Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
cx
E. Kaley Ave.
'lay, 18?
vol.
Dear Frisnds in Christ,
Po. 3
^)\V 26 190^
sy real joy. It's what I feel 11!<c sayir.g v.+cr I thir.l-. of our -aster convention f
you up to date since the last letter in Dscen^er. . 4.1,^
Praise the Lord! Malleluia! Those words comprise a coi!r.on greeting and rssporse asong ^cngellcal Ghanaian Christians. Sometlir.es they arc automatic, but are
Put If I start 'Ailth the conventlori, I iray never get to anyt. ing else, t .erefore, I must ..
past.
charge of local arranccments had done nothing up until 5 days h'sforo <=o"v=nt1on tm.. jferj sadly, this was tha iran who prefers to cxrrcisc strict supsrvisicn over '''' .Soss wayrW aru-nareawy. The snd rcsutt vras^that h. end "his ;;;ra1n
rotherhood. As I mentlon-^d in an rarlirr letter to sons, ' jwt pray tj;at he will rerain
fsif^ful to t*-^' Lord and won't oo any farther into the use of 'Cly water and candlcs.
The Christmas convention -ad to he cancellcd at t^e last n-.inutr ^="US5 the preacher in
in
'iscouraglng for the rest of the c'-urchcs. "-ut thanl-fully, it wasn t. The spirit at t^e
i; ^po;suivc leader and could do cuch good for th-; klngdo.. This could have been torrihly
"ast-jr convention was higher than ever and enthusiastic plans ar? again under feay for tG
a group of the armed forces in Ghana forcibly took over the rsigns of govern^i^nt- J-fiy ^
i-^os-'d a
-e.-n sct'up ?or-arortdoorserv1ce and go to our hcr.es. Hthin less than aweek t e^curfew
ja3 extended to 8 p.ir. Aft^r several more v.'eG!'S it was changed to IP p.n^. Vvhere it
^Ms dat*^' Only occasionally does that cause inconvenience.
Dm curfew so we had to hurriedly put away all the chairs and lights that ,_uC
-<-.r-. rcielly sponsored religious progrewirg. Thst incVjd-: the program ysars. The broadcasting company says they will restore programs
Vstcnsr letters. I'e pray that this policy will be changed, as radio is an important means
'''. V ehtain rach"pcrson^whrKant^to^ the country, whether visitor ""^^^f'^gYavrrshop' ^-^" an exit permit. This means that wc have to get one each tte we a
n; standing in the sun for four hours last time waiting cur turn to pay. fcxt time, we
i:T^~X(5^TTltterahly ^0^ dottable: goods and quantifies,
to Togo. Those shopping trips have become more afficult, too. They .ave tightened^
nav %'ext tire we
?!irgoiernment is tryinr hard tc step smuggling and profiteering, the result is t^r dis'op^aranc^rf many Ucms ffcm the markets. Although certain sheps receive a1 ot"-i'v. rvoii meat and fish ere scmetiirrs '-nrd to get. So far, it s net a prc.lom for us
-'rts frJm time trtime, soap is one item that is very difficult for the average Ghanaian tc
^ucK
efaulty^engine and_used
'uHns^it^ii
I 'ev'^ takL ovsrTe^s Sunday School class and two ycung ir.cn arc alternating with tfly nev, class is a'-out Junior ace end quite a group. .. ^
stjTtir.ra raomc'ry v;crk program that I first used in Hustis. FL. ahcut ..0 years ago and ..cv.
for insurance).
-i;rs'ccnd'^t-r^^S"flhl' crllr-nr- cs difficult Ageed many students came 1;^^, e da7trtwc\'eekrir.tc. That seam,cd in tc seme keep ways. many cff-balance for the whole t'rrr " ?y nov we have lest 4 students frcr. f-- nuir'-pr we had in nart +u^5 of the prchlem was difficulties. ^rnfth^ir .js hneausr th-yfinancial arc tcc husy evangelising tc study! Others .,^vt done i:r,.i
fircr of the now chapel and some pillars have hcsn poured, hut walls and cgvpr-1 vwen have -eon 'lesse'' wif- t-aMes., Incluc'ing the Couches, ^^'^rjittu .ai^a ',,-m Krr" '^e'-ruarv 3 Th.-^t was the nig-t after their seminar in the church enjatural
rarily Planning. Faitt 1s a beautiful anC healt-y 'ahy and is wlf- her parents in the sta^fr. r furlcuch.
ihr cmcre^gcilixrti and votsc" upcn. ' T^c Lcrr' wnirc, I can tnll yru all ei^cut Mm next letter.
Vcv! fcr t''.(^ Easter ccnvcrtlon. Ir sorrr ^oys it's I1kr surrr'^r C'lrlstlan carrplng. Tl-c
t'-is
cJ-urc*^ 1? nrcrinc r'-^cisim tire? sl^out a fulUlTp mn1st?r. Py th<^ tiro ycu r^?ac! cendi^'etr: vto has ccc^pt'^c' f-c cornplttc?^'p Invitatrn v>m '^av^ Seer pr'^scnt'^^; tc
Fri 'ay mornino. Tvjcnty-t'.vo cf us v?rra piacne' in one villa go !tuso. I was giv^^n a srrall r^rr ^f ny own wit? a in it. I sparer! the ''c:' vith one cf cur f'eaconcssos, T'^c ct^-rs slept
cr. tho fleer cf thr. ctt''(^r rocrr... cn the vcranr^a'^, on a c^r^ont sla'- cut in t^o ccurtyar'', on
r'rou'^s. Vith t^o coil ^ I ncticccV none In cur rror..
Cno: VM' van tco'^ IF cf cur ir^.trb'^rs or v=i Thursc'ay evening anc^ I too'^ snc^hor ^ in tho true'-
sl'^oring rats cn the grounc* cr in ry truc'^. rcsquitoos v'oro ha*-' anc' irac'o sleeping risc-ra'^io/ Tho sccond n1r!-t t>cso 1r!sV''o got sr.z^. rdirf fr^r ncsQuito coils I s^arocl v/ith all
T'^c group largsly cookrC an-'* ato tccot'-icr, v'^atcvor oec*^ cr.r '-a/', t.c sf*ar^. ' "wo wnion
a r^ay at^'t'^c oxronsc cf th-^ ccnvr^nticn. Cnly pasters ar^^ suppcsor' to hav^ that, ^'Ut they
havo thsir ('ofinito ir'cas on w^o important vi?1tors arc- arc* '-ov,' thoy shoul'' '^o tr'^atod.
attcnc' t'^o convention arc net loft ct!t.
'-a;' '^rourl-t t-'oir korcsonc burners anr* rany '-ar' nans cf various s1?05.
ato somo of their focc^s sore cf r.ino. an-' so^no of cur gr'^iip's an'' sparer' v-'hat I hac! with t'^or.
T^is is tho African if'oa cf coraujnal llvirr at its '-^-st, 'ocausc son^^ 'h.c cculr^ net ot^^crwisc V'o ad v/ator in a barrel fror t'-- rivor, but rest of t>cr fcund it rorp -^un to go to tho
''o orc'-lor.
rivor to ^.at^c* Tho ? gallons of c'rinhlnc ator I toe'' alcng 'or'^ soon gone, and then I used
Iodine ta'^lcts in the rivor vfator.
it either. SJomlno servico vfas announced for P a.r. and v?o started at T:?^. Porct?rr Africa?^ ^ services of r.uc'* singing and dancing, sorrons^ prayer^ t<^stircn1cs, and cffcrirg Odth dancinc;
ccnsurod 3 hours easily^ The evnlrg services '>'-r'^ curtail''^' because of t?"0 curfo^' and f^at
e;!itod re f1ro! '^riday aft-^rneor v.'as a trsc'-l^'r s'^sslcn and faturday aftorneon vas Youth
rrr te Irtorprot for rrlvatoly.
I v;ill novor 'ccoro corpletoly happy -'ith the /African concert of tlr^e, '-ut I can't change
MHo Quiz and ^uslnoss mooting. T'^or^ Is really vry I1ttl<- rnglish,. so I ^avc to find sorr'^'cl':^ spirit of f^c- cerv^rtier v*as lively ar.d 'appy/alt^oug'^ srall dlsagro^rorts arose occasionally. Scr.-^ c^urc^ groups v?cro srall '-rcauso t'-ey "'or^ una^l' to ^Ire a lorry
activ^ and car.-^ av.'ay vjlt*- the srall circulating trcphy for t^o c^^orplon church. V'^ also
fh. niK-ic Quiz. _ . ?\t>ndav nornlno centered arcurd th^ Lord's ruppcr and crdlnatlcn scrvico,
Id .
.
I'^'on
clcs-^^' Supdcy. I tcch ore grrup ef c-il^r'^r ar' ^'--^Ir sponsors a'^out
riles arc
tr rc ^ec'' arH rrf t'*'"r. That roant pouring a jerry car cf gasoline Into iry truck. It was close tc 8 whon wc loft and we wore facing a 1'' p.r. curfsw, V'o drove pretty fast while orpty
infcrr.i''g us f-at f-o driver ^ad rot s'"o''n up. "''s ri!ic*'ly as v.'e could, ^arl and I get r'^ady
tr-' 'jare net delayed at the nclico chcckpclnt. l'*^on w" got to t^p. vlllag'^, som?5 had alrsady gone to slerps t*^1n!<1nr that t^ny vfcrr stuc*' till rcrnlrc. It didn't ta!'c long to load t^oxo. and t>e1r goods. I dropped tho last f#w at t^-.o college at p.r. ?orre cf the parll'^r group there tc t*^f*r. and help T^'oy *^ad only short distances tc go so I'm sure thpy all padfi It hy TO. *'cnday, ?*v?ryhody rested. Two of tl^e deacons vrare here and we
teU.er? fror a.m. to p.m. .1 just pray t^-at the spirit of love and enthusiasm will
remain undlmlntshed throug*^ the y?ar.
lished.
Vest t1rro I vlll tell you a^out t*-^ two rw evangelism groups t*^at are '^elng estab
In Christian love,
n
I have long since used up my space, *^ut not ny joy In sharing the news with you.
'orothy rionsProfit Org.
S. Postage
Orlando. Floridi
Permit Vo. ?^n
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Kempton, Hf 460^9
-a.G AuENX'
InSW v>sLj5i-j:iiK:
/<S>6
Joppa, MD 21085
Vol. 4, No. 4
August, 3:982
5 '98^
T^earJFriends in Christ,
/' * coupleThe of prices days I are have too been enjoying a special tastefresh treat; tossed often. salad, ^without lettuce).. high in Ghana to buy many "greens" Last week though, Glenda Bridges and I made sn arduous shopping trip to Lome, Togo and we are all enjoying apples, potatoes, salad and oranges. This shopping trip took us two days. We bought 6 different items by the casG^ plus a 100 lb. bag of flour. We
the truck. These were both
frl^h
fOT 'our
oSv'sD^f^ r* r" setting things stamped and paying duty. We us on manv-th<"^^iK owwer, we didnjt have jiear-enough duty-money because-they-chargcd travele^s^h^fo Glenda left them-two-unatgned about 4*30 Dm i ?'* advanced us the money we needed. We got-ftome ber f P"'^ ^Wper and fell into
were h^e by i-30 r o I'* takes us more thin"
food. border
ment
thinas are
toilet paper, fiash.,ight batteries, canned goods, cooking oil, and^^il-filters, light bulb^T-mal^ria^d headachnSidlHS^,
hM h^
checks back, then drove hone again. We B?d.dges car so it wasn't such an exhausting drive,
"P but we sure enjoy the
'n Accra ifvL^^'^'cor^^nL^h ''^Sinning of May and we had one of the rainiest seasons ^ patches sprang up everywhere as people tried to eke out their chew bu? different farms. Alittle hard to so these pr?oefCe^ier f \ '='toes and fish has Increased but Zn^raS^ ^1= cool weather, DU. Sy nardlyjn>_rj^ln. This ? a good Line of yoar for your to delightfully cone and visit. thouprit^e^L t m" 17th, ItWe was a smashing even ^ held on July Anerlcans. h.d the usualsuccess, green. rS faded and tapered! "AfuLral'^a^^-nothe-^rA^^*^' though they are getting very
food aull<
usual orocran of n i.
the ehalr
^--reaeing, sone of the studenL'^went round benchas. We had bought 300 snail packets of
"SS from visiting choirs, speeches
'Children who like to force their way in. ttofortunatelf "el bLausrft rL'or' P^^r- Sdn-^^Sr^fic^' the people for an hour oi- nor^ singing groups continued to entertain
rsm H ^ f
*-'"
srsL-
Morkl^^wlth'^nr?^"^"?'^ AV Student, is Enoch Ityador. He has been cLrch hM^allL M Christian Church, for his four student years. The wiS us l^g^st 15 he has accepted. L begins ^d fuLY^Mr, responsibility for the church; we must pay his Llary ^t H quarters. His salary will be barely enough to Lbsist on/
moLy or in Und^S he
are confident he will do a good Job. His living quarters will be a "hall a small living room and a bedroon. Rooms are very hard to find, and
Vf-re as bSsLd
Bath,^ollet, LfkUcSn
-2-
We have had twelve new nembers since 1 wrote in April. Five of those are children whom Deb Couch taught in the Sunday School for two years. Three of the rest are from an outdoor campaign that we held and one that the students held. Many nore responded to
the invitation at the campaigns, but in spite of serious followup, they did not carry through with a commitment of life. It's not very hard to get people to make a public
confession, but it is much more difficult to secure their obedience and dedication and
participation in the church.
One of the men who cane forward during the students' campaign went completely berserk about ten days later. He was taken to the mental hospital and the attendants there said ten men couldn't hold him when he was first admitted. He was a pagan and had
been a smoker and a drinker. We visited hiu each week in the hospital and shared songs and devotions and prayer with him and others who gathered round in the open courtyard,
After a month or so he was discharged and now seems perfectly normal. He has been
We don't attending the Bible classes for new converts and reads from the Ewe Bible,
'.c::
kn'ow If the derangement was demonic, mental or chemical, but the Lord has answered
given part of the evening service for then to recite passages and receive their prizes. They did very well and proudly took their ribbons full of the sumbolic pictures home to
hang in their rooms.
Since we have a numbe:r of Ewe members who are illiterate, two of the young men have started a reading class for them, so that eventually they can read the Ewe Bible, My Sunday school class completed their program of special memory work. We were
to leave the country. This makes our shopping trips a little simpler. And Togo no longer requires a visa~we just sign in at their border and then sign out, A sad noteafter a second complete overhaul, my truck is still using excessive oil. It has been serviced and now I am keeping track again to see how bad it is, I brought 3
gallons of oil back from Togo, so that should last a while.
One cheerful note--the government has cancelled the requirement to have eXit permits
Mensah Ganyor and he is also a Christian, He and his wife and little boy live in rooms
in Bridges' compound and he works for Bridges three days a week. Mr, Mensah does all the cleaning, the laundry, the breadbaking, and whatever else there may be to doeven bathing the dogi His presence is a big help, although I must confess I haven't improved
Try letter writing since he came.
Another cheerful noteI have a house helper two full days a week. His name is
Another cheerful noteas explained in detail to contributors, the college has a business arrangement with a local press. We buy books for them in England (Christian books), they sell theip and the college gets the proceeds. This gives us a much better
been ordered from Sears. This help does not reach the missionaries' salaries, so we
still depend on Togo to get the food we need,
We are now proceeding with the new chapel and roofing shee-ta have
God bless you all for undergirding us with prayer and gifts.
for Enoch Nyador, our brand new pastor.
Couches on furlough, the Bridges and me in Ghana, and Jeff and Sherry Hostetter preparing
to come to Ghana, Pray for Christian Adjei, and Joseph Nsiah, our Ghanaian teachers, and
Orlando, Florida
Permit No, 3081
Volume 4, No. 4
^,'ss }of)
.jfc h,
tob
DIRECT MAIL TO:
NEVfSLmEP:
Accra N, Ghana
J982
Vol. 4, No. B
October, 1982
Here's a surprise:
There is
a lot to tell you and I probably won't have tine to v/rite again till after Christmas. Ghana Christian College reopened on the 14th of September. We now have 32 students, seven of whom are day students. Two are Christian Church men and the rest are from the many independent churches vfho have no Pible colleges of their own. The first year
class has hine m^n lir^lin^^ad .^TKeHady wiTe"ijf^a~thlTd~i^ear~ytijdcnTt. last year's ladies got married during vacation and di'l not return so the total number
remains at three.
This past weekend I took eight of the students to a town ?0 miles away to help an independent church with an open-air crusade. I just dropped them off and then picked them up this morning because our local church v/as holding its own campaign^ and I was
busy in that.
Our church had a day of fasting Friday^ ending with a two hour prayer meeting. The previous Saturday5 nine of us had gone out house to house, informing people about the coming campa-ign and witnessing of Christ as opportunity presented itself. Then eight people went to the site to cut down weeds and rake and burn rubbish to make it neat. One of our college teachers, Joseph Wsiah, was the preacher both nights. He preached in Twi and one of the students translated into Fwe. Something happened to the lights that Carl Bridges couldn't fix on the spot. He just hooked up the loud speaker to the car battery and Joseph preached in the dark. People listened very wells and there were six or eight that responded to the invitation. Our pastor was the co-ordinator of the campaign. Sunday night, nothing happened to the repaired lights, so Joseph could preach in the light. It seems the children were more rovdy during the song service than the previous night. There were about 100 children compared with about 3C adults, but that is the usuatnexperience here in Ghana.- Some f^hristian adults are assigned-as-'%hildren controllers" for each such occasion, "^hero were several adult responses plus a number of children. I understand Joseph warned children that they also must repent of their sins in order to be ready for judgment. He will have a meeting of all the counsellors after prayer meeting Wednesday night to plan our followup very well, ^ne young boy who responded the first night and also talked to mo the socond night is supposed to come to my house this afternoon so I can teach him from the Scriptures and find out if he really knows what he's doing. '*s ^arl commented to me Sunday evening, if this were the only type of evangelism.. we were involved in, it would be poor, because sometimes "permanent" converts are very few, but it is one of many v.'ays we seek to reach out for the Lord. "''wo weeks ago I took Christian and f^ree young people to visit Mketepah Christian Church. It is a rough five hcur drive, hut I vras eager to visit after 2% years! The congregation had grown, partly through the efforts of an energetic student who snent time there during "practicals'* and again during vacation, -'is very success had fostered some jealousy in the resident preacher unfortunately, and there were some differences that needed to be ironed out, so that the vfork could go forward. We helped in outdoor filmstrip and preaching services Saturday and Sunday nights and in the morning service, r^onday morning Christian talked to the leaders to help sort out some of the difficulties. Sunr'ay afternoon was very hot and we were still tired from our trip, so we just slept and rested all afternoon. The other young people had previously ta?<en their baths in a.nearby river. The preacher vfasn't around to take them Sunday afternoon, therefore, I took them in the car and had my ^^ath there too. It v/as a pretty little river and refreshingly cool. The young people allowed m.e my privacy and I had just finished and ^ put on my dress when a local Ghanaian came strolling along f^e road and greeted me cheerily, '^ood timing!
I woke up in the night on Sunday with a case of diarrhea, '^'e had run out of the city water we brought and were drinking local vater. "aybe that's what did it. ^he common term for my trou*^le is "running stomach", I didn't drink any more water until I got home. I was glad v/hen the return trip v.'as completedfor two reasons! I must
Christmas convention.
be. sure to take my water purification tablets v/hen we glo to the same village for tf^e
-2-
I hesitate to call the new group at Ofankor a church. There 1s no minimum num^pr for a church but there 1s no stability there yet. ''ow one of our deacons who Is also
a student preacher Is going there every week to mainly teach, "''hat will bring lasting results. The initial group are ''-a speakers. The deacon is also beginning to teach
unbelievers in the
'^campaign" Is held and I like his plan. Yesterday the pagans said they had to go plant
That is understandable as the current
rains are scarce and they must be used v^ell. Please pray for Heacon Seth Crowffie in This past week we enjoyed a four day visit from Larry and Judy Kiemeyer. After serving in Zimbabwe and 7ambia ten years, they are going to take up a teaching
appointment in Kenya.
Saturday morning we had the annual meeting of the college ^oard of Governors,
in
ing of the school. This Is because we are moving toward ".Africanization''. V'hen the Bridges go home on furlough next July> Christian Adjei will become Principal and Josepi'
have more of a voice in the daily running of the college than ever before.
the future the Toard will have more responsibility in the sharing of ideas for the runn
Msiah will become college bookkeeper. The missionaries will still represent the mission
(and its ,'American supporters) and will serve as teachers, but the faculty as a whole will
It s wonder
ful In theory but often difficult in practice. iMth different ways of looking at life, it takes a lot of patience and compromise to work together. Sometimes it's hard for me to accept the changes, so please pray for me that I may be a rhristian first and an
.'American second.
Every prayer meeting, we pray for the "travelers" of the congregation. /S the economy steadily wors^nss young people leave for other countries to find work study, Ve have seven or eight in Nigeria, one in Liberia, and two studying in the
hpve virtually no Christian fellowship for six years. We cannot wsHe plainly about the church and things of the lord without bringing her under suspicion and questioning, b.xbPlieves she can be strong enough and says this is perhaps her only chance to get the
I tried to dissuade the last young lady who went to P.ussia, because s. e wil.
support ^er^in^t.^ letter from one of the married men in Nigeria. His wife stays here
with the children and they exhange visits whenever possible. He said he has started a fellowship and prayer meeting in the house. !!e are so r.appy for his faith and zeal. Won, rry trurk baf? rome into its own. In the last mon'y^.,_Vxe ha^no water at all for two weeks. Carl worked out a plan for Mrr and me to t^aul the water necessary tor
professional training she wants. V.'e will pray for her and write partly in code to
didn't believe I could. With the current 'retter return on our dollars t,.roug.- the booK-
the college and the faculty. It was overwhelming. ?aybe David Couch could do it, ^.ut I selling enterprise, we decided to hire a temporary fulltime employee just to cart water.
One of the deacons I taught to drive two years ago and who was availablehas been hir^.d. His job has taken more tban 4^ hours a week because it includes sitting in the Patrol
queues (gasoline lines). In the last few days there has been some water at n^eht, but the big dam is reportedly 1/3 below normal and theory season is
are not ready to terminate our water-hauler yet. I am so grateful that c.rl and -o.. ihave <-0 soend 2^ hours a week each doing that work. Two weeks ago Chana closed all its ground borders 1n a new movp to halt snuggling and currency trafficing. That also stops legitimate travelers and shoppers, includ,ng
to e a't-uge proMem if the bordors don't oren r.oon. ^heir pay in cedis 3ust 'fon t
not to qo again until ^ecemHrr. so we are O.K.. hut for our Ghanaian
us andTr rhanaun l?aff. filenda and I ^ad rr.ade another big trip in --ctober plann ng
f
stretc-. ^he -^ridges and I are trying to decidc the best way to help them through this
are happy that rick and "oretha l^uUon of Chio have been accepted as recruits and plan on coming to wort- here when the Touches return next year. Praise the Lord.
Keep praying for us and thank you for your faithful support.
Love in '^hrist,
FIRST CHRISTI.M' CHfRCM
Dorothy
?5f^5
Kaley Avenue
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DOROTHY rUb'SON NEWSLETTER Volume 4s ^'o. 5
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