The voice of one multiplies when united under Christ. That is something we see every day at Kanakuk. Whether it’s in worship, in prayer or simply in cheers from the fields at Kamp, we love to see how a movement can begin when hearts are stirred. One Kamper in particular, Andrew Rikard – brother of Ansley Rikard, who was previously featured on the blog , felt the stirring in his heart when he discovered a ministry near his hometown called Ghana Rock. Ghana Rock is a benefit concert that raises funds to end child slavery and trafficking on Ghana's Lake Volta. According to the organization’s website , “the Ghana Rock team, [is] a group of local teenagers united by our passion to serve God and spread His love to lost children.?”
There are 27 million enslaved people in today’s world. In Andrew’s words: “I think once you hear about that sort of thing, it’s impossible not to feel something. So when I saw what Ghana Rock was up to, I wanted to be a part.”
Andrew’s heart for Africa was birthed years ago when he traveled to Rwanda with a team led by Collin Sparks, Executive Director of Kanakuk Ministries. Now, the Lord has guided Andrew to serve the people of Africa in a unique way. As a high school senior, Andrew joined the Ghana Rock team this year after volunteering at last year’s concert.
As a “small cog in a wonderful mechanism,” Andrew
plays part in the team that was started by a girl named Madi Vincent a few
years ago. Inspired by her, Andrew’s talent and passion is dedicated to
children in Ghana in need of rescue. To date, Ghana Rock has rescued 26
children. While the number may sound small, the impact on those kids’ lives and
on the Kingdom is massive.
“The thing about Ghana Rock is that it’s small enough to still be real. I saw pictures of the kids that the team had rescued holding signs they had written their names on. I see these kids’ faces in Ghana and I love them and I want them to experience freedom, both physically and spiritually,” said Andrew. “I suppose there’s no reason beyond God why these kids in Ghana are the ones that have been put in my path, but I think you love most the people that you know you can help. And God has given us the opportunity to help these.”
The stories of these children and freedom serve as motivation to Andrew, his team and countless others, which in turn, will inspire others to fight against the atrocities of modern day slavery.
“When I saw the previous team stand up and say, ‘Hey, I’m 17-years-old and I just put on a concert that raised over fifty thousand dollars hosting artists like Shawn McDonald and Kristian Stanfill to pull kids out of slavery,’ I couldn’t help but be inspired,” said Andrew. “That’s what I watched, and now that I’m with them, I hope that some of what I experienced, other people will experience. Because really, we’re just kids who love God. We’re kids. That’s what I think is inspiring…that inspired me.”
Hearing the Ghana Rock story and knowing the passion put into the ministry is quite remarkable. In fact, at the end of last year’s concert, Madi, the founder, announced to the audience that while they didn’t meet their goal of $52 thousand and only received $30 thousand, God was still good. Within the next day, the rest of the money poured in. God got the glory when He showed that there was still work to be done. With Him, the ultimate reward will be reached.
As final days of preparation lead up to this year’s concert, we’re excited to hear about Andrew’s involvement and how Ghana Rock continues to free enslaved children. Honored to play a role in Andrew’s spiritual development, we are encouraged knowing that Kampers like Andrew are impacting their communities and the world.
If you’d like to attend Ghana Rock tonight, May 17 in Charlotte, NC, you can purchase tickets online or at the door.
What is an organization that has your heart? We’d love to learn more on Facebook or Twitter .
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