Jeff's Journal

                              June -  2007 

       All the spiritual news and views from Kumasi, Capital of the ol' Asante Kingdom in Ghana.

 

Esther Ayamga's First "Funeral" - Her Own

 

Over 10 years ago, a member of our congregation here at Christ's Church in Kumasi introduced us to a niece of hers, Esther Ayamga, to be enrolled in Bomso Christian Academy.  We did so.  She is a from the Frafra tribe, which has its territory in the far northeastern corner of Ghana.  Many live and work in Kumasi, usually as servants or in menial jobs, although some have risen beyond that level.  Esther's parents are very poor, with all four siblings sharing one room at night, in quarters so close that Esther, who is very tall (6'1') cannot ever stretch fully out to sleep.  They live in what is called "the Zongo" - a name similar to "ghetto"- for Moslems.  This neighborhood, across the street from ours, is full of "wee" (marijuana) smokers and thieves, though slightly better than some worse neighborhoods that have recently been razed by the Kumasi Metropolitan Association (KMA) with bulldozers.

 

Miss Ayamga's parents have never shown any support and even discouraged for her participation in our school or the church here, but neither have they removed her from it or forbid her.  Thus, she has continued coming faithfully all these years, since she was about 10 years old.  At age 16, Jessica, my eldest child, started her teaching career and was Miss Ayamga's first teacher in BCA, teaching her how to read phonetically in English.  There were 17children, and no monitor, and none of the children could speak English, except for a few basic words!! Any of you who have worked with the ACE educational system know that this would basically be impossible - especially for a 16 year old.  Except... Jessica did it, because we do have a great God, and necessity is the mother of doing the impossible.

 

Now to the really good part.  Esther has been doing personal studies with Mrs. Osebreh (Jessica) for many moons, and has heard a ton of my preaching.  I have been praying for some years now for her in my prayer journal.  The reason for her delay?  She wanted to be sure that she would be willing to share the truth and teach others about Christ before becoming a Christian.  Finally, after our WOMEN ARISE AND EVANGELIZE! seminar, she made the choice to submit to Christ Jesus by being submerged for the forgiveness of her sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.  As Paul wrote:  We have been buried with Christ  by baptism into death, that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. (Rom.6:4)  So Esther is now a new creation in Christ, and ready, like Miriam, to tell all others about the victory of Jesus over sin and death.Praise God! (By the way, her junior brother, has for some time now, been attending our assemblies and hearing the Word preached. )

 

Brethren, from this example I want you to see  what kind of long-term effort is needed in missions, to thoroughly disciple the nations.  Thanks for being so faithful over the years, for the sake of people like Esther Ayamga.

 

Christian Arise & Evangelize! Seminar

 

Past volunteer and thus one of our Ghana-girls, Connie Gibbs, came back after leaving four years ago.  She's been ministering in evangelism with Christ's church campus ministry at ECU in Greenville, North Carolina, with much success. Twenty young ladies, university students, have been immersed into Christ by Connie these past four years.  Thus I asked her to conduct a seminar on evangelism, to stimulate our girls.  Sherrie worked hard leading morning devotions and some discussion sessions, plus making sure everyone was fed and housed.  About 40 attended, from various parts of the nation, such as Maggie Ghasie, from Bolgatanga, who is doing mission work with her husband Abraham.  On the first night, Wednesday, I also preached on women taking initiative for saving lives - their own  their families, and their nations:  Abigail, Esther, Rahab and Zipporah.  Having come to see her grandson, Eshton, Tammy Ford, Gloria Wonder's mom, was asked to sing some specials.  She has a very nice voice, and daughter & mom sang together several times. What did this seminar communicate? That evangelism the only purpose that we have.  It will also shape our personalities into the image of Christ.  The Holy Spirit uses our concern and efforts in sacrificially seeking and saving the lost to permanently mold and make us into loving, mature saints. 

 

Sarah DeHoog, of Bath, NC, one of Connie's disciples, also came in with Connie, after first going to Tunisia for a mission trip. Sarah is a trained nurse from ECU, and is very interested in doing mission work.  Pray for her to decide to return in one year to help here.  She is having a great visit and has a sweet spirit.  She showed pictures of the nearly 100% Islamic North African nation of Tunisia to our ladies, to broaden their perspective. 

 

Other developments in the International House of Hostetter"

 

- Sherrie and I continue to be amazed and grateful for the tremendous support that we receive from all of you.  Several large one-time gifts were recently given that make a huge difference.  Our monthly income is now about 75% up to the mark.  We continue to trust God for additional full-time support and special offerings.  God is so faithful! 

-  Pray for our volunteers, Faith Stregge, Melissa Wegner, and Alyssa Sears, as they have either gone or soon going Stateside for the summer.  Faith and Alyssa have shown definite interest in returning and must work through some issues to do so.  Without them, we will be down to a skeleton staff next school year.  But God is still faithful for all of our needs. Prayer works!

-  Thank God for much improved health for all of us here.  Attah has recovered from double pneumonia (both lungs), which hit him after the salmonella poisoning and a bout of malaria!  He is nearly back 100% to his cheerful, energetic self.

-  Jeremiah, Brittney and Hannah are in Missouri and traveling in America raising some support for their present and future mission work. Hannah is making a great impression wherever she goes, (naturally) as as very good and happy 6 month old baby.We miss them!

-  Sherrie and I will head, with Keziah (14), our newest child, to India on July 5th.  Pray that it was positively impact Keziah towards more character growth and personal development in maturity.  We will be conducting another seminar with Binoy and Rebecca, and with guest speaker Steve Doty.

- We had another visitor with Connie, Joel Varghese(15), of Long Island, N.Y.  He is a second-cousin of Binoy, and his dad was so impressed with what he saw from Binoy and Rebecca and their children, that he decided to send Joel her for two weeks.  Joel is cheerful and having a great time here.  He wants to return.  Pray for us to share more N.T truth with him, as he is asking great questions about what we believe and practice.  Benjith, our other Indian boy, is ecstatic to have him here.

 

Our Difficult Living Conditions - Call for Prayer

 

Several times my wife has been nearly overwhelmed by conditions here, and her continual efforts to make a permanent difference in the lives of so many.  For instance, we have had the following in her house daily eating at her table:  Keziah, Alima, Joel. Connie, Sarah, Brent, Alyssa, Abby, Jackson, Faith, Jessica & Attah, plus extras on Fridays.  She also helped Cynthia Adusei, our brave security man's (Gordon) wife with a very difficult delivery.  After days, Cynthia had  C-section, and is now well, with baby Scott, (named after my middle name!) safe at home.  The local clinic had no doctor this weekend.  Sherrie was ferrying the Aduseis from there to the big, chaotic, dirty main hospital in the middle of the night.  Going up and down steps, she wore her knees and her emotions out.  There were mothers with babies on the floor whilst nurses slept in their patients beds!  Sarah, the nurse, was shocked and appalled.  The windows were filthy, and the water was brown in the  bathroom sinks.  After this experience, Sherrie needed to help me organize and run the women's seminars.  Needless to say, it wasn't easy.  This causes much stress in our relationship, as try to organize on the run.  Additionally, everything costs so much.  The Aduseis must now pay for the big hospital bill, just because the private clinic didn't have a doctor on call, as promised.  We must help them!

 

Nevertheless - the baby was delivered, the mother is safe, and the seminar was a smashing success.  Prayer works!  The Spirit is strong in us, and we are truly invincible in Christ.  But thank God for His grace to smooth out the parts were we fail or panic or fold up, for when we are weak, then He is so strong! 

 

Thanks for all of your support for this mission.  Keep it up!  Check out our website: www.gloryinghana.com.  We are constantly adding new pictures.  And please, please, personally arise and evangelize.  A lost world awaits our message. Let us awake from our slumber, and Christ will shine on us. (Eph.5:14-15)