2 Days with Terry and Amy Ruff in Northern Ghana

Bob Youell and I just returned from two days with Terry and Amy Ruff. We were able to visit King Hammond at Bethany Village where we were able to pray with Pastor Zak who is on his way to Mali to begin a new dentistry practice as a means to share the Good News. King has now begun fitting eye glasses as well. Pastor Steven in the village of Sanga was able to hear about the necessary training in order for him to perhaps purchase a BUV in the future.

Yesterday Bob and I were able to help teach 22 women in a micro-loan program where many of the women cannot read, write, or use a calculator. The simply make marks to keep track of their sales, and expenses. We were able to encourage them and give them great hope in their businesses while giving them the Truth of the Gospel.

Terry and Amy are working with Pastor Isaac, the first Gonja in his village to accept Jesus as his savior. Today Pastor Isaac is using the "story-telling" method to spread the Good News to many villages. One whole village and another extended family have come to Christ through this phenomenal approach to work with people from oral cultures. It is multiplying exponentially!

Many new Kingdom enterprise opportunities are being explored. Please consider purchasing golfballs to help fund them. Please check it out at www.missionresource.org. Online donations can be made.

Plans Changed

It is Tuesday morning, and Bob and I are still at the guest house. Sunday night was a pretty rough one for Bob. Evidently something got his system out of whack. For the life of me, I cannot come up with anything. Because we did not drive to the north, I was able to meet with Augustine Adu Gyasi and his wife Gifty in their new household goods store in Somanya. It is simply amazing to see the container that we helped him purchase moved to the current location. It has been repainted a beautiful green, holds their inventory, and serves as the retail store. They have a long way to go, but the improvements are quite visible.

Through Michael Johnson, the pastor at Landmark Baptist Church invited me to talk with Sampson and Moses. Michael wants the pastors to have a shot at a sustainable business. So, Emmanuel and I were able to meet them at Sampson's farm where they have planted several mango trees. They are also considering an herbal medicine business they have already started as well.

Ernestina and Dr. Lydia are taking good care of us. So please do not worry, but you can certainly pray. We are really disappointed we didn't get to take our anticipated trip.

September 2009 Blog 1

Bob Youell and I arrived in Ghana Wednesday morning without any issues. Getting here in the morning is great. We can still accomplish something. As is the custom, Enoch was there with a big smile. Traffic was light, and we arrived at the Mission Resource Guest House and were welcomed with fried egg sandwiches that lovely Ernestina prepared to welcome us. We had to rework our itinerary due to a training session at Ghana Christian University and because of a severe illness with the 14 year old daughter of John Newman. Bob and I left with Emmanuel and visited the Kakum Canopy Walk and saw the Elmina Slave Castle on Thursday. We saw the great work being done by Jones Abbey at Just By Grace Nestle Wholesale business in Nswam on Friday.

We had a full day of appointments Saturday as we saw Jomay Enterprises that was just funded a few months ago, visited Living Bread Mission (micro-loan) partner, and explored a cement block making enterprise to consider.

Today we worshipped at Good Shepherd Christian Church in Batsona, an area between Tema and Accra. This evening I had a meeting with the landlord of the guest house.

Tomorrow we leave for a 6 day trip to the north where we will visit existing projects and explore a couple others: palm oil processing, cell phone charging business, and others.

Tomorrow alone will be about a 16 hour day of travel with one primary visit. It might be a rough one on Bob and me.

Please pray that we will be able to communicate as we travel either with the smart phone or laptop. They were not working properly the first three days of the trip.

Blessings in Christ,
David