Ghana Updates, 4-24-06

We have made it to Kumasi safe and sound. Kwame was able to fix the clutch on the truck and we left Accra for Kumasi late Saturday afternoon. After a thrilling ride from Accra to Kumasi (I have vowed NEVER to drive in Ghana...these people are nuts!!!! I will never complain about the way some people in Minnesota drive!), God was definitely protecting us as we were almost squashed between some cones and a semi. After Kwame was finally able to pass the semi, Amadu leaned over me and started yelling at the driver through the window. It was quite the experience. But we're all alive and relieved to have arrived safe in Kumasi.

We are staying at the ELCG (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana)'s compound. The compound itself is very nice. There's a parrot named Gretchen that lives on the premises; I've become friends with her, and also because Gretchen's best bud is a peacock, I've had to become friends with him as well. :o) There are a lot of beautiful geckos that run around the compound, I've yet to catch one, but I'm working on it. :o)

Yesterday morning at church, after Pastor Bud introduced me to everyone and told everyone I was still single, everyone was trying to figure out who I should marry. I think by the time Pastor Bud and I left to head back to the compound, I believe there were about five guys that they attempted to marry me off to. Pastor Bud was pretty amused and kept laughing at me. However, I'd have to say right now, my heart belongs to Efur (or Effie as I've dubbed him). Effie is a one-year old boy who's here in Kumasi visiting with his mom. He and his mom, Patricia are from Cape Coast (a city in Ghana). Efur has such big brown eyes and the cutest smile that just melt your heart. I jokingly told his mom I was taking him back to America with me. :o)

We spent the rest of Sunday relaxing and preparing the area for our first full day of teaching, which began today. For dinner last night, Amadu had me watch how they prepared the Fufu, a Ghanaian delicacy, which I can honestly say I'm not too fond of, it was definitely an experience eating, which again, brought much amusement to Pastor Bud. :o) I guess it's payback for the egg incident. :o)

Today, we began our first full day of teaching. I taught those who didn't have any or very minimal Bible knowledge, I had ten students. Pastor Bud had four students, Steve, John, Edward, and Ernesto who needed further instruction on Evangelism. We will continue teaching the rest of this week and break for the weekend.

The weather in Kumasi has been hot and humid, we had a huge rain storm earlier today; Pastor Bud explained it best, it was like being at Niagara Falls, that's how hard it was coming down. It has cooled down a lot tonight and we're loving the more comfortable temperatures. I guess we'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Hey today is Monday April 24th and we have (AOL) Africa-Online Service up and running at the Kumasi Compound. Yippee! I did it with a lot of instruction over the phone. Smile! It is nice to have email without going to the Internet cafe...it is soooooooo slow there.

We had a full day of training with the deaf. I had 4 students in the advanced class and Sara had somewhere between 10 and 20 depending on the time of day. Sara had a lot of younger students I have never seen before. Praise God! We went to church on Sunday with what turned out to be a “boat load” of people. The deaf just kept trickling in during the morning as they arrive by foot, Trotro, and taxi. I preached on the Loving Father (Lost Son) Parable. And also explained why the Jehovah Witnesses are not Christian. I guess the Jehovah Witnesses have been flocking to the deaf here in Ghana and giving them money and all sorts of gifts, even getting them passports and flying some to America. Ugh! Why can’t we support our missions better and help the deaf here understand the wonderful blessing in Jesus Christ. It is true that before the LCMS support the Ghanaian Church (ELCG) in the past. Now many pastor here in Ghana have little or no salary. I feel bad for them and wish I could help all of them. It is the same with the deaf. I wish I could help all of them but it is impossible. Thank God that so many people here in Ghana trust the Lord. In trusting the Lord the Ghana people are much richer than most Americans who trust in nothing but money.

We keep plugging away here in teaching the deaf to spread the Word of Jesus. Soon we will have real “DEAF” pastors in Ghana who will train other deaf to “make disciples.” This is exciting! I wish and pray we could build the deaf high school and seminary here. We could get the deaf from other African countries to come to Ghana and train with us and spread out even more. I went to the hearing church today and saw the members building their church with their own hands. They were using wheelbarrows to bring cement mixed by hand pouring into molds they had made with iron rods and wood. Wow! They were standing in cement barefooted working! Man! They are tough people! Well I am tired now and will sign off! God Bless until next time!