Mission Report

February 2023

 

Greetings from West Africa:

 

     I arrived in Ghana on Wednesday, January 25th.  I taught on meditation at the Taborah Church that night.  On Saturday the Nsuwam Road Church was having an area wide youth program that Albert Ghansah was speaking at and we spent the day there with him and the family in support of the program.  On Sunday I spoke at the Knutsford Church of Christ and on Monday we headed north to Salaga.  It was certainly great to get back to Salaga and the family there as it had been more than a year since my return due to Roses surgery, then vaccination issues, and then funding issues.  Satan may hinder us, but he cannot stop us.  In the first week we had two baptisms.  One was a student named Thomas who was taught by Gabriel {Martha’s husband) in the campus ministry.  After that was Patience, who is the wife one of the members. Ulanja and I had studied with her before I left in 2021 and he continued in my absence. 

 

     Ulanja and Joseph were able to start the prison ministry again after a long pause due to Covid-19 restrictions.  I cannot write much, as I cannot risk that my report might get to someone in government who could hinder my access to the prison, or even to Ghana, but I will tell you that the situation for the prisoners is grave.  The economy here is in desperation as the value of the Ghana cedi has lost 100% since I left Ghana.  An inside source informed me that the government is only allowing what equals 15 cents a day to feed the prisoners.  Before you tell yourself that food is so much cheaper here and that is not a big thing, I will tell you that that is not true at all.  15 cents will get you about a hand full of rice.  They are in need of soap, toothbrushes, medicines, food, and the like.  When Covid-19 restrictions had come, the prisoners were not allowed to receive outside food any longer.  The local guards and prison authority lifted that restriction in order that the prisoner would have sustenance.  Most of those in prison in Salaga are there for theft, which is not uncommon in a poverty stricken economy.  We are begging for help on their behalf.

 

     This week we had to take in one of the church members from the village of Tanado.  She was in her seventh month of pregnancy when she began to miscarry.  Amos, her husband, had to bring her on a motorbike through very rough terrain to the Salaga hospital.  They did surgery and were able to save the child and her but she could not return to the village and be returning to Salaga for treatments.  Therefore, we have taken her into the house in Salaga.  The hospital is also suffering under the economy.  Our own preacher from Salaga (Ulnaja) had to go in due to a back injury.  They had no sheets for the beds.  Patient’s relatives were being sent out to find medicines as the hospital was short on them.  One patient who was on oxygen had to give up their oxygen for another patient as they did not have enough to go around and the other patient was in worse condition.  It has put Ulanja on a campaign to get a hospital ministry going on behalf of the church and he has asked me to seek help through our newsletter.  I have asked him to put together a detailed report that I can send out. 

 

     We are also in dire straits for Bibles.  I do not normally put so much need in these letters but it is necessary under the current distress.  Not only do we need help with the prisons and hospitals, we need Bibles for the prisoners, the high school campus ministries, and other Bible studies.  We are able to get NKJV Bibles in Tamale for about $7.00 each with transportation included.  We are hoping to get enough funds to get 500 and get bulk rate.  However, this is a continuous issue as we have to seek Bibles every year.

 

     Ulanja and I are alternating weeks to go and support the village churches with teachings. 

Every other week I preach in Salaga and then go to a village the following week.  I am scheduled to visit some the churches we have planted on the Upper East in April.  We have completed one set of leadership classes in February and have another one set for March.  We are having a regional gathering of the churches in Kuwani on March 31 through April 2.  There is so much going on to try and talk about, but these are the highlights.  Feel free to correspond with us if you have any questions.

 

All correspondence and donations go to:

 

The Lima/Allen County Church of Christ

P.O. Box 1688

Lima, Ohio, 45802

Website: thesaintsatlima.com

Phone: (Rose) 419-296-1828