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| Copyright © 2005 - 2009 Temple Restored Ministry All Rights Reserved |
| Africa Outreach |
My first introduction to Africa was an 18-day trip to Togo with Pastor
Jean Baptíste in the mid-1990's. I often describe the experience as the
airplane taking off from Minneapolis Minnesota and landing on the moon. I
was totally unprepared for the poverty, the filth, and the confusion of
Lomé, the capitol. I remember being so frustrated because there were
no super Wal-Mart's or Home Depots. It was an all day job to find and
purchase a specific item and everyone seemed to move at a "snail's"
pace with great inefficiency.
We stayed at the headquarters of the Church of Christ in a room
patrolled by a few mosquitoes (and no mosquito net.) Although it was
90 degrees in the day and 80 at night with near 100% humidity, we
were forced to sleep with a sheet pulled over our heads in order not to
be stung. Yet in the midst of the hardship and the heat there was a
charm and a wonder about this beautiful but dirty place.
Pastor Baptíste and I studied for about 5 or 6 hours a day with about
twelve Church of Christ Pastors from the surrounding local churches.
Several of them accepted the messages presented and took it back to
their congregations with great acceptance.
In December 2000 Windy and I returned to Africa, this time traveling to
the Democratic Republic of Congo with an Evangelistic team organized by
Samuel Minnea and another Ministry. We conducted a Bible and Health
Training School by day and Pastor Cody Francis conducted evangelistic
meetings in the evening. We also provided health talks for the three
week evangelistic campaign that was conducted, prior to Pastor Francis
presenting his message.
Although we have attended evangelistic campaigns in the past, it was a
privilege to watch God work through the plain teaching of His Word.
In November 2003 Pastor Cody Francis organized two evangelistic
campaigns in the town of Obuasi, Ghana. He conducted one on one end
of town, and I conducted one on the other end of town called
Akaporiso. The two 15-night campaigns were conducted simultaneously.
Pastor Francis did a prophecy seminar, while I used a Gospel/Sanctuary
theme.
The Lord blessed and there were 30 baptisms between the two series.
New members were added to the existing Church in Obuasi and a new
congregation was planted on the other edge of town in Akaporiso. This
new church was started with about twenty adults and ten children. At
the conclusion of the evangelistic series, my heart was burdened to raise
funds to build a church for these new faithful believers.
They rented a local Catholic elementary school and conducted three
weekly evening meetings plus their main Church service for three years
before the Lord blessed Temple Restored Ministry to purchase land and
build a church for them. It was at this time that our interest, devotion
and labors began to grow in Africa.
We began financially supporting two full-time Bible workers at the
Akaporiso church in 2003 before they had their own building, and are still
currently supporting them.
In 2006 we returned to Ghana with a team, to build a church for the
Akaporiso congregation and conduct an evangelistic series in Sefwi
Bekwai, which is in the north western interior of Ghana.
It was on this particular trip in 2006 that we learned more about the
needs of the people and the special needs of the Bible workers to do
their work more efficiently. Financially, housing is a problem for them and
their families, as they have to pay three years in advance to secure a
place, public transportation is an ongoing problem with the rise of gas
prices and their limited income. Most Pastors or Bible workers do not
make enough to pay for their children's public education. The churches'
tithe's and offering's are low, as most members of their congregations
are unemployed. Yet amidst all of their hardships and discouragements,
we found the Bible workers to be extremely hard workers, walking
miles in the heat with no bottled water in hand, to visit people in their
homes and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our dream was and is to continue to support Evangelistic efforts like
these throughout West Africa and provide materials, training and financial
support to see that these new congregations grow strong and healthy.
Currently Temple Restored Ministry (through sponsors) is supporting and
supplementing the income of 15 Bible workers that are spread out in
different districts of Ghana. A few Bible workers receive approximately
$145.00. These particular Bible workers receive no housing allowance or
other benefits. The remaining Bible workers receive approximately
$110.00. These funds barely sustain them in the ministry which is money
they use to sustain their families as well. Prior to Temple Restored
Ministry becoming involved in supplementing and supporting the Bible
workers, we learned that Bible workers in the northern district (northern
Ghana) were only receiving $40.00 per month. These workers income
has been supplemented to bring them to $110.00 per month. Ideally we
would like to see them receive $200.00 per month.
If you would like to make a long or short-term commitment to help
supplement a Bible worker please contact us to inform us about your
intentions or for further information; or click here to donate.
Temple Restored Ministry is currently in the building phase of a Bible
Training Facility in the town of Anomawobi (an-o-ma-wo-bi), about
one-hour outside of Accra the capital of Ghana. This facility will be used
to train Pastors, Bible Workers, and Christian lay workers, by placing tools
in their hands to lead people by faith to Jesus, and to strengthen their
local churches. The bricks are currently being made, for the first building
to be erected this year. To learn more about this project click here.
Jean Baptíste in the mid-1990's. I often describe the experience as the
airplane taking off from Minneapolis Minnesota and landing on the moon. I
was totally unprepared for the poverty, the filth, and the confusion of
Lomé, the capitol. I remember being so frustrated because there were
no super Wal-Mart's or Home Depots. It was an all day job to find and
purchase a specific item and everyone seemed to move at a "snail's"
pace with great inefficiency.
We stayed at the headquarters of the Church of Christ in a room
patrolled by a few mosquitoes (and no mosquito net.) Although it was
90 degrees in the day and 80 at night with near 100% humidity, we
were forced to sleep with a sheet pulled over our heads in order not to
be stung. Yet in the midst of the hardship and the heat there was a
charm and a wonder about this beautiful but dirty place.
Pastor Baptíste and I studied for about 5 or 6 hours a day with about
twelve Church of Christ Pastors from the surrounding local churches.
Several of them accepted the messages presented and took it back to
their congregations with great acceptance.
In December 2000 Windy and I returned to Africa, this time traveling to
the Democratic Republic of Congo with an Evangelistic team organized by
Samuel Minnea and another Ministry. We conducted a Bible and Health
Training School by day and Pastor Cody Francis conducted evangelistic
meetings in the evening. We also provided health talks for the three
week evangelistic campaign that was conducted, prior to Pastor Francis
presenting his message.
Although we have attended evangelistic campaigns in the past, it was a
privilege to watch God work through the plain teaching of His Word.
In November 2003 Pastor Cody Francis organized two evangelistic
campaigns in the town of Obuasi, Ghana. He conducted one on one end
of town, and I conducted one on the other end of town called
Akaporiso. The two 15-night campaigns were conducted simultaneously.
Pastor Francis did a prophecy seminar, while I used a Gospel/Sanctuary
theme.
The Lord blessed and there were 30 baptisms between the two series.
New members were added to the existing Church in Obuasi and a new
congregation was planted on the other edge of town in Akaporiso. This
new church was started with about twenty adults and ten children. At
the conclusion of the evangelistic series, my heart was burdened to raise
funds to build a church for these new faithful believers.
They rented a local Catholic elementary school and conducted three
weekly evening meetings plus their main Church service for three years
before the Lord blessed Temple Restored Ministry to purchase land and
build a church for them. It was at this time that our interest, devotion
and labors began to grow in Africa.
We began financially supporting two full-time Bible workers at the
Akaporiso church in 2003 before they had their own building, and are still
currently supporting them.
In 2006 we returned to Ghana with a team, to build a church for the
Akaporiso congregation and conduct an evangelistic series in Sefwi
Bekwai, which is in the north western interior of Ghana.
It was on this particular trip in 2006 that we learned more about the
needs of the people and the special needs of the Bible workers to do
their work more efficiently. Financially, housing is a problem for them and
their families, as they have to pay three years in advance to secure a
place, public transportation is an ongoing problem with the rise of gas
prices and their limited income. Most Pastors or Bible workers do not
make enough to pay for their children's public education. The churches'
tithe's and offering's are low, as most members of their congregations
are unemployed. Yet amidst all of their hardships and discouragements,
we found the Bible workers to be extremely hard workers, walking
miles in the heat with no bottled water in hand, to visit people in their
homes and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our dream was and is to continue to support Evangelistic efforts like
these throughout West Africa and provide materials, training and financial
support to see that these new congregations grow strong and healthy.
Currently Temple Restored Ministry (through sponsors) is supporting and
supplementing the income of 15 Bible workers that are spread out in
different districts of Ghana. A few Bible workers receive approximately
$145.00. These particular Bible workers receive no housing allowance or
other benefits. The remaining Bible workers receive approximately
$110.00. These funds barely sustain them in the ministry which is money
they use to sustain their families as well. Prior to Temple Restored
Ministry becoming involved in supplementing and supporting the Bible
workers, we learned that Bible workers in the northern district (northern
Ghana) were only receiving $40.00 per month. These workers income
has been supplemented to bring them to $110.00 per month. Ideally we
would like to see them receive $200.00 per month.
If you would like to make a long or short-term commitment to help
supplement a Bible worker please contact us to inform us about your
intentions or for further information; or click here to donate.
Temple Restored Ministry is currently in the building phase of a Bible
Training Facility in the town of Anomawobi (an-o-ma-wo-bi), about
one-hour outside of Accra the capital of Ghana. This facility will be used
to train Pastors, Bible Workers, and Christian lay workers, by placing tools
in their hands to lead people by faith to Jesus, and to strengthen their
local churches. The bricks are currently being made, for the first building
to be erected this year. To learn more about this project click here.
For an update on the Ghana Bible Worker Program click here.
For an update on the Bible Training School click here.