Mission 5th  - 19th March 2007

In April 2003 Rev. Davis Kwasi Konadu Apostolic Revival Church and Rev. Emmanuel Kwasi Mensah Greater Life Evangelistic Temple got in touch with us after visiting our website. Explaining that after reading about us the Holy Spirit touched them and told them to get in touch with us. Over the next few months of sharing they asked if they could join us, so in June 2004 became Associated Member of Unity.

In September the same year they invited us to come to Ghana to start a Unity Group. We shared this invite with our Bishop, The Rt. Revd. Dr. John Sentamu ‘Church of England’ Bishop for Birmingham, now Archbishop of York who gave us his blessings and authority to look at starting Unity groups, we also had the blessing and support of The Most Revd. Vincent Nichols the Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham is now Archbishop of Westminster and English Cardinal of the Catholic Church.

After praying for many months we decided that it was the Lord calling us to go to Ghana , so we wrote to Rev. Davis accepting their invitation.

We then contacted the Anglican and Catholic Bishops in Kumasi to inform them of our visit, giving them details of who we were why we were coming to Ghana and requesting an audience with them when we arrived.

We booked the flights for 5th November 2006, unfortunately two days before we were due to leave Dianne’s brother Chris died, so we cancelled. We eventually arranged to go on the 5th March 2007.

We arrived in Kumasi early evening and then took a taxi to were we where staying, which was about half an hours journey from the bus station in the city. On arrival at the house we were to stay during our visit we were met by the owner’s son his wife and two young men who we would be sharing the house with.

Wednesday 7th

We met Boateng Jude a Catholic and Director of Jerk Educational Complex  and Pastor Frank Sarpong and his wife of Divine Power Gospel Ministry.

Later in the afternoon we went to Pastor Frank Sarpong Church the  Divine Power Gospel Ministries.

were we shared the word of God and ministered to the people.  

Thursday 8th

On the evening we went to The Blood of Jesus Reformed Church in the  city. The Church was down a back street which was very dark because  of no lighting and the roads were dirt roads and very uneven.

When we arrived the people were praising God and you felt the power of  the Lord in that place.

After the praise and worship Ray preached on Ephesians 4: 1-16

 Unity  in the Body of Christ’,

Friday 9th

We went to the Fire Chapel to share to the word of God about Unity  ‘Ephesians 4: 1-16’

On arrival the Church was in full swing around 300 people praising and  worshipping God.

During the this time Prophet Abraham Cudjoe started to pray with a  man who had been cursed and told that he would be dead in three  days.

Praying over the man to release him from the cures put on him are,

 Prophet Abraham Cudjoe and his assistant ministries.

Prophet Abraham Cudjoe afterwards continued to pray with other by the time

he had finished it was to late for us preach.

 We went on from there to meet the Anglican Bishop

 The Rt. Revd. Daniel Yinkah Sarfo at his office. We shared with him about   Unity and our purpose in coming to Ghana .

 We also informed him that we came with the support and blessings of both   the Anglican Bishop Rt. Rev’d David Urguart and the Catholic Archbishop The   Most Reverend Vincent Nichols of the Diocese of Birmingham and also the   support and blessings of The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr John   Sentamu Archbishop of York.

 Rt. Revd. Daniel Yinkah Sarfo said that he would try and be with us at our   Unity meeting’s, unfortunately he was unable to make it.

Saturday 10th

Day off, so went into the city to look around and do some shopping.

Here Dianne and Charity looking at the different stores. Rev Davis and myself following behind.

Sunday 11th

 Today we went to Rev. Davis Church the Apostolic Revival Church .

 We arrived around 1pm to a Church already buzzing with praise and   worship; they had been there since around 9am and had been praising   God in temperatures of about 90 degrees.

 

  Their love for God is expressed in their   singing and dancing and praise.

  For them spending the best part of the day   in the presence of the Lord praising Him is a   joy and pleasure.

At around 1pm Apostle James A.A. Afrifah

invited Ray to come and preach. Ray was welcomed with shouts of joy

and applause from the people. His message of unity from a

Ephesians 4: 1-16 had a profound impact.

It was attended by Ministers and lay people from the Roman Catholic, Methodist and Pentecostal Churches .This laid the foundations for the three day’s Unity Meeting to be held later that week. The talk on Ephesians 4: 1-16

“Unity in the Body of Christ” is available on CD/DVD.

Monday 12th

We had a trip to Cape Coast to visit the Poor Clares to deliver a letter from Mother Bernadette of the Poor Clares in Elesmere Shropshire UK. The journey took about 41/2 hours, on the way we had a man talking about herbal medicine for around an hour then when he got off another man stood up and started to preach, this went on for over two hours.      

On arriving at Cape Coast Rev. Davis and Charity took some food, the national diet, ‘fufu’ made from plantin and yam.     

We took a taxi to the convent which was about 20 minutes.

On arrival we were greeted by Mother Antonia.

Sr. Antonia  -  Sr. Barbara

Sr. Healing  -  Sr. Mary

Sr. Augustina

It was very hot in the convent as the air conditioning is only a fan in the ceiling.

After we left the sisters we went down to the coast, Rev. Davis and Charity had never seen the sea at all in they lives, so it was a great experience for them.

Taking a photo on their mobile

to show their son Martin the sea.

Charity is holding a bottle of sea water to take back to show Martin.

Tuesday 13th

Was day visiting the schools.

Angel Educational Complex

The first school we visited was  the school that Rev. Davis and Charity son Martin attends. We received a very warm welcome from all the children and staff.

We brought with us from England pencils, rubbers and pencil sharpeners and some sweets for the Children.

The teacher is giving out the sweets. She told us that she will give them all a pencil and rubber each but would hang on to the sharpeners as the children would sharpen the pencils until there was nothing left.

The second school

Jerk Educational Complex.

This school is run by Mr. Boateng Jude a Catholic who had a call from GOD to look after children more especially the very vulnerable in his locality.

He came across some orphans in his community who were crying for assistance he was touched and decided to do something to bring hope back into their lives so Jerk Educational Complex was established on August 24th 2006.

The children listening to Mr. Boateng telling them about who we are, we where receive with love and excitement by the children.

From left to right

Mother: Mad.Agnes Mensah, Mr. Boateng Jude,

Younger Sister: Leticia  Afriyie, Wife: Grace  Boateng, Nephew: Kwaku  Konadu, Ama  Achiaa. In Front of the mother is Doris , and in front of

Mrs. Boateng is Mary Duah and there little daughter Marcelling Serwah Boateng.

Mr. Boateng and his mother invited Ray and Dianne to be Patrons of the school which they accepted.

The Thired School

Petra International school.

The third school we went to was a Methodist school.

We were taken around school by Emmanuel Osei who became one of the Regional Coordinators for Unity in Ghana. He took us to the different classes to meet the children; again we were welcome with love and joy from all the children.

King Solomon International School

Was the Finally school we went to, which was founded by Apostle James A. A. Afrifah.

(unfortunately the photo’s we took did not come out so are unable to show you the excitement, joy on their faces as we went around the classes.)

This school like Jerk International School is a very poor school and relies entirely on donations.

Going around the schools meeting the children was one of the most moving moments of the trip for the love we received from them is something that will remain with us for ever.

Wednesday 14th

Grace Gate Chapel.

After the meeting

Rev. Newlove K. Eshum

invited us back to his house for refreshments. Where we talked and shared over a cold drink and crackers which was very much appreciated.

Today was to be a very busy day, with a meeting at Grace Chapel at 10am then on to see the Methodist Bishop The Rt. Rev. Nuh Ben Abubekr at 1pm then back to the house to get ready for the first of three Unity meetings.

When we arrived there were around 15 people, we found out afterwards that we should have been there at 7am when the Church would have been packed with people before they went off to work. Ray preaching on Unity fromEphesians 4: 1-16 'Unity in the Body of Christ’

Rev. Davis interpreted.

The Rt. Rev. Nuh Ben Abubekr

Methodist Bishop, Kumasi

We met with the Bishop at the Methodist Central Church where he was holding a meeting.

We spent about half an hour sharing with him about Unity and our mission to Ghana .

Before we left he invited us to come to a meeting of the Kumasi Ecumenical Group of Christians on Monday the 19th at 10am to share with them what we had shared with him.

Then it was off home to get ready for the first Unity meeting.

UNITY MEETINGS

The meetings were held at the Apostolic Revival Church over the three evenings, different denominations in Kumasi where invited to attend.

Rev. Davis, opening the last night of the Unity meetings.

On the first night Ray and Dianne shared how Unity started.

in all around 70 attended.

The second night Ray’s talk about unity based on John 17: 20-23 ‘that they may be one as we are one’.

His message had a profound impact on the Church leaders and the lay people.  

On the last night Ray talked about unity in Ghana and encouraging them to keep meeting on a regular bases, once a month.

At the end of his talk he asked them if they wanted to fulfil John 17: 20-23 and bring unity to Ghana .

He told them at the end of the talk he was going to ask three questions and if they agreed with them to stand up and make a commitment together.

The three question were:

1.  Do you want Unity in Kumsai – Ghana ?

2.  Do you desire to fulfill the prayer of Jesus in John 17: 20-23?

3.  Are you ready to make a commitment to achieve this?

After he had finished asking the questions everybody stood up.

Some of the Ordained and lay ministers that made the commitment and signed up with Unity.

The denominations that where represented were

The Pentecostal Churches, the Methodist Church, Roman Catholic Church.

From this meeting we appointed three people as Unity Regional Coordinators for Ghana with the possibility of a fourth.

They are Rev. Davis Pentecostal, Boateng Jude Roman Catholic and Emmanuel Osei Methodist, the forth Unity Regional Coordinator will be an Anglican.

Our mission was to lay the foundations of Unity through the prayer of Jesus

(John 17: 20-23) was fulfilled.

Saturday 17th

Was a day of rest, during the morning Apostle James A.A. Afrifah came to the house to tell us he was going to take us to see the Ashanti King. On our way to see him we saw his son playing table tennis.

He is the one in the white T-shirt.

We arrived at the kings advisers house to seek an audience with the King, we where told to come back at 2pm and we should be able to see him. So off we went back home to return later, which we did and was taken to the Kings residence, we were shown to the veranda and given some very cold water to drink.

We where there about an hour when Apostle James A.A. Afrifah was taken into the house to return 20 minutes later to say that we will not be able to meet the King as arranged as something had come up that he had to deal with and sent his apologies. The Kings driver took us back home, first dropping Apostle James A.A. Afrifah off first at his home and then us.

Sunday 18th

This was to be our last meeting Apostolic Revival Church before we left for home the next day.

The turn out was amazing, some of the Church leaders that had made the commitment brought there

congregation with them to say farewell.

Ray & Dianne had received a special invitation to Prophet J. K. Amoako & Mrs. Kate Amoako Ordination & Blessing of Marriage Ceromony, but due to the meeting not finishing till 2.30pm with farewells from the people and Church leaders we were unable to attend.

Rev. Davis introducing some of the Church leaders

Monday 19th Final day

Today was Ray & Dianne’s last day in Kumasi as they where to leave Kumasi for Accra to catch the flight home at 5.30am on the Tuesday morning. Before they left they had three appointments to fulfil.

At 10 am they met with the Kumasi Ecumenical Group known as the Local Council of Christian Churches, Ashanti that was formed to celebrate their Golden Jubilee of Independence.

The Rt. Rev. Nuh Ben Abubekr  the Methodist Bishop and The Rt. Revd. Daniel Yinkah Sarfo Anglican Bishop

Other members of the Ecumenical team who represent the different Churches in Kumasi.

They decided to continue to develop relationship between each other after the celebration where over.

Ray shared with them about Unity and their mission to Ghana, his message was warmly received, and was told that what he had said affirmed what they were doing and they where on the right track.

The Anglican Bishop, The Rt. Revd. Daniel Yinkah Sarfo ten days earlier said that Ray & Dianne should stay for 12 months to help establish Unity there.

After the meeting had finished we went on to see the the Most Rev. Peter K. Sarpong, Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi at his invitation for lunch and to share with him about Unity and our mission to Ghana.

Family Harvest Church

Tonight Dianne was to talk and it was here that the people showed their thanks by giving us gifts.

  

We took a taxi to the Church, the road leading off the main road up to the Church was very dark, narrow and bumpy, at the end there was very high hump at first we thought the driver was going to drive over it, but he did not, we got out and walked to the top.

The Church was situated at the bottom, there was no lighting, so had to tread very carefully as we descended.

After Dianne had finished her talk we were taken into a back room, where we were dressed

in the Ghanaian costumes they had bought for us.

               

Ray & Dianne in there Ghanaian costumes with Emmanuel Osei and Apostle James Afrifah

At the beginning the Church through the Apostles where commissioned by Christ Jesus to proclaim

the Gospel of Salvation to all nations as One Body with all its diversities.

Together in unity we can win the lost souls for Christ.

The unity of Christ produces Christians whose Christianity transcends all
their local and racial differences; it produces men who are friends with
each other because they are friends with God; it produces men who are one
because they meet in the presence of God to whom they all have access.
(William Barclay, 'The Letters of the Galatians & Ephesians)