The Blessing

These boys - Godwin, Blaise and Wisdom - they are amazing young men. They have a hunger and thirst for God''s Word that I wish I had. For years, they have been at the Kalsagri church whenever something was happening. They were always there for Sunday worship, for Bible study on Wednesdays and Prayer meeting on Fridays. They are now leaders of their church, leading the children's service and also preach once in awhile. They also lead Bible studies. It has been a joy to watch these boys mature into young men. They even come to church with sport coats and ties! I am proud to be called their "Makum" (Grandmother).

The Sunday of my Farewell Service, after everything was over and done with, these three young men took me aside. Each of them had a Scriptural blessing to pray over me. I was honored. I don't think it gets any better than this!

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:3-6

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

Ephesians 1:16-19a

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints - the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you.All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all it's truth.

Colossians 1:3-6

A Fond Farewell

August 19, 2018 is a day I will never forget. It was the day of my Farewell Service at Bethel Society in Lawra, Ghana.I had lived and worked with the people there for going on eight years and I ws leaving Ghana in a few weeks. This was the official time to say "Good Bye." The Service started early with a naming ceremony for the pastor's baby girl. Then, we moved onto the worship service. The Scripture passages for the day were perfect and my beloved friend and brother, Rev. Job, preached.

After communion, the "Farewell" part of the service began. I was amazed at all the people who came, young and old, Christian, Muslim and Traditional.

They all came, they all sat through the worship service. They came honor me, to show their love for me, to say, "Thank You."

It was overwhelming. I didn't do anything special while I was there. It didn't take people long to find out that I wasn't a source of large amounts of money. I didn't pay for new churches or schools. 

But, I loved the children. I spoke with the brokenhearted. I took time to sit with those older than me, to talk with them. I welcomed the handicapped. And, I tried to live out my faith.

I wasn't perfect. There were many times I had to say, "I'm sorry." And move on. People were forgiving. They were happy to talk things out because most of the time, I just didn't understand.

I was so surprised to see so many people come. And, I thank God for each and every one of them.

 These are my people. My family. What more can I say? They accepted me. I was the foreigner.

I was humbled by the outpouring of love. 

Even my little buddy, Boniface came and sat through the almost seven hour service!

When I miss my Ghanaian family, I remember, they are here with me...when I sweep the porch with the brooms from Margaret, when I water my plant that is in the pot from Hagar, when I wear the beautiful clothing from Razak's family or Boniface or Pius or Kalsagri Church or....their clothing is like a big hug, reminding me of our times together. That because of Jesus Christ, we are family.

Saying "Good-Bye" is Hard to Do

September 16, 2018 is a day I won't soon forget, if ever. That is the day I said "Good-bye" to what was home for almost eight years. More importantly, that was where my Ghanaian family and friends lived. My "kids," who call me "Makum" or "Grandmother" wanted to be with me before I left. I was supposed to leave Lawra at 6:00 in the morning. But, this was Ghana. I was destined to leave a bit later. My small boys said they would be at my house at 5:00 in the morning. "Oh, no you aren't" I told them. They could come at 5:30. I totally expected Boniface to be camped on my doorstep as early as possible. But, it was Pius who came first! After we talked small and snapped some pictures, the rest came along...Reuben with his younger brother, Rudolph, Boniface and Barnabas. They all came to see me off. 

What will I do without these sweet children in my life? It would be a lot quieter, that's for sure. I think I would rather see their smiling faces. Eventually, Razak and his wife, Dora and his daughter, Kataali came. When Anokye came, we loaded up the truck and said our last farewells. I don't think there was a dry eye to be found among us. I was leaving  with my heart full of love for these people and yet, my heart was full of love for my friends and family in the US. It was time to travel back "home" to the US. A chapter of my life was closing, another would be opening.

On the way to Accra, I tried to be "brave." I tried not to cry. After all, there were two guys in the truck. I couldn't cry in front of them. Yet, even today, my eyes are moist because I miss my children/grandchildren in Ghana. Would I see them again? Maybe. Maybe not. Only God knows. I do know all of our lives will never be the same because of our love for each other.

Joyous News

The following is an article written by Rev. Max Wilkins, President of TMS Global. It appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of Good News Magazine, a United Methodist magazine. In it, Max uses a story from the village of Kalsagri, where I worked, to illustrate his point.

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for see-I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.'" (Luke 2:11-12 NRSV)

"Please see me before you leave for the day."

The note was taped to my office door by a colleague at work. My heart sank a bit. We've been working through several challenging situations and my first thought was, "What now?" As I entered her office a short time later, however, she smiled broadly. "I've got good news!" Immediately my whole body relaxed.

"Good news." Those are two words we all enjoy hearing.They often precede a birth announcement and engagement notice. They are heard in connection with promotions at work, victories in sporting events, or positive results from medical tests. What follows them is almost always pleasant, and quite often joy producing. Rarely is anyone put off by a good news announcement.

From the very beginning, the announcement of the birth of our Savior, Jesus, God's incarnational presence in our world, has been called, "good news." According to the angels this joy producing news was for "all the people!" That includes everyone. God has entered our broken and problem plagued world with the promise of salvation, abundant life, and purpose. What is there not to like in that message? But lately, it seems, especially in the western world, many have lost confidence in the goodness and joy producing power of this message.

Much has been written about the tragic death of John Allen Chau, the young man who was killed while attempting to share the gospel with an unreached group of islanders off the coast of India. There is, undeniably, a need for conversation about Chau's missiology and methodology, and even whether he should ever have attempted to go to this island.

There is one aspect of the conversation which followed his martyrdom, however, that has given me great concern. Many people, a number of them self-professing Christians, have decried attempts to take the good news to people who haven't heard as culturally abusive and an unwanted intrusion into the lives of others. For these people, the idea that the gospel could be welcomed as good news and received with great joy by people hearing it for the first time is not only unbelievable, but dangerous and wrong. Rather than good news, these voices see the gospel as intrusive, manipulative, and unwelcomed. Yet there is much evidence that when the gospel is shared, even cross-culturally, in culturally sensitive and contextually appropriate ways, it is still an announcement of good news that is received with great joy.

Several years ago, Sue Kolljeski, one of TMS Global's cross-cultural witnesses, moved to West Africa to work in partnership with the Methodist Church of Ghana. She settled in a remote town on the border of Burkina Faso and began to learn the culture, language and traditions of the people there. Sometime later, she discovered a very remote village where there was no active church presence, and where the good news was not known. With loving care, Sue formed relationships with the people there, ministering to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the community, and sharing the good news of Jesus with them.

Over the coming months and years, scores of people from this village, both young and old, received the message openly became followers of Jesus and were baptized. Among them were three young boys who heard the message with gladness and responded with great joy. Intelligent and deeply desiring to know more about this good news, the boys longed to have the scriptures in their own language. Sue worked to make that happen. 

On the day she arrived in the village with the Bibles, the three early adolescent boys excitedly raced off with their copies of the Word, each to his own tree, where they sat for hours devouring the scriptures. These young men became so enthusiastic about the life transformative power of the gospel message that they committed to sharing it with others. Indeed, they began to refer to each other as Prophet, Evangelist and Pastor. And the people in the village began to refer to them in the same way! Today the lives of an entire village are being transformed in positive ways as a result of their embrace of this message. No wonder this good news produces great joy!

Sue retired a couple of months ago after many years of faithful service. She has returned to the United States, but not before having a wonderful farewell service in Ghana. I was blessed to be present for the almost 7 hour long affair, and witnessed multitudes of people celebrating with glad hearts and bearing witness to the life transforming power of the gospel among them. At the conclusion of the service, Prophet, Evangelist and Pastor - the three young men - came forward to read a scriptural blessing over Sue, each testifying to their gratitude for Sue's willingness to share with them that a Savior, Christ the Lord, has been born - for them!

Stories such as Sue's are being repeated around the world and here at home on a regular basis by those who not only believe the angelic message, but are willing to embrace it as their own. Taking this good news to "all the people," especially those for whom it is truly news, they are discovering that this message is not only welcomed, but life changing. And that, I would contend, is good news indeed!