The Work of God in Ghana UBF, Africa
“You and Aaron are to number by their divisions all the men in Israel twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army.” (Numbers 1:3)
Before the conference, God gave us another grace, sending us precious visitors, Missionary Daniel Rhee and Miso Rhee. Even though it was short visit, just one week, Missionary Daniel Rhee had served us with Numbers Bible study from chapter 1 to 36. It was quite tough to study whole chapters in a short time, however, I could learn that God wants to raise us as an Army through training. God’s blessing has double-sidedness. Israelites would be a holy nation, but before that they should be an army. They should receive strict and strong training. But, it made them useful and valuable. After Bible study, all missionaries wrote and shared their testimonies and prayer topics.
The very day Missionary Daniel Rhee arrived in Ghana, my co-worker was in a car accident. It was minor and nobody was hurt. But I should send the car to repair for a couple of weeks. I wondered why it happened at that time. Then I could realize that it was because of the jealousy of Satan. For preparation for the Bible conference, we gathered and had prayer meeting in the evening 3 times a week. But just one week before the conference, some urgent thing happened in my company, so I had to go on a business trip and come back one day before the conference. The next day I had to go to the office even though it was holiday. By the grace of God, I could finish the work on time, so I attended the conference fully. But my mind was already so busy and disturbed, and couldn’t focus on conference preparation properly. For a while I wondered why God didn’t make things smooth and easy and why God didn’t help me. However, I realized that it was work of Satan. It is Satan’s jealousy that can turn into a great work of the Holy Spirit. What Satan wants is to make me complain to God. So I believed that God will surely help this conference and there will be a great work of God. We studied 2 Corinthians 15 and John 11. Missionary Caleb delivered a message based on John 11 with title, ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life.’ He worried about his lack of English skills. Even though he was not good at English, the Holy Spirit worked in him. He could be a good messenger. He could clearly preach and testify that he had risen from spiritual death by the word of God. Missionary Sarah also shared her graceful life testimony. Sister Linda and Tina were blessed by their struggle and life testimonies. So on the last day, everyone wrote and shared their testimonies. The sheep who attended said that the conference was so graceful and wished to join again. I thanked God that even though we couldn’t prepare this conference very well, God worked by himself and gave us grace.
Last semester there was no proper public holidays, so we didn’t plan for the conference. But sheep expected another conference eagerly. So we decided to have the Genesis Bible Conference for two days. On the first day we played some games at the beach and had a fun time. Then during the evening, we studied Genesis chapter 24 about Isaac’s marriage. On the second day, we shared our testimonies and had Sunday worship service. I was thank God that they had spiritual desire.
During summer vacation, my family was able to visit Kumasi, the second biggest city in Ghana, to meet sister Linda’s family. We could meet her mother and sister. Her mother was working as a cleaner, getting a salary of $30 monthly. They are living in a very small room. It was similar to Korea in the 1970s. Her father died when she was very young, and she was sent to social parents as a housemaid. So, she hardly saw her mother and sister when she was young. When she attended church for worship service, she didn’t even know that the person sitting next to her was her blood sister. I was so sad about her life story. But I could realize that this hardship in her life made her to have strong spiritual desire. She was sincerely attended Bible study and Sunday worship service. She is now in her last year of school. We are praying to help her write a deep life testimony next year so that she may meet Jesus again and find God’s love and life direction.
Recently, one of my big challenges is that I’m getting busier and busier. My company demanded me to be more responsible and hardworking. I’m getting tired and exhausted. My only wish was to have a holiday and relax. From last semester, we started to study Genesis. God created this amazing world. What God wants is that we may enjoy his awesome creation and glorify his greatness. I wanted to enjoy this wonderful world and glorify God without being stressed out. But while I prepared for this mission report, I realized that I should be in a spiritual army before God. I should clearly know that there is Satan who is ready to tempt me to commit sin. I should be a spiritual general who can fight the good fight for campus souls.
Please continually pray for the Ghana ministry. Please pray for next year’s Easter Bible conference and that we may help our sisters to write deep life testimonies so that they meet Jesus again and find their life direction in God. I pray God may bless our Genesis Bible study. And I pray we may meet new Bible students next year. I pray that I may combine work and mission well, and that God may raise one Abraham and Sarah of faith in the Ghana ministry.