Ghana update — July ’10

Stephen from Ghana, who recently returned from his trip to the U.S., provides a report on his subsequent ministry activities:

THE APUTARA’S CHRONICLES (MINISTRY NEWS OF STEPHEN AND MERCY APUTARA)

The months of May 11th through June 15th saw me visiting the States. It was a wonderful time of meeting friends, partners and also speaking to individuals and group of people, sharing the needs of the ministry in Ghana.

I arrived in Ghana on the 17th June and realized that my baggage remained in New York. I was assured of their safety and transfer to Accra, Ghana. Delta Airlines did not keep their promised, however, I got my baggage. This was not without some financial and time losts.

June 13th saw me preaching in All Souls Church in Navrongo. Visit our outreach preaching place in Paga in the late afternoon.

Monday June 21st saw me having meetings with Navrongo Senior High School management over student uprising on the the 30th May.

Tuesday had meetings with the District Church Council members. Visited our pre-schools to meet with staff and to greet the pupils who missed me for six weeks. They were happy their Daddy was back. The kids called, Daddy.

On the 23rd June had to travel back to Accra by bus (15 hours) for Bible Church of Africa Board of Trustee meeting. Had meeting with our theological education committee on the 24th. Had board meeting on the 25th in the morning to 2:30pm. Met with the scholarship committee of our denomination on the 25th in the evening.

On the 26th June visited my daughter Phoebe in senior high school in the eastern part of Accra, 2 hours drive by bus.

Spoke in the church on the 27th June. Visited flooding area in Accra that claimed 35 lives and properties amounting to thousands of Ghana cedis.

Left Accra on the 28th by bus to Navrongo.

Today 3rd July, I have just returned home from a long meeting with the board and management of Navrongo senior high school. The students rioting on the 30th May destroyed property worth many thousands of cedis. The committee that was set to find out the cause of the uprising did not actually do their work properly with tensions still growing. It is alleged that some of the students were having deadly weapons (AK47 raffles etc). The well behaved students are being targeted by these students. Lives are being threatened. These leaders of the uprising are from our other brothers. And some of the committee members set by the government were also our other brothers. Their recommendation did not include any disciplined to be meted on the students suspected to be the cause of the uprising. Another committee is being set today to speak to both staff and students and also meet with the mayors and the minister in charge of this region. I am on the committee to meet with the students, staff, mayor etc. This is a big task.

I would appreciate your prayers on this. That I will be favored by God.

There was a Big Joy in my heart after our meeting this afternoon. The chairman of the board of trustee asked for a volunteer to do the closing prayer. This is what one of our big brothers, who is a prominent member of our brothers said, “Since we have the man of God who has been away and is back with us, he should do the prayers”. I was thrilled and praised God silently in my heart. Anyway, I did the closing prayer. May God’s name be Glorified.

I have this Task on me now to bring peace and reconciliation at a time lives are being threatened. But one thing I know is, “With God all things are possible”.

Dear brothers and sisters, what a privilege to have met you and known you. In the words of Augustine, “Without God, we cannot; but without us God will not.”

In His sovereignty, God has voluntarily linked Himself to human cooperation, (You and I). He has bound Himself to the prayer of faith of His children. He merges His working with man’s praying.

Joshua’s day in battle would have gone poorly without Moses prayer (Exodus 17). Jacob’s place in Israel’s history would not have been the same without Penuel (You) (Genesis 32). The cross would have been intolerable without Gethsemane (Luke 22).

THINGS TO PRAY FOR

1. For Wisdom as I lead the committee.
2. For the Favor of God upon me and the committee members. One of them is the other brother.
3. For protections from the enemy
4. For the protections of the well behaved students (the X)
5. For my family and the ministry
6. For our preschools.

Thank you
Your brother and His servants,

Stephen and Mercy Aputara