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doulos
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 141
Location: Springfield, MA
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 Posted:
Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:11 pm |
 
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Dear Friends,
God has greatly blessed us over the past few weeks here in Ghana. We just hosted a 15 member ministry team from Pensacola Christian College. Each person on the team was greatly used in different ministries all over Ghana, from the capital city in Accra to the Upper East Region in Bolgatanga. I have enclosed a copy of their team leaders’ final report before leaving the field.
This week I am flying alone to the USA to attend my daughter Rosie’s graduation from High School, attend a MABMI board meeting in Dallas and preach at the Pinecrest Baptist Church in Atlanta. I will be gone for two weeks so please remember my wife and children in prayers as I leave them behind.
Thank you so much for your faithfulness in our lives and ministry!
For Eternity!
Steve
****************************************************************************
Report from Dr. John Reese, the Go-Forth team leader.
Ghana Update #6 - Tuesday, June 3rd
Well we’re back from our trip to the northlands of Ghana. The Lord smiled on our efforts, and we saw some great things done for His glory.
After our two evening rallies, we saw the culmination of the weekend’s work in a double service on Sunday Morning on the grounds of the future Calvary Baptist Church building in Bolga-Tonga. This is the land that the Campus Church 2007 Christmas Project helped to purchase. Pastor Peter and the church members send their special thanks for the generous gift. The location is prime and the potential for future growth is excellent.
What a thrill it was to see approximately 75 adults gather under tent-tops and lift our voices in praise to God. Our team provided special music as well as an instrumental prelude (flute and trumpet), and then we heard a challenging message on Nicodemus preached by Joel Porcher. Several responded to the evangelistic plea. Meanwhile, another 50 children met in a nearby area for children’s church.
After a break in which bags of water were provided for all in attendance, we transitioned into another service while half of the team joined a group going to the lake for a baptism. Dan Shepler preached on Daniel purposing to serve God, no matter the cost.
At the end of the second service, eleven people came forward for church membership and another five, including the interpreter, expressed interest in Bible School.
So altogether, our weekend outreach resulted in 30-40 solid decisions for Christ and eleven taking the next step toward baptism and church membership. What a thrill. All of this for a cost of $150 (U.S) to rent sound equipment , tents, and chairs.
The Lord has impressed us to pray with the missionaries about acquiring a portable sound system for the missionary team. The one we rented was of inferior quality (wireless mikes kept cutting out). A portable system would have multiple uses….every month, all of the missionary pastors in the region (20-25) gather for two days. They have a fellowship in the morning and then go soul-winning in the afternoon. It culminates with a special rally on Friday night. Partnering like this really encourages the local pastor and helps to build his flock (similar to our outreach this weekend).
So you see a good quality portable sound system would be a valuable asset (generators can be used where electricity is not available.) Other uses of the system would be su show evangelistic films as an outreach into the various communities.
A Chinese brand system with amplifier, pole speakers and five microphones could cost approximately $3,500. A better German made version would cost approximately $4,200 (U.S. funds).
After church, we enjoyed an excellent meal of chipped beef (well seasoned0 and rice or potato fires along with soft drinks. Our team of 15 plus the six national pastors and two missionaries ate for $100 (U.S.funds) The six national pastors have taken time out of their schedule to join us for this trip to the northlands. That way every American group going out on visitation had a national to guide, interpret and provide general safety. We never felt threatened in any way…This has been a very good arrangement; parents and friends can rest easy knowing that the missionaries have much foresight and have been very careful to look out for our wellbeing.
Speaking of safety, after lunch, we went to a crocodile pond and had the opportunity to kneel beside the crocodile for pictures (no he wasn’t dead, but he was distracted by the chicken waiting to provide lunch for the big boy (10 feet long; one of the crocs is 90 yrs old).
It didn’t take long for him to devour the bird. He eats at least six of them per day. If he’s hungry, he will chase ducks at night for additional snacks).
On Monday, we piled into the van for a trip to a game reserve on our way back to headquarters in Techiman. Ask the team members of the most memorable part of the trip to the national reserve and chances are, they will respond, “the bumpy dirt road”. It made the speed bumps at Wal Mart feel like a turnpike. In places, it was smoother to get off the road and travel through the ditch alongside the road. Little wonder everyone cheered when we returned to paved road on the way back to Techiman on Tuesday.
On Monday evening, we took a riding tour of parts of the 4,800 square km reserve. We spotted a number of antelope and water buck, but the highlight of that safari was getting the dual-wheeled 23 passenger van stuck. Thankfully, “many hands make van move out of mud puddle.” Good thing too because there wasn’t a tow truck within 200 miles probably. After a tasty supper on the veranda, we prepared to retire for the night as wart-hogs and antelope passed within 25-30 feet of the rooms where we stayed.
Early Tuesday, ten of the adventurous team members embarked on a guided walking tour. The guide carried a rifle just in case a bull elephant got ornery. While we were out, those who stayed back saw elephants and baboons up close as they wandered through the compound grounds.
The time has flown by even faster then we expected. We are tired but exhilarated at what the Lord has accomplished in these few short days. There are just three days of ministry left before we fly out of Accra early Friday morning. When we leave Techiman tomorrow, Erica will make her way to join the Ray Davis family in Tokoradi (sp?) for another two weeks. Joel will accompany us to Accra and then return to Techiman for another two weeks to labor with the missionaries before he returns to the States.
Due to travel and our staying in the missionary guest house in Accra the last two days where there is no internet access, this will be our last update from the field.
Thank you so very much for your prayer support during this mission trip. We’ve seen several specific instances where those prayers were very clearly and directly answered. And, surely, there are other answers to prayer of which we are not even aware. Your support for the team members will yield eternal dividends. Even our trip to the reserve turned out to be a divine juncture as my wife led two young men named Emmanuel and Komar to the Lord while we were there. If he and the scores of others who have responded to the Gospel message could somehow communicate to you, they would have thanksgiving on their lips that someone cared enough to support an endeavor like this. As team leaders and on behalf of the Go Forth Mission staff, we say THANK YOU!
As I compose this email, we are packed into the van on the return trip to Techiman. Seated beside me is one of the national pastors, Pastor Steve Sarfo Adu. He works with two village churches where there is no electricity, and the people live in mud huts. He rides a motorcycle between the two villages as he ministers. I’ve asked him to give you a message from the national pastors in Ghana. These will be the closing words of this commentary. Consider them carefully.
“I am very happy to see the team come to visit. I’m thankful for their safety. We are praying that the Lord will touch some of the visitors, and they will come to help us here. The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few.”
--Pastor Steve Sarfo Adu, village pastor in Boankron and Forikrom |
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