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Tuesday in Ghana began just like every other day at the Presidental Lodge……with roosters crowing about 4AM and the sleep being all but over.   Actually we were able to get caught up on a little rest and our day didn’t start until 8AM when we were taken to the Preschool at Central Baptist Church.   It was just like our preschool at Robinhood Road except most of the children were  from Muslim families, the classrooms were much smaller, and each teacher was responsible for approximately 50 students.   Families are charged the equivalent of $2 per month for their children to attend this half-day program and the three teachers for the school all earn about $20 per month. 

Our team spent the morning in classrooms.  Myself and Eddie Cole hung out with the 2-3 year olds and watched a little “Ghana discipline” in action.  The teacher stood in the front of the crowded room and children sat in chairs facing her.  They were packed in about as tight as you could possibly imagine…..and she had a big long stick that she would use to smack the children on the head with if they misbehaved.  Needless to say, the kids behaved well! 

Eddie and i spent some time teaching the children songs like “This Little Light Of Mine”, “Jesus Loves the Little Children” and “The ABC Song” and then we started telling the children Bible stories from the Old Testament.  I realized quickly that while the teachers were all members of the church, they were very unfamiliar with Old Testament stories.  Our teacher was simply blown away in hearing the story of Noah’s Ark.  She just kept looking at me and saying “REALLY?” when i was talking about the animals showing up two by two.   Other members of our team spent the morning in different rooms and the older children all got to do some fun crafts.  

We delivered supplies such as sissors, glue, paper, crayons, and clothes that our congregation had collected and the teachers were very appreciative.  We were also able to give every child in the school a stuffed animal which they loved.   We discovered some real needs within the school.  First, the teachers are just like everyone else in Ghana……way underpaid.  They could use some support and even if our church sent their school $60 per month……it would double teacher’s salaries.  AND BELIEVE ME….THEY DESERVE IT!   We also discovered a great need for the school in that they need to purchase a refrigerator to keep the children’s lunches and water cold.  The cost would be about $300 in American money, so we’re praying that somehow we can help out with that project.   Finally, we realized how useful some good children’s books would be for the school so teachers could both learn about and tell some of the great stories of our faith.   We learned stories like David and Goliath, Adam and Eve, Sampson, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, and Shadrack, Meshack, and Abendigo when we were very little……..and i’d love for these children whose parents are not Christians to have that same foundation.

Tuesday evening we went to the village of Gbani for a crusade.  The trip took about 90 minutes and our pastors were not expecting nearly the success of the night before because there really was not a Christian presence in this village at all.   Upon arrival, we went to the village chief for premission and we were told that we had to wait until the Muslim Hour of Prayer ended.  So, we twittled our thumbs under the trees in the dark as we listened to the chants and prayers coming from the Mosque.   Once the hour ended, we quickly started our service and many of those who were praying in the Mosque came straight across the road to check out our service.  There was plenty of praise and worship music and approximately 300 people sat on benches and stood in a huge circle around the worship area.  When it was time for the message, i was able to share with them that Jesus was not just a great teacher, nor was he just a prophet from God……but that he was the Messiah, and anyone who told them different was wrong.   By the end of the invitation, about 90 came forward to receive Christ, many still wearing their prayer caps from the pervious service in the Mosque.  It was an awesome God moment.  Things started getting pretty rowdy as Pastor Barnabas cast out some demons and i have to say that our team got seperated and it was a little scary for a moment or two.  We found Janet surrounded by a sea of children and teenagers who were just a little too excited to have her around.   It was not dangerous in any way….but a little more out of control than we expected things to be. 

It was a great evening though, and the end result was that a new church was planted in the village of Gbani……….which the pastors named Robinhood Baptist in honor of our church’s work among the Mamprusi People. 

The overwhelming sense that our team was getting as the week progressed was that this was one of those special God moments in life that is almost just too wonderful to put into words.  We were blessed to witness things that i never dreamt of seeing and i am eternally changed!  And it’s only Tuesday……………….

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