ghana

Thank You For Your Help For the Work in Ghana !

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The plans to help our brothers and sisters in Ghana were entered into after prayer and communication with missionaries and local people who had worked there for years. Although the evidence indicated that at present this was the best place where we could help the work in Africa go forward, this work from the beginning faced much opposition from almost every quarter. (The reason that we believed Ghana was the best place to begin, was that God’s faithful people there had a church organization that was based on the New Testament model. This developed after much trouble and trial as well as Bible-study, over a twenty year period.) In fact, it was opposition to the work in Ghana that partially influenced a disruption with some staff right at Steps to Life. It was then predicted that the poor people in Ghana would be disappointed because promises had been made that would not be realized. Rumors have been sent all over the country and attempts have been made to get accusations against the orphans and the orphanage. This of course would stop support for the project. In the midst of all this opposition, we never knew from one month to the next where support would come for either the orphanage or for Steps to Life to continue sponsoring the project, since so many false accusations were being made.

At the same time we could not fail to see their desperate need for a means to communicate the gospel more effectively. We believed in spite of the frailty of our humanity it would be a dishonor to the Lord for us to quit as long as the Lord held the door open for us to help them with the work. What has happened, as you can see from the above article and picture, we believe to be a result of God’s great grace. It would never have happened with the amount of opposition against it, except that the Lord worked a miracle. We believe that there will be a multitude of these people in heaven and we want to have that unity and harmony with them for which Christ prayed in John 17. We also want to be in unity and harmony with God’s children all over the world and are praying for those who want to be our enemies —we want unity and harmony with them too. We want to have perfect unity and harmony with you too, brother or sister —we absolutely must have it if we are going to heaven together. Any and all wrongs must be made right and we must all be heart to heart together.

Many things have been learned from the work in Ghana. One thing is that great progress cannot occur for God’s work in any city or country until there is New Testament church organization. Is your home church organized according to the New Testament? (See Acts of the Apostles,

155–165, 188–200, 593–602.) New Testament church organization is not hierarchical and no hierarchical organization is in harmony with the New Testament. There are several other countries in Africa asking for help. We hope that Ghana will become a center for giving the Third Angels’ Message to all the English-speaking countries in Africa. If we can become unified, as the Lord is calling for, the work in Africa and in other countries could receive help and be finished quickly.

One of the ways that there has been an attempt to stop the Ghana projects is by false accusations that Steps to Life was in some way dishonest or not accountable with finances. We have had full financial audits for the last two years. We have also had accounting reviews by an independent accounting firm for the two years previous to that. Anyone who is supporting God’s work at Steps to Life is welcome to come to our office and look at either our audited statements or our books.

We are receiving increasing calls for help from many parts of the world. We have no way to help all these people except as the Lord through His Holy Spirit impresses His true and faithful people to help finish the work all over the world. Please join us in prayer for divine instruction and assistance that the work can be finished quickly. Don’t you want to go home soon too?

Reporting from Ghana, West Africa – Why Don’t You Study for Yourself?

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Since the inception of Steps to Life, on February 18, 1996 in Ghana, it has been a witness of the outpouring of God’s blessing on a continent of those hungering and thirsting for spiritual food. The office has not only been a place where God’s work is sent to unknown students , but prayers are offered to God on behalf of the students , people are counseled and outreach programs are planned.

Prior to the commencement of the Steps to Life Bible Correspondence School, national newspapers carried advertisements about the school, explaining what the school is about and reinforcement to encourage faithful returns of lessons. People enrolled in mass, and some even enrolled their friends and relatives. Others wrote specifically for prayers to overcome spiritual problems.

The Crew

We have a seven man team who work conscientiously together to ensure that souls are saved. The Director, Joseph Class-Peters, oversees the day to day running of the school. He makes sure nothing impedes or derails the mailing of letters, and he also plans the outreach program.

Gabriel Brew is an astute accountant. He denied worldly gains in order to serve God. He is the financial operator, and works on the word processor. He is assisted by Agnes Class-Peters, a constant voluntary worker at the office.

Pastor Nolly Okoroji is in charge of mailing, registering and filing the students records for easy access from the vault. He is assisted by James Andoh, who does the mailings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ben Asherow also works in the mail room to ease the burden of work.

Pastor Chunks Iheme assists the Director in the marking and evaluation of the returned lessons. They answer questions and record prayer requests as well as grading the lessons.

Team Work

When the letters are received, they are sent to the mailing room, where they are sorted, registered and grouped into regions. The registered names and addresses are passed to the machine room where they are typed and sent back to the mailing room for lessons to be organized and dispatched.

The second stage involves the returned lessons. Files are opened for returned lessons one and two. Next the lessons are graded, and questions answered. An average of 150–200 lessons are marked per week. The graded lessons are sent back to the machine room for the next lessons to be assembled and mailed.

Records Broken

It is incredible to note that within four months of existence, we have had a tremendous response. We have received more than 5,000 letters. Over 4,015 lessons have been sent out. Many of our students have answered lessons 14 and 15, which discuss the Sabbath, and have decided for the truth. We shall commence visiting our students to register their response and encourage them.

Africa is on fire for the Lord! Help us praise the Lord. This week we shall run our second advertisement, for the next quarter. We are expecting a gigantic response from the populace.

Aiding the Historic SDA Church in Ghana

Steps to Life in Africa is working with Historic SDA Churches here. We are unrelenting in our efforts and undaunted by circumstances to ensure that the Three Angels’ Messages are proclaimed. We support and compliment the roles of these churches in fulfilling our dream.

Brethren, we need your prayers and support.

The Closing Work in Ghana

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“Among earth’s inhabitants, scattered in every land, there are those who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Like the stars of heaven, which appear only at night, these faithful ones will shine forth when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people. In heathen Africa, in the Catholic lands of Europe and of South America, in China, in India, in the islands of the sea, and in the dark corners of the earth, God has in reserve a firmament of chosen ones that will yet shine forth amidst the darkness, revealing clearly to an apostate world the transforming of obedience to His law.” Prophets and Kings, 188. In our part of the Lord’s vineyard, Ghana, in West Africa, (In fact heathenism is now a thing of the past here) the Historic Adventist Group has always sought to maintain primitive godliness, and to be a part of faithful ones proclaiming the message of the third angel. What methods do they use?

In 1991 I had a chance to attend a Bible Workers’ Seminar in Canada. In the process, it came out that there are various means of reaching the world with the gospel: Tracts, pamphlets, books, Bible studies, magazines, loaf of bread, cooking classes, letters, a telephone ministry, Sabbath schools, character building stories, a prison ministry; the list can go on and on. A good emphasis was put on acquisition of training before one can work effectively in any of these areas.

The Ghanaian group lacks most of these logistics, though good in themselves. But with the assurance that “The Lord will work through humble instruments leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them.” Evangelism, 699. His members and workers are fully engaged in the proclamation of the Third Angels’ Message. In this article, I want to share with you some of the unique experiences we have had during the past year.

General profile of work in the churches

Every individual is involved in the house-to-house work especially on Sabbath afternoons.

Volunteer groups like “Christ Support Groups” in Kumasi and Accra are seriously complementing the efforts of ministers.

During the last Easter holidays the youth wing of the church had a 4-day fasting and prayer session, with the view of getting the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Third Angel’s Message.

Efforts in the Gold Mining City

Prominent among the strategies used here are door-to-door evangelism, open air crusades, and preaching on the streets. In February 1995, our Mobile Gospel Team (comprising Pastor Sam Bempong, and Evangelists Boakye, Kusj and Anning) embarked on a four week open air crusade at Obuasi (a gold mining town). Apart from going from house to house, they also sold 1080 cassette tapes. These tapes have the following messages recorded on them in the local language: Christian marriage; In the Days of Noah; Who is a Christian?; The Judgment; Health Reform Principles; Prophecy (Daniel 2, 7 and Revelation 13) ; and Is Rapture Real? The interest was indescribable. One hundred and nine persons are receiving Bible studies, and thirty-five souls joined the local church. An interested individual sold his old 15-seater Volkswagen bus to the group. The bus is now running on a second-hand Toyota Carina engine.

The Tema Crusade

Between late June and early August 1995 (4 weeks), the mobile team moved to Tema, an industrial city near Accra, the capital of Ghana. Fifteen souls were won to the Lord and 78 others are receiving Bible lessons. Here too, 430 tapes were sold.

Dunkirk Street Preaching

Dunkirk is a spot close to the center of Kumasi, the city where we have the church headquarters. At this spot daytime street preaching has been going on since July 1993. On a typical day the mobile team and/or some lay members will mount platforms and use the prophecy series in Daniel and Revelation printed on cloths to warn passers-by who are easily attracted to the spot. In fact, many souls have joined our various churches through this effort. Notably, the Tema church was started around an individual who first heard of the message at Dunkirk. Recently, the emphasis has shifted to medical evangelism, where Evangelist Adu Poku (Head of our Sanitorium Unit) and his group are doing the work of the mobile team, whereas the original mobile team has moved into the districts to help for a time.

Now and Beyond

This year, with the establishment of Steps to Life Bible Correspondence School in Accra, more souls are being reached. The lessons are structured in such a way that, midway, the students would be approached by contact persons from the church. Everyone is busy doing his or her part. Dear reader, this is a group that has little, but offers all. Why don’t you get on board?

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Pure Religion – The Orphanage Experience in Ghana

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Ever since I became a Seventh-day Adventist (an Historic one, of course) there is one Spirit of Prophecy quotation which has always impressed me. “The Lord provides for the widow and the fatherless, not by a miracle in sending manna from heaven, not by sending ravens to bring them food; but by a miracle upon human hearts, expelling selfishness, and unsealing the fountains of Christ-like love. The afflicted and bereaved ones he commits to His followers as a precious trust. They have the very strongest claim upon our sympathy.” Ministry of Healing, 202. I found myself never to be satisfied with any other vocation until I purposed in my heart to take up that pure religion that is undefiled before God—to visit the fatherless ( orphans ) and widows in their affliction. James 1:27.

Mission Statement

I started an orphanage in my late mother’s dilapidated home. My mission has always been to bring orphans and needy children to my home, clothe and feed them primarily, bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, always hoping that their characters may be fashioned after the divine similitude.

It has never been that easy, but I have always been strengthened by Christ in the knowledge that “many of them [the orphans] have received an inheritance of evil. They are unpromising, unattractive, perverse, but they are the purchase of Christ, and in His sight are just as precious as our own little ones.” Ministry of Healing, 206. These poor ones are taught in the home during the day and in the evenings and on Sabbath they join our small local church (about 17 members) where they receive more lessons about the Saviour. This interaction makes them feel more of a sense of belonging in our society.

More Hands on Deck

By, and by, more local church members have gotten involved in diverse ways to help. Pastor Melvin Bankhead and his wife Cecilia from Ebenezer Hills, Arkansas, have always been a blessing to us. When Steps to Life came to see us, things improved rapidly. Now we have a decent kitchen, beds for the poor ones, and a roof over their heads. Sympathetic sponsors for the kids from far and near, through Steps to Life Ministry, has put more smiles on their faces. When the new building gets completed more and more orphans will be helped.

Every informed historic Adventist is involved in the proclamation of the Third Angel’s Message. At the orphanage in Ghana our strategy is to educate these poor young ones in these lines, and sooner or later they will be part of the Lord’s army in finishing the work.
Instead of giving all our attention to pets, lavishing affection upon dumb animals, we will devote all our time to these little children. How about you, brethren and sisters?

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What’s Up In Ghana?

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Ron: Joseph, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Joseph: I was born in Ghana and raised as a Catholic. I knew nothing about Adventism until I met a brother who shared with me about the law of God, and the gospel of Jesus whereby I could be saved from the guilt and power of sin freely through the grace of Christ. I decided to obey the law of God, including the seventh-day Sabbath and began looking for a church to go to. I joined a study group in 1979 and got to know a man form America, Brother Bankhead who sent me some books including some Ellen White books. I started to study them. That study group has developed into the Accra church of historic Seventh-day Adventist believers. More recently, I have been in the United States for about four years working to support myself and help the work in Africa. I plan to go back to Africa soon.

Ron: Why do you plan to go back to Africa?

Joseph: First of all two or three people have said to me, “Joseph, what are you doing here? You have to go to Africa and work there.” Secondly as I have been praying, I believe the Holy Spirit has impressed me to go back to Africa. Finally, all I have studied here, coming to the Bible training course here at Steps to Life and many other things, I can use to help the church there. Our goal is to reach not only the entire region of Ghana, but the surrounding countries with the three Angels’ messages. While the Adventists who are faithful to the historic message that God gave to Adventism are attempting in every way to spread the three angels’ messages, they are in need of assistance if they are going to reach the entire population.

Ron: What are the best ways that we can help them?

Joseph: First of all they do not have a place to invite non-Adventists to meetings or church services. You might say, why don’t they just establish home churches as in America and other parts of the world. Well, first of all, most of the members live in small one room houses or apartments. This one room is where the whole family lives. With four to eight people living in a one room apartment sharing a bathroom with the occupants of other apartments and sometimes sharing a public kitchen, inviting people there for a home church is not feasible.

John: So, they need a place to worship and conduct evangelistic services?

Joseph: That is correct. Secondly they need a place to organize and plan their work. They need a place to produce literature, for the world, and also communications for the churches.

Ron: The building that we are helping them to buy will not only satisfy the need for a place for production of materials, preparation and distribution of communications, but also it can function as a church, and one part of it will be used as a sanitarium, and another part for a clothing distribution center.

Joseph: We hope that these new facilities will be used by the Lord and our faithful people to bring a great evangelistic thrust in Ghana. Our people have fasted and prayed for a long time and we see in these developments an answer to our prayers that the three angels’ message may be finished soon in Ghana.

John: In what other areas may we help the work to progress more rapidly in Ghana?

Joseph: As you reported in your News Notes a few months ago, Rose has been operating an orphanage in Ghana. With almost no facilities, as photographed in your News Notes, she has been taking care of 16 orphans (children who are adoptable) and many other poor children, providing them with food and clothing etc. She is working very hard, from early to late to earn the money to support these orphans and poor children. With the help that you are planning to provide for the orphanage, the living conditions for these children will become much more healthful—they will not have the constant exposure to the elements, and also it will be much easier to keep the children clean.

Ron: For a more complete explanation of the situation about the orphanage read our August News Notes. In addition to the orphans being cared for, there are many poor children who would be in a terrible situation if it were not for the self-sacrificing efforts of Rose in caring for them. The orphanage also cares for some mothers and their children who have no means of support. This is a noble work. John Huss was in this same situation once. He was an orphan (no father) but his poor mother thankfully knew how to pray. Read the whole story in Great Controversy page 98.

Joseph: How close are we to being able to build this orphanage and help the brothers in Ghana to purchase the churches that they so desperately need?

Ron: We have raised over 75% of the funds needed to build the orphanage, $30,000. Steps to Life supporters have also sent over $40,000 for the churches. Rod Clark is planning to go to Africa this winter to oversee the construction of the orphanage. However, I want to know, are there other things that we can do to help our brothers in Ghana to speed up the work of giving the three angels’ messages to West Africa.

Joseph: We are in need of literature and materials to give to the people to help them understand present truth. I understand that you are planning to help us with literature too, is that right?

Ron: That’s exactly right. We have received money for literature for Ghana and we are hoping to send a shipment of tracts not only in English but also in Twi. Two people have donated slide projectors to help them in their evangelistic meetings. People have sent in over 200 pounds of clothes.

I have to say that I am so thankful for the way God’s people have supported this project and I believe they will finish giving the necessary funds to complete this very important gospel endeavors. I would like to end this interview by sharing a quote from Christ’s Object Lessons, 351. It says, “Money has great value, because it can do great good. In the hands of God’s children it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, and clothing for the naked. It is a defense for the oppressed, and a means of help to the sick. But money is of no more value than sand, only as it is put to use in providing for the necessities of life, in blessing others, and advancing the cause of Christ.”

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