghana, Chad, Sierra Leone, and Central African Republic. Within these ministries we have 2 children’s homes, 2 mission centers, 3 schools, and a women’s center in which we care for over 150 orphans, serve nearly 1200 students, and provide programming and education to vulnerable women and children in the various communities we serve. In Chad, Africa specifically we have coach and athlete training and discipleship training through the platform of basketball. We also have a partnership with AgriHope founded in Ankeny, IA which is helping us to implement high-yielding farming techniques on our campuses as we move towards self-sustainability. One of our greatest needs is to have a consistent flow of donations coming in to cover our monthly budgets for each of our campuses. If you are one of our 1200 Club members or if you are donating on a regular basis, you are helping us to meet this monthly budget need which provides for the following:

Food, basic care, and school fees for the children living at our children’s homes and mission centers such as Bismarck (pictured up and center) who lives at our mission center in Ghana.

Due to a medical condition, Bismarck’s mother abandoned him after his father passed away due to illness. Bismarck is one of the children who is under our full care and is relying on our organization to help him to have a hope and a future.

Staff salaries and ministry partnerships. We have over 40 native, in-country staff members working for Acts 2 Collective such as Marc Toingar in Chad, Africa (pictured left).

Marc receives a very meager monthly salary from A2C and he does amazing things with it – like planting a church on a military base! We also staff numerous teachers, cooks, campus directors, house mothers, program managers, and the list goes on.

Medical needs brought to us such as John's...

John was suffering horribly from a condition called elephantiasis. This condition is a parasitic infection transmitted via an infected mosquito that causes extreme swelling in the limbs as a worm invades and reproduces in the bloodstream. Your consistent monthly donations made the way for John to begin on the pathway of medical treatment after suffering from this infection in his leg for an extended period of time without financial means to go to the hospital. With A2C’s financial assistance John was able to have surgery to relieve the fluid in his leg and has since been put on medication to see if the condition can be remedied without amputating his foot.

Although these are physical needs being met, they are having a spiritual impact. Take Ali for example.

As a young boy Ali was sponsored by Acts 2 Collective in school. As Ali continued to be discipled by the leaders of our organization he was exposed to the gospel over and over which culminated in his desire to leave behind his Muslim upbringing and become a Christian. Ali is now working as a teacher at our Acts 2 Collective Christian School in Asikuma, Ghana and is following after Jesus.

In addition to our monthly budget, you will also see us fundraising for specific needs or projects that require additional funding on top of what is received in our budget….such as our recent ask for help purchasing 1500 Bibles for the Chadian military, last year’s “A Home for Christmas” need, our Central African Republic school lunch program, individual school sponsorship program for Sierra Leone, and building projects such as the finishing of our school on our mission center campus in Asikuma, Ghana.

That’s a brief overview of us and our ministries! Please know that you are always welcome to jump on an upcoming trip with us and experience any of these ministries first-hand! Let it be known that we could not sustain our programs or our organization without your financial support! Thank you for your giving!

In Need

Acts 2 Collective cares for over 150 orphans and serves nearly 1200 students within our 4 mission centers and 3 schools across the continent of Africa.  Within those big numbers are individual lives - each with a face, a name, and a story.  Many of the lives we care for have very specific needs that we must tailor our care around to best help their situation.  Such is the case for Patrick (pic top left), Kwaku (top right), Sarah (bottom left) and Malwin (bottom right).

Due to Patrick’s age and academic background, Patrick does not qualify for secondary school in Ghana. So for the past 6 months A2C has been sponsoring Patrick to go to technical school to learn a trade, of which he has picked to study automobile engineering (he will learn to be a mechanic).  This school is also a boarding school where Patrick lives.  Last fall I posted a request to find someone to sponsor Patrick for the year, but we did not have any takers.  So A2C absorbed Patrick’s school fees and living expenses into our Ghana budget. 

I have shared many pieces of Kwaku’s story on our A2C Facebook page, and there are more to come.  Kwaku is absolutely thriving at the special needs boarding school that A2C sponsors him to go to.  Because of Kwaku’s disabilities, the individual attention and tailored learning environment at this special needs school has set Kwaku up for success.  We have seen him completely transform – socially, emotionally, and physically.  We have been so impressed with the educators, staff, and experience that Kwaku has had at this school that we also would like to send one of the other children in our care with special needs, Sarah, to this school.  Currently Sarah resides at our mission center in Asikuma, Ghana but our A2C school on campus that she currently attends does not provide the best fit or educational environment for her needs.

I have also posted details of Malwin’s miraculous recovery in which the Lord has brought her out of the grip of physical death and suffering into health and stability.  Malwin currently lives with a Ghanaian foster family who are also staff members of A2C.  Due to Malwin’s specific situation, we needed her to be close to the capital city for the best medical care, and also to be in a stable environment where she can receive customized nutrition for her medical needs.  A2C is also covering the school fees for Malwin since she is no longer living at our mission center and able to attend our school on our campus.

For those of you who are 1200 Club members, these are the types of situations and the faces and the souls that your money is going toward.  When I mentioned above our Ghana budget – well, it’s the donations from our 1200 Club members that carry such a big brunt of providing for expenses like these school fees that come within our monthly budget.  But we are in great need for more 1200 Club members to join Acts 2 Collective.  Last month we were not able to meet our Ghana budget.  Giving has been down since the start of the year, and come late March we had to form a plan to at least send over enough money to cover feeding the children at our centers.  That was priority and everything else including staff salaries were put off.  From there we went into emergency funding mode and one of our A2C team members was able to get the shortage covered through reaching out to his personal contacts.  All of this to stay, the steady funds we receive from our 1200 Club members are an integral part of our funding.  And we are in great need for more.

I am asking if there are at least 4 people who would be willing to come on board and support Acts 2 Collective by becoming 1200 Club members?  This is a pledged, recurring donation commitment of $100 a month.  4 new members would cover school fees for one year for Patrick, Kwaku, Sarah and Malwin.  To get set up you can email me at janel@acts2collective.org or to join right now you can go to http://acts2collective.org/donate/1200-club/.  Please help us to be able to continue our mission and keep moving forward.

'A Home for Christmas' ~ THE FINALE

On January 1st, 2017 we held the celebration to gift Doris and Mawutor and their family their new home. We started off with a feast at our in-country partner's home ~ Vida. All the children and families that Acts 2 Collective provides sponsorship for through Vida's selection were in attendance.

Vida served the food - we had fried chicken, rice, salad, fresh cut fruit and ice cream.

Mawutor (pictured left), Doris (pictured right) and their mother, Abena, enjoy the meal.  The little boy sitting at their table is another child in our sponsorship program.

Children in our sponsorship program, all with their own unique stories.

During the celebration story after story was shared of children in our program who have lost parents as well as families with special needs (HIV, blindness, cerebral palsy, physical deformities) and severe health conditions that need specific medical attention. These children and families are at a great disadvantage in Ghana as they are often overlooked and ignored. But now with the assistance of Vida and the sponsorships through Acts 2 Collective they are finding refuge and help to meet their physical needs. Our sponsorships provide monthly assistance for food, clothing, school fees, and medical procedures. At Acts 2 Collective we desire to pattern our ministry after Jesus, and we see from the scriptures that in meeting spiritual needs the physical needs cannot be passed by. We've often found that meeting a physical need becomes the open door to turning eyes towards faith in Christ.

After our meal celebration we then went with Doris and Mawutor and their mother first to the site of their old home pictured here.  Mawutor has paralysis and cannot walk so that is why Abena carries her on her back.

A glimpse inside the family's old house...

We then walked to the site of the new home.  The really cool thing is that their new home is about 200 steps from their old home. It's just right around the corner, and this is becoming such a testimony to the neighbors. Our team gathered around the home as we consecrated and set apart the home for the Lord's glory. One of the things we prayed was "Lord, flood this home with Your light and life."

Handing over the keys to Abena!

Abena opens the door!

Shortly after we consecrated the home to the Lord, we took group pictures outside the home. When I later saw the pictures I was disappointed at first because every single one of them was completely washed out by light. But then the Lord showed me something. He pointed out that this picture was showing the tangible, physical presence of the Lord (His light) on the home - just as we had just prayed for!

The finished 3 bedroom home from the front...

From the side...

From the back...

In addition to gifting the home itself, we also fully furnished it. Please note that Doris, Mawutor and their family are involved in our sponsorship program so they already receive monthly assistance from us for food and school enrollment.

What the assembled bed frames look like.

Trying out their new bed!

Doris thought it was pretty comfy! :)

In building this home we used all Ghanaian labor workers and materials so as to build into Ghana's economy, jobs, and people. The only thing sent over from the United States was the money.

If you would like to become involved in our sponsorship program the best way to do so is through our 1200 Club. We do not have individual sponsorships but we rely heavily on the monthly donations from our 1200 Club members to sustain our sponsorship programs. Then when we have additional, specific needs come up such as this home we will highlight the need for further fundraising. You can find more information about our 1200 Club and sign up here: http://acts2collective.org/donate/1200-club/  

Thank you to those who were a part of gifting this home. Shortly after finishing this one, we were asked to help another family in a similar situation. God-willing we will continue to be able to meet these needs as they come to us.

"Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." ~ James 2:15-17

Construction Update #6 {A Home for Christmas}

The home for Doris and Mawutor and family is ready!!!

I wanted to share that I will be personally traveling to Ghana in a few days to "hand over the keys" and to celebrate with the family.  Our celebration and dedication of the home is scheduled for January 1st.  Stay posted for final, detailed pictures of the completed home.  I may be able to update while in Ghana, otherwise I will post once I return back to the U.S.  Thank you once again to those who donated to make this gift possible!

Construction Update #5 {A Home for Christmas}

Plaster is going on...paint comes next! It's alllllllllllmost complete!!!!!!!

Construction Update #4 {A Home for Christmas}

We are getting so close!! In the final stages now!!

Giving Tuesday

This Giving Tuesday donate to Acts 2 Collective and make a world of difference with your end-of-year giving.

We are hard at work in Ghana, Chad, Sierra Leone, and Central Africa Republic caring for over 150 orphans, educating over 1200 students, and most importantly sharing the Gospel and making disciples!

We want to raise $5,000 today that will go towards our end of the year capital campaign goal of $158,000. 

Please help us this holiday season by visiting our website and making a donation.

https://acts2collective.cloverdonations.com/donation/

Construction Update #3 {A Home for Christmas}

Construction continues to move right along!

Construction Update #2 {A Home for Christmas}

The home for Doris and Mawutor and family is starting to take shape!!!!

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE {A Home for Christmas}

The money has been sent and the work has started!!!!! The cement blocks that will make up the structure of the home are starting to be formed!!! YEAHHHHH!!!!! We are officially underway!!!!!!!

UPDATE: A Home for Christmas

UPDATE: As of 10/26/2016 this need is now FULLY FUNDED!!!!!!!! There is just nothing quite like experiencing the raw, jaw dropping power of the Lord when He comes through financially! We are humbled and overwhelmed with hearts swelling and fists pumping! Thanks be to God who meets all of our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus! I will post updates as the building of the home begins and progresses! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I first met Doris and Mawutor in person on my January 2015 trip to Ghana. Many of you have heard my personal testimony about how the Lord used these two little blind girls to bring me face to face with the season of apathy that I was in. I know what it's like to avoid situations of suffering because you don't want to let in anymore pain. I know what it's like to experience your heart atrophy as you stop caring and stop participating in the things that God cares about in order to self-protect. Yet I also know that God works in upside down ways. And Doris and Mawutor became the springboard of me learning that the way through my own pain and struggle was to reach out to someone else's in theirs. So to say that Doris and Mawutor are part of my heart's story is an understatement. They are the vessels the Lord used to bring the dead, uncaring, unresponsive areas of my heart to life.

Doris and Mawutor are fatherless, their mother a single-mom. Between other siblings and cousins we are told there are 12 people total in this family that their mother is responsible for caring for including herself. For over two years now Acts 2 Collective has sponsored this family so that Doris and Mawutor can go to school and have their basic needs met. Recently we were presented with a big need for this family through our ministry partner, Vida, who oversees our sponsorship in-country. The structure this family is currently living in has not stood up under the heavy rainy season experienced this year. Their home is no longer sustainable and Vida (pictured in the red t-shirt below) has requested if Acts 2 Collective can build this family a new home.

The family's current home.  Doris and Mawutor's mother is pictured in the skirt on the left with some of her other children....

We would love to build them a new home. But we need to raise the funds to do so. We don't currently have the finances to cover this. So I'm asking if you would be a part of making this happen? For $10? I'm asking for 500 people to give $10 so that we can give Doris and Mawutor, their mother, siblings, and family a home for Christmas.

Vida who oversees our sponsorship of the family in-country is pictured here with some of the family members.  Doris is in the purple on the floor and Mawutor is sitting to the left of Vida.  Their mother is sitting to the right of Vida.

The cost breakdown for materials is listed below. This will be a 3 bedroom home to fit the whole family. You can donate online at https://acts2collective.cloverdonations.com/donation/ When donating please select 'Acts 2 Collective General Fund' for the account. And once you are entering in your contact info on the form please type 'A Home for Christmas' in the Organization section under your name.  Or you can mail a check to the donation address listed in the sidebar of this blog. Checks can be made out to Acts 2 Collective and note 'A Home for Christmas' in the memo.

ESTIMATED BUDGET OF THE BUILDING FOR MAWUTOR AND DORIS:

1. Bricks, laying of bricks, plastering, screeding, materials and Labour for 3 bed-room =
Gh¢ 8,640
2. Roofing materials and Labour = Gh¢ 8,828
3. Paint and Labour = Gh¢ 860

Grand Total = Gh¢ 18,328 equiv: $5000 U.S.

The girls registering for school...

Mawutor in her classroom.

Sponsorship Opportunity

I first met Patrick one night when it was pitch dark and I was walking back to the hotel from our mission center in Asikuma, Ghana all alone. He had just fetched water and was riding his bike back home. He stopped to introduce himself to me the foreigner, and just had the friendliest personality....like that kind-hearted, older brother sorta feel. It was like God used Patrick on my walk back to the hotel to whisper peace and that the Lord was right there with me, watching out for me. 

Patrick, aka 'AJ', is one of the handful of young men that has been assisting James, our Agri-Hope employee, with the manual labor portion of the farming we have started on campus. Patrick is the definition of a humble, hard worker. From the moment I first met him I felt that the Lord had opened a door for him into our center in order to be rewarded for how he labors wholeheartedly to provide for his younger siblings.

Well, now it's time for that reward to come. And in Ghana, getting to go to school is one of the highest opportunities that the youth yearn for. Because of his age and lack of academic background, Patrick does not qualify for secondary school in Ghana. So the best option for him is to go to technical school and learn a trade. Recently Patrick approached us about sponsoring him to go to Somanya Technical school to study automobile engineering (he will learn to be a mechanic). We feel this would be a great route for our hard working, hands-on Patrick and will get him on track for a future career.

It will take $600 to get Patrick registered for school and set up for his 1st term. This is also a boarding school where Patrick will live, so there is a list of living supplies (see photo below) covered within this cost (think along the lines of moving into a dormitory - bedding, eating utensils, etc) as well as his school uniform, books and school supplies, etc.

Each term after the first will be $300 (this covers term fee plus living expenses), and there are 3 terms per year. The total program to become an auto mechanic through this school is 3 years long. To sum it up, the cost we are looking at is $1,200 per year.

We are looking for an individual who would be able to commit to sponsoring Patrick in school - right now we are just asking for a commitment for the first year, $1200. This opportunity could be what you want to make it. Patrick is on Facebook and can regularly communicate, speaks English, etc. The possibility for a relationship to be established between Patrick and a sponsor is definitely there. If you would rather remain anonymous that is fine too. We will be able to send you updates on Patrick either way.

If this is calling your name please email janel@acts2collective.org and I will get you all set up for the sponsorship! Patrick can start school as soon as funds are available. Thank you for considering partnering with us in this way!

Patrick is pictured here in the middle - farm tools in hand. :) James, our Agri-Hope employee is pictured right, and Wisdom our community director is pictured left.

Term fee breakdown

Living supplies list

School uniform

Taking the Gospel to the Chadian Military

One of the objectives of Acts 2 Collective is that we aim to support our brothers and sisters in Christ in-country who are doing the Lord’s work. Such is the case with our Chadian brother, Marc. Marc has been overseeing our Sports Mission Complex vision in Sarh, Chad. Meanwhile, as we await more funding, Marc has been called to be a minister to the Chadian military. He is an evangelist to the soldiers, traveling all around Chad to teach God’s word to those in the military - holding bible studies, prayer groups, and even meals together. In Chad this is a trained position, and just recently Marc was invited by the Association of Military Christians Union to attend a training in Cameroon. Marc has continual need for funding to cover the cost of training materials (mainly to give each soldier a Bible in French which costs $4 each), food, and his travel expenses. This is one way Acts 2 Collective has been supporting Marc’s ministry, and in so doing we have seen many soldiers turning their lives over to Christ.

We recently received word from Marc of an urgent need that has come up in his ministry. Some time ago one of the men Marc ministered to in the military, Colonel Beal, ended up going to Mali in the UN mission and died in the war. Since then Marc has been looking after the care and needs of the family he left behind. Due to urbanization of the Chadian government in the city of Loumia where the military live, the home this widowed family was to move into was taken out by road construction. Marc is now looking to rebuild a 3 bedroom home for this family. The labor cost breakdown is listed in a photo below in French. Total estimated cost is $2,012.

In addition, another soldier Marc had ministered to, Abdel-Aziz Bore, also lost his life and Marc has stepped in to help care for the now widowed family he left behind. Their home was also affected by the road construction, and there is need to help them rebuild their kitchen and a toilet area. Their cost for rebuilding is $366. Furthermore, there are 12 children within these situations who are in need of school sponsorship.

These sorts of needs are just a sampling of the requests for help that Acts 2 Collective receives on what has become a weekly (and oftentimes daily) basis now. When you support Acts 2 Collective financially, your donations are helping to meet the needs of our in-country missionaries like Marc, as well as vulnerable women, children and families such as these.

Our Chadian brother, Marc, on the left, out on mission.

Handing out the Word.

Bible training session

Soldiers with their Bibles!  Yeah!!

Breaking bread and opening the Word with Marc

Another teaching session

Beal family

Cost to rebuild Beal home

Bore family