Dayton UMC Ghana 2011 Church Planting Mission

Sunday, February 27, 2011

KIDS!!!!!!!!!!

Six months ago I would have never imagined going to Africa, and here I am sitting in the living room at our mission house blogging. Coming to Africa has changed my life!  I have realized how blessed I truly am. These children have a very little amount of belongings, yet they smile more than any child I have ever met. The amount of love in their hearts for anyone who has come into their lives is amazing. All they want to do is shake your hand or high five or sing songs with you and that is all it takes for them to be happy.  Today for church we split up into two groups and each group went to one of the villages that we were at this week. I chose to go to the first village because that is where I connected with the kids the most. As we were leaving I felt very sad, I had built relationships with children that I will probably never see again. Then I remember the other night at the crusade there was a very large group of children that gave their hearts to Jesus, and no matter if I don't come back to Africa ever again, I pray I will see everyone of those children in heaven one day.

We have had some serious times here, but most of the time we have been laughing. Just about anytime Austin and Jim are in the same room. We all knew if Austin came it would be a good time, but Jim, oh buddy the stuff he says and does is hilarious. Chris and Rachel have also had their share of funny moments. There are plenty of funny quotes from this week and Austin has already put those on his post, so you can look there.

When we would be at the school the children would gather around us, not just a couple kids but sometimes over fifty. Even though it was ninety degrees and I couldn't even move because we were packed all together so tight, every drop of sweat and inch of sunburn was worth it because of these kids and how they just wanted to be around us. I thank God I was able to come on this trip. Thank you to everyone who has made this trip possible for me.

                                                                                               Love,
                                                                                                   Lindsey

Ghana Ghana how I will miss you!!

The trip is coming to an end. Today I was able to preach at the first village that we had served in. I was really hoping to find the boy that came to Christ and I did. The experience this morning was really amazing. We had a man come to Christ and we also prayed over a lady for healing. This trip has been such a blessing. For those of you that don’t know I almost didn’t go because of my Mom’s recent diagnoses with cancer. But God kept pushing me to go and I am so glad I did. There have been so many things that God has revealed to me this week. I would love to share those all with you but there is not enough room on this blog.

Have you ever been asked to pray for someone not evening knowing who it was? Well at youth group one of students had asked us to pray for a man named Phillip from Ghana. I never thought anything of it until God gave me the opportunity to meet that man and hear his testimony. God miraculously healed him from a disease he should have died from. Our God is still doing miracles and this clearly reminded me of it.

I just pray that as each of us returns home we can share our stories but most of all when souls for Christ back in the U.S. Because we were only here for 12 days and that leaves 353 days to win souls to Christ this year.

I want to leave you with a few more random facts that I have learned in Ghana!

1. Running is not something that Joseph likes to do.

2. Fu Fu is actually a meal in Ghana and Pizza is always served with rice balls.

3. It is finished is a very common phrase in Ghana which means you only get half of your change back.

4. Telling people you are crazy in Ghana is an insult, wish I would have learned that the first day instead of the last.

5. They sell 5 hour energy in the U.S. and in Ghana.

6. The word/name Pinballnaeshay may not be real but it may someday surpass Gandhi.

Obedience

Some people have a burning desire to come to Ghana. Or some want to come for a specific purpose like playing with the kids and teaching them about God. I had no idea why I came on this trip. The last thing on my mind was going clear across the world. The thought of being on a plane terrified me, and the idea of a bunch of "strange" people wanting to talk to me and touch me was horrifying. But God said "GO!" God did more than just say Go, though. God carefully orchestrated our entire trip. First he told me to go. Then he told me that I was going to win the GIC scholarship. When my name was pulled out of the hat as the winner, I was not surprised or thrilled. But there is that little story of Jonah and the whale. I knew if I did not go, a whale would somehow find me in Lafayette, IN. That is not to say that God would have punished me for not going, but that He had something to teach me that I wasn't learning. It was an immediate decision for Rick and JoEllen to also go because we do almost all things as a family. I had no worries about the financial piece. I knew that if God wanted me to go, he would provide the way. The money arrived in God's timing and in God's way. As I prepared for this trip, I spent much time in prayer and fasting in order to release my fears. Faith and fear are not compatible. God does not give us a spirit of fear, nor does he want us to worry. He wants us to be able to say "I trust you, Jesus" in every situation.

I helped out in the medical clinic for the 3 days at the first village, and then I did what I could to help with building the church at the second villiage. I was certainly brought out of my comfort zone with children sitting on my lap. This trip has been a good experience for our family. Rick has grown so much. JoEllen now has a global perspective. I believe I have learned what I came here to learn which is this: God wanted to show me that in my submission of following him to Africa, He will use me in Lafayette.Because I have trusted Him in such an overwhelming huge step, it will be easier to trust Him in the daily steps. As my devotional said yesterday, the future is a secret, and it is God's secret. He will provide only what He wants us to know. God has great things in store for the Doyle family. He worked mighty works in Rick and my life individually, and He has not stopped working on us since He brought us together. It's kind of scary knowing that something greater is around the corner for us, but "I trust you, Jesus." -MarJo

One thing I would like to say to those undecided about a mission trip. My greatest fear was that JoEllen would starve because she is so picky. But judging from how many times she has sat on my lap, I think she has grown taller and gained weight since we have been here. She loves Ghanaian ice cream. I have not been afraid for her safety. I am very glad we included her in this trip. We would have regretted it if we had left her at home. This has been the experience of a life time for her.

Stretching

I came to Ghana in hope of being stretched by God. I wanted to learn to be able to share my faith with others and reach out to people that are hurting. Today I had the opportunity to give a piece of my testimony with the help of Joseph as translator. God was able to help me speak the words to a different people group, and I lived through it. I have a feeling it was a message that they needed to hear. When I come back to America, I hope to maintain this boldness. I feel that I have grown closer to people on the team. Hopefully I have lost a little bit of my introvert-ness. This has been an incredible trip. The weather is great. I have not met a bad person here. Everyone is nice and friendly even with the language barrier. I walked down the street near the mission house and was able to say hello to people. That got a smile and a greeting back. I helped in the medical clinic for the first village and then with building the church in the second village. I also had time to play with the kids in both villages some. It is time for supper now. The food has been wonderful. They feed us way too much. Thank you for supporting us on this trip. Why didn't I do this earlier? -Rick

Another Day

Today is a day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in him. We will be heading off to worship at the to villiages we were with all week. God as been so good. Today I pray that we can remember what he has done in these short days a allow him to work through us the other 350 while we are in the states.

I have one more little story for you today!

1. Understanding a lauguange that sounds like Chinese is very difficult. When you are talking to a child and telling them that "you do not understand" and they just say yes, it is hard to communicatte. But it makes more since when the child next to them says "She is telling you she doesn't understand."

Here is also a little video I made for my wife I think you will also enjoy it, these children are amazing!

Have a great day at church.

Austin aka Hey Austin!!!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Children and a comfortable spot

We were at Siribuoso in the evening for the crusade. The children are always excited when we pull up in the vans. And sometimes you'll find a couple kids that just really attach themselves to you. There's few things that warm your heart more than a little child from one of these villages climbing up in your lap and falling asleep during a message. God bless these children. -Renee

We are still in Africa!!!

Hello from Ghana! It is “Verrry Goood” here (this is what Joseph would say)!

Well, it has been a few days since I have posted anything and a lot has happened! We finished up at the first village. The last night we had a crusade and showed the Passion of the Christ. I was able to preach and the Holy Spirit was moving because I have no idea what I even said, but people responded! One boy that responded had been my little buddy, and as I looked down he was standing at my feet with tears falling down his eyes. His face was the most sincere that I have ever seen on anybody praying, and his eyes were closed with his hands raised up to God. I will never forget it!

I have learned a few more random facts in Ghana that I would like to share:

1. If you say “I feel good” all of the children will start singing the song.

2. The most common pain in Africa is waist pain.

3. The difference between 2 schools is their love for the students and Obama. The first school asked us what we would like to do for the children. The second school said, “What message do you have for us from Obama?”

4. In some places, you could get a spanking instead of a speeding ticket.

5. Driving in Ghana is never safe. 1 beep is a warning, 2 beeps means move, 3 means I am going to hit you, and 4 means you have been hit.

6. The most popular question I have been asked is “What is your mother’s name?”

7. Pinballnaeshay is still not a word, but people in Ghana are so nice that they do not let you know you are wrong.

I miss you guys! Keep praying that God will continue to grow the churches that He planted and use everything we have done for His Glory!

Austin aka Mi Dinde Austin

Our ongoing mission...

A team from the Dayton United Methodist Church in Dayton, Indiana is returning to Ghana, West Africa for the fourth consecutive year. The main focus of the annual mission is to win new believers to Jesus. The next step is to help them become established with a local congregation under the direction of trained leadership so that they can grow as disciples of Christ.

We are partnering with evangelists Joseph and Stella Otsin and the Methodist Church of Ghana in the Kumasi Diocese to conduct outreach in two different communities this year. Together we hold evangelistic outreach events during the evenings and reach out to the people in the communities through additional ministries during the day. The ministries to support the main goal have grown and developed each year.

This year’s team includes two of our associate pastors, Pastor Jim Hiestand and Pastor Austin Bender. They will be presenting the Gospel during the evening events. Additionally, they bring a depth of knowledge and experience in working with children and young people, and have planned activities and outreach among the youngest Ghanaians. Pastor Jim will also lead a Saturday seminar to equip and energize adults from the Kumasi area who work with children.

The medical outreach this year will be much more in depth than past years. Dr. Cameron Gongwer, a full-time medical missionary working in Ghana through the Mission Society, will be joining our team. Cam brings a depth of knowledge in tropical medicine as well as leadership in the area of public health training. Joining Cam in medical outreach will be two physicians from Indiana, as well as others from Ghana. Several nurses and other medical professionals will complete the clinic’s staff. The medical clinics will be able to provide a greater level of service to the communities than ever before.

Members of our team will also be working side by side with a crew of Ghanaian carpenters to construct a worship pavilion for a congregation that is currently worshiping under a tree or perhaps in a borrowed room. We hope to leave the congregation with a solid roof supported by steel posts. In the short term, this pavilion will shield the church members from the hot sun and the tropical rain. Later, as they are able, the church can gradually pour a concrete floor and construct block walls to complete the structure.

This outreach had it’s start in 2006 when Pastor John Walls lead a team from Dayton United Methodist Church to support the work of Dr. Gongwer and his wife Anne at the hospital and library in Ankaase, Ghana. Pastor John and our congregation began asking the Lord for an opportunity to partner with someone from the Methodist Church in Ghana to bring the unreached to Christ. We asked the Lord to lead Pastor John to someone who is making an impact for the Kingdom of Heaven that we could assist and support on an ongoing basis. God was faithful and arranged for Pastor John to meet Joseph Otsin. Joseph, and his wife Stella are both ordained by the Methodist Church of Ghana. They have been given the task of carrying the good news throughout Ghana, with a focus on the Ashante region.

The Otsin’s ministry operates on an annual cycle. Joseph works with his Bishop to identify communities that they believe are ready to receive the Gospel. He then goes into the communities and begins to prepare the way. Joseph locates individuals who can become the core of a new congregation and from this group selects one or two individuals for additional training, which Joseph conducts as part of his ministry. Eventually one of these people is selected as the “caretaker” or lay pastor of the new church.

Joseph and Stella partner with evangelists and local churches from the United States and coordinate with the Methodist Church in Ghana to facilitate revival style meetings in rural villages and newly developed suburban areas. The new believers who receive Christ at these meetings are introduced to their lay pastor and are organized into a new congregation. The lay pastor is given a bicycle, a study Bible, and discipleship training materials to help him or her begin leading the church. The new church becomes a part of the local circuit and a member church of the local diocese of the Methodist Church of Ghana. Later, as the church grows, Joseph may be able to bring a team of workers to help the congregation construct a worship pavilion.

In 2008, Glenn and Sue Meiser, serving as vanguards for DUMC, joined a team of evangelists lead by Cecil Williamson. During that trip, eleven new churches were planted and thousands of people came to faith in Christ. The Meisers watched and learned as much as they could and began planning to return to Ghana with teams from the church in Dayton. They remained after the Williamson Crusades to help construct a worship Pavilion for the church at Atwima Mim.

The Meisers returned to Ghana in 2009 with one Spirit lead couple joining them. During that trip, two churches were planted and hundreds of people came to faith in Christ. That year, we began to include outreach to children as part of the daytime activities. We held medical clinics with the help of Ghanaian nurses, and helped to put a roof over a Methodist congregation. We also worshiped with our friends in Atwima Mim and with the two newly planted churches.

We returned in 2010 with a team of nine that included our new senior Pastor, Mike Dominick. The 2010 team was able to expand our ministry and outreach in every area. We participated in evangelistic events, medical missions, children’s ministry, and pavilion construction. Pastor Mike also preached at an interdenominational prayer meeting and at a camp meeting attended by all of the congregations in the Kumasi area. Members of the team worshiped with the newly planted churches as well as with those with whom we worked during the two previous years.

This year’s trip will take place from February 17 through March 1 in the villages of Anwiafutu and Serebuoso of the Kumasi Diocese. Our plan is to help build out two small churches, provide an extensive medical outreach in the villages, provide children’s ministry and children’s ministry training, construct a pavilion and worship with as many of our sister churches as possible. You can keep track of our progress as we begin to populate this blog with stories and photos of our ongoing work. Please visit the blog as often as you can to follow our adventures as they unfold. And please, keep praying!