Finally! A post from the team!

Sunday, June 20, 2010


Hey everyone! Steve here. Rebecca is our blogger, but she is busy as a one-armed paperhanger right now sorting meds and other supplies for our medical mission. [Note: the next two entries will cover our first two days...she typed them up for you but we just now got internet access.] So I will bring you up to speed on Sunday.

In short, it was incredible day. The highlight was our day trip to Ayibonte, which is near Adoagyire, home of our previous bush hotel experience (ask Charlie about that). Maranatha (MPM) has a school there they operate and we went to bless the school children there. The school serves 4 villages, but they are beginning to build another one there that would serve 12 villages! Amazing work we can help with, SHBC! The program we participated in was a fundraiser for the school. MPM operates the school free of charge to the students--in Ghana public education is not free, although inexpensive. During this time, they were trying to raise money for 160 school uniforms. Many of the locals pledged their money and purchased several of the uniforms. You will be most proud to know that our kids (and adults) paid to buy 88 school uniforms (at $6/each!)

Then Jeff preached the Gospel and God poured out his blessing. Over 40 prayed to receive Christ including 3 of the villages' chiefs! Praise Jesus!!!! Jeff along with the team praying for him got to witness the Holy Spirit using his incredible message to move the hearts of the people. Meanwhile, the other students were outside playing with the children. They did an amazing job giving all their strength in the heat and humidity picking up kids, tossing them in the air, spinning them around and learning that if you spin one, you spin them all. It was a beautiful sight watching our kids love on the kids there with absolute joy pouring out of them.

The adults and I went with the chief and Pastor Odai to the future school site. So we have seen the vision of the future. There is no doubt if we can complete this school that children will be brought up with Christian values. It is very clear here that if children are not taught about Jesus they will be taught the muslim faith or voodoo tradition. We are in a battle and a race for souls here in Ghana. Every prayer, every dollar, every missionary makes a tremendous difference! Keep praying!

Jeremiah was probably voted most popular in the village. The chiefs all took to him. I told him it was his Native American background. Tribalism is palpable. But I digress. The chiefs and he exchanged phone numbers. For future questions about zoning and infrastructure, I suppose. Wakie, you might buy Jeremiah simVillage for Christmas. But in their bonding moment, they decided to give him a goat. He accepted. Who wouldn't. So we towed a goat back to Accra on top of Pastor Odai's SUV. Riding underneath, I can tell you it was an entertaining ride home. Even in Ghana, this is weird. Lots of pointing and staring and some passing concern for the frightened goat tethered to the luggage rack.

This morning we led the worship services, Sunday Schools, and youth and children's services. All students were involved. Jason was to preach the first sermon but we got there too late, so he shared an abbreviated version. I (Steve) preached service 2. Annie and Eric also shared their testimonies and did incredble jobs.

That is all for now. Busy day tomorrow. And goat for dinner.