Everyone in our area had to deal with the water crisis. It is the woman’s job to figure out where to get the family’s daily supply of water. The main water source for Yendi is the Daka River. It was dry as a bone. It reminded me of the story of Moses and the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea on dry land. Without water in the Daka River there is no water for the treatment plant and no city water. We were more fortunate than most; thanks to the cistern we had harvested enough rain water last year during the rainy season to see us through the dry season. The last rain came in November. By the end of the month the Lord had blessed us with very welcome rain!
As far as an update on the situation of the pandemic in the country we are still under a mask order. We are able to buy disposable masks so we distribute them on Sundays when we visit the congregations for worship as well as for funerals, and naming ceremonies. I also give a bottle of disinfectant to the congregations we visit to put in their hand washing station to emphasize the importance of clean hands. There is talk in some political circles of banning air travelers coming into Ghana from countries that have been hard hit by the Covid 19. We thank our supporters that have given money specifically for PPE as well as those who give for “Whatever comes up”.
We planned our travel this month to include the villages that were cut off by water during the rainy season of 2019. The pandemic further hindered our ability to visit them in 2020.
· The first Sunday visit was to Salankuga. The church asked us to come so we could see the walls they had put up for a church building. Upon inspection we noticed the walls were thinner than normal and there were already several cracks in them. They had made the building wider than usual and our fear was the roof would collapse because it lacked structural support. We advised them that they needed to strengthen the walls and make the building narrow. They put the roof on without making the modifications and sadly the week after they put on the roof it collapsed. They saved the roofing sheets but will have to wait until next year to rework the building.
· On April 11th we were invited to Bungbali in the Saboba District. The nearby sister congregation of Tombu was also present for worship. The church leaders requested that I instruct the congregation about the Covid 19. I used the Biblical example of Moses’ teaching about sanitation and quarantining. God even said to cover the upper lip and “…cry out Unclean, Unclean” (Leviticus 13:45); similar to us using face masks to reduce transmission of the disease. We were happy to see the flip charts being used during class time that had been distributed at the monthly classes. We rejoiced that a wayward brother was restored to the Church at the close of the service.
· The third Sunday (18th) we took the long trip up north to the Chereponi District to visit with congregations that Nana Bekum, an evangelist, works with. All six congregations were represented. These Churches are small with older members. We were happy to have 76 present for the service. We provided funds to help the Kabalani congregation buy cement to plaster the walls of the church building. The Church will provide the sand and pay the mason.
· The last Sunday (25th) we were invited to visit the congregation of Niliyuundo located south in the Nanumba district. On the way we passed through the village of Jakpumba where a congregation is also located. We brought gifts for both congregations. At Niliyuundo, we sat under a tree near the church building for service; the weather was hot!
At the monthly class on the 30th there were 30 men present. The electricity was off so we took the benches outside under the tree for class. During the first session I showed the brothers how to use more of the children’s class material; during the second session I used a new tract entitled “Marriage questions answered”. Down through the years Timothy Niligrini and I have been asked many questions on marriage so I used the scriptures to answer some of these questions. In turn the brothers take the tracts back to their congregation and use them in their Bible classes.
We were not able to have the seminar last year because of the pandemic which meant we didn’t get to give the men shirts and ties so we gave them out after class. They love getting those shirts!
We are excited that our son-in-law Marcus and our eldest grandson Taylor are going to come help us with the work; they will be here at the end of May. Taylor will be the fifth generation of our family to visit Ghana. Please keep them in your prayers for a safe trip.
Lord willing, we hope the Covid virus will have gotten to the point that we can come and visit some of our supporters that haven’t seen us in a good while. We will be coming home in June.
Thanks for your continued support. Everyone involved appreciates it! May God bless!
In His service,
Stephen and Kandie Taylor
DONATIONS CAN BE MADE OUT TO GHANA MISSION, C/O WEST HOBBS STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST, P.O. BOX 506, ATHENS, ALABAMA 35612
THIS WORK IS OVERSEEN BY THE ELDERSHIP OF WEST HOBBS STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST, 1602 WEST HOBBS STREET, ATHENS, ALABAMA 35611
