Jeff’s Journal

                                      July- August, 2008

 

                   All the news and views from Ghana… and India too!

“Amping” Up The Intensity 

Since we are only on earth a few short days, so to speak, as the grass, we need to get moving in serving the Lord.  ( I Pet.1:24)  We need to make the most of our time, for the day are evil, (Eph.5:16).  How do we amp it up?   By shining brighter and brighter – like the whole expanse of heaven’s brightness – space isn’t dark, it’s full of star and sunlight! -  leading many to righteousness, forever and ever! (Dan.12:3)  As one man said, “It’s not a “little light of mine”, brothers, but it’s a BLAZE!” 

So we have gone into hyper-drive these past two months.  Here’s how:

North Carolina Comes to Ghana

From July 3 – 18th, a  pumped up, excited contingent of supporting saints from three congregations from Eastern N. Carolina came for over two action packed, spiritually focused, and even fun weeks with us. (Mark Woolard & Steve Haggerty – leaders at the Stoneybrook church, Everett Turner and Jill…., from the Richlands church, and Connie Gibbs and Mary Beth of Greenville… plus Steve’s good friend, Teresa …coming all the way from Anaheim, California.)

Sherrie had just returned from having arthroscopic surgery on both knees in India Just in time, because we had 34 people at our table in one setting! 

The team brought food and toys, plus they paid for their expenses and to have a VBS with over 270 children in our neighborhood.  Always cheerful, they shared their lives with us fully, and I believe were also strongly encouraged by us and our wonderful Ghanaian converts, especially the genuine love that we have and the powerful singing. In return, they served us with preaching, teaching and just great fellowship. And they even got to see some huge African elephants very up close and personal, with nobody getting hurt.  I drove them around, spent time planning and hosting, and tried to be a good tour guide and host all round.  We also had our end of year Award’s Night and school picnic, plus a wedding while they were here.

Alyssa and George Osebreh’s Very Fun Wedding

Another big reason I was super-glad to have Sherrie back was the need for her experienced advice and help with the wedding on July 11th of another “piano-key” couple. What a joy to see the blending of different cultures in Christ!  George, the younger brother of our son-in-law, Attah, is an American citizen, but also very at home in Ghana.  Alyssa, a Missouri girl, is another “Ghana Girl” and member of the Hostetter Household. Even though it was sad that her dad couldn’t make it, gladly the uncle, Mark Sears, did to walk her down the aisle.  Brent Sears, her older brother, and Melissa Wegner, who were both volunteers in our school last year, left Chicago and also crossed the “Big Pond.” (Atlantic Ocean)  since I immersed them both last year, and they are seriously contemplating joining forces as one sometime in the future, it was great to see them both and have good spiritual fellowship with them.

47th Asia Missionary Forum – August 2 – 6th

Before even catching our breath, Sherrie and I had to head to India on July 17th, to help lead the first ever AMF held in India, hosted by our daughter Rebecca and her husband Binoy Thomas. (Of course, having three grandchildren there is a slight motivation as well!)  This forum allows church of Christ missionaries and co-workers from all over Asia to fellowship and exchange ideas with one another. Attendees hailed from Singapore, Malaysia, America, Philippines and India.  Steve Doty, Steve Compton (who came with his daughter Charity), Matt Harford and my son Jeremiah and I were the speakers.  (Plus my wife who led a ladies session every afternoon). The awesome theme was “The Resurrected Army of Christ in the Last Century.”  We taught what the Bible says about worship, Christian education, the new creations, and so forth regarding a spiritual revolution. You can read more about it from Binoy’s newsletter coming out soon.

 Our family – which included Jeremiah, Brittney and Hannah (who also came over from Ghana) - was very busy, teaching, sharing, hosting and so forth. Jeremiah led music, taught twice, and did all the recording and digital copying of the forum..  Both opening and closing things out, I preached five times. My special appreciation goes to Sherrie who had two aching knees from the surgery, plus a very stubborn bronchial infection that has lasted 6 weeks and multiple doses of various antibiotics, and two root canal jobs.  She was in pain the entire forum, yet soldiered on with a great attitude. (I must praise her in the “city gates” (publicly), concerning her virtue – Proverbs 31:28-31) Her dear daughter Rebecca also did wonderful work helping her husband host so many – they had over 30 staying in this building where they live! Plus she had her one year old Hadassah’s, first birthday party, among other things.  She and Binoy gave Sherrie and I their master bedroom this entire time.

 I also appreciate Jessica and Attah holding the fort back in Ghana.

Coming “Home” to America – USA SUMMER TOUR 2008

In a few days, August 14th, Sherrie and I will take the longest plane ride of our life, flying directly from Bombay to New Jersey in about 12 hours!  For this long-legged individual (I’m 6 feet, 4 and ½ inches tall!), well, it will be fun.  Not quite as hard as being stoned, shipwrecked and beaten with rods!  Sherrie will be having complete knee replacements in both knees, at the hospital in Greenville, N.C, which is about 45 minutes away from her folk’s house in Roper, N.C.  We will also be going up North and then out West, speaking and sharing missionary reports.  Pray for stamina in traveling and open doors for raising more prayer and financial support, recruiting more volunteers, and exciting saints everywhere about missions – the PURPOSE of the church – will be richly blessed

RESUPPLING THE TROOPS: SENDING A SHIPPING CONTAINER TO GHANA – BY OCTOBER

It’s been since 2002, over six years ago, that we last shipped any goods to Ghana.  Since Sherrie is going to need six weeks recovery after her knee surgery in mid-September, we’ve decided to “go for it” and send another one.  Here are things that we would like to pack in either a twenty or forty food shipping container:

-         Canned and boxed foodstuffs.  Food is still much cheaper by bulk in the USA than in Ghana.  (E.g. :Canned Corn, 12 oz. = $2.20; Peanut Butter 16 oz. = $8.00!)  With a household of seven, plus the other families that work with us like Jeremiah’s and Jessica’s plus the Wonders, and others, it would be nice to bring much food.

-         Used clothes.  Especially decent children’s clothes and shoes of all sizes.

-         Used furniture in good condition.

-         Medical supplies: Rubbing alcohol, pain killers, vitamins, bandages, hydrogen peroxide, etc.

-         Toys

-         Playground equipment.  (Nice quality, second-hand stuff is very expensive in Ghana.)

-         School and office supplies:  Paper, pencils, pens, crayons, glue, scissors, etc.

-         Athletic equipment:  Soccer balls, basketballs, weights, etc.

-         Carpentry and gardening tools.  We are planning to start a carpentry shop for BCA, and will need saws, hammers, drills, and some larger things like a skill saw, commercial drill press, etc.

-         A second-hand vehicle.  We are using a 15 passenger van for all of our needs as a mission.  It guzzles gas!  With gasoline $5.50 per gal. we’d like to economize for town trips and nearby churches and villages.  Also, Sherrie and I will use it while in the states for nearly three months. 

$3700 - $5000, the cost of taking a container back to Ghana is reasonable, when considering how many thousands of pounds of goods we can transport, and how many will be helped.  Aproximately $1000 will be needed to transport everything to Kumasi from the port, plus clearing costs.  Much of these extra costs will eventually be recouped by the savings in food, gasoline, and school and office supplies that we would otherwise have had to spend every week.

We also need to replace our 12 year old generator.  The engine has been rebuilt 4 times already. 

We will also have to pay probably around $2000 for tax on importing a car.  Altogether, we will need around $10,000 extra dollars, not including the price of buying the car, which we hope to finance, but will need paid off before shipping..

We are urgently asking for some one time gifts, above our much–needed monthly support to finance this important re-supplying of our mission.  While upfront, it is good stewardship, since we would need to spend money anyway on most of these items, and most things are much more costly in Ghana.  Also, I will have time to pack and load these things that can be purchased in Greenville, while staying in Roper.  (We’ve done this twice before.  Sherrie’s parents have kindly allowed us to use their big two acre yard as a loading ground.  Please call us at their number (2527939067) if you can help us with this project, as soon as possible.  Cash or items are needed.  I apologize for not informing all earlier, but we had no way of knowing about Sherrie’s need for knee surgery until June.

In all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer, and praise God for all of you who partnership with us to get the true gospel of Christ’s eternal glory to those lost in sin and Satan’s evil schemes.

 

In Christ Awesome grace, mercy and love,

Jeff & Sherrie Hostetter