Every single night before he went to bed, he prayed that there will be no rainfall throughout the night.  Most people see rainfall as a blessing from God, so why did this teenage boy pray for no rain? He was a street boy and so whenever it rained, his sleeping place - which was directly under the skies - would be wet and he had no place to lay his head.  Even when someone offered him a wooden kiosk to sleep in, he was afraid of the floods that often followed a heavy downpour.  Most kiosks are located by the roadside and in dry drainage systems. When it rains, the floods that follow often carry away the kiosks in its pathway and those sleeping in it are drowned. 

 

That is why Francis prayed for no rains.  He was a teenage boy who had no hope.  Food was hard to come by and he had to beg for what to eat.  Clothing was a luxury he could only dream of.  Even though he was academically brilliant, he had no one to sponsor his education.  At night he sold candies and other small items he credited from retailers so as to make a little money to pay his school fees by installment.  As a lonely survivor, he also in despair retailed kerosene, pineapples, pepper, fish and soft drinks from time to time along the streets and in local markets. But sales were not always enough to cater for his upkeep, let alone pay his school fees.  He was malnourished and unhealthy and worst of all at the point of dropping out of school when the school authorities approached the Village of Hope for help for this destitute boy. 

 

After reviewing his case, we knew that he was in dying need of help and so we offered to help him.  We gave him a home to live in and put him in boarding school.  Francis made the best use of every blessing that God brought his way.  We successfully went through high school and gained admission into the University of Ghana.  Now, after four years at the university, he has graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and he is working with the Village of Hope as the Public Affairs Officer.  

 

Francis eventually wants to become a human rights and humanitarian lawyer to defend, protect and promote the rights of the socially-abandoned, marginalized and vulnerable in society.

 

Working at the Village of Hope is not the only time that Francis is giving back to society. He has established and led many social projects from high school through to the university.  His most remarkable landmark which brought him to the lime light was the Disabled and Needy Students Education Endowment Fund of the University of Ghana which he founded while in the university.  Through this project, he advocated the rights of students with disability and people with disability in general.  Not only did he use seminars, symposia and the media to passionately appeal to Government and Parliament to ensure the passing of the Disability Bill, he also raised millions of cedis to help needy students at the university.  As a result if his extreme dedication to humanity, he rose to national prominence as a student leader and was interviewed by both the electronic and print media.  When asked on prime-time national television why he decided to begin an initiative to help needy and disabled students, Francis said that he was destitute and needy and nearly perished but God shined His love and grace on him by bringing the Village of Hope to rescue him.  The least he could do to thank God is to serve humanity and help people in need. 

 

Francis has also written a book entitled, “Becoming A Hero” which he wishes to publish soon.  In the book, he shares some experiences which will edify the youth to break away from social vices and psychological barriers to become the kind of people God wants them to be.

 

He is now an inspiration to the children of the Village of Hope and an ambassador of Christ wherever he goes. 

 

Francis always ends his introduction of himself with this statement, “I have received many blessings from the Village of Hope but by far the greatest is that I am now a Christian and I share in the hope of eternal life with God in heaven.”

 

Francis is an example of what can happen when the people of God show the love of God through caring for needy children.

 

UPDATE... UPDATE... UPDATE...

 

   Francis has been accepted into the University of Ghana Law School.  He is currently attending classes and will one day be the first of the Village of Hope children to have a Law Degree!