An Open Mic and Community Night to benefit Helping Hands Missions, Inc. was held on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 26. Arana Pettyjohn acted as hostess at the event, which was held at Gateway Fellowship, 8011 Cannon Road, Bridgeville. Members of the public were encouraged to present their talents – from singing and rap to spoken word and written observations. Also featured were local hip-hop duo J. Hall and Don T., as well as Nashir Rasheed, otherwise known as “Poetry in Motion.”
During the dinner, provided by the Hinds Family catering, the crowd was entertained by the mixing prowess of DJ Hindzight. Rhonda Bailey made sure the room was bedecked in a fashionable style. Directly following, songs and poetry flowed. In the midst of it, Tammy Cook – a volunteer with Helping Hands Missions, Inc. – spoke about the work she is doing through the ministry, run by Pastor Vincent and Catrina Hinds and its board of directors.
Hip hop duo J. Hall and Don T. were among the featured performers at the benefit dinner. Photo by Rebecca Jones
She spoke about her desire to be a part of missions work, and then became involved during a trip to Ghana with the group. She stated the nation of Ghana has become her passion. She said she was there that night to try to bring awareness and to raise money to fund the building of wells in that African nation, called, “bore-holes.”
She said as part of her first trip to Ghana, she was part of a 15-member team with Helping Hands Missions, which included a nurse-practitioner and two nurses. While medical care was provided to residents, a part of her team worked with children’s ministries. While there, she saw the second and third wells to be built in that area. “No words can describe what I saw and witnessed,” Cook said.
She described the hardships those in Ghanan villages endure, while walking three to four kilometers to get contaminated water from a water hole. She explained that wells are healthier for the villagers – especially the children and elderly, who often get sick from the contaminated water. Some of the wells the ministry funds are equipped with hand pumps, while others are mechanized.
Cook also said that drilling wells also open up discussion of the gospel, because the wells provided for the villagers from the wells Helping Hands supplies are available to anyone who needs water, whereas the wells dug by Muslim factions in Ghana only allow fellow Muslims to utilize their wells.
As she shared Proverbs 3:5-6, Cook said, “My goal is 10 wells, but I won’t stop. As long as there is breath in my body… I will open up and speak for that country.”
She noted that every penny donated to her cause goes directly through the ministry to build the wells, which cost $3,500 per well to provide clean water to people in villages of Ghana. Pastor Vince Hinds later said, “We don’t get paid one penny. We are all volunteers, including the board members. If you want to give it to a well, 100 percent goes to a well.”
At the end of the evening, Hinds’ wife Catrina said to the audience, “We couldn’t do this without you.”
Pastor Hinds added that he would love to have a night such as the one that transpired every year. As he thanked all who helped make the night possible, he gave special thanks to Arana Pettyjohn, and her mother, Selena, noting that they helped to fund the drilling of nine wells this past year. “You’re saving lives from disease, sickness and death,” he said.
If anyone wishes to make a donation to help fund wells in Ghana, contact Helping Hands Missions, Inc., 20960 Camp Road, Bridgeville, DE 19933.
