Preparing Well and God's provision

Greetings all this is from Danny,

I had an opportunity this weekend to see a different picture from what we have been experiencing here at the VOH the last week. I left for the Ashalay Botwe evangelistic workshop a day earlier on Friday. I was priveledged to stay at the guest house of Samual Tumasi (sp) the President of Heritage Christian College. He is also the preacher at the Nswam road CofC in Accra. He was away with a group from the college on a evangelistic outreach in the North. I had to catch taxis all over the place and arrange hookups for rides. It would have been difficult to accomplish with the whole famiy together.

We had a great evangelistic outreach day on Saturday. Paul Ntem the preacher and about 17 others from his church and other churches gathered for the day. We walked through some very impoverished areas and the smell was not something I will easily forget. Paul is very passionate about his work and passionate for reaching the lost. I was energized by his zeal. We worked together alternating between sharing the Gospel with different households and businesses. Yes businesses, we entered a hair styling shop which was no bigger than 6ft x 6ft and there were two ladies working on two other ladies sitting. We asked if we could talk about God's word with them and they graciously invited us IN. (try that in the U.S.) We had a wonderful 30 min talk and they asked many questions. We got their information and Paul will follow up with them. Every place we went for 4 hours was receptive about talking.

I had the priveledge to speak Sunday morning at the Ashalay Botwe Church along with Paul. It was in the form of a workshop so Paul spoke for 30min then I spoke for 30 min, while he translated for me. We each entertained questions for 10min after each talk, they ask good questions. It was a great weekend.

The 9th grade children all over Ghana began their testing on Monday and the children at the Village of Hope are very well prepared. They were also nervous because these exams determine whether they can continue on to high school. There are limited numbers of high schools so these exams can make or break one's future. We prayed over each child in their desks and collectively as the day began. Their tests consist 4 series each day. At 9:30am they start by answering a series of questions for an hour on the topic of the day. They have a break and then begin the essay portion of the exam for another hour. Lunch and then they do it all over again for 5 days. The VOH kids came out of the first day very positive because they have been prepared well.

Bobbie Lynn and the kids are doing very well. We have continued to work at being flexible. Our water tank that is our water supply to our house sprung a leak and it all leaked out. With no water it is hard to do regular things. It is not our drinking water, but it is what we use for everything else, so we have been going between the guest house (while empty) and our house to cook our meals. Bobbie Lynn and Ellen and Davis are doing a great job with the reading program for the children at the VOH. Davis told me today that the library was full of kids reading books. Tommy started the program that when they read 10 books they will receive a free book. When they reach 100 books read he will take them out to eat. Currently 5 or 6 have completed 100 and when the rest learnn of the prize there will be an explosion of reading.

Last evening we went to the nightly devotional at one of the group homes (Boyd house). We sang songs and then Mr Effah asked if I had advice for the children. I told them I learned a very important lesson that day, as I watched the 9th graders write their exams. I said they were prepared for their work. I stressed the importance of all of us needing to be prepared to live a life that glorifies God. I stressed the fruit of the Spirit as proof of our being prepared. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.. These are results of our being prepared to be God's people, to be light in dark places. We taught them a song called Covenant of Love and we hope to teach it to all of the children so we can sing it together.

We continue to try to stress the positive, but I will tell you this is a very difficult place to live. We are blessed to have water although it is held in large reservoir tanks which must be refilled. Electricity is sporatic and somewhat predictable, but when it is out things get more difficult. Finally it is very HOT, and without water you could get into trouble very quickly. I say these things so as not to complain or alarm anyone, but to stress the very hard work of many of the staff here at the VOH who are extremely dilligent and hard working to make things managable here. They will do anything for you, and much is done in the background that you don't see, but you thank God for the provisions that are being made on your behalf.

We are blessed and we continue to thank God for his faithfullness.

Seeking to Glorify Him,

The Riders