Thursday, 19 February 2015

PATRICIA A. HENAKU (Part 2)


PATRICIA AKUFFO-HENAKU





Patricia has served with Meaningful Life International as an intern for a month now and the time is up for her to go back to school. We have really enjoyed doing ministry with her and we have been so blessed by her stay with us! 

Here is the concluding part of her journal...

"...Work started out very well on my first day. During my first week, i worked with the Administrator. The work here involved finance & day-to-day accounts, HR and Administration. I did a lot of inventories and filing of payment vouchers (basically paper work) throughout the first week. The work here was a lot, and the pace at which i worked was different from the pace here. So for the first week, that was my major challenge. Soon, i got used to the flow and quickly adapted.

Next, i moved to the Projects Department to assist the Projects Director in charge of Operations. I was really challenged here because the work here had a lot to do with Social Works. I got to know more about MLI's ministry activities in the rural communities of Ghana, the strategy MLI has adopted in working with these different people groups and the impact they have had on the people in these communities. We had long discussions about projects, and i was given the opportunity to draft a proposal for the first time; and it was good.  From the Projects Department, i moved to the Front desk.

The most exciting part so far has been my time in the Executive Director’s office. I was his protege personal assistant for a week. Rev. Dr. Godwin Ahlijah is fun to be with. I had the opportunity to interview him and learn about his ministry as a Reverend Minster and his involvement with Missions over the years. My time with him made me appreciate service to God more. He always emphasized that God is the secrete behind his success, and i agree with him. Only God can sustain someone with a lot of positions like Rev. Dr. Ahlijah. Through him, God has shown me that i can trust Him (God) to lead and control my life.

Slowly, the period for my internship was coming to an end. The thought of leaving this beautiful family made me teary. I spent my last week at Meaningful Life International in the Executive Project Director’s office. He is in charge of Media & Graphic Design, IT, Public relations & News Updates and Summer Teams. He is such an amazing person to work with. I had the opportunity to put together PowerPoint presentations, write ups for their weekly blog and Monthly newsletter, and a New Year’s message for their Ministry Partners. I also helped to design some flyers and create subtitles for a Documentary Video he was working on. I have learnt a lot of things outside my field of study, and they are skills that are definitely going to be helpful and instrumental in my profession as a social worker.

All in all, my internship with Meaningful Life International has been exciting, fulfilling and totally amazing! One thing that stood out for me was their Morning Devotions and Prayer Sessions. In general, i would say that it has been a great blessing to have had this opportunity to intern at Meaningful Life International. Though there were a few challenges, it is a great place to work; wonderful people and a peaceful Holy Spirit-filled atmosphere. I have enjoyed my time here and I hope to be back for another internship."

Wednesday, 21 January 2015

PATRICIA AKUFFO-HENAKU

(Part 1)




Meaningful Life International believes that EVERY individual has the potential to fulfill their God-given dream when given the right opportunities, direction and support. In that light, MLI runs a system where Students from the University would come and serve with us for a period of time as interns.

This year, we are very privileged to have Patricia Akuffo-Henaku, a second year Social Work & Sociology student of the University of Ghana, Legon, serving with us. Patricia believes that MLI has the perfect Spiritual and Professional environment that is grooming her for her future career as a Social Worker. This she believes will empower her with the right tools to go out and make a positive change in the lives of people everywhere she goes.

This is her story...

"Before gaining admission into the University, i had no idea about Social Work. Whenever i saw people working with NGOs or Non-Profit Organizations, i always wondered what they studied back in the University. However, i have always had a keen interest in issues on human rights, women and children, health and international relations. In connection to this, i participated in the 'Model United Nations’ as well as a 'Mock AU Conference' which were organized to mark the celebration of the Day for the African Child. These platforms exposed me to so much as a teenager. I read about international issues, learnt how to make sound arguments, learnt the rules of procedure used in these international organizations, how to negotiate, how to prepare position papers, do research, and so many other things.

After gaining admission to the University and doing a little research on what i was going to study there (Social Work), i felt strongly that God was directing my path and giving me a chance to develop myself in my field of interest.

I heard about Meaningful Life International and about their ministry in the rural communities of Ghana through my mother. I have a personal believe that God gives everyone an opportunity to make a change everywhere they go, so this was a perfect opportunity for me to learn more and have some experience and practice in social work. So i decided to do my internship with Meaningful Life International

I started work as an intern on the 5th of January this year; and i must say that i have really enjoyed working here so far. Before i joined Meaningful Life, i thought the working environment was going to be the typical very strict and busy working environment. I expected to have strict supervisors and colleagues who simply did not have time for any other thing apart from work. I thought working here was really going to strain me. But no! Rather, every one was so down to earth and lovely. Every one here is like family..."

We will bring you Part 2 of Patricia's profile in our next publication... Stay Blessed!!