Blessings in Bosomtwe & Beyond

Michael in Ministry in the Villages

Over the last couple of years you have read of Michael if you have been reading our newsletters and blog. Today I give you an update since I have been reading the blog writings of current interns (Louise, Hollie and Rebecca).

Michael has been super busy in the work of clinic expansion, yet also in preaching in villages on weeknights and Sunday mornings. Last Sunday he gave the message in a congregation that met in a school building since their sanctuary was destroyed by a horrendous tropical storm in March. I'm glad that today he has the weekend off and is at his home church (Living Water Assembly of God in Kumasi). Next Sunday, he is scheduled to preach in two churches.

Read this from Hollie's blog:
"Michael is the ultimate go to guy and most of the day consists of hearing people call out ‘MICHAEL’ and him saying ‘YES’ and running to fix the problem no matter what it may be. He is licensed in electrical work and is the project manager for the construction on the clinic. When he is gone from the village you can feel the absence of his presence because he is always smiling and you can hear him singing very loudly on his porch which is a stones throw above our house. One night we heard him singing for literally 3 or 4 hours and would occasionally stop to laugh at his persistence and his absolute love for the Lord. He is sold out. He is a Ghanaian missionary to villages and has a love for people that is contagious. He has often led crusades where he translates for hours the Jesus film and hundreds have gotten saved through his ministry."

Another blog entry from Hollie records one of the evenings in a nearby village:
"Michael, who leads the program, calls to those who want to give their lives to Christ and many hands go up. He then asks the people if they want to be healed of any sicknesses and the same amount of hands go up. As he and the girls are praying for these people I start singing There is Healing in this place, Nothing but the blood of Jesus and We are standing on Holy Ground. A sweet presence of the Lord is there and in the dark, with only the light of the moon, people are turning their hearts over to Jesus and then being healed. It is miraculous and powerful."

Pray please, as he would like to attend the Harvest School of Missions (3 month school, classroom and outreach) in Mozambique. It would require sponsorship for the airfare and tuition once accepted. It's meant to prepare missionaries for village mission work - which is his heartbeat call from the Lord. We praise God that we get to work alongside a young man who is completely in love with Jesus. He moved out to work with us at Lake Bosomtwe and we praise God for His life.

Expansion of the Inpatient Centre

It's rainy season and it's raining so often, so much, and so much! It puts quite a damper...or dampness on the progress of the expansion of the clinic building that started a little over a week ago. The expansion project is funded through the generosity and hardwork of many people in the UK and N.Ireland and those of Seymour Street Methodist Church in Lisburn, Northern Ireland (suburban Belfast). One of their own, Louise Monroe, is here for almost two months (click here to read her blog writings). On the 10th of July, a group of 16 from Northern Ireland and England will be arriving for 16 days in Ghana to do construction and daily village outreach.

It's been quite an adventure in cultural learning during this building project since we are so far away from supplies. Yesterday, for instance, once we found a large enough truck that would deliver to us (a feat in itself) it had a wreck injuring the driver as it went around one of the treacherous curves on the roads getting close to our village. Today, eight of the workers from the construction went to go unload the wrecked truck and load two smaller trucks to bring the blocks, boat fuel and generator diesel fuel, and lumber.

At the moment though as I write there is music blaring loudly and an announcer working on a youth table tennis (ping pong) tournament that was organized and pulled off by Hollie Combs (click here to read her blog musings). Rebecca Hillman is taking pictures of the event and urging us to come see the action when she comes into the office to enjoy the air conditioning for a minute or two (read her blog, with a lot of great pictures).

We thank you for your prayers. We praise God that Nicolas is growing and doing so very well. Soon I hope to post some pictures of Lucas and Luiza with their new brother.

A new Jernigan born in Ghana

We are grateful to announce the birth of Nicolas Araujo Jernigan on the afternoon of the 14th of June in the village of Amakom at Lake Bosomtwe Methodist Clinic (where we serve in ministry) with the assistance of the midwife (Angelina)and a health assistant (Georgina). Ju walked back to our house about 20 minutes after delivery. Nicolas weighed 3.7 kg (8.2 lbs)at birth and is strong and healthy. He and Juliana are doing very well.

We know many of you were in prayer with us for a safe delivery so we thank you for your love. Labor lasted for about 2 1/2 hours, which was a great answer to Juliana’s prayers. On our side, we had our prayer warriors surrounding the clinic in those hours.

A tropical storm with heavy rain downpour came as Nicolas was born, which left those waiting outside worshipping and thanking God soaking wet (including his grandmother from Brazil, Eliana, who is visiting).

Great Expectations

'So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.' Romans 15:13 (NLT)

It's often so easy when not taking our thoughts captive to allow hopelessness and discouragement to rule. If we let our mind, our conversations, our interactions be formed by our weaknesses rather than from a transformed and renewed mind then there is no way for us to be full of peace since we are not living in the believe of Him but in reaction to our beliefs of ourselves.

What a powerful verse, and prayer that Paul prayed. We can take this and make it our prayer, our hearts desire for each other. For that matter, it should be our prayer for ourselves as well. Our relationships will be so much more fruitful is we are living in this mindset from the Kingdom of God rather than the way of the world imagining that our relationships are fragile and operating through insecurities that have weighed us down. Having the hearts desire for HOPE, that God will KEEP YOU happy and FULL of peace since we are BELIEVING in Him, OVERFLOWING with HOPE through the POWER of the Holy Spirit. Wow, a great verse to meditate on today.

The writing for today from Oswald Chamber's devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, online version is excellent. Click here to read it now.

Pictured: Andrew & Juliana, yesterday was the due date for our baby boy to be born, our third child.

The Office

On this scorching hot day in Amakom on the Lake I'm quite protected from the heat as I work away for hours at my desk. Today and yesterday have been long days in the office, actually it's the most time I've spent in here since our return. Currently we have an administrative intern, Louise Monroe from Belfast, Northern Ireland, for the months of June and July. Hollie Combs is here for the same period for a service internship as well. Rebecca Hillman is here beginning a longer period of serving in multiple capacities. They have been in Twi classes all morning with one brief break where Louise and Rebecca came and chatted a bit.

It's been especially busy as we are gearing up for a season of visiting work teams, their projects, and the logistics of each team. Planning and purchasing takes quite a bit more work here than expected. Louise snapped this picture of me at the desk yesterday as I was working on the projected costs for the clinic expansion which is the building project of the N.Irish/English team that comes in July.

I've also been in touch with Father Stephen McWhorter quite a bit this week since this past Sunday the opportunity was given at two different churches to give toward bore holes and the work of mercy ministries here. A phenomenal response came, so I've been researching now what it will take to fulfill the needs that can be met by these generous gifts. New challenges for the ministry here present new levels of faith.

The boat motor of the government boat we use for outreach recently had to be sent to Kumasi for repairs and it is coming back today to be put in service again. During it's demise the need for the larger clinic boat to be restored and functional was broached - and now funding has come to get it operational again. It will help so much when larger teams are here this summer (the Irish, the Georgia, and the Cincinnati teams) that require two boats each day. The resulting challenge now is that the boat house is not large enough for two boats, so I'm working on enlarging it and adding a storage room (for lifevests, fuel cans, fuel tanks, and supplies).

A days work, and it's only almost one in the afternoon on Thursday (the due date for our baby to be born...will he come today?).

The Picture Project

In collaboration with Rev. Steve Buchele, Brett & Leigh Anne Harris, and the visiting team last week from Alabama a brilliant idea of Steve's was able to come to fruition. Referred to as 'The Picture Project', click here to read and view this beautiful photo article.

New partnership, Answered prayer

During our time in the USA this Winter/Spring we visited many existing ministry partners and established new relationships. We received an email from Rolland and Heidi Baker (missionary members of H.I.M.) that invited us to the Revival Alliance Conference where they and Che Ahn, Bill Johnson, Duncan Smith, and others would be speaking. It was at this conference that we were introducted to Harvest International Ministry. Harvest International Ministry (HIM) is a network of likeminded people that come together for a common purpose, to spread the love of Jesus and equip the saints. It's an apostolic network of churches, missionary organizations, ministries, church networks, missionaries and marketplace ministers committed to loving and helping each other fulfill the Great Commission.

Today we received word that their executive committee welcomed us as members. The partnership brings support and prayer covering from a network of pastors and churches that we greatly respect. We are blessed to be in ministry with them. HIM is led by an outstanding minister Dr. Che Ahn and the executive committee (Che and Sue Ahn, Mark and Anne Tubbs, Rick and Pam Wright, Terry and Cheryl Edwards, Dennis and Lynnie Walker, Brian and Candice Simmons, Charles and Anne Stock, James and Michal Ann Goll, Jill Austin, Lou Engle, Paul and Joyce Tan, Wesley and Stacey Campbell) it's board of directors is a group of respected leaders (Che Ahn, Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, Bill Greig, Sam Caster, Paul Tan, Rick Wright, John Park, Jeff Wright, Angela De Forrest, Mark Tubbs).

As God has called and equipped us to advance His kingdom in the villages of Lake Bosomtwe and beyond, we are blessed to have this partnership in ministry adding so many more churches and believers praying, interceding for the people we are here to love and care for in this mercy ministry at Lake Bosomtwe Clinic. Praise God for each of you in the churches that currently partner with us as missionaries with The Mission Society, and for those new partners in ministry through the H.I.M. network of churches, ministries, missionaries, and marketplace ministers.

Ephesians 4:11, "And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" (ASV)

Reflection on Wednesday from Amakom

'The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things tought by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.' says Paul in a letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:1,2).

Today my heart is grieving for the lost sheep, for those that are not following Christ but wandering away and hurting. Recently I realized that a friend here in Ghana is hurting and abandoning the ways of God and in pain.  In this pain this person is acting out against others rather than seeking God for comfort - as they would say here in Ghana 'it pains me'.

On another note though, I am remembering with joy the group that left this past weekend after about 12 days of hard work, lots of love and care to our family, and cultural immersion from Alabama.  What a great experience we and they had here.

In just a couple of hours we are expecting our truck to pull back into the village bringing Hollie Combs (from Adairsville,GA, USA) and Rebecca Hillman (from Hughson, CA, USA ) as they will be working here for some time. On Saturday, our colleagues Rev. Kirk and Rev. Nicole Sims will bring Louise Monroe (from Belfast, N. Ireland, UK) who will be here for six weeks working in administration assistance. Their house, the one we lived in when we first moved here, has had a complete make-over - new roof, new ceiling, new wiring, plumbing, flooring, new kitchen, fans, beds, and fresh paint inside and out . The clinic grounds crew is cutting the 'bush' (the tall grass) that has grown high behind it as I write. Their fridge has been stocked and sheets on the bed. Pray that these young ladies will walk in the strength of the Lord, grow in Him during this time here, be content in the village life, and become friends with each other and local people.

Our eNewsletter program was hacked into...kind of :)

Some of you received a newsletter in our traditional format last week, but it was not written by Ju or myself! Relax though, our visiting team from Alabama requested to write Blessings, our monthly email newsletter on our behalf. We are grateful for their visit, and for their hours in putting together this news update for those who receive it. Click here to read it. If you would like to get it each month, click here to subscribe.

Greeting the Chiefs

While the work outreach team from Alabama was here I took the opportunity to do some necessary political business while also introducing them to local tradition. Each village has a chief (similar to mayor, but also judge), an okyome (an advisor, liason and spokesman for the chief), elders and assemblymen. On Tuesday, we went to greet these men in our village of Amakom (pictured top,right), then after that we traveled to our neighboring village of Atafram (pictured on the left). The chief of Atafram is a sub-chief, meaning that he is the chief over the area (many villages) and has higher authority and the ability to go directly in to the Asantehene.

Our next visit was on Thursday morning. The team came by boat to the village of Dompa, while I drove and met them there. It was an overdue visit, my first time to greet this chief and elders. The visiting team has brought gifts of rice, oil, hats and a new torch (flashlight for the Americans reading this post). We were received very well.  (pictured below, Michael Bentum standing with me as we explain the purpose of our visit) There were many questions about the clinic and how we can assist them with getting a bore hole (well) drilled since it's a town of 2000+ people and they have no well at all.  Last year they had a cholera outbreak (and have had many other years we are told) and over a dozen died, over 70 admitted for treatment. It's a valid request, yet we don't have the funds yet to have this need met. After this meeting the chief asked us to speak to the community...this led to a two hour, town hall/court room style gathering where people were given the chance to share their grievances, questions and concerns to me. I was not expecting it, nor did I expect the type of questions that came. I praise God that the team was there with me, and that God certainly gave wisdom and discernment for the correct responses to  the questions.

It was here in Dompa that I preached this past Sunday and afterward we and the whole congregation went to the homes of two shut-ins to pray for them, give them a summary of the morning message and care for them. An offering had been taken up for them during the morning service.  It was truly a meaningful and specail aspect of the service to me, and the visiting team.

'Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.' (quoted from 1st Peter 5:12-16, NIV)