About

Ghana Rural Integrated Development Inc (GRID USA) was established in 2015 as a public charitable organization. We are honored to serve as the U.S.-based fundraising and communication conduit for the Northern Empowerment Association (NEA), a Ghanaian Christian development organization that lives and works among Ghana’s poor to alleviate poverty and transform communities.

History

In the 1970s, a group of Ghanaian high school students banded together with a vision of improving the quality of life for Northern Ghanaians. Having suffered in poverty themselves, their passion for this audacious vision was deep and real. They agreed that they would use whatever skills they could acquire to improve the lives of the poor. Years later, their dream came true when they formed NEA and, as qualified professionals, started using their training for the betterment of their communities.

Kwabena: An African Boy’s Journey of Faith is the story of David Mensah’s life as African orphan and street kid who was rescued and transformed by God’s grace. He become known as a friend of the poor. You can find no better explanation of our roots and motivation than this book.

Purpose

Our motivation is Jesus Christ’s love. As Christians we feel it is our responsibility to reflect the love of Jesus Christ by being a blessing to people in great spiritual and/or physical need. With our prayers and material support, we invest in projects that improve the quality of life for people in Ghana, West Africa.

Our fundraising is advised by the leadership of NEA and focuses on improving local education, environment, food security, health, and Christian discipleship. All gifts and donations will be used for these projects while emphasizing strong stewardship of resources that minimize overhead costs for supplies and other expenses.

Board members

Tim and Kathy Bayless

Born in Bluefield, West Virginia, Tim Bayless has spent most of his life in Southern Indiana. In a career of 40 years, he has worked as a Health Educator in a facility for multi-handicapped children, a high school biology and genetics teacher, and an athletic trainer for the high school. Tim has also served in a variety of church leadership capacities, including the Board of Elders, Missions Committee, Deacon and Treasurer for Christ Community Church (CCC) in Bloomington.

Kathy was born and raised in South Charleston, West Virginia where her faith foundation was forged. She worked at Indiana University 47 years in the Campus Recreational Sports Department, serving as Executive Director for 31 years. She is grateful for varied opportunities to grow and serve while a member of CCC, including as a member of the choir and worship band, nursery volunteer, Deacon board, mission committee, and director of youth musicals.

Tim and Kathy have been associated with GRID Canada and NEA since 1987 after hearing David and Brenda Mensah share about the ministry during a church service. Their visit to Carpenter, Ghana was life changing and deepened their faith walk. They served as members of the GRID Canada board from 2009 to 2026.

In 2015, Tim and Kathy established GRID USA as a nonprofit organization, serving as the founding Financial Officer and President respectively from 2015 to 2026. They remain on the board as directors.

Lori Campbell

Lori Campbell was born and raised in a rural community in southern Indiana. Throughout her career as a clinical psychologist, she has worked with children, adolescents, young adults and their families in medical, educational, and mental health settings.

Lori has attended Christ Community Church (CCC) since 1993, where she has served as a teacher in the children’s department and currently leads a small group women’s Bible study. She has also been an adult leader in Bible Study Fellowship. After reading David Mensah’s life story in Kwabena: An African’s Boy’s Journey of Faith and listening to he and his wife Brenda several times over her years at CCC, Lori is amazed and humbled at this opportunity to be a part of their ministry.

Bill Campbell

Raised in Bloomington, Indiana, William T. (Bill) Campbell, M.D., has served his home community as a physician for many years. Bill’s faith began to mature during his college years when he started attending Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). This study profoundly shaped his understanding and love of Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of his hope and faith. His engagement with BSF persisted throughout medical school, residency, and for years after in Bloomington; there he also served as a BSF group discussion leader for many years.

Since joining Christ Community Church in 1993, Bill has contributed in several roles, including a six-year tenure on the Board of Elders. It was during this time that he first encountered David and Brenda Mensah. Over the years, seeing God work powerfully in their mission, Bill developed a deep respect and desire to engage more fully with their ministry efforts.

Frank Gorman

Frank is a retired architect with Engineering Ministries International, the Christian volunteer organization that designed the Leyaata Hospital. Working with medical personnel from the Toronto area to program the facility, Frank traveled with a team to Ghana in 2013 and again in 2018, designing an architectural master plan.

Frank has lived and worked in over 20 countries designing hospitals, schools, universities, churches, conference centers, low-cost housing, and airports. He was campus architect at Wheaton College and Calvin University. He has lived in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Florida, and lately, South Carolina. He is married to Loretta, has three children, and six grandchildren.

Audra Kunzman

Audra Kunzman-Mazdzer, M.D. has been a pediatrician for over 25 years. She practices part time in an outpatient pediatric office in Bloomington and is also an assistant professor of pediatrics practice at Indiana University School of Medicine in Bloomington.

She has attended Christ Community Church (CCC) in Bloomington for over 20 years, serving many years as a children’s Sunday school teacher and more recently on the CCC Board of Elders. She was inspired by listening to David and Brenda Mensah during their visits to CCC and also hearing from Dr. Jennifer Wilson from GRID Canada when she spoke at the church.

Rob Kunzman

Rob has been a professor of education at Indiana University in Bloomington since 2003. During that time, he has also served in a variety of roles at Christ Community Church, including the Board of Elders.

He was particularly drawn to the work of GRID-NEA because of its emphasis on empowering local communities to engage in lasting transformation. He is inspired by the long-term partnerships and faithful commitments of those who serve that mission.

Bob Whitaker

Bob has been one of the pastors at Christ Community Church (CCC) for 28 years, and he has visited GRID-NEA in Ghana multiple times over the past 20 years. CCC was the first church to support David and Brenda in their mission to bring clean water to remote villages in Ghana. Watching the dramatic growth of this ministry from its infancy, to initiating sustainable agricultural development, to church planting, to the building of the Leyaata Hospital has been one of the richest blessings that CCC has experienced.