We arrived in Ghana on Wednesday to be greeted by Addo Adela, Solomon Quainoo, and John Patamia. It was good to see old friends. Jim went with Solomon to Emmanuel and Francisca Dodzi’s home while John, Addo, and I went deeper into Accra to exchange funds from dollars to cedis. The current exchange rate is a little over one cedi to one dollar. Ghana has issued new currency which nearly replicates our system of currency. There are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 dollar bills. The bulk of bills which one had under the old system has been eliminated. After returning from Accra, we all piled in John’s car to travel to Tema for supplies.
Jim will be working with World Bible School in the Volta Region for the next week while I go to the north to work with Ted Wheeler and his group. We were buying supplies for Jim and those who would be working with him.
By the time we got to the Dodzi’s home, greeted everyone, got unpacked and prepacked it was nearly 11 pm before we got in bed.
Thursday, 19 June
Up at 3:30 to get ready to leave for the north. Ted wants to leave at 5:30 a.m. in order to arrive in Yendi by nightfall. Twenty-one Ghanaians and Americans loaded on the bus along with supplies for a week to make the 12-13 journey. Ted and I had not worked together for a number of years and it was good to be able to do so once again.
We arrived in Yendi around between 6 and 7 p.m. to be greeted by Niipaak Laar and brethren from the church supported clinic and mission house. A nice meal of jollof rice and chicken had been prepared for us.
Friday, 20 June
Up early once again to continue the trip on to Bunkpurugu. Niipaak joined us in the bus as we made our way to where would be working the next few days. Although the trip was shorter the roads were unpaved and often rocky, which made for difficult going. When we finally arrived we were to stay at a guest house which had no running water and no electricity, except for a short time in the evening due to solar panels. It was hot when we arrived. Bunkpurugu is near the Burkina Fosso and Togo borders and is approaching the Sahara region. Some of the group slept outside in the courtyard in hopes of being a little cooler. All of us slept under mosquito netting. At night is was like trying to sleep in a sauna.
Saturday, 21 June
Today we are doing a clinic in Kpamale, near Nakpanduri. By the time we arrived many people had already gathered to see the medical people. We were assisted by a team from the clinic in Yendi. By the time we finished over 340 people had been seen and given meds by the medical team.
That evening David Stearsman, Addo Adela, Aquako Marfo, myself, and a brother from Bunkpurugu went to a village to preach. David was sick but was able to present a fine lesson. After he preached, I spoke for a few minutes and 22 desired to be baptized. We encountered a problem in that there was no water around for a long distance, at least according to the local villagers. When we returned to Bunkpurugu, Niipaak informed us that this was not unknown and that before when it had happened, when water was located, all those who desired to be baptized still did so. We prayed that God might keep them until water is located.
Sunday, 22 June
Addo Adela, Solomon Quainoo, Akuako Marfo, myself went to preach at Gbetmunpaak. We were short on transportation and Ted pointed out a building across the valley and said that was where we were going. We talked it over and decided that we could walk there. Later we realized that Ted had told us the wrong building and that the church building was about a mile past the building he had showed us. We still are not sure if he did it on purpose or not. I taught Bible study and preached at the worship service. Thirteen put on the Lord in baptism. When we were walking back Solomon introduced me to a new fruit which he called, “black black.” It was about the size of a large grape with a dry pithy interior which was semi-sweet. On the whole, it was good.
That evening I was to preach at a village where the gospel had never gone. Ted and Niipaak took the lead on Niipaak’s motorcycle and the rest of us were to follow in the bus. However, when we came to a section of the road which was bedrock and very rough, the driver of the bus refused to go any farther. Another brother went and got his motorbike and I rode on the back of it the rest of the way to the village. It was 6 or 7 miles. The road did not get much better until we got almost there. We had planned on showing a film and having preaching but since the bus did not make it, there was no generator for lights, no film, no PA system. As we were waiting for the people to gather the night sky was so clear that Ted and I could see the Milky Way galaxy. I preached for about an hour and many people came to be baptized. Niipaak did all the baptizing while another brother wrote down their names. After about two hours 90 people had been baptized into Christ. By now, lightning and dark clouds had covered the night sky. As soon as the baptisms were completed we returned to the village and met with the elders of the village who presented us with two chickens, a goat, and a sheep. Since we only had two motorcycles someone would need to return later to get them. We took off for the guest house with lightning flashing around us. I remember thinking, “I hope that I did not leave the lightning capitol of the world to get struck by lightning in Ghana.” The Lord was with us, however, for about five minutes after we arrived back at the guest house a deluge opened up
Monday, 23 June
Today finds us traveling back to Saboba to prepare for a lectureship to be held for the local churches on Tuesday and Wednesday. We stayed at the same guest house that we stayed at last year. Still no running water but at least this year there was electricity. One of the brothers let me ride his motorcycle for the first hour and a half of the trip. By the time I returned to the bus, I was caked with red Ghana road dust. Of course, Ted captured it on film. By the way, on the back of the bike they tied a rooster which had been placed in a basket. Every time I hit a bump in the road, which was quite often, I would grunt and the rooster would cackle. It was pretty comical.
Tuesday, 24 June.
Today begins the lectureship, I was to present my three lessons one after another as we planned to leave for Tamale as soon as I was done. I preached from about 9:30 until about 1:00 p.m.. There were between 15-20 congregations represented. Brethren from Togo crossed the border to attend. We asked Niipaak to arrange us a car to Tamale. About an hour and half later he told us that he had arranged a car to Yendi and that we would need to take the public bus to Tamale. When he came to pick us up, he told us that he needed fuel. One of our group started to berate him for not having done that already when I cautioned him to stop. It dawned on me that I had seen hardly any cars in Saboba. Most traveled on motorcycles and this man was taking us as a favor to Niipaak. However, a problem later developed. When we got about a mile from Yendi, he stopped the car and he told us that he would not go any farther. His car had Togo license because he had not registered it yet in Ghana. A police checkpoint was just ahead and if they saw him, they would impound his car or fine him heavily. So, we all got out and piled our luggage on the road and watched our ride head back to Saboba. Fortunately, there was a house nearby and one of its residents had a bicycle which he let Adela use to ride into town to get us a taxi. We arrive at the bus station about five minutes before the bus was to leave for Yendi. Straightway, we bought tickets and away we went. This was not the long distance bus but was like one of our local buses. People who were selling their crops and wares were riding it home after a day at the market. No goats on the bus, but not to far from it. Fortunately, a hotel recommended by brother was on the route and about 8 p.m. that night we arrived in Yendi. We ate at a local restaurant and retired for the evening.
Wednesday, 25 June
Up at 4 a.m. to catch the 6:30 bus to Accra. This was a long distance bus which was air conditioned and had fairly comfortable seats. However, 12 hours later when we arrived in Accra all of us were tired of riding the bus. It was good to be back home in Afienya. A total of 121 souls had been added to the Lord’s church with 22 more soon to be counted among our number.
