Christ’s Love in Action: Serving Families with Disabilities in Ghana
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” Psalm 82:3
The moment Ailah stepped through the doorway, Kofi’s face lit up. At first he froze, then burst into laughter, squealing with delight. Though non-verbal, the sixteen-year-old’s joy spoke volumes. He reached for her hand—his way of saying, “I’ve missed you…”
Joni and Friends intern Ailah served as Kofi’s buddy at our International Family Retreat in Ghana, and a week later she made special arrangements with his mother, Julianne, to visit him at home. Julianne savored the in-person reminder that her son is deeply loved, not only by our Joni and Friends team, but by Jesus.
Living with Oppressive Isolation
Kofi and Julianne navigate life alone most days. When Kofi was three years old, his father left, unable to cope with the strain of raising a child with a disability. In their community, and throughout Ghana, disability often gets misinterpreted as a curse or punishment—grounds for rejection and shame.
While an extended family member provides a roof over their heads, Julianne and Kofi live in oppressive isolation. Julianne has always carried Kofi where they need to go. With no access to medical necessities like a wheelchair, let alone physical therapy, school, or place to belong, they have struggled to get by.
Finding Friendship and Refreshment
When Julianne got in touch with a pastor’s wife from a church in their region, God provided a life-changing connection to the Joni and Friends community. Invited to attend International Family Retreat, Kofi and Julianne stepped into a place of total acceptance, where the hardships of disability lead not to rejection, but compassion and deep community.
Ailah recalls that the first day of the retreat, Julianne didn’t speak to her, but quietly observed as Kofi warmed up, smiling at Ailah and holding her hand. By the second day, the unfamiliarity had all fallen away as a friendship quickly grew between Kofi and Ailah.
“I learned that he loved to smile and laugh,” she said. “Whenever I would sit with him, he would hold my hand and just look at me and smile.”
At retreat, Kofi delighted in every activity.
“He screamed and laughed with joy when the kids pushed his wheelchair,” Ailah shared. “He was so excited to be with other kids—he loved bubbles, and he had a blast popping them.”
For Julianne, the retreat brought refreshment in ways she never expected.
Seeing her son cared for as never before, she found freedom to join other moms in prayer, braid hair with new friends, and rest among people who understood her and Kofi.
Ailah marveled at the change in Julianne throughout the week. She showed a whole new playful side at Bingo night, where she and Kofi got to simply play together for once. Together, they celebrated each win, laughing, clapping, and cheering.
As retreat ended, Julianne expressed her gratitude and amazement with the love she and Kofi received through the Joni and Friends community. She said:
“No one has ever looked at my son the way you have. You treated him with love and kindness. You’re going to be someone we never forget.”
A Wheelchair for Kofi
When Julianne and Kofi set out for home after the retreat, the goodbyes hit hard. Kofi still didn’t have a wheelchair of his own, and going back to the harshness of daily life looked daunting. Just like Kofi didn’t know Ailah would soon come to visit him at home, Julianne didn’t know that a Wheels for the World® team would arrive two weeks later to provide a custom-fitted wheelchair for her son.
Today, Kofi’s smile shines as he sits upright in his wheelchair, encountering the world with dignity and confidence like never before. Julianne, whose back no longer aches from carrying Kofi, the wheelchair means new freedom, especially to attend church. And among God’s people, she and Kofi can find their place of belonging in God’s family, now and for eternity!
“God sets the lonely in families…” Psalm 68:6
Just like Kofi and Julianne, Ailah left International Family Retreat changed. As part of her Joni and Friends internship, she came to Ghana hoping to use her training. What she didn’t expect was how deeply God would shape her through the experience, preparing her to bring holistic, Christ-centered care to those she will serve throughout her career.
At Joni and Friends, we prepare interns like Ailah not only with practical skills, but with the love of Christ—so that families like Kofi’s encounter not just medical care, but the hope of the Gospel.
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