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!

A Privlege

A couple of times this past week I was in

situations where the people in the class/group were asked if anyone felt led to pray or wanted to pray aloud. As usual, everyone in the group was engaged in a deep study of their hands or their shoes. No one spoke up and said, "I will, let's pray!"

I find this a little disturbing. As I travel throughout the world, working within other cultures, I am convicted of my own sin, my own pride, my own feeling of "what if I say the wrong thig?" Brothers and sisters in other countries readily take up the privelege of prayer, of going before the throne of grace to worship, to speak on another's behalf, to give thanksgiving. They aren't afaid to pray in a group, because, after all, they aren't praying to impress me or anyone else, they are talking with their Friend, their Savior, their Lord, the Person who is there for them every moment of the day, every day of their lives. What a lesson!

One of my recent prayers for myself was to be more bold in my faith, to speak up more, to pray with others more, to take advantage of those God given opportunities. Prayer is a privlege that we need to take advantage of...we need to exercise that privlege daily, numerous times a day, keeping our eyes on the One to whom we speak. We will then know a closeness to the Lord when we take the step of faith and speak out in prayer!

Where Do I Go From Here?

Since I returned to PA from my trip to Ghana I have been wondering, "Where do I go from here?" Ankaase felt so much like home, sometimes even more than my apartment does. Yes, there were bugs, big ones, yes, there was a mouse swimming in my toilet (I have a picture to prove it) and cows in my front yard. But, after a month I still wonder, "How are things at the hospital? Is the floor put in at the library? How is Pastor Clement doing? How many kids were at reading club? Who preached on Sunday?" I look at the clock and wonder what is going on in Ankaase.

I marvel at the fact that God has placed this on my heart. This isn't what was supposed to happen. I was supposed to live in Khabarovsk, Russia for five years. But, God's plans for my life were a little different from mine. I came back from my visit to Khabarovsk disillusioned. I rarely spoke about the trip. God had a different place to use me in ministry. I've been doing that through the Global Resource Team in Russia, Peru, in the US and in other countries. The point is, God is working in my life. Leading me to places where I never dreamed of going.

Now, all I dream about is Ghana. I look at my clothes in the light of, "Will this be useful in 85 degree weather?" When I go grocery shopping I think, "I'll have to pack some of this - you can't buy this in Ghana." And even yesterday I bought something and then though, "I'll just save this for when I go to Ghana." Is that where He will be taking me for the next chapter of my life? I'm not sure yet. I ask that you will pray with me that I would hear the leadings of the Holy Spirit and then act on them no matter where they take me. After all, the adventure is Him!

Ambassadors for Christ

This is an amazing group of people. They call themselves Ambassadors for Christ. They live in or near Ankaase, Ghana. In April 2006 a group from Kentuckey went to Ankaase to conduct a Vacation Bible School for the children of Ankaase. When the Americans went home, this group decided to band together to continue the work that the Americans started. Since then, they have held monthly rallies or activities to use as a platform for evangelism of the youth in the area. They have also started a reading club to help the kids better read and comprehend English, the national language of Ghana, but not the first language of the area.

While I was in Ghana, I worked with the Ambassadors. They all have full time jobs and most have families. Yet, while I was there, we visited six Christian Churches, six primary schools, held three trainings, held a spelling competition, had a Vacation Bible School for 400+ children and had reading club twice a month on Saturdays from noon until 4PM.

You have to realize that for these people to go grocery shopping, have access to the internet and a miriad of other things, they have to travel at least an hour on a crowded tro tros (van) and carry everything back with them on the tro tros. It takes hours for even the simplest of chores. Yet, they have chosen to give up their "free" time for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. They are an amazing group. I wish you all could have met them!

My Pastors

Yesterday I received a phone call from one of my pastors. It was the third call that I know of in less than three weeks. These guys are amazing! They have challenged me and given me opportunity upon opportunity to speak boldly about my faith. We have had discussions about the Bible, Billy Ghrahm, missions, Africa, and any number of topics. They keep me accountable in spiritual matters, health concerns and in every day life. They opened their churches to me whenever I needed to get away from the world and be in the sanctuary spending uninterupted heart to heart time with the Lord. No, they are not Pastor Brad Neel and Pastor Chris Kindle of Concord UMC (although those guys are great, too.) The pastors I am talking about are my two Ghanaian pastors, Pastor Victor Anderson (Methodist) and Pastor Clement Forkuo (Assembly of God.)

Receiving phone calls from Ghana is not something that I've ever expected or dreamed of. These two servants of God spend part of their day at the Ankaase Methodist Faith Healing Hospital preaching the Word of God, going on Prayer Rounds, talking with patients. They each have a congregation in Ankaase and Pastor Anderson oversees 12 Methodist Churches. Yet, even in the midst of their busy schedules, they find time to personally visit people in the area (by walking) and "pastor" them. They are part of the reason that Ankaase is home to me. They have gone over and above what most people would do to make a person welcome in their church. Every Sunday there was a capsule version of the semon in English so that the two of us who didn't understand Twi would still be hearing the Word of God proclaimed. Thet also made sure we knew the Scripture references and hymn numbers. I learned so much about humble servanthood from these two men of God. I may be in America with Pastor Brad and Pastor Chris as my pastors, but Pastor Anderson and Pastor Clement will always be my pastors, too.

Home

Home. We all want to be at home, to feel at home. But, as I traveled to Ghana, I wondered, "Will I feel as if I'm at home?" After all, I would be there for two months.

Ken Medema has a song entitled "Home." It mentions all the things I think of when I think of being home. Home is a place to hang your hat, a place to spread my clothes, a place that is safe and warm, a place to stand and shout, a place to sit and cry, a place to think things out, a place to wonder why. Home is a place where I can scream, a place where I can dream, a place to sleep in peace, a place to be revived, a place for growing old, a place to face my death.

Is it really possible to feel at home, to be at home half way across the world in a culture that is so different than the one I live in? Yes, it is. I have come to the conclusion that home doesn't have to have 5 rooms and a bath. It doesn't have to have a couch, comfy chairs, a television, microwave, bedroom set or even a toilet seat (although I do appreciate the fact that I do have a toilet seat!) It doesn't have to have a closet full of clothes and shoes or a closet full of sheets and towels or even space for stuff that I "might need." All I need for a place to be home is to know that I am in the will of God. Sometimes that isn't easy. Sometimes being in the will of God is a journey and not a destination. It's during the journey that the concept of being home is hard to grasp at times.

I'm on that journey now. I'm living here in the states, but, my heart is in Ghana. As I seek God's will for my life I am home, but I want to know the earthly destination. Where will I be in a year? In two years? In five years? I hope that the answer will be, "at home, in God's will."

Hassles of Progress, Peace of Simplicity

The past three days have been filled with hassles. I need to get a newsletter out by the 15th of the month. That in itself is not a problem. The problem came when I discovered that it would be a lot cheaper to print the color copies myself than to pay to have them done (about $400.) So, I purchased paper and ink cartridges. The problem started when my computer didn't have enough "virtual memory," whatever that is. And, since I had so many color pictures in my newsletter, the memory filled up rather quickly causing the printer to run very slow. So, I decided to copy the newsletter and not print it from Word. That was much better. But, I could only program the copier to run 9 copies at a time. So, I needed to stay near my desk/printer/copier. If I ran my computer while I was copying, things again went VERY slowly. (A computer geek friend will work on my computer this weekend.) Anyway, several ink cartridges later, my newsletter is printed! But, I found a typo. Let's just pretend a spelling "completion" is something Ghanaian.

I took the newsletter to church to have it folded. The machine kept taking anywhere from 2 to 4 sheets of paper at a time. Plus, some were very nicely folded into acordians. I ran out of envelopes and had to pick up another box while at church. And the hassles will continue until this is finally in the mail.
While in Ghana, life was so simple. You either had electricity or not. You had water or not. Each day began with sun up and ended at sun down. There were no computers (at least not for me), no folding machines, few envelopes, no mass mailings. Life was simple.

The day started with Scripture and prayer and Bible study. Then, a simple breakfast and getting ready to walk to the hospital for devotions and prayer rounds. After that, sometimes a visit with a friend or a Bible discussion with a pastor. Next, walk home and prepare for my next sermon - without the help of any of my study Bibles. Many afternoons were spent in Scripture and prayer or visiting the kids at school or possibly walking back to town to go to the market. Cooking was simple, laundry was done by hand, garbage was buried or burned. Life was at a simpler pace. If one thing got done, it was a good day. The focus was not on how much one got done, but on the people you saw, spoke with, worked beside. People cared about people, invested time in relationships, and were honest and not superficial.
Simplicity. Relationships. Peace. I love life in Ankaase. I can't wait to go back!