Thursday, May 31
Thursday was a supply buying day. We needed to exchange funds as well as get foodstuffs, bottled water, a generator as well as other items. Every thing went well initially. We were able to replace the cell phone we had for the last three years. We got most of our supplies. The only other thing which we needed to get was temporary internet service. This would enable us to send emails wherever we have cell service instead of searching for an internet café.
Upon inquiring about the service, we found out that we needed my laptop to configure the system. Christopher Letsa and John Patamia ran back to Afienya to get it as the rest of us continued shopping. The girls were able to buy some fabric in order to have outfits made. We still had not found a generator yet.
By the time John and Chris returned with the laptop, it was about 2:30 in the afternoon. I sent the group to Southern Fried Chicken for a late lunch while Chris, John, and myself went to Ghana Telecom to have, what had been assured me, a ten minute job completed. At 5:30, they finally finished with the service working. None of us had eaten since about 5:30 that morning so we stopped at SFC to eat and finally arrived back to Afienya around 8 pm.
Jim was already in bed and the rest were washing down for the night. We set up and talked until about ten but we were all so exhausted that bedtime came early.
Friday, June 1
I would like to say that everyone was up early and ready to go to Aveyime, but such was not the case. We had to run back to Tema and get a generator and then straight to Aveyime. The driver said that he needed to purchase some fuel. We had fueled up our original van but it needed serviced before we headed to the north. He pulled into the station bought the fuel and returned to start the van and be on our way– only one problem he put diesel fuel into a gasoline powered car. What was going to be an hour’s errand now was about to take half a day. When it became apparent that it was going to take a while to remove and drain the gas tank and get the van started, we hailed another vehicle to take us to Tema. Addo and myself left the group a SFC to relax and he and I went to get the generator. As usual, by the time we bought the generator and the necessary cables it was nearly 4 pm. We had initially told the group to go ahead but just as they we about to leave we called and told them we were on our way. They ordered take-out for us and about 30 minutes later we finally left for Aveyime.
We were met in Aveyime by Christopher and the brethren. He had found us a nice house to stay in. We decided we would eat a sandwich after street preaching that night. We arrived at the site about 7 pm and began setting up the projector and PA system. Chris told me that there had not be a video shown in the village in the past twenty years. I would say that there were over 200 in attendance. Jim preached after we showed the life of Christ video. It took three trips to carry all the people from Aveyime back to the town. I sent our group in the first flight because I knew they were tired and hungry. The second group were local brethren. By the time the van returned to carry the remainder of us back to the house six Ghanaians who had heard the preaching desired to be baptized. At first they wanted to wait until morning because it was a five mile walk through the bush to the nearest water. I suggested that we drive them into Aveyime and baptize them and then carry them back to the village. It was after midnight before the six souls were added to the kingdom and we returned to the house. When we arrived it was light off – no electricity. You haven’t seen darkness until you experience a nearly total blackout. Fortunately for us, one the brethren was an electrician and was able to attached our new generator to the house circuit and we were able to have fans and lights. I finally hit the bed about 1 am.
Saturday, June 2
Adela, John Patamia and I are up at 5:30 and are late. We have a four hour drive to Kukurantumi and we need to be there by 9 am. Paul Addo's father passed away in April and they are having the funeral today. Paul has been a friend for a number of years. When we arrived there were approximately 1000 friends and family gathered for the funeral. Paul's father was a Methodist and it was held at their church building. It was overflowing and about half the mourners were sitting outside.
While we were at the funeral the rest of the group was doing fighting the rain in Agbetikpo. Jim said that approximately six inches of rain fell and some of the roads were flooded. They did personal work in the village and two more souls were added to the kingdom. They were not able to street preach but they did have the newly baptized brethren to the house and has Bible study with them.
Sunday, June 3
This morning Jim taught Bible Study at Aveyime, Brittany and Erin taught the children's class, and Brian preached the worship sermon. There were five more baptisms after morning service.
Adela, John, and myself worshiped at the Kukurantumi church of Christ. I taught the Bible class and preached at worship. I found out later that it was their first Sunday in their new building. We left immediately after services to return to Aveyime. John's car was having transmission problems and there were times that Adela and I had to exit the car in order for it to go. We found out later his clutch discs were bad.
When we arrived in Aveyime, it was not long until we left for evening worship. It was nearly 8:00 before everyone arrived and about 9:30 when we closed. We went back to the house and had a wonderful meal of watermelon and fresh pineapple.
Monday, June 4
Monday morning found Adela and I up and out of the house early once again.
Since we are moving to the north on Tuesday, we needed to stock up on food supplies for a ten day trip. Adela and I would take the lead into Tema to buy the supplies and let the rest sleep in for a while. The reason we did this is because this was the only day we had available to go to the Bible House to purchase Bibles. This require a trip into Accra, the capitol city of Ghana. It has a population of about three million. If we waited until everyone got ready we would not make it into Accra and back in a reasonable length of time.
After about three hours of running around Tema market we met up with the group and took off for Accra. At the Bible House we purchased a case of English Standard Version Bible and about 10 extra smaller size Bibles. We ended up with about 33 English Bibles for about 500 dollars. We arrived back in Afienya around 5 pm and began loading the van for the trip to the north.
Just as we got there the power went off, fortunately we were able to hook up the generator to the house and we had lights and fans for the rest of the night. By about 8 pm we had the van all loaded except for the personal items we needed the next morning.
Tuesday, June 5
Up at 4:30 am. We quickly got ready and fixed sandwiches and drinks and left for the north. It would be about a 9 hour drive through Hohoa, Nkwanta, and finally to Yendi. The trip was fairly uneventful except for when we came upon a wreck which had occurred just previously to our driving past. A small lorry had swerved off the road and over turned in the bushes.
Amazingly no one was hurt. We were thankful for that. We arrived in Yendi between 3:30 and 4:00. Niipak Laar met us and led us to the church of Christ mission house. I had been at the house nearly ten years ago but the complex has changed much since I was here last. There is a clinic which was here before but there is now also about three or four more houses plus Royce and Cindy Reynolds had built a home and an additional clinic for mothers and children. Royce and Cindy have both died but their daughter and son-in-law visit occasionally. Many Christians have done a lot of good work over the years in Ghana, Royce and Cindy Reynolds were two of those.
Erin and Brittany are doing well. Erin has been game to try all the different types of food and has been very inquisitive about what is going on around. Brittany has been somewhat subdued but she has been having headaches which seem to be a side effect of the malaria medicine. On the ride to the north I put Erin and Brittany in the back of the van with Christopher, John, Alice, and Beatrice. It wasn't long until I could hear them all laughing and joking. Chris and John are both fine Christian men.
John is married and the father of three. Chris married a Ghanaian girl who is living in the US and is now a US citizen. He had baptized her before she moved to the US and kept in touch with her and they were married about two years ago. Rita, Chris's wife, showed Shirley and I around New York City when we went there in October.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
Some of the local preachers came to mission house to greet us this morning.
NiiPak asked me to give the devotion this morning and to talk about unity. It seems that the preachers are divided among the two clans which have been in conflict and that the people have been pushing them to take a more divided stance. There were about 15 of us and we all sat down to a breakfast of French Toast. Niipak told me that some of the whites come and will eat in the house and the Ghanaians will eat outside. I guess that he was glad that we all ate together. Sadly, after the devo, as we planned to go and great the soon-to-be chief, some of the brothers who were of the other clan left.
We went and greeted the regent. As we were approaching the palace, we saw technicians installing a satellite dish. I guess a chief needs to keep abreast of world happenings. After the initial introductions each of us were given a cola nut to chew. I guess this is part of their ritual greeting process. It tasted horrible. I was about to take a big bite of it when Adela across the room said with a forced whisper, "small bite, small bite." I am thankful he did. It tasted like bad dirt. The rundown on the visit to the chief goes like this:
Elders $20
Chief $50
The look on Erin's face when she was asked to stay with the chief . . .
priceless.
Just as we were about to leave the chief leaned forward and said something to one of the elders who then turned to me and asked if Erin would stay behind. I said that would not be possible that they price for her was too high. Not one less than fifty goats or a new motorcycle. He wouldn't go for it so she will be returning with us. I was sort of hoping for that motorcycle.
We left there and went to visit the local leprosarium. There are six lepers left and four of them are Christians. Some have lost joints from their fingers and you can tell the cartilage is missing from their noses. It is a sad and pitiful thing. At least there is a cure for the disease. There was not until recent years.
We headed for Saboba. The place where we are staying is a motel. Adela and I share one room. The girls another and Brian and Jim have a room. Running water was not working and we arrived to light off. We were scheduled to hold Bible study for the Saboba church but we did not arrive until after eight. By then the people were tired, so we sang songs and answered questions. It was not until 10 pm that we closed for the night. But the time we got back to the motel, had something light to eat, and washed down it was not until after midnight that we all got into bed.
THURSDAY, JUNE 7
Today we are heading out to Tended. We were supposed to be there at 9 but it was not until 10:30 that we were able to arrive at the village. Jim and Brian preached and twenty expressed a desire to be baptized. Since the van would not hold everyone, Jim went to take the pictures for all of us. While he was gone, Brian and I answered questions posed by those in attendance.
It was nearly 2 pm when we left.
After lunch, most of us spent a few minutes resting before we returned to the village for street preaching. All was going well until about 5:45 when a monsoon let loose. It rained and stormed until about 7:30 and by then Niipak said it would be too late for most of the villages to come out. We stayed at the motel and learned a Ghanaian song Awradi Bebe (The Lord will come). A long but mostly fruitful day.
FRIDAY, JUNE 8
This morning found us up early and anxious to travel to the village to preach. While we were having breakfast an American, Bob Young, came to the motel we are staying. Bob and Jean Young have been in the north since 1988.
She is a surgeon and has been working at a hospital in Saboba for nearly all those years. They are doing a wonderful work.
After breakfast we headed for Gbanli, the church has been there for a while and they have resisted any denominational influx. The village numbers about 250 and there are also other various villages in close proximity. Niipak estimated that about 1000 Ghanaians live within a two to five mile radius.
The women from these villages must walk about three hours to the river to get water and three hours back. It takes up nearly their entire day to get one bucket of water for their families. We met with them for about three hours this morning.
We returned back to the motel to find “light off.” Most of the time we have not had running water but now there is no electricity. The girls have had a difficult time washing down in what has been cloudy water at best. I think they have been using baby wipes. They have been real troopers and have not complained at all.
This evening we headed for Sachido to street preach. We arrived about 6:30 and began setting up. By seven when it was dark the bugs started coming in multitudes. I cannot even begin to explain what it was like. I told the two girls to stay in the van. The rest of us had bugs down our shirts and trousers and in our hair. Jim took a picture of a moth whose wing span was nearly seven inches. We thought it the prototype for a new stealth bomber it was so large. We showed a film about Jesus for about twenty minutes and then Jim preached. After his lesson, 32 people responded to the invitation desiring to put on Christ in baptism. With the water so far away, we loaded all thirty-two along with Erin and Brittany and the driver into the van and away they went. Niipak and John Patamia followed on the motorcycle.
While they were gone we showed the remainder of the movie to those who were gathered. I would place the number gathered to be between 150 and 200.
These were people who live in mud huts with no water, no electricity, no modern conveniences trying to scratch a living from the earth. It took them about an hour and a half to get to the water, baptize the 32, and return.
About ten minutes before they returned, a spider about the size of my fist scurried across the ground near me. I have slept where there have been rats, I have watched snakes slither across the walk in front of me and kept going, but I do not like spiders. As soon as the van returned, this “Elvis left the stadium” and sat in the van. It was near midnight when we made it home and nearly one before most of us got to bed. Fortunately, the motel manager allowed John to hook up the generator to the motel electrical system and we were able to have fans. The end of a great day.
Saturday, June 9
This morning we traveled to Kuntuli, a small village on the road to Yendi.
The congregation had a church building at one time but it was destroyed about two years ago in a heavy storm. The winds blew the roof structure completely off and twisted the roofing sheets until they could not be used.
All three of us preached this morning, and two desired to be baptized and two former brothers were restored.
When we left Kuntuli, we went directly to the hospital at which Bob and Jean Young worked. It was a fairly large complex but as with most other mission works, needed more funded. They have no x-ray or sonigram and thus more exploratory surgeries are necessary. It was good to meet this couple who have given so much to the Ghanaians.
Tonight we went to Sobiba for street preaching and the crowd was awesome.
It was difficult to estimate but was somewhere between 250 and 350 people.
The bugs were not nearly as bad and best of all no spiders. We had problems with the tape machine so Brian started preaching about 20 minutes after we started. There were six who gave their lives to Christ. Its odd how things often happen. We went to the other village where 100 gathered and 20 were baptized and then this village where nearly three hundred were assembled and only six were baptized. We got back to the house around 11 and all of us were exhausted.
Sunday, June 10
This morning we are sending John and Chris to the villages while the rest of us will be at Saboba. Brian will teach the Bible class and I will preach the sermon. Bob Young visited the for services. There was a nice crowd and the singing was wonderful. After services we hurried back to the motel to pack the van for the trip to Mole. We were finally able to leave around 2 pm. Chris had to wait for the villagers to gather after their morning chores and was late in arriving back to the motel.
We made good time on the main road until we arrived at the Mole junction.
The road from the junction to the game reserve was about 60 miles and it was one of the worst roads I have been on in a while. Most of the time we could only go about 15 miles per hour. It took us over four hours to reach the game reserve motel and once again we were greeted with no electricity and no running water. I think that we are in sync with the rolling blackouts for whenever we arrive at a place there seems to be no lights. Fortunately we had cell service for about five minutes and were able to call ahead and order chicken and rice for all of us - our first meal of the day. Once again it was after midnight when we all go to bed.
Monday, June 11
Everyone is up at 5:30 am. This morning we are taking the walking tour through the game reserve and it starts at 6:30 sharp. Even though we all wanted to sleep longer, after such a long drive we were determined to go on the tour and we were all glad that we did. We saw antelope, baboons, monkeys, and even were within 30 - 40 yards from a young bull elephant.
John Patamia said to me, "I cannot believe it, I have seen an elephant in my lifetime." Most Americans take for granted our privilege of moving about and seeing different areas of our great country, for the Ghanaians their harsh existence does not allow such luxuries. It was worth the difficult ride to Mole to hear my brother say those words.
Another long ride for us when we left Mole, we were on our way to Kumasi which is a little more than half way between Yendi and Accra. A Ghanaian brother from the US, John Oppong opened his home for us to use. I met brother Oppong when I held a meeting for the Ghanaian brethren in the Bronx.
He has a beautiful home and the caretaker was very helpful. Once again we were met with light off but the caretaker was kind enough hook a generator to the house so that we could have lights and fans. Again we had not eaten a meal all day and even though we were tired we found a restaurant which had not closed. Once again we say a new day before most of us made it to bed.
Tuesday, June 12
We are on the road again. We are headed for Cape Coast and from there we will go to the Village of Hope. We left brother Oppong's house around 8 am and it would take us nearly five hours to get to Cape Coast. While we were at Cape Coast, we planned to stop at Elmira Castle. It was a former slave trade loading point. Every time that I have toured the castle it has been a sobering experience.
Today is also Alice Adela's birthday. We purchased her a cell phone so that we can keep in touch with her as far as our times of returning back to the house. We sang happy birthday to her about four times during the day and when we stopped to eat we had a special dessert of watermelon and pineapple brought to her.
We finally arrived at Village of Hope around seven. It was good to see the director, Fred Asare once again and also to see Tommy Drinnen. Tommy has
been directing the school for the last two years. The number of children
at the Village of Hope has more than doubled since last year. There are now
184 children living in the homes. Since last year they have completed another group house as well as a second story on the school. God is truly blessing them. Tommy told me that since the orphanage was on Oprah Winfrey, they have received over $30,000 in outside donations. By the time we got settled it was once again after midnight.
Wednesday, June 13
Today was one of the few times in Ghana that prearranged plans have been totally messed up. We have been trying to reach Seth Okyere since we arrived in Ghana but with no success. When we called McIntyre Davies, the preacher for the Liberian congregation he was not aware of our coming. As it ended up, some of us had to make a quick run to town while others did some personal work. Brittany and Erin stayed behind at the Village and help some other young people from America paint the toddler's classroom.
Both the Liberian and Ghanaian congregation had their weekly Bible study previous to our arrival, so we assembled with those who were Christians at the Village. Brian and I flipped a coin to see who would teach and I won.
It was a great opportunity to spend some time teaching and singing with the children and staff.
Thursday, June 14
Today finds Brian, Adela, and myself up at 5:30 and out of the house by 6:30. We are taking the lead to Pram Pram to teach at the lectureship on marriage and the family. We arrived at Pram Pram around 9:30 and were greeted with a few brethren who had arrived early. It was good to see the brethren from Pram Pram once more. This small congregation has nearly completed the outside shell of their building. The walls are up, steel rafters have been constructed and half the roofing sheets purchased. They only need about $6000 to finish.
Immediately after preaching, Adela, Alice, and I went to Tema to get supplies and I needed to visit a student who is being supported by a brother and sister in the U.S. They asked me to inquire of him and how his studies were going. Gladly, the student was doing well and seemed to be meeting all expectations. We dropped Alice off at the house and headed for the public preaching grounds. Jim was preaching to a large crowd. There were about 3-400 hundred gathered. By the time we closed it was nearly 10. Adela suggested that we take the long way home due to some reported incidents along the short-cut we have been taking. We arrived at the Dodzi's around
11 and by the time we ate egg and peanut butter sandwiches and washed down it was it was after 1 before any of us got to bed.
Friday, June 15
When Jim straggled out this morning I knew something was wrong. He told us that had a fever and chills the night before of about 103. I was pretty certain that he had contracted malaria. One of the symptoms was congestion and cough plus the fevers. Brian took off for the seminar and Adela, Jim, and I heeded to Tema to find a doctor. George Amuasi is an elder in the Lord's church and is also a pediatrician. We tried to get in touch with him with no success. Fortunately for us, we came upon a brother who knew the director of a large walk-in clinic. After going through the usual procedures, a blood test showed that Jim had a low level grade of malaria.
They prescribed some meds and Jim started the process. We got back to the house and dropped Jim off and we headed for the public preaching grounds.
Once again we had a large crowd. I preached and we got back around ten once again.
Due to Jim's malaria, Brian had to carry the whole load at the seminar. I do not know what we would have done without him.
Saturday, June 16
Today did not start out so well. Trying to convince Jim to stay back and rest was a herculean task. Finally, he agreed. Brian and I finished out the seminar around four and headed for Old Ningo for our last night street preaching. Nana, the chief from Odonkrono had arrived. He asked me to bring him a computer from the U.S. and I gave it to him and told him about it. While I was doing that Brian, Brittany and Erin, and Christopher were doing personal work. Before the time to preach, one other soul gave himself to Christ.
As we were finishing the seminar, we got a call from the house that Jim had studied with two people and they wanted to be baptized. He truly has a love for souls. Once again it was late when we got back to the house. We were all pretty tired.
Sunday, June 17
This morning I was to preach at Pram Pram, Jim at Old Ningo, and Brian at Dawa. Immediately after preaching we were to leave for the Eastern Region.
Jim ran out of gas and could not finish his lessons. Christopher had to finish for him. I think Jim is finally realizing how serious malaria can be. We all arrived back at the house around 1:15 and began packing the van.
We left about 2 and I sent John ahead to order our meals at Southern Fried Chicken. It was not long after we arrived that our meals came and we were able to leave for the East about 4 pm.
While we were at dinner, Christopher went to get some meds. He thought that he had malaria. My throat had been hurting while I preached but I just thought it was the dust in the air which caused it. However, by the time we arrived in Kade, I was having the cold chills and shaking. I had contracted malaria also. Jim was whipped and I was shivering so once again, Brian had to carry the load.
