Meet our Communities
The more time I spend in the communities our ECG pastors live and work in, the more I have my eyes opened to the physical and spiritual realities people face.
For example, I met with Pastor Mark and Elder Philip who is a physician’s assistant posted to work in the health center in a rural community called Mpaha. He is the only physician’s assistant serving a number of communities in the area. While visiting the health center, we met a woman who was suffering from an abscess on her breast. Elder Philip told us that something as basic as gauze was impossible to find in the pharmacy shops in the surrounding area. They have to make orders from Tamale (130 km away), but because of the nature of the rural roads, it takes days or even over a week for the health center to receive their orders. My heart is heavy when I realize the weight of some of the challenges every-day people face around Ghana. It honestly doesn’t seem fair that there is such a disparity between the distribution of resources, accessibility and basic human needs.
The depreciation of the Ghana Cedi and the appreciation of fuel, farming necessities (fertilizers), and household goods have caused hardships to many of our pastors and their community members. But yet, I recognize the spiritual awakening and hunger in the hearts of many in these communities. Pastor Caleb, who oversees 23 rural communities in the Gusheigu area, has met faithfully with one man and his household who put their trust in Jesus Christ last month. They are now the only born-again believers in their community, so Pastor Caleb has been traveling to their home very early on Sunday mornings to share God’s word and encourage the family as they grow in their new relationships with Christ. Last month, a man in another community also surrendered his life to Christ. Pastor Caleb burned all of his fetish idols and prayed over his household for freedom from spiritual bondage.
We know there are hardships on this side of eternity, so what hope do we bring as Christ’s ambassadors?
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57
Let’s keep praying for our pastors and their families, as Paul encouraged in 1 Corinthians 15:58, to be steadfast, immovable, strong and always excelling in the work of the Lord because we know that in the Lord, the labor is not in vain.
Left: Pastor Thomas and the church congregation in Guno
Center: Pastor Caleb on his soya bean and maize farm near Gmajare
Right: Elder Mandela, Pastor Mark (left), a missionary family (center) and Physician Assistant/Elder Phillip (right) in Mpaha
My brother Lazarus (Campus Ministry leader) and I led an Evangelism Training workshop with some of the University students in Nyankpala. It was a lot of fun exploring different tools (ex: games, surveys, testimonies) to initiate spiritual conversations with university students. It was very reminiscent of my own University days with Campus for Christ ministries! I look forward to spending more time on the university campus to support the evangelistic outreaches initiated by our ECG students.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Thank you for your continued prayers for Enoch’s mom. Enoch continues to travel back and forth to Accra to support his mom at the hospital. She had a successful gastric bypass surgery this month which has enabled her to eat, but we are waiting to see what chemotherapy or treatment options there are for gastric cancer.
We are still anxiously waiting to hear an approval for Enoch’s Visitor’s Visa to Canada, but trusting God for His favor and timing.
Please remember our pastors, their families and communities in your prayers. Pray for God’s physical and spiritual provision in all areas of need. Thank God for His servants who are steadfast, immovable, strong and excelling in the work of the Lord because of the victory He has given them through Jesus Christ.