Outcast Camp

Joel is giving me time to try to get a little done on the computer.  I wanted to let you all know about my trip this week to the Outcast Camp at a nearby village called Gambaga.  This camp is for women who have been accused of witchcraft. They are literally cast out (and often abused in the process) from their home and their village due to these accusations.  The chief of this village, Gambaga, 15 minutes from us in Nalerigu, has given permission for these women to live a protected life at the camp there in his village.

Some of these women eventually are assimilated back into their homes and villages.  However, many are not.  Younger women have their children with them because they need to raise them.  Older women (often widows) have their older grandchildren with them because they have a harder time getting around as elder women and need help.

A few years ago while we were here the first time, a young woman here from the States with the Peace Corp named Carolyn Abdenour wrote a grant to get funds to teach these women how to make jewelry.  She thought this would be another way to help them support themselves.  When the grant came through, she needed someone to help teach the women jewelry making skills.  Melinda Emerson was here for a few days as a volunteer while her husband was operating here at BMC as an OB/Gyn.  She knows MUCH about teaching jewelry making and together these two gave the women of Gambaga a new way to earn money.  Thank you, Lord.

Then, while the Nyhus family was here, Wendy visited them as often as she could to share the Word with them, as well as just love on these women.  What fond relationships there are still between Wendy and these women.

The Ghanian woman who oversees and cares for these women each day is named Laraba.  She is a beautiful Christian who tirelessly helps these who are outcast by others.  She shares the Word with them herself, as well as teaches the children their when she can.  The ways she helps these women are countless.

Each time I'm able to be with these women, it is a pleasure.  One of the small groups in our church recently wanted to send some things our way.  One of the needs I let them know about was the women here and how sending some jewelry making supplies could help them.  We have received most of what this group sent to us by now.  I took the jewelry supplies out to the ladies this week.  They were very excited!  They use the money they make from the jewelry to buy more jewelry supplies, as well as food for their group.  Thank you so much to all those who contributed through the Bird CLG!

I've gone out several times with Cindy Wilson.  It was my pleasure to share a word on Joseph while there.  I started with the early part of Joseph's history, reading about his early life with his brother and fathers.  Once we have covered many parts of his life, there will be some good lessons for these women in these verses, I believe.  One woman shared afterward that she received Christ.  What great plans the Lord has!

If you want to learn more about these women, you can find several sources online if you search "outcast camp gambaga" in either Google or Youtube.