A Friend in Need

Hi, everyone in Blogland! This is a picture of Pastor Clement preaching in the out patient department of Ankaase Methodist Faith Healing Hospital. He has a heart for the Lord and desires that everyone come into a personal relationship with Him. There is one problem - he doesn't have tracts in the heart or first language of the patients. The language in this part of Ghana is Twi. There are three tracts available in Twi from World Missionary Press (Help from Above, How to Know God and Satan vs. God) free of charge. I ask that if you want to be a part of Pastor Clement's ministry, click on the link below and order tracts in Twi (Ashanti.) Then, you can send them to Pastor Clement. He will gladly take as many that are sent to him. Please send only what will fit in an envelope no bigger than 81/2 by 11 inches, and even a size smaller would probably be better. If it can fit in his PO Box, it's okay. If it is too big, he would have to pay import tax & that is very expensive. As American Christians, we don't realize how blessed we are - we have so much Christian literature available to us. A lot of the world does not have this type of stuff readily available to them. Anyway, send the tracts to:

Pastor Clement Forkuo

Good News AGC

PO Box KS 9725

Kumasi, Ghana

The website to order from is:

http://www.worldmissionarypress.org/

A Privilege and Responsibility

The Scriptures tell us several times to "go into all the world..." Well, this past week I had the opportunity to finalize plans for two trips, one to central Asia and one to Ghana. It was quite a challenge because I was not home when I made these plans, so I didn't have all my contact information for the people I needed to talk with in order to finalize the plans. At times, I actually felt my hair getting grayer.

I know in the big picture, it wasn't a problem, but if you would have told me that on Saturday, I would not have agreed with you. You see, on one of my trips I was being sent not to the city I requested, but to one I never heard of before this. And, it was on the weekend when all the offices were closed. Major money was at stake, plus the inconvenience of the people who would be picking me up at the airport.

I know I should have stopped and refocused because God is in control, right? Well, He is and was, the city I was planning on going to and the city I was being sent to are one in the same.

In life, a lot of times, it's the little things that bug us. We more readily give or try to give the big problems to God, but what about the little ones. Where was the finger of God in my airline reservations? It's that 5 letter "T" word again - "TRUST."

Lord, teach me to trust You in everything, in the big things, the little things and everything in between.

Wa Fu Fu

Making Fu Fu

Fu Fu

This week I have been working from my brother's house in Erie, PA. Since his wife is out of town, I've been driving him around, cooking and doing a few other things that he has difficulty with since he had surgery three weeks ago. We've eaten a few of my favorite foods and a lot of his favorite foods. I feel as if I've gained 15 pounds this week.

There is only one problem I have with this. The food we have been eating isn't always good for us. There are too many choices of foods that aren't in the packaging that they were put in by God. When I eat too much of the other food altered by man, I gain weight, I don't ave as much energy, etc.

I ate lots of God packaged food while in Ghana. Fresh fruits and veggies were in abundance! I didn't have a Christmas turkey, I had a Christmas watermelon! Mmm...good! I tried some Ghanaian food, too. Fu fu is one I liked.

Fu Fu is made by pounding (wa) kasava and plantain together while another person in a way, kneads it, adding water when necessary. The fu fu gets to a bread dough consistency. Then, you shape it into balls bigger than a softball and put one in your bowl. After that, add soup. Next, wash your right hand and begin eating - with your right hand.

My first experience with fu fu was one I'd rather not remember. It was served with light soup, and I really didn't like it. But, then, the day after Christmas, I was at a friend's house. I was invited to eat fu fu with them. The fu fu was served with ground nut soup with chicken in the soup. It was delicious! Ground nut soup (peanut) is a thicker soup and clings to the fu fu. I Thoroughly enjoyed the fu fu this way!

I have to be pro active about the choices I make if I truly want to serve God with my entire being. I need to take care of my body, which includes watching what I eat, so I can continue to do the work He has called me to do. Please pray that I will be willing and able to do this.

Connected

This week I spent three days in Norcross, GA, at the office of The Mission Society. It had been six years since I spent any time there. I didn't go to the office because I thought I should be a good steward of the money that people have sent to support my ministry. I've felt that money spent to go to the office would not be good use of my funds.

I have discovered that I could not have been more wrong! The three days at The Mission Society were days of realizing I am a part of the bigger picture. That the office staff are there to help me support me, encourage me, befriend me. I felt as if I were family. The piece of the puzzle that was lost was finally found and put in place.

While at the office, I had the opportunity to speak with others about my ministry and where it is going. Where is God leading? As much as I felt at home in Ankaase, I will continue doing what I am doing. I am part of the Global Resource Team, responding to the needs identified by missionaries on the field and the nationals. I have two trips planned for this year, one to Ghana and one to a country in central Asia. Also, I have been in contact with the team leader in Paraguay, so that is a very real possibility this year. Plus, I spent time with a friend who shared with me the needs of someone in France. Is God leading me there for several weeks? Anything is possible.

Now that I realize that the way to stay connected is to take the time to go to the office, talk with and pray with the staff, I know I will be returning on at least a yearly basis. I'm so glad God opened my eyes to the wonderful family I have in Norcross. Thanks, everyone for three great days!

Rejoicing

God is good...all the time! All the time...God is good! It was so good to say these words in Ghana and hear the Ghanaian people respond in their Brittish English. I smile just thinking about it.

I am rejoicing today because God loves me and His mercy endures forever. I am rejoicing, too, that my medical tests came back negative. Rejoice and thank God with me!

Reading Club

Today is Saturday and I find myself wondering what my friends in Ghana are doing. Today is a Reading Club day. So, from noon until 4 or 5 pm, they will be working with anywhere from 50 to 80 children/youth, helping them to better read and understand English. Although English is the national language of Ghana, it is not the first language that these children/youth learn. The language spoken in the Ankaase area is Twi. Twi is what people learn at home, at a very young age.

In the Ankaase area, only 30% of those who begin primary school will graduate senior secondary school. Poverty is one of the main reasons. The cost for Junior and Senior Secondary School prohibits most of these young people from attending. My friends, who call themselves "Ambassadors for Christ" have started the Reading Club in hope of helping the children/youth acquire the skills needed to pass entrance exams, receive scholarships to secondary school and, to break out of the chains of poverty. They help the youth practice taking exams and also teach basic computer skills.

Every other Saturday, the younger youth read a story in English and underline the words that they don't understand. Then, they practice saying the words, learn the meaning of them and answer questions about the story to improve their comprehension. The older youth take a two hour test. After that, they go over the previous session's test, learning from their mistakes and improving their skills.

The Ambassadors look at this as a ministry. It is a platform not to just teach English, but also to teach these youth about the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. They are working for the Kingdom. Are you?

The 5 Letter "T" Word

I'm having a little trouble these days with the 5 letter "T" word...trust. It is so much easier to trust God for what I need when I'm in the jungle of Peru or in a village in Ghana or anyplace else but home. And, it is so much easier to trust God for answers to prayer for other people than for myself. I had to have some bloodwork redone this week. And, I try not to think about it, but the possibility of something being wrong does not thrill me. And, waiting for results seems like an eternity. But, I know Who is in charge and Who watches out for me. I know that I can experience peace in Him. Thank You, Jesus!