Independence Through Education in God’s Teachings

In Ghana, Mission ONE partners are taking on a new endeavor to create an education center in Tamale. This project would provide Christian educational opportunities to locals and attract more missionaries to the area. As we hear reports of how the team is accomplishing their goals and working within the community, we’re reminded that education is a life-changing tool that has the power to free minds and open hearts.

Progress on the Project

We got a chance to ask some questions of those working to develop the education center in Ghana. Not only are they receiving support from local government, but they are also realizing the vast opportunities this project will offer those in attendance.

Q. Where we are in the project timeline?

A. Beginning planning stages.

Q. Tell me where you have seen God open doors for the success of this project.

A. There has been a lot of government favor for this project. God has given us wisdom that can only come from Him. That has opened doors wide for their participation in the community and favors for their projects.

Q. Tell me how you are anticipating this project affecting the lives of the people in your community or what you have already seen happen.

A. More discipleship opportunities within the community.

Q. Tell me the impact this project is having on the community — how are things different than before? Socially?

Community: Care/love for one another. They want to cultivate a community that exhibits a Christ-like, love for one another. In many communities, it may seem like the community is tight-knit, but there are often deep levels of animosity, unforgiveness, and mistrust. They want the school to be an example to the community of Gospel love and the body of Christ.

Think for themselves: In terms of thinking for themselves, education in this part of the world is focused mainly on rote memorization and regurgitation of terms/facts. They want the methodology of the school to be different so that the kids are learning problem-solving skills and a certain level of independence in thought and action.

God Wants Free-Thinkers

As we celebrate the accomplishments and progress in Ghana, it’s important to remember the value of free-thinking. We are all students of God and while we’re expected to be versed in His teachings, it’s important to remain open to all the ways wisdom can present itself.

It can be through our own creativity that we fulfill God’s intentions for our lives. It can take work, struggle, discipline and out-of-the-box thinking to spread His word to others. It can require that we view the world through a fresh lens to stay strong in our faith when the tide of the world is trying to push us away from it.

God never intended us to be robotic followers. Consider Christ Himself. He was as independent a thinker as they come. He faced outright persecution for his beliefs. It would have been easier, perhaps, to go with the flow, but it would not have been true. To fully serve we must trust that our God-given differences and ability to exert our own will and our individual problem-solving skills are a gift.

Raising Free-Thinking Children of God

In addition to utilizing our individual strengths for worship and spiritual growth, it’s important to remember our children’s innate ability to do this. As we consider the opportunities the children of Ghana will have, being educated in an environment shaped by God’s love, we must also think about how we can generate this warm embrace in the ever-changing education landscape of a Covid world. Whether your kids are virtual learning, attending in-person with a mask on or venturing into a world of homeschooling with you for the first time, there are ways to infuse God’s desire for free thinkers into every experience.

• Discuss and demonstrate prayer as a tool for patience in moments where frustration is mounting. One of the most independent actions any person can take is to have control of their mind and spirit.
• Worship is expressed in a million different ways. If a child isn’t connecting through books, perhaps they can connect through song. Or communing with nature. Or art. Education and knowing Christ are individual experiences. Allow your child the chance to connect in their own way.
• Be open to questions. A child’s curiosity drives them to question established beliefs. This has to be okay in any education, Christian or otherwise. Lead them through resolving conflicts on their own and teach them to discover the truth on their terms.

We are thrilled to hear of the Mission ONE partners’ progress in Ghana and grateful for the opportunity to remember why education and God are such symbiotic experiences. Without a strong foundation in both, it’s easy to be led astray.