Volume 2

GHflnn CHRisTinn
COLieGG
AFRICAN MISSION EVANGELISM
David and Deborah Couch
Fiefd Address:
GHANA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Box 5722
Accra. Ghana
June 1985
Forwarding Agent:
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Couch
5106 S. Harmony Rd.
Bloomington. IN 47401
phone 812/825-2711
Number 1
JEREMIAH'S STORY
L '
David, Deborah, Faith and Jeremiah
During the last four months we have realized
that we have much to be thankful for. As a result
of blood incompatibilities at his birth in 1983
Jeremiah was deveioping slowly. In February
Deborah. Faith and Jeremiah returned to the
USA for medical tests. We were advised by our
doctor in Ghana to have his hearing tested.
Facilities in Ghana were not able to test him, so
we decided the best course was to take him
home for a thorough evaluation.
The trip home was made with Deborah's
mother and aunt, who had been visiting with us
in Ghana since January 9. After arriving in the
USA Jeremiah was evaluated by a number of
doctors at Riley Hospital for Children in
Indianapolis. Their primary concern was his
hearing loss and how that might hinder further
development. A number of other tests were also
conducted to determine if his slowness
stemmed from another cause. All of these tests
were negative.
David arrived back in the USA on March 16.
He had remained in Ghana to complete the
second term of class. Following his arrival,
Jeremiah was fitted with a hearing aid for his
right ear. Both of his ears were affected by the
Faith and Jeremiah
hearing loss, but the right ear is less affected
than the left ear. Presently, the left ear has no
registered hearing. However, with the hearing
aid Jeremiah's hearing in his right ear is nearly
normal for a child his age.
Jeremiah has not yet learned to talk because
he has not been able to hear well until now. We
have been instructed by a speech therapist in
ways we can help him adjust to the new sounds
he is hearing and helping him learn to talk. Both
the audiologist and speech therapist think he
can overcome these problems if we work with
him. Some of our concerns, such as his not
sitting up, have been proven ill-founded.
Jeremiah is now sitting up on his own and
crawls all over the house. He is now standing by
himself for a few seconds. He has a fondness
for the outdoors and loves to pull out the pots
and pans from the kitchen cupboards. Almost
every day we see how he is growing.
Jeremiah and Faith on plane to Ghana
We returned to Ghana on May 1. The doctors
did not think our return would inany way hinder
his deveiopment or hearing. He will have to
wear his hearing aid all the time, except when
he is sleeping or in water. If there is a need for
servicing the aid, or any adjustments, we hope
to be able to have this done in Ghana or go to
Abijan, in neighboring Ivory Coast.
From our visits to Riley Hospital and our
discussions with the doctors, we feel that
Jeremiah's problems are very moderate
compared to what could have resulted from the
circumstances he went through. We thank the
Lord that we have been able to learn what his
problem is and how we can help him overcome
it. We thank each of you for your prayers and
concern for us at all times, and especially
through these times.
PRACTICALS
The school year is now just over two thirds
completed. During the Easter vacation
following second term classes the students
spent two weeks on a program called
Practicals. Each student spends two weeks
working with a church in order to acquaint
himself/herself with working in a church. In the
past years the college has given money to help
the students in this program. Money was given
to provide for the student's transportation to the
church and for one week's food. The church
was expected to provide the other week's food
and money for transportation back to Accra.
As part of the college's attempts to shift more
to local support of its work the faculty decided
to discontinue providing funds for the
Practicals Program and urge the individual
churches to provide entirely for the students
during these two weeks. In order not to
inconvenience any students or churches, the
faculty decided to encourage churches to begin
with their support this year, but provide funds to
those who could not obtain the necessary
support. Forty students went on Practicals.
Each church took up the responsibility to
provide for the students who were with them.
The college did not have to pay any funds for
Practicals. This change may not seem striking
to many people, but to us it indicates the desire
of local churches to join in the support of the
work of the college, which has been supported
primarily by American Christians.
ANOTHER TEACHER
Following graduation in July the college will
hire another teacher, Akua Eghagha. Akua will
be one of the graduates from the college's four
year program this year. She will be hired as a
part-time teacher to teach English next year. If
the position works out, she could become a full-
time teacher. This step is part of the college's
efforts to localize and expand its faculty. It will
also allow the expansion of the college
curriculum.
In addition to hiring a part-time teacher, the
college has also hired a public relations man.
He is Patrick Eghagha, husband of Akua and a
graduate of the college. His responsibilities will
be two-fold. He will be responsible to spread
the word about the college to the churches of
Ghana. He will also be responsible for raising
local support for the college, which is
supported 99% by Christians in America. The
Board of Directors of the college determined
that there are many Christians in Ghana who
would support the work of the college if they are
aware of Its ministry.
One stipulation for the hiring of the new
teacher and the public relations man was that
the funds to pay their salaries be raised from
local churches. We hope this will be another
step toward moving the college from depending
on support from American Christians to
depending on support from Ghanaian churches
which are served by the ministry of the college.
Faith and her friends in Ghana
PERSONAL NEWS
The last six months have been full of changes
for us. The Fultons were gone from July to
December, 1984. Rick returned to Ghana on
December 26 in order to begin teaching second
term classes. Coretha and the girls returned to
Ghana on February 15, 1985 to join him. Deb
orah's mother and aunt, Carma Kalb and
fvlargaret Wilson, visited with us in Ghana from
January 9 to February 8. They were able to see
firsthand many of the things they have been
hearing about for the last few years. They also
brought with them suitcases full of lots of treats,
which all of us enjoyed.
The 1985/86 school year will be our last in
Ghana. There is still a lot to be done at the
college, but we feel we have done what we can
do. The college is in need of someone with
administrative experience who can lead it
through the process of accreditation over the
next few years. At one time the college was
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MiSStON SKHVJCKS ASSOCIATION, i>. O. K<ix 2-127, Knoxvillc. T\
Mission Services
PO Box 2427
Knoxville, TN 37901
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
GHRHR CHRISTIRR
COLLeGe
AFRICAN MISSION EVANGELISM
David and Deborah Couch
Field Address:
GHANA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Box 5722
Accra, Ghana
Forwarding Agent:
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Couch
5106 S. Harmony Rd.
Bloomington, IN 47401
phone 812,825-2711
December 1985
Number 2
GRADUATION, 1985
David, Deborah, Faith and Jeremiah
On July 13 about 300 people gathered on the
campus of Ghana Christian College and
Seminary to witness the graduation of twelve
students at the college's nineteenth graduation
ceremony. Three of the graduates received
B.A. degrees and nine graduates received three
year diplomas. A total of 113 students have
graduated from GCC/S since its beginning in
1966.
On the eve of graduation, the students had an
"end of year" party. They organized it
according to their local style, serving cakes and
party mix, rice and goat stew, and fruit drinks.
The program included singing and a play. It
was an enjoyable evening for us, even if the
stew was a bit "hot" for our taste.
Following graduation, the graduates served a
meal for their guests and the faculty. Though
this meal was enjoyable, it was not as lively as
the one the previous night, since everyone was
tired from graduation that afternoon.
TWENTY YEARS IN
GHANA
On September 24 GCC/S began its twentieth
year of classes in Ghana. During that time over
150 students have attended the college and
dozens of churches have been established.
There have been many success stories and an
equal number of disappointments, but by the
grace of God, GCC/S has continued to fulfill its
ministry of training local men and women to
serve the churches of Ghana. Briefly, here is
the history of those twenty years.
The college began in July, 1966 when Gerald
Gibson held classes in his house in Kumasi.
Later in the year the college moved to Accra,
eventually renting facilities in Kokomlemle. In
1967 Gibson was joined by Richard Hostetter
and Cyril Simkins, who shared the teaching and
administrative work. The college remained in
Kokomlemle for about four years before
moving to another part of Accra known as
Abeka, the present location of the college.
In 1970 the college purchased land in Abeka
in order to build a permanent campus. The
missionaries who worked with the college at
that time were Richard Hostetter, Ronald Rife,
Kent Taylor, David McHenrV, andsDorothy
Eunson. Christian Adjei was hired to bethe first
Ghanaian teacher at GCC/S after his
graduation in 1970. In 1972 David Kalb arrived
from the Camarqone. He opened an extension
of the college m the coastal city of Tekpradl.
In 1976 the Carl Bridges family arrived in
Ghana to join the Kalbs, Dorothy Eunson and
Christian Adjei in working with the college.
Joseph Nsiah had taken over the Takoradi
Extension after his graduation from college in
1974. Throughout all of these years the
missionaries concentrated their attention on
the college and on establishing new churches
in areas which had none. By 1977 six of these
churches came together for fellowship, calling
themselves the United Christian Churches
Brotherhood. This group has since grown to
about forty-five churches. Each church is
autonomous and receives no support from the
missionaries or the college. The Brotherhood
organizes conventions and training seminars to
encourage the Christians and train the leaders.
The college recently expanded its personnel.
Christian Adjei serves as Principal and Joseph
Nsiah as treasurer. Three missionaries also
serve on the faculty of the college: Dorothy
Eunson (on furlough until July, 1986), Richard
Fulton and David. Akua Eghagha was hired as a
part-time teacher and assistant librarian after
she graduated in 1985. Jeff Hostetter (on
furlough until April. 1986) arrived in Ghana in
1983 to open an extension of the college in the
city of Sunyani. The college also employs a
public relations officer, Omitigo Eghagha, a
1975 graduate. Following his graduation in
1985, John Dadzie was hired as an administra
tive assistant to take over much of the daily
operation of the college.
The goal of the missionaries since the
founding of the college has been to move the
college in the direction of being locally
operated and supported. Many of the changes
now taking place have their roots in the work of
earlier years, which set the stage for
transferring responsibility for and control of the
college into the hands of Ghanaian Christians.
VACATION
What hajSpens after graduation? According
to the school, calendar there is an eight week
vacation, known as the long vacation (the term
summer vacation is not relevant to the tropical
climate). The students return to their homes
and families. For the faculty, it is a change of
pace, but It. is not really a vacation. Here are
some of ihe things which took place during our
"vacatiori."
Cpavid made twotripCto northern Ghana. This
does not look like a long trip, if all you do is look
at a road map. The actual conditions of the trip
are much different than making a 500 mile trip in
America. On August 5 David accompanied
Christian Adjei and three students on a visit to
two Christian Churches at Bolgatanga, the
capital of the Upper Region of Ghana. Due to
the poor road conditions, it took two days to
reach Bolgatanga. After spending two days
there, the group spent fourteen hours on the
road in order to reach Yeji, to meet with a newiy
established Christian Church there. On the way
back to Accra, the group stopped in Mampong
to hold a seminar for one of our students. The
trip covered about 1,500 miles in five days. That
is not bad, considering that there was no
interstate highway.
A coupie of weeks later, the entire Couch
famiiy made the trip north to see what the rest of
Ghana was like. We spread the fifteen hour trip
over three days, visiting friends and
acquaintances along the way. We arrived in
Bolgatanga on the fourth day of our trip and
stayed with some missionary friends who are in
language study. Faith and Jeremiah had a great
time playing with their two small sons.
We learned how the customs and foods differ
from North to South. The Northerners also
build their homes differently. Each family or
clan has a compound of round mud rooms with
thatch roofs, connected by mud walls. The mud
is made of cow dung and dirt, and is very strong.
Inside each compound there are also rooms for
various animals (goats, chickens, pigs). Sever
al of these compounds make up a village. The
compounds are very neat and clean.
Our trip to the North was made during the
rainy season. Everything was beautifully green
and flourishing, a real contrast to two years ago
during the drought. The Northerners are good
farmers, growing millet and peanuts. Theyalso
raise cattle, sheep and goats. From time to time
we would see a "cowboy" riding a burro to
round up his herd.
On this trip David preached at a church
established by a man who attended the Abeka
Christian Church while in Accra. We also
visited a GCC/S graduate and the church he
established about four miles outside of
Bolgatanga. We witnessed several baptisms
resulting from their work and teaching. We also
attended a short (one hour) service afterwards.
These churches showed theirappreciation with
gifts: two chickens, eighty eggs, a nice "Bolga"
basket, a walking stick, and a long pipe (used by
the old women).
The trip was refreshing, in spite of the poor
roads. We enjoyed visiting old friends and
meeting new ones. The Ghanaians are a very
friendly people, from North to South. We saw
the good and necessary work that other
missions are doing in the North, and the great
need for more teaching of the Good News of
Christ.
Work was also being done at the college. Five
students were hired to work over the vacation.
They painted most of the campus, including the
inside of the chapel. One major job completed
over the vacation was the moving of the library.
Chapel
Before graduation, the roof of the chapel was
raised three feet. This was completed just in
time for graduation. Because we do not have
the funds to complete the electrical
installation, the chapel was temporarily wired
from another building, giving lights for evening
services. Now ail of the Abeka Church services
are held in the chapel, even though the doors
have not yet been installed. The college also
meets a class and chapel services in the chapel.
Being able to use the chapel in this way has
allowed the library to be moved into the room
formerly used for chapel and church services.
The assistant librarian, Akua Eghagha, has
been working nearly every day to catalog books
for the library. This move has made the library a
more attractive place for research and study.
LOCAL SUPPORT
We are not asking you for money; we want to
tell you about it. Since its beginning, the
college has depended for its financial support
on Christians in America. The primary obstacle
to complete local control of the college is
developing a local base of support. In the past,
the college has received a small amount of
support from a few Christians In Ghana, but
most of its Income has come from Christians In
America, The Board of Directors of the college
has taken initial steps to develop local support.
The first step was the hiring of a public
relations officer. One of his responsibilities is to
generate local support through his work of
publicizing the college. Since July, 1985, about
10% of the college's income has been derived
locally. Although that may not seem
significant, it is an increase over the past years.
We realize that developing local support will
take a long time, but ask you to pray with us that
this will be the beginning.
The Board also approved a textbook fee for
the students, the first of its kind. At one other
time in its history, the college attempted to
implement a registration fee, but it did not work
out. However, circumstances have changed.
When the textbook fee was approved by the
Board, it was to cover 50% of the cost of each
student's textbooks (200 cedis each term --
equal to about three days wages, at minimum
wage). Since that time, because of
devaluations of Ghana's currency, the textbook
fee covers only 33%of the cost of the textbooks.
This is, however, generating some local income
for the college.
Our goal is to see the college move more
onto local support each year. Through the work
of the P.R.O. the college will become better
known throughout Ghana. As this happens, we
are confident that the Lord will raise up
supporters of the college from among his
people here.
Another new Idea being tried out by the
college is the publication of a monihiy
newsletter to keep its supporters informed of
events at the college. This publication, called
the NEWS BULLETIN, is being sent to all of our
supporters in order to keep you Informed of
what we are doing. If we missed your name, or
you would like to receive the NEWS BULLETIN,
please write to us at our Ghana address.
PERSONAL NEWS
Jeremiah was two years old on October 27.
Though his abilities may not be up to the
average two year old level, he is full of life and
making good progress. At twenty months he
took off walking. He goes out with the rest of
Jeremiah
the "compound crew" to play. He has a nose for
water, and what a muddy mess he can make
with a few drops of waterl He keeps his
mother's cupboards clear of Tupperware. He
pushes a stool around the kitchen so he can
"help" with the dishes or cooking. Jeremiah is
doing much better at leaving his hearing aid in;
so well in fact that his parents forget and put
him in the bathtub or down for his nap with it
still in. He says "mama" and "see, see" as he
points at something, as well as making other
sounds for specific items. He jabbers a lot and
does not scream as much as he used to.
Jeremiah has quite a temper and can be as
stubborn as any child, but generally he is very
pleasant and brightens up the worst days. He
loves swimming. We try to take Faith and
Jeremiah to a near-by pool three or four times a
week for exercise (it does not hurt their parents
either). We thank you for your prayers for him.
As you can see, the Lord is answering them in
wonderful ways.
Faith is nearing four years old. She loves her
little brother and often gives in to him. But at
times she complains that he Is "beating"
(hitting) her. Her mornings are quiet as three of
her best friends go to school. She spends the
time coloring, helping her Mother or with other
friends. When her friends return from school,
so does the normal running, laughing, crying
and arguing of children. Between her
Faith and Jeremiah
dutchyness and Ghana English, we at times
cannot make out what she says. She gets mixed
up on answering "yes" or "no" to questions,
since Ghanaians answer negative questions in
a different way than we do. Faith has given up
most of her whining and is a good iittlegirl more
times than not.
Deborah has started up a Sunday School
class which her mother held when she visited in
January. Though Stephanie and Sara Fulton
and Faith go to Sunday School during the
regular Sunday morning worship service, it is in
the Twi language. Deborah's class is held on
Sunday evening for these three and four little
Ghanaian boys who do not speak Twi. It is
thoroughly enjoyed by the students and
teacher alike.
Deborah formerly taught a class for older
Ghanaian children. Some young men at the
church took over this class when she returned
to America in February and have continued
teaching the class. We thank the Lord for this
step as the Abeka Christian Church continues
to grow.
PRAYER
Requests:
increase in local support for the college
GCC/S Board of Directors as they
assume more responsibility
wisdom as we live and work in Ghana
that we will do our best to improve
Jeremiah's hearing and speech ,
Praises:
the forty students at the college
-- Jeremiah's progress
-- our health
the good water and electricity we now
have
And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judea, unto the city of David,
which is called Bethlehem . . . with
Mary his espoused wife, being great
with child. And so it was, that while
they were there, the days were
accomplished that she should be
delivered. And she brought forth her
firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a
manger; because there was no room
for them in the inn. Luke 2:4-7