JEFF’S JOURNAL
January 2009
The New Improved Year of Our Lord
Honestly, 2008 was not one of our easiest years in Ghana. It seemed Satan was allowed to test us in many, many ways, such as in a hostile takeover of our family camp property, also several key players in our mission struggling with sin issues, students leaving, and so forth. Much of the warfare is unseen and takes place in our minds/ inner man as we struggle in secret hand to hand combat with temptations to despair, lose faith or cave in to something. Ephesians 6:12 talks about this. The English word, "struggle" comes from a Greek word meaning; “personal grappling or wrestling”. It would be hard to explain how difficult our struggle here actually is: To extricate individuals from a culture that is originally superstitious, illiterate, irrational, and juju- practicing idolatrous, but which now has transmorphed into a mixed-up mess of borrowed and begged values and worldviews, a virtual smorgasbord of Islam, pagan, denominational, Hollywood, and so forth, into true Kingdom conscious, Bible-obeying, Christ imitating saints. Whew!
Sometimes we feel as if we are like the over-reaching, incredibly over-optimistic ant trying to move the rubber tree plant – we have high hopes, very high hopes… maybe impossibly high? Are we biting off more than we or anybody could possibly chew: Running an orphanage in our home, working with multiple tribes and in multiple locations to establish churches of strong disciples, overseeing several schools in these locations, plus helping advise and oversee work in Togo, and as you will read, in India too? All this and so much more- don’t we know our own limitations?
And yet God is always faithful, even when sometimes, are not. ( I Tim.2:13) We remember Isaiah’s words: "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper… " (Is.54:17) And: "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matte for which I sent it. " (Is.55:11)
Though 2008 was not an easy year, the Lord mightily helped and strengthened us financially, emotionally, and spiritually. Thank you all for being partners with Him in doing so and for your faithfulness toward us in this great work, as His ambassadors of Christ to Ghana in 2008. Now we must smash all barriers and move on in the victory and power of the Lord this New Year of our Lord, 2009.
Jeff & Sherrie In India
This journal is being "penned" in Cochin, Kerala, where we are once again visiting our family, the Thomases. Since landing just 1 ˝ weeks ago, I’ve been able to preach at a nearby church, where Saju George preaches and where Titus Joseph (one of the parents of two of the children in Kerala Christian Academy- KCA), attends. I’ve also taught in the home church here twice, plus in the school’s opening assembly thrice, as well as for family devotions. I’ve been able to teach on Glory, Abraham’s faith, Daniel’s character, and also about Elijah. It has been a great joy to see the eagerness and joy with which the KCA children listen to and participate in God’s Word here! They are so ready to volunteer to read or sing, or do anything else, all with beaming smiles shining from their cute, dusky faces. Binoy and Rebecca are doing a good job in building up these children in Christ. I’ve also enjoyed coaching KCA’s weightlifting sessions. Plus had an unexpected needed minor surgery done for $65.
We’ve also visited the circus with our grandkids and taken them for some Baskin Robbins (Fun!). Next week we all go up to the incredibly scenic mountains of Kerala for a few days. It’s been a great visit so far and we look forward to 1˝ weeks more with our family in India before Sherrie and I will return to Ghana.
Family Camp ’09 – Freely Volunteering in the Hour of Christ’s Power (Ps.110:3)
"Great! Awesome! Fantastic!" – that’s how my grandson, Isaiah, will answer you on the phone sometimes when asked how he’s doing –and that’s how our family camp went this year. It was really in answer to much prayer, because we had a big dark cloud of uncertainty hanging over our heads from the controversy over the hostile takeover of the buildings by a certain individual. (By the way this case may now go to court.)
The theme for our camp was powerfully launched by Stephen Icenogle on Thursday night. Then, Jay Wilson masterfully handled the entire book of Zephaniah, highlighting all the pertinent points. I made several changes on the program this year, so we had less preaching but several open forums on the subjects of marriage and Christian education with multiple speakers and question and answer sessions afterwards,
Stephen Jantuah, Jeremiah Hostetter, and Godwin Wonder, who have all been married for three years, were transparent in sharing about having a great relationship in marriage. (Sherrie would like to know what the wives thought and how they’d answer some of the probing questions I posed to their husbands.) Jay Wilson, Stephen Icenogle, and S.Y Omane also had much insight to share on the crucial need for Christian education, and clearly went on record saying that failure to raise our children in the Lord is a sin. There was also a lot of great singing, tribal dancing, and fellowship. My wife took care of most of the details of procuring food for over 250 people. I preached three times. Jeremiah preached and did some special music, Attah helped lead a campfire and often led singing, and George Bush Osebreh helped much with singing and also gave a great opening speech talk. Jessica led a session for new mothers, while others shared the Word such as: Godwin, Augustine, Richard, Bro. Karikari, Daniel, Enormous Emmanuel, and Stephen Jantuah who also translated and preached. All in all, it was a very successful camp, praise God!
One sidenote: Food cost nearly twice as much as last year! So we did go above our budget by about $1500.
Happy New Year – Breaking All Barriers!
After the camp, we all had a wonderful Christmas time together, going caroling – in 90 F heat! – with candles. We sing: "O the weather outside is frightful, but inside is so delightful, turn the air conditioner up high. Let it blow, let it blow, let it blow." We had Stephen Icenogle with us, and of course all the rest of our crew, which amounted to about 20 people. Then, it was time for our annual, big New Year’s bash. Jeremiah, George Bush, and Attah all helped me illustrate the theme, "Breaking All Barriers", by lifting up off of a rack, 800 lbs.!! I then spoke about Fred Hatfield, or "Dr. Squat", an ex-marine who at 45 years old and weighing only 255 lbs., according to competition rules squatted over 1000 lbs.!! Also, I spoke of Chuck Yeager, who broke the sound barrier, and Roger Bannister, who ran the first four minute mile.
Besides my preaching, we had a great fellowship meal with African and American food, a Bible Verse scavenger hunt, a concert by Jeremiah, Attah, George, and Stephen J., as well as a bonfire and some fireworks. Then, after midnight, we watched an Indian movie called Lagaan, in Hindi, with English subtitles. (You should order it online, as it is very entertaining and motivational, even though lo-ong, as all Indian movies are.) I think everyone was motivated to try harder to be like Jesus in 2009 – or maybe just believe more, as Steve Doty says.
The Best News For Last: Two Newborns for Christ Bracketing the New Year!
Ben came to be immersed a week before the New Year. He is a Konkomba man who was brought by me to Kumasi when he was only 14 years old. Five years later, he made the most important decision of his life, to obey the gospel from the heart by submitting to the form of teaching to which he was committed, and having been freed from sin, he became a slave of righteousness. (Rom. 8:17) Ben had never seen a flush toilet, electric fan, paved road, or story building before coming with me to Kumasi. Now he can read his Bible in English, and has learned many skills by being in BCA. After becoming a Christian, he has now returned to is now back in his home area and is taking some additional schooling there.
Margaret was then immersed on the 2nd, the first Friday of 2009. As most of you know, she was violently raped and impregnated last year at only 17 years old. I took the matter to the police, who were ready to bring charges against the rapist, but Margaret’s parents settled for a cash "compensation" instead, reneging their earlier commitment to me to press charges. They have used most much of this money for their own needs! Thanks be to God that Margaret was willing to move on, carry her beautiful baby, Wendy, to term, and is now in Christ’s great family.
Final Views and News
· We were blessed with a major donation from one brother and his wife who called us on Sherrie’s birthday (Dec. 12th). Last year, her family from India was secretly brought here on her birthday, and then two years before that, we were given an inheritance gift, with the news also arriving on her birthday! God truly loves that righteous gal!
· Pray for us to prevail in the situation at Atia with William Amoah. He wants a large sum of money before he will withdraw his own private school from our premises, and has stirred up many in the town against us. We received a letter from his dad’s lawyer, to which we have and replied. Willie has broken locks and the door of the building, and was called into the police station for questioning.
· Our own landlady has refused to take the rent money we owe her, and is insisting on us paying more or leaving. Her name is Patricia.
· Pray for our safe travels back to Ghana on January 27th.