Goer blogs

Top 5 Things I Learned During Support Raising

By Hannah on January 24, 2021 Track: Business Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

Top 5 Things I Learned During Support Raising 1. God is faithful and good and will deliver on His promises. So, I guess I knew this before support raising, but it was really confirmed and validated during this whole process. I never questioned if I would become fully-supported by the deadline. I knew in my heart and soul that God would come through as long as I put in the effort. With this mindset, I decided to challenge myself, and God, to be fully funded before my deadline. And God was faithful to deliver on that promise! Time and time again throughout my meetings, phone calls, emails, God... Read more

He who removes my shame

By Sarah on January 7, 2021 Track: Languages - Linguistics Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

How would you enter into a culture that structures its words and deeds around shame and honor (S/H)?  Many of the traditions and situations may seem strange to a guilt and justice-based (G/J) society. Let me explain by asking a question. How would you and others in your circle (family, friends etc.) handle a stressful event? In a G/J community, they would regard the “rightness” or “wrongness” of the issue to resolve the stress. They would openly discuss the injustice and demand that their rights be heard and given. In a S/H context, the greatest injustice would be to shame the most respected... Read more

It's Poppin'

By Hannah on November 16, 2020 Track: Business Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

What do you think of when you think of popcorn? Going to a movie theater and lathering it with butter (pre-COVID of course)? A quiet night in with a glass of wine? A man named Orville who wears thick glasses? Stringing it together and decorating the tree? For the most part, you probably associate popcorn with fun, laughter, or maybe indifference. Rarely do we stop and think about the financial impact popcorn can have. At least I don’t, anyway. I want to share with you a story about a woman named Patricia. Patricia was part of our first Women’s Empowerment Program that ended this past May.... Read more

How Did I Get Here??

By Hannah on October 19, 2020 Track: Business Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

Hi there! My name’s Hannah and I’m a 2020 Goer! I graduated from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon in the Spring of 2019. I can’t believe I’ve been done with school for over a year now! After graduation, I was in a season of real frustration. I was applying to jobs I thought I was qualified for and I couldn’t even get an interview. I kept asking God, “why do all of these doors keep closing? What do you want me to do?” Little did I know that the answer would have me moving halfway across the world to Zambia! I got connected with GoCorps through one of their alumni. It was a complete... Read more

You live here?

By Sarah on October 6, 2020 Track: Languages - Linguistics Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

You live here? I recently was back in the States for a family wedding.  Before I returned, some unexpected circumstances happened, in the West African country where I serve, that delayed my travel.  "More than COVID?!", you ask. This year has been marked with so many instances of God's faithfulness despite the chaos out of my control.  A chance to spend time with my WHOLE family has not happened in two years... as most of my family now actually live in West Africa. Thus, home has been evolving for me here in this new place.  I love how I can use my passions here - languages, cultural... Read more

Where do you get your local news?

By Sarah on July 2, 2020 Track: Languages - Linguistics Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

This month has been a whirlwind of new activities for me in life and ministry here in West Africa. A friend I met in France has an English Language school in the town where I live. She invited me to teach two small classes during the months of June and July to help them finish their school semester. I had been praying for ways to connect with the community in a controlled but outside environment. God answered my prayer by bringing them to me. The last few lessons we talk about social topics such as journalism, human rights, child issues both in the States and in West Africa. One of the... Read more

Language acquisition is always relational

By Sarah on May 21, 2020 Track: Languages - Linguistics Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

Many aspects of the GoCorps enticed me to apply but one stood out in particular - language learning as ministry. My placement and organization actively used language to reach both believers and non-believers in our area of work. The team uses a method called the Growing Participator Approach. I am a new to the GPA method of learning a language. Nevertheless, I am finding tremendous encouragement by using it to learn Bambara. This method was developed by a man named Greg Thompson particularly for Kingdom workers in the field. It starts with nurturing a relationship rather than hitting the... Read more

Submitting to unknowns as He holds me in His hands

By Sarah on April 6, 2020 Track: Languages - Linguistics Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

Held in His Hands   Swahili: Anajua mateso yetu Anapenda kutusaidia!  Bambara: Yesu yɛrɛ y’an tɔɔrɔw bɛɛ dɔn, A bɛ sɔn ka an dɛmɛ bi.  English:  [Jesus] Only He knows of our sufferings He LOVES to help us    Worship follows me wherever God sends me for His cause! The first two lines above are a song I grew to love in DRC, East Africa while working there in 2018. My team would sing this quite often during team devotions. What truth that the Father is ever near to comfort us! As I begin to learn Bambara, I asked my language nurturer to teach me Bambara worship songs - particularly songs... Read more

Failed Dream

By Jeanne on March 31, 2020 Track: Compassion - Justice Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

In many ways, it feels like a failed first few months in my designated country. I planned to spread the word about how evil human-trafficking is, I wanted to rescue girls from bad situations and teach them skills to make a living. Reality has really kicked me down - I can hardly have a conversation let alone make a speech about human-trafficking, can someone explain how I can rescue girls from a trafficking situation (in a third world country I've never been before??), and I don't know any skills to teach others (not ones that are sustainable for people living in poverty). Before I left I was... Read more

Questions a goer loves to answer

By Sarah on March 2, 2020 Track: Languages - Linguistics Region: Africa - Sub-Saharan

    “But what are you actually doing in West Africa?” This is been the hardest question to answer as I prepare to go to serve in West Africa. My response internally usually has come out as: “What other questions can you ask to a goer?” Now, do not misunderstand my question. I want to share with people God’s vision and purpose for me in West Africa. I am excited to dream how He will be using me in ministry while I am there! I want to answer the vision question. I simply struggle with the base of that particular question. 1. It comes from a Western mind set.  As Americans, we are valued by... Read more