THE KUMASI CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE

                Jeff's Journal - October 2005

  HEROISM LIVES ON IN KUMASI!

    Most of our readers are aware that we live in a high-crime city of over 2 million. Happily, in two separate incidents, criminals were boldly confronted by two heroic men of our congregation, and stopped dead in their tracks.  Gordon, an ex-BCA student and presently working as our security man,  forced six armed robbers to abruptly retreat, when they came to our house on October 3rd to attack and rob us at around 2:00 am.  His diligence paid off as he saw them alighting from a jeep with weapons in hand.  By quickly firing off a warning shot from a concealed position behind a hedge and our wall, he startled them so badly that one of them, in reaction,  accidently shot off his own gun in the air!  Another warning shot by Gordon sent them all scampering for their jeep and speeding away like frightened children.  Since a gang of men - around 10-12 -  similarly dressed in black had lurked near our house while I was away earlier in the States  in September, we wonder whether they were the same guys.  If so, they'll probably not soon be back after this.  Thank God for  Gordon's exceptional courage!  Compare his diligence with the police, who Sherrie called while I was standing guard with my shotgun.  Their response?  None except:  "Yes, yes, o.k.", then they hung up. And this after trying to get through for minutes and finally waking up somebody at the local police station from a dead sleep.  Not very encouraging -  if we're relying on them for protection - is it?

     In the other incident, K.K was driving along and saw three thugs dragging a young lady into the bushes.  Quickly alighting from his vehicle, he told the woman to run, and then faced the muggers alone.  The result was that all three grown men ended up running away, battered and beaten, while K.K only incurred a very slight injury due to lifting one assailant by the neck and forcibly slamming him down onto the road!  I am proud to call such men my friends, and that they have such heroic courage in the face of real physical danger.  Perhaps we should start a "Crime Busters" Club?

 FIRST NINE WEEKS OF 2005 SCHOOL YEAR SUCCESSFULLY ENDS

      Remember when you ventured outside after months of winter inactivity and played touch football on the first nice afternoon in the Spring?  How you ached all over and your legs were so sore that you had to descend steps like a crab?  Well, restarting school for a new year is something like that.  New students to place, new monitors and supervisors to train, new learning centers, and everybody trying to get into the rhythm of a regular schedule after the summer months of travel and/or a more relaxed pace.  Along with that, weddings, illnesses, and other interruptions.  That's why we're so happy about having successfully completed the first nine weeks of BCA.  The results so far are heartening:  In the ACE school system American kids - who speak English as their mother tongue - are expected to average 15 PACES  per term.  (Each PACE equals roughly 1/12th of an entire school years requirements, respectively, in each of five core subjects, Math, English, Word Building, Science, and Social Studies)  Here are the results:

1.  Miss Gloria's learning center: 1 out of 4 students(who started at the beginning of the nine weeks) finished 15 PACES.  All 4 got a 90%+ GPA.

2.  Miss Amy's: 5 out of 8 students finished 15 PACES.  All 8 got a 90%+ GPA.

3.  Mrs. Hostetter's: 7 out of 11 finished 15 PACES. 9 out of 11 got a 90%+ GPA.

4.  Miss Jessica's:  10 out of 13 finished 15 PACES. 9 out of 13 got a 90%+ GPA.

Altogether, 23 out of 36 students who were in school the first week finished 15 PACES, which equals over 63 percent!  And 75% achieved GPA's of over 90%!  And these are poor, poor children who speak English as a second language!   The other learning center is Miss Abby's.  Her students all did well in Learning to Read.  Altogether, we now have 57 children in our school.  We praise God for each one of them, and pray that we can accept more as we receive the funds to do so.  I now have about 15 names of children on a waiting list in my office.

 TENTH ANNUAL BCA WEIGHT LIFTING CONTEST $IZZLES WITH GREAT LIFTS AND GREAT ATTITUDES

   The blazing sun kept the competitors nicely warmed up all during our four hour long , character building weight lifting contest.  Through intense personal effort, students develop a winning mind set and a good work ethic,which all help create the toughness that Ghanaian Christians need to overcome and perform at their maximum effort in this hard - even harsh - African environment. Truly they produced "sizzling" lifts as most broke their old PR's in the three major  Power lifts: Squats, Bench Press, Deadlifts and the one Olympic lift, the Clean & Jerk.  (Not cleaning the jerks, which God does when sinners get immersed into Christ!) This year I assessed their performance through a new point system that evaluated:  Memory work (Phil.4:13; Eph.6:12; II Sam.22:35, etc); Super Attitudes; Punctuality; Improved Performance.  Extra points were also awarded for winning any lifts in their category, which included novices, veterans, and over or under 17 years.  We gave merit money ($$) for the points, which are legal tender  in the quarterly "merit sale" for toys, pencils, soap, and other things.  For impoverished African children, this was a real incentive.

   The overall winner was novice 16 year old George Osebreh, who I've nicknamed "Bear", with 48 out of 53.5 points.  Way to go, big "Bear"!  Esther Adolbella stood up out of squat position with a heavy 225 lbs. for the best lift in that event among the girls.  Two girls, Ayisha and Anita, both pulled up an outstanding 255 lbs.(!) for wins in the deadlift.  Michael Azure  bench pressed 225 press.  Eric Fofie was the strongest BCA student overall, with consistent lifts in all three power events. 

   Now we are preparing for the basketball tournament, which will develop teamwork and group effort - lessons which can later  translate into victory within the Lord's church locally - when dedicated to spiritual goals of evangelism and good deeds.  Pray for me as I coach them, to be able to inculcate the right BCA spirit in them, as expressed in these cheers: "Good, better, best, we'll never rest, until our good is better, our better is best, and OUR BEST IS PERFECT!! YEAH!  BCA - ALL THE WAY!"   Our goal is to build, with Christ's awesome help, so much character, confidence and self-esteem into these young people that it  exhudes out of their bodies.  Then God's true spiritual revolutionaries will go and defeat the Devil and win the world for Christ.

 GLORIA AND GODWIN ARE HAPPILY MARRIED

   What a joy, to marry young people who have been so close to us.  Miss Gloria Asher came here when she was only 17 years old, and has lived under our roof since then, except for most summers.  Godwin came a young student to BCA.  Their marriage was held here on October 8th.  They've known each other for four years, both being students in BCA.  Their wedding was in town, and Gloria's mother, Tami Ford, and special friend and my ex-secretary, Valerie Stevenson and her son Nathanael cameall the way over from the States.  Everything went smoothly, and they are now happy newlyweds, serving fulltime in our ministry as supervisors in BCA. Over 300 attended, and was able to preach to many unbelievers at this wedding a gospel message. Sherrie baked another beautiful cake and helped plan things.

 

MISS JESSICA'S AND JEREMIAH'S DOUBLE WEDDING

    Mrs. Hostetter and myself are very, very pleased to announce that there will be a double wedding ceremony for our two wonderful children on January 6th, here in Ghana at the Lake Bosomtwe Resort! This is the very place where Binoy and Rebecca pledged their matrimonial vows back in Jan. 11th, 2001.  We already announced Mr. Jeremiah and Miss Brittney Wood's engagement and upcoming wedding in our last report. Now we announce another:

     Miss Jessica was engaged to Mr. Attah Osebreh on this past Friday, October 28th.  Attah's father (Francis) was a preacher with the church of Christ. He died last year.  Attah has lived about nine years in America with his father's family, and is thus truly bi-cultural, just like Jessica.  He is musically talented, playing the piano and guitar, and loves ministering the Word.  Like Jessica, he also grew up in a ministry and church environment, and is desirious of being a full-time preacher like his father before him.  Since arriving here last year, he has become a popular person around here, due to his humor and humility demonstrated by his readiness to serve in any capacity, whether prunning bushes, helping Tabitha in her wheelchair, or leading music in our church camp.  We couldn't have asked for a better son-in-law, and welcome him to soon join our family in ministry.  All are invited to this wedding.  Y'all come on now, y'hear?

 CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR GHANAIANS

   As the year closes, my heart goes out to my fellow saints here who face another Christmas season with so little of this world's goods.  Although I have heard no complaints or whining about it, it would be so wonderful to help them this season.  I am asking for some special gifts to be sent to do two things:

- Help with the cost of our annual Family Camp, starting December 15th.  Especially those of you who have visited Ghana, and those who have attended our camp.  You know how powerful such things are.  Transportation is more expensive than ever, due to the high cost of oil.  A gift of $100 would help us help up to five poor Ghanaian saints attend the camp from far away.  What great spiritual encouragement that would bring!  Just let me know, directly, that you will be sending us some FAMILY CAMP HELP, and I will use it for that purpose.  Thanks!

-  A special gift for our faithful Ghanaian workers and evangelists and their families.  A one-time gift of $50 would be a wonderful amount.  (That equals several weeks salary or even more for most them.)  I am especially appealing to those of you who have visited here.  You can even specify for a person that you know and appreciate if you'd like.  We have BCA staff, K.K and Adolph, 10 evangelists and their families, and Lamisi, who works hard in our home.  If you'd like to do this, just notify me that you are sending 1 or more CHRISTMAS GIFTS for the Ghanaian saints.

  MONEY MATTERS

   We want to let you know that we are so thankful for all the special offerings that have made a HUGE difference this year.  Our monthly income has actually been about 20% under what is needed, even with many cuts in our budget and expeditures.  High oil prices, unchanged exchange rates from the dollar to the cedi for over three years now(!) and rising prices, coupled with the loss of some major support, would have sunk our ministry ship without such offerings.  If you have the desire and means, we are still looking for some increases in monthly support.  We also continue to petition our God, who shall supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus, that the gates of heaven will remain open so we can continue forward ministering in West Africa the gospel of His glory. Much, much real thanks for all of your love and faithful and sacrificial support.

 

Christ''s servant and yours,

Peace in Him,

Jeff Hostetter