In May 2025, I visited Ghana along with five other pastors from UK Vineyard churches (Coventry, Farnham, Bournemouth, Falmouth and Trent). We had the opportunity to travel with Compassion UK to see the work they do in Ghana and look into initiating a strategic partnership between Compassion and Vineyard Churches in Ghana. In addition, we wanted to take the opportunity to connect with Emily & Godwin Aduah (sent from Trent Vineyard in 2021 to form Mosaic Vineyard, Accra) and other Ghanaian Vineyard churches to build connections and encourage them.
Compassion
Compassion is a Christian child development charity that “sees beyond the devastating reality of poverty to the God-given potential in every child and family”. They partner with 8,900 local churches across 29 countries, working together with compassion “to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name”. Today, more than 2 million children from some of the poorest communities receive education, healthcare, and life-changing support. These children are empowered to thrive and bring hope to their communities.
In recent years, many organisations that run child sponsorship programs have come under criticism. Critics claim that the child sponsorship model perpetuates inequality, stereotyping and paternalism, the commodification of children, and a focus on individual aid rather than community-wide issues. We wanted to raise these concerns and see for ourselves how Compassion work with local churches in Ghana to tackle poverty and empower communities.
Our guides, Luke Gratton (Director of Church Partnerships) and Stewart Lake (Regional Partnership Manager South) from Compassion, were incredibly gracious, humble and patient. This was also true of our hosts from the Ghana Compassion team, who demonstrated the work they do in partnership with many different churches in and around Accra, Ghana.
We visited two projects; one rural project in the mountains that works with a Presbyterian church and one urban project working with a Pentecostal church. We spoke with Kobina Yeboah Okyere, National Director of Compassion International Ghana (CIGH), who explained how CIGH supports and empowers nearly 100,000 children and youth across Ghana, creating opportunities that benefit whole communities.
We also spoke with current beneficiaries and those who had now graduated from the various programs. We were able to see how individual children benefited, but also see the impact of this on the wider communities.
Ghana Vineyard Partnership
The Vineyard church in Ghana is growing. Whilst in Accra, we held a leadership training event on the “building-in-progress” site of Mosaic Vineyard. It was so wonderful to gather within walls and under one roof (windows and doors to follow!). Together, with the Ghanaian Vineyard pastors, we explored Vineyard values, building bonds together and considering how to strengthening our relationships. Emily & Godwin Aduah planted Mosaic Vineyard Church and since its inception they have developed multiple projects, including a thriving tailoring business with 10 apprentices operating out of a rented shop and a weekly kids Story Club that gathers over 70 kids from the local community.
If you would like to join other UK and Ireland Vineyard Churches and explore partnering with what God is doing in Ghana, do get in touch: [email protected].
