Easter Baptisms

On the 4th of April, Easter Sunday, our Bible study had the privilege of baptizing five more converts. It took a little effort this year to get everything and everybody ready for the event, but it was worth it.


The Bible study has baptisms every three months. This allows our converts to pass through a five to six week baptism class before they are baptized. This group of baptism happened to fall on Easter Sunday. Not only was it during our Easter time, it also happened to be during the peek of our dry season. Last year the Lord provided a heavy rain the night before, so the river was very full. But despite a rain two nights before the river was very low. (Some Chinese road construction companies have been pumping the water off the river, so the water level is much lower than it has ever been before).

Since the river was low, Andrew and I decided that maybe we should dig out an area for the people to be baptized in. (see top picture) But after about ten minutes of trying to dig through rock and sediment, we decided that we just need to find another spot on the river. So, the search began down river. Most times when there are baptisms, it is nice to be located close to the road. This allows the people the opportunity to watch without walking far. But this time that was not an option.
Andrew and I decided to pass underneath the road culvert and head up river. (Top picture- Andrew and Fred are trying to clear a path through the tall grass with machetes). After some time it was decided that the baptisms would be held up river near the water pumps that the Chinese were using. They had made a larger pool around the equipment and the metal pulls to hold all the water pumps would provide a good way for people to get into the river.

(Matilda about to be baptized)

Easter Sunday came, our five converts were ready. After about a five minute drive up the dirt road to the river everything was set. It was such a blessing to get to see these five people baptized. Two northerners Kasin-Nankana (Matilda ad Peter), one Wala (Mary), one Ewe (Mensah), one Nzema (Vironica) where all baptized.

Peter being baptized (Top)

Mary getting baptized.

Baby Steps

A day for baby steps. Today marked the start of our first visitation that was scheduled to include church members. Andrew and his family went to the Atonsu area to visit around the school, while my family and I went on visitation around the Ahensan area.

The most exciting part about today was the fact that I was joined by one of our men. Robert has been saved and baptized. Since he works nights he is able to visit with me, while everyone else that attends the studies tries to witness at work or school. (Many of the people are not available at this time, so they are encouraged to witness and give out tracts).

It was such a blessing to see him come walking up. (We are hoping he will be one of the first to start learning how to witness). He had a big smile on his face. Today he had decided to wear a new red and blue polo style shirt and some nice dress trousers. It was so exciting to see him put his best foot forward.

After a short time of prayer, Robert and I went in one group, and Patty and the girls went in another. The many focus of this Wednesday time is just inviting people to services. Robert and I sent door to door giving people invitation.

It was an encouragement to hear Robert explain to one Convention Baptist man, that our church was different and that the visitor needed to come and see the differences. Also I was asked if I was a Mormon, since they have already visited the area. (Here if a person is a foreigner and another foreigner from another church group or cult, reaches an area first, most people think that the foreigner is just another member of that church or cult). For this reason, the people as well as Robert had the opportunity too hear today some of the things Mormons teach and why our Bible Studies are not the same.

Overall all it was really nice to visit together. The cup of joy seemed to be full to the brim later when our family told Robert good bye. What a joy to watch people take baby steps.

Everyone has a Story

Every shape, size and color is present. From the ivory white of the Scandinavian to the ebony black of the West African, the jet black hair of the Chinese to the bright red hair of the Irish. People are sharing their stories. Faces are lite up with joy and the bystander can see head nod and eye brow raising and a million other cultural ways of giving agreement.

Language after language is heard, some in the clicking Xhosa, some in flowing French, even others in languages to exotic and rare to be named or described, but each one tells a story.

This last two weeks three stories where added to the ones that all believers will hear someday. Each one might one day be told in a different language: Kasim-Nankana, Nzema, or Asante, but the end will be the same, each person received eternal life.

The first stories main character is a a middle aged Nzema lady named Veronica. Veronica's sons have been attending our Bible study for over a year now, and because of her sons, she decided to attend a few months ago. After attending my wife started the Way of Peace Bible study with her. Veronica seemed to be very interested, and learned very quickly. Though she said that she had a lot of questions, she wanted to wait until the Bible study was completed. She told my wife that she knows from being a teacher, that many times questions will be answered if the student will just listen.

The weeks quickly passed and the truths of salvation began to become clear, but still though Veronica knew that she was as sinner it was hard think about dying and what would happen afterwards. No one naturally wants to think about a subject that for many brings doubt and fear.

This two weeks ago Veronica became sick. At first she thought that it was just a another case of malaria, but after two days it would not go away. Could it be more, she thought, as Wednesday came, the symptoms became worse. She told her husband to just go to work, and that she would stay home and rest. (Her husband is a teacher also). Her oldest son Moses had gone to school already, and her younger two boys where getting ready to go to school when she collapsed on the couch. She could not breath! So matter what she did, the air would not come. She felt the lungs closing, and her chest tightening! The two young boys just began to cry and say, "Mommy, don't die, please don't die!"

Veronica, said that only one thought kept coming to her mind, "If I die, then what!" She said that she prayed to God, "Please God let me live, and I will listen, I want to know how I can know what will happen to mean after death! Please let me live!" Just then as she finished her prayer, her lungs opened and she could breath again.

She told the boys to go to school, and she went off to the hospital. At the hospital they told her that she had typhoid, and gave her the proper medicine. By that Saturday, her strength had returned, and she was ready for my wife's visit.

After one hour of study, Veronica would not let Patty and Emily go. She kept asking question, and then told them the story. She told Patty that no matter how long it took, she wanted to understand that day. So after a few more hours of study, Veronica placed her faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and added her name to the Book of Life.

After some time of rejoicing and prayer. Patty told her to take care of herself, so that she could regain her strength, to this Veronica said, "I want to get better, but I am not worried about death anymore, so even if I don't, I am fine, because now I have peace!"

The second stories main character is a Kasim-Nankana man, that is a brother to one of our converts. He arrived in Kumasi a few months ago to gather enough money to start a farm in the north. His family has the land, but if he is to take care of his elderly mother, he would need to money to buy the seed crop for the farm. For this reason he came to Kumasi to stay with his brother.

Andrew and I knew that we only had a short time to reach him, since he was only planning on staying in Kumasi for four to five months. Bismark his older brother, started to bring him to Bible studies right away. Peter, for this is the name of this young ma, does not speak much Twi, since he is from the north, but luckily for us he speaks semi-fluent English along with his local language. Andrew began English Bible studies with him and worked at braking down the false Tradition and Charismatic teaching that had been filling his mind.

Last week on Friday, our little team made the two or three mile walk to they family shanty, hoping that Peter was around. This morning the Lord was at work, and Peter would be working the evening shift at work, so he was available to talk. Andrew sat with him in the small one room wooden house, as I spoke to his senior brother outside. After about two hours, Andrew and Peter came outside.

Peter is a fairly well built man, much like his brother. They both look like body builders, so when he came out with a child like grin, that a person would she on a young child in the United States at Christmas, I was hopeful. After greeting them, I asked Peter why he was so happy.

This is what he told me. "I am happy this day, cause I know truth now. Before I did not know, that a curse was over me, that I was a sinner, and that I could not brake curse with my own power, but now I knows that Jesus blood has broken this, and paid for my sins. He is my only hope, this is why I am happy."

Pray for Peter has Andrew and I seek to have him taught and baptized before he travels. Also pray for the Lord leading for him and us, after he travels to the north.

The finally story for today centers around an Asanta man named Asamoah. I have written about Asomoah and his accident in past journal entries. It has been almost a month since his accident, and the doctors have told him that he is fine for now. He does have a skull fracture, but the hospital has said that they want to wait for the swelling to reduce before they make any further actions.

This last week Asomaoah's story has had a good chapter added to it. Many people have been telling Asomoah that he has been cursed. That someone cursed his grandfather. They tell the family that the reason that they all drink so much is because of this curse, and until this curse is broken, they will never be free from it power.

Taking this idea, I took Asomoah to the Bible. I showed him that no one has cursed him, but that because of the sins of Adam and Eve, we all have been cursed. That this sin curse is in all of us, and covers and controls everything in this fallen world. I showed him that just like in traditional thought, the Bible says that forgiveness and the braking of this curse can only come through blood.

This teaching seemed to be making ground, but there where times that I was not sure how much his head injury was affecting his memory. But finally after tree weeks, the pieces began to fall in place. On Friday, while some young school children in America where praying for me and Asoamoah (I was told this by the teacher, that they where pray at the same time that I was witnessing)the Lord became to really open Asomoah damaged eyes.

After two hours he eagerly prayed and accepted Christ has his eternal hope. Afterwards I tried to encourage him to tell friends of the decision that he has made.

It is a joy to relive these three story again today, but it will be a greater joy to hear them again someday in heaven.

Spiritual Battles

Friday afternoon Andrew and I where out on visitation when the time came to visit with a family that attends the Bible Studies. The husband and wife have both been saved and have been growing in the Lord.

Once we arrived at the house, the husband greeted us and spoke with us a little before trying to head off to work. The family stays in a single room. It is a concrete slab floor, with walls made out of strap wood. The husband has worked hard to make this place a home. They use a car battery for electricity. He has placed lights and a radio and television inside. They have a small couch and even a bed. But, back to the story, as we talked with the husband he told us that his wife was sick.

After a few more minutes of talking, as the husband was heading off to work, his wife came outside. Clearly she had been crying. The husband came back over and they both sat with Andrew and I on a bench outside. The wife proceeded to tell us about the problems that they where having.

Basically the family has been under great spiritual warfare of late, and has also been burdened with family members that have asked for a lot of help, but have provided very little help themselves. After some time of encouragement and teaching an appointment was made for the husband and wife, so that they could council with my wife and I another time.

The interesting thing that I want to point out though is a statement that the wife made when we all where talking together. She told us that she had been suffering from night mares. Lately when she would go to sleep she would start to dream. In her dreams she would see people trying to split up her family by causing division. When she would start to pray in the dream the people would change forms and become mermaids. This might sounds really strange to a non-Africa reader. But here in our traditional beliefs one of the evil gods of the people groups are mermaids. In Akan belief, the head of these demons is called Mama Water. Many people belief that these wicked forces can be used by family members that want to hurt people or family members that they do not like. These dreams have caused times of great fear for these young Christians. Some people would like to just laugh at the whole notion, but weather a person believe it our not, to the young convert this conflict is real. ( Not matter what the reader thinks, we do know that Satan does hate people and does not want Christian families to stay together).

After some time of comfort, Andrew and I gave them some verses to encourage them. Also we explained to them that God does not give a spirit of fear and that they should pray together before they sleep at night and ask God to allow them to have good dreams. After a few more hours of consoling the following day, the family problems seem to be getting better and the dreams have not returned.

On thing that I have learned since arriving on the fields is that spiritual warfare is real. Satan will use our own fears and weakness if he can. But no matter the path he takes, he wants to hinder God’s work. Helping to disciple young Christians has given me a constant reminder of how diligent a person most be in pray.

Blessings!

This weekend our family was allowed to see two great blessings.

The first was in regards to a family that we have been trying to reach for months. The husband of the family, Robert, attends services on a regular basis. He has been saved and baptized. My wife has been holding a weekly Bible study with his wife for some months now. It seemed as if her Catholic background was going to completely hinder her from understanding the gospel. Finally last week all the teaching broke through. She had seen the changes in her husbands life, but was convinced that she had something to do with this, and was using this belief as evidence that she was not needy of salvation. Well, after many weeks of prayer and teaching the truth of the Bible made it through this stronghold of being unteachable. After about a two hour Bible study, Alica trusted Christ as her personal Savior. It was very exciting for Patty to see. This marks the second full family that has come to personally know Christ.

The second thing regards our friend, Gifty, that has traveled to the United States on scholarship. She is attending a University in Virginia for two years and then will be returning to Kumasi to teach. Before leaving she asked us to find a good Baptist church for her to attend while in the United States. She told our family that she really wanted to be involved in church and have people that will help her to grow spiritually. Also she wanted a place where she felt that she could minister. Well, after searching my wife and I found two churches that seemed to match our teaching and focus. After arriving in Virginia, Gifty tried the one, but it was very far away. Which would make it hard, since she does not have any car. So she decided to call the other church. They told her that they had no way to get her to church, but gave her another church to contact. They said that that church had an active University ministry, and also shuttled students to church each service. After calling the church, they told her that they would pick her up on Sunday. Low and behold, on Sunday, when the college ministry pastor picked her up, he knew of our ministry here. Also she found out our family knows him. The college ministry pastor was a great assistant pastor at a church that has supported us for years. God is so amazing!

Bringing in the New Year

2009 was a good year. During its 365 days there where some lows and highs. Though these lows where difficult they also where helpful and life changing. It is amazing how the Lord uses the lows to prepare for the high times. Overall He seems to follow the verses in Isaiah 40:4-5 "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it".

God uses our weakness to keep us from getting proud about our strengths and uses our strengthens to overcome our weaknesses. Though this year started out with times of weakness it has been able to end in ways that bring great glory to God. It seems that that is His goal Hgains glory.

The year started off with our new friends arriving from America. They started out the year totally dependant, and the Lord has used that do build their dependance on Him. Our own family started the year with dealing with our own spiritual weaknesses, but where allowed by God to brake through these areas and move to higher plains.

All these ups and downs have led us out of 2009 and into 2010. Here in Ghana, it is a modern cultural practice for most people to attend church on the New Year. Even people that do not go to church at all during the year attend.

Since seeing the important that people place on this new years time, the Bible Study tries to use it as an opportunity to reach people for the Lord. This year was no different. The annual service started at 8:00 pm. It was kicked off with our normal song service and then Pastor Andrew preached. The people listened well, and by about 9:00 pm most of the people had arrived.

From about 9:00 pm until 11:00 pm we had activities and games. One thing that Christians here do not see is that a Christian can be serious about God, and still have fun. Most people think that the fun is in the world and that the Christian just prays and speaks in tongues (what almost all the 'christian' in Ghana do). Many of them live two lives: the 'spiritual' one of church and the 'fun' one of the world. On these nights were the services are so long, games are added to the schedule so that people can see that it is enjoyable to be a Christian.


The people really enjoyed the game time, and it greatly helped the younger people to stay awake until the later hours. It started off with Bible Drills. Then we split everyone into teams. Each team has an appointed captain. This allows our faithful men to develop leadership skills in a casual way. Then a shoe realy game was played. Each person has to take off their shoes and then they have to put them back on when their number is called. After the shoe game was played the games "Candy Catch" was next. Each time selects two people to throw candy into someones mouth. The pair with the most candy caught wins.

The next game that we played was "Orange Pass". (No, the men are no necking!) All the men in each group where lined up then they where given an orange for each team. The rules where such that they had to pass the orange from person to person only using their necks to hold the orange. This was a great game, everyone was laughing and almost rolling on the floor.
After passing the oranges around, each team picked one person to play the next game. The next game consisted of drink all the liquid out of an unripened lemon. (For those that have never seen a African lemon, they are very big, and very sore). It was hilarious to watch the guys as they tried to drink the juice from their lemons.

The final game that was played was broom hockey. Now do not think that when the term broom is used that it refers to the classic American style broom. This word refers to something totally different here. The local brooms of Ghana, are hard, dry grass stems. They are about two feet in length and are tied at one end with a string. These local broom are used every where and are very cheap. They make excellent paying sticks for our game. Also the girls are better at using them then the boys, so this gives them an advantage that they do not normally have when playing active games.
After about 1 hour of hard fought play, there was a winner, and everyone was ready to sit down for a while. After the games we sang a few songs and then had are second time of preaching. I preached using the flannel graph pictures that the Bible study has. The passage was found in Acts. I preached about the time when Paul had preached the gospel to the people of Corinth. After their conversion, many of them burned idols and items in their homes that did not please the Lord. I encourage them to remove things in their life that would not please God. Though many of them where saved, they would not truly experience freedom in Christ until these items, influences, and idols where removed.

One older custom in the Akan culture was able to be used during our Watch Night service, that went along very well with our preaching. In the older days around the Akan new year the people would clean out their homes. During this time they would remove all old clothes, broken things, and anything that would make the people of the home dirty. These items would be taken outside and burned. Even today, on the 31st night a person can see many people burning tires and house items. On the 31st I used this idea to help with the preaching. Each person was given a piece of paper (since some of our people cannot write, we did not ask them to write on it). They where told to think of physical things and spiritual things in their lives that did not please God, and told to tell God that they would remove them. Like the people of Corinth, they where to burn them (the paper was given to represent these things that offend). It was excite to watch as the people seriously thought and one by one placed their papers in the fire.

After most everyone burned their papers, the adults where allowed to give testimony. It was so encouraging to hear some many tell about their new faith in Christ. Even one woman, gave testimony about the great change she has seen in her husband (He is a security guard and could not attend, and she is not yet converted). After each adult gave testimony, each person prayed in the new year.

The light of that fire was so warm and inviting (it was kind of cold that night, in African terms). It was such a blessing to experience that close family spirit that only comes with a group of true believers. Though the year had its low times, we each know that it has been preparation for this wonderful high time that ended 2009.

Baptisms

On the 6th of December the Bible Study had its fourth baptism. There were three adult men that where baptized. The first was a man named Dennis. He has been attending meeting off and on for almost two years. In the last year he has become very faithful and attends almost every Sunday morning. About ten months ago he came to the realization that his old church was not teaching correct doctrine. After finishing his "Way of Peace' Bible study he accepted Christ. Then quickly told us that he wanted to be baptized. Pray for him to grow in Christ, and find a good wife to marry.

The second to baptized was Bismark. Bismark attends meetings with his wife and son. They are very faithful. Bismark was raised Catholic, but after arriving in Kumasi he quite attending. After Dora invited his wife, they began to attending services. After God worked greatly in his life, including healing his son that was at deaths door, Bismark became very serious about the things of God. After finishing our "Way of Peace" Bible Study, he trusted Christ. He made a hard decision to be baptized, since the Catholic churches here are very rich, but he did not flinch when he felt it was God's will. Please pray for his wife. She attends, and my wife is studying with her. Please pray that her religious background will not harden her to the gospel.

The last to be baptized was Nat. He is a young community college man, that chose to join our church. He has attended a church called, "Deeper Life", which is a form of old holiness church. After many months of talking with Nat, Pastor Andrew felt that he was truly saved, but had not been baptized. Nat has been born again for about five years. He knew he should be baptized, but had not official joined the Deeper Church. Please pray for his growth and victory over sins in his life. He is desirous to grow, but has confessed to some besetting sins.

Also pray for the new groups of believers that will start baptismal class in the new year. Pray that some that have finished classes already will make the decision to join our group.

Patty visitation partner, Gifty, has traveled. Currently she is seeking a replacement. We are praying that maybe Dora, the lady pictured, or another lady from the studies will join my wife to spread the good news.

Answers to Prayers

It is amazing to see God working in new convert's lives. Many times I feel that new converts seem to have more faith then people that are many years older in the Lord. I think that it has something to do with child like faith.

Here are two interesting and exciting answers to pray that we have heard about this week.

First Bismark-
Bismark trusted Christ about two weeks ago, and we have been praying for his wife Matilda. After going to his house last week, Bismark informed me that they had been having some minor problems in their marriage. Basically, though Bismark does have a job, he is not paid very well, and many times they can only make ends meet. Matilda loves her husband, but has been told her whole life by family, friends, and even the many Charismatic churches that she has attended, that it is wrong to be poor. That being poor is a curse from God. Because of this believe, she has struggled with being poor. She seemed to always be complaining about them not having enough money.

Well, when Bismark told us this, he was very sad. He loves his wife, but he did not know what to do. After some time of marriage counseling and talking, we all decided to pray. We prayed for Matilda to get saved. Next we prayed that their marriage would be strengthened, and that she would learn to be content. Right before we left on that Wednesday, we told Bismark to trust God, and that we would be praying.

That night Matilda came home, and apologized for making things difficult. But, that is not all. That Friday, during the very time that Andrew and I where praying for Matilda, she meet the Nigerian pastor that I blogged about this last week. But, here is an amazing part. The one book that the pastor gave her, besides some tracts, was entitled, 'What does God say about Earthly Riches and Earthy Poverty?' The book is great. I have since read it for myself. It is almost all scripture, and the best part is that it is written by an African and is written to Africans.

So lets fast forward to yesterday, Wednesday. We visited Bismark and Matilda. Right away when we walked in the room, we noticed a difference. The room was clean(spotless) and the spirit was very warm. After we all greeted each other. Matilda and Bismark, began to tell us the story. Basically, Matilda said that after see received the book on Friday, she brought it home. Her and Bismark read it together and talked about it. Matilda said that she was so happy. Her whole life she thought that she was cursed because she was not rich. She thought that live was about money, but the book had taught her that money is not the goal. Money could not make her happy. She knew now that she could be content. It was very exciting. After talking for some time, they invited us to eat with them. So, as Matilda went out to get the plates and food ready, Bismark made this comment. "Pastor, God answered our prayer. We prayed about this, and He really answered us!" It was great to see his joy, and greater still to see his faith grow.

Second Dora-
After visiting Bismark, though it was late, we decided to she Dora. Her sister's husband had died, and we have not been able to see her in a few weeks. After visiting with and encouraging her, she told us this story that encouraged us.

The day that she went to the hospital to she her younger sister, this was the day that her husband died, another disturbing thing happened. While she went to give her sister a hug to comfort her, her sister's purse came up missing. After they talked, her sister asked her to give her, her purse back. Dora, then told he that she did not have her purse and did not understand. The sister told her that when she hugged her, someone took her purse. She had thought that it was Dora, and had not said anything. Dora told her that she had not touched her purse. Dora's sister said that she believed her, but she had a big problem now. The purse was missing. It contained about 150 Ghana Cedis (a lot of money for someone here), and her phone. They looked and looked for it, but could not find it. They called the phone but it was switched off.

After leaving the hospital, Dora began to pray. She knew that she had not taken the purse, and that her sister had believed her. But, she felt that there was still a dark cloud over her testimony So, she decided to start praying. She prayed that the person that had really stolen it would confess.

Well, about a week and half passed. Then her sister called. She said that she had gotten the purse back. The money had been spent and the phone sold. But the person that had stolen it, said he would pay her back. Here is the story her sister told.

She said that her dead husband's best friend had called. He was in the waiting room when Dora came. When he saw them crying and hugging, he used the opportunity to take the ladies purse. After spending all the money, his troubled started. He called the sister. He was yelling over the phone, "Are you doing ju-ju on me???? (This is African black magic)" To this she said no! Then he asked, "Is Dora, doing ju-ju on me?" To this, she said, "You, know that Dora is a Christian!" Then the guys says, "Someone is using some kind of power on me, tell them to stop it, I stole the purse, I stole the purse, just tell them to stop it!" And with those words, Dora’s prayers had been answered, and her testimony cleared!

Isn’t God wonderful! Dora told me that whole story with a great big smile. I have to admit it helped me, and encouraged me. I think that we can learn a lot from national Christians. Like my grandfather told me once. He said that if I remembered anything at all that he told me, he wanted me to remember this saying, "You can learn something, from everybody!"

Our 3rd Baptism Service

Today we had our third baptismal service. We had two men that where baptized. The service before hand went very well. The spirit in the singing time was wonderful, and we had many people in attendance. It was nice to have most of our believers together this morning.

Here are a few family pictures from before church.

This is the vehicle that we used to go to baptisms.

The first man that was baptized was Robert. He was invited by his 'wife', who is friend of Martha, a women that we have written about before. After attending for months now, and after finishing our salvation Bible study, he decided to get baptized.

Please pray for Robert, he attends faithfully on Sunday morning, but has a job as a night security man, and cannot attend the evening meetings. Pray for his 'wife'. He has been able to pay the bride price and the money for his nine month old son. He had been separated from his 'wife' for months, while he was trying to get the money to pay her father. While in the Northern part of Ghana, Alice, his wife, became very sick. Please pray for her and the baby to regain strength, and to come to a saving understanding of Jesus Christ.

Robert's Baptism Pictures

The second man that was baptized, was named Isaac. Isaac is a young community college study. We meet him through Kofi Nkurmah, a young Baptist university student, that used to help me translate. After meeting him, and having him attend a service, Andrew started a salvation Bible study with him. Andrew had the great privilege of leading him to Christ. Since then he has attending very faithfully on the Sunday services. Also he has been able to hep will visitation, and translation in some of the church activities. Continue to pray for him, and for some of his friends that he has been able to bring to services.

Isaac's Baptism Pictures