1NICHOLAS & DEAF/MUTE BOY EVANGELIST MARK AWIDAAN MR. JOHN … news013 12 7 11.pdf · EVANGELIST MARK AWIDAAN MR. JOHN ABASIBA EVANGELIST FRANCIS APAM 1NICHOLAS & DEAF/MUTE BOY. 2

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Issue 13 December 7, 2011

Greetings to all of you as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

As usual there is much going on in the life of Pastor Nicholas Salifu in his effort to bring the wonderful gift of salvation to the Kusaal speaking people of Upper East Ghana. I have received quite a few pictures and many examples of God’s presence in the ministry of Nicholas and his leaders. A new experience has been ministering to a deaf/mute young boy. The school for people with this disability has been closed, Nicholas would communicate with his limited sign language capabilities, but when they failed, he and the boy would just write notes to each other.

The Harvest Thanksgiving Festivals have been in full

swing and the celebrations occur at various churches with members of neighboring congregations in attendance. The first Harvest was held at Tengnoog Church. Many speakers preached on a variety of topics. Mark Awidaan spoke about the

involvement of the youth in Church programs. Mr. John Abasiba spoke on the need to evangelize Muslims. There is a very large Muslim population in the area, and they are building mosques with funds from oil rich countries. Evangelist Francis Apam explained the role of women in the church.

EVANGELIST MARK AWIDAAN

MR. JOHN ABASIBA

EVANGELIST FRANCIS APAM

1NICHOLAS & DEAF/MUTE BOY

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Mr. Moses Ayadago taught on the topic of the expectation of the congregation of the Pastor, and vice versa. Moses is recommended to attend the seminary in Ghana when admission is made in 2013.

Nicholas spoke on the topic of why Ghanaians should reject same sex marriages. He recalled that a few weeks ago the president of Ghana, John Mills, rebuffed the British Prime Minister for saying Ghana should approve same sex marriages. Nicholas said, “All shades of society have condemned the practice.”

During the Harvest Celebration there were many festivities including youth choirs from Tengnoog, Ziako, and Bugzunde

MR.MOSES AYADAGO REV. NICHOLAS SALIFU

TENGNOOG WOMEN OFFERING THEIR PRODUCE AS THANKSGIVING

TENGNOOG YOUTH CHOIR

ZIAKO YOUTH CHOIR

BUGZUNDE YOUTH CHOIR

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After all of the preaching, singing, offerings, and praises, Nicholas blessed the offering gathered at the Harvest. The Kpaliga Church has very few young children. The membership is mainly elderly people as most of the youth in this community are Muslims. For this reason the chapel they are trying to build there is very important. After the Sunday worship, Nicholas paid a visit to the Kpaliga Chief. The picture shows the chief with some of his household. More than 50 people live in the chief’s palace.

The community of Bugzunde (where church leader Lawrence Akidaug lives) has had a problem with the water quality for some time and it was decided to install a liner to help keep the water pure. Evangelist Mark Awidaan, the church leader at Tengnoog church, has been trained to line wells. The first step was to get the well lining forms, equipment, and cement to Bugzunde. This was done using the standard mode of transportation, a donkey

GENERAL PRAISE TIME NICHOLAS BLESSING THE HARVEST

KPALIGA CHURCH MEMBERS KPALIGA CHIEF AND NICHOLAS

WELL LINING EQUIPMENT AND "JOHN MULE"

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cart, or as Nicholas calls it, “John Mule” (John Deere). The picture shows it loaded and ready for the trip. The liner forms are then placed into the well and filled with cement. A cement floor is poured around the well and a gutter is formed away from it. The financing for the project was provided by Missionary, Rev. Tim Heiney.

The Sakpanatenga Church also held Harvest Thanksgiving and the opening prayer was given by Evangelist David Asaana and Madam Juliana Abugri. Moses Abugbilla, the leader of Sakpanatenga Church, explained the importance of

Harvest Thanksgiving. Again many people from neighboring Kusaai villages were in attendance.

The musical accompaniment was provided by the talented drummers.

CEMENT BEING MIXED FOR THE FLOOR AND GUTTER FLOOR AND GUTTER FINISHED. COVER POURED IN MOLD AT RIGHT WILL BE PLACED WHEN IT IS DRY

LEADER MOSES ABUGBILLA EVANGELIST DAVID ASAANA & MADAM JULIANA ABUGRI

PEOPLE AT THE HARVEST DRUMMERS AT HARVEST

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The first lesson was read by Miss Sophia Abugri, and Evangelist David Asaana spoke on stewardship.

As usual many choirs were in attendance, the Bugzunde Church children’s choir, the Kpagogo Church youth, the Ziako youth, the Sakpanatenga youth, and the Kpalugu youth choirs.

MISS SOPHIA ABUGRI

EVANGELIST DAVID ASAANA

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In addition to the celebration a baby and a young boy were baptized.

After the offerings were presented and thanks were given, the leaders encircled the offerings and prayed, giving thanks to a gracious, eternal God for all of His blessings.

On November 25th and 26th Nicholas attended a workshop in Zebilla organized by the Kusaal Bible Translating Committee. At this workshop it was decided to add two additional vowels to the five in the English alphabet as well as make additional spelling rules. It was a very worthwhile workshop.

BAPTIZING THE SMALL BOY

THE BAPTISM SERVICE

HARVEST OFFERINGS

THANKING FOR THE HARVEST

LEADERS PRAYING OVER THE HARVEST

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These are participants of the Kusaal Bible Translation Workshop These two ladies were members of the Sakpanatenga but when they moved to the south and did not find any Lutheran church, they joined the Church of Pentecost. They came to Nicholas and asked for a copy of Luther’s Small Catechism so they could give it to their pastor. Leadership training classes are held on a regular basis and are attended by both leaders as well as those being trained. Along with the supplies needed for the required classwork, the meals also need to be provided. This is one of the expensed connected with the ministry that may not be large, but it is still a necessary cost.

LADIES WITH CATECHISM

LEADERSHIP TRAINING CLASS MEALTIME

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The Harvest at Bugzunde Church included discussions on various topics, and reports were presented. The topics included: How husbands and wives could live peacefully; the responsibilities of the youth in the church, and what the members

should do for their leaders. The food offerings that were brought to the Harvest included corn, soya beans, beans, pepper, millet, etc.

Nicholas preached on Mark13:32-37, encouraging everyone to serve the Lord and one another gladly because the Lord has saved us from our sins.

At the Harvest a woman praised God for bringing her brother to faith. She had been praying for him for more than five years. As in the other Harvest celebrations,

Youth choirs from neighboring churches attended, there was also a drama performed by the Bugzunde youth. The drama was about how God created a perfect world for Adam and Eve, but the serpent deceived them into disobeying God. We are like Adam and Eve, but God in His mercy sent His Son to suffer and die for our sins to reconcile us to God.

A DISCUSSION GROUP AT BUGZUNDE HARVEST

FOOD OFFERINGS

WOMEN AT THE HARVEST

NICHOLAS PREACHING AT BUGZUNDE HARVEST

WOMAN PRAISING GOD

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BANSAKPANATENGA YOUTH SINGING

Earlier this year a church was started at Wiidi and recently Nicholas visited the women leaders of the Wiidi church.

A goat was made available for Madam Faustina Abugure. Through the “Goat Program” a source of income is provided for widows and older women with no support.

WOMEN LEADERS OF WIIDI CHURCH

GOAT PRESENTED TO MADAM FAUSTINA ABUGURE

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Kpaliga Church also had their Harvest Thanksgiving service. This church has a chapel built out of mud. It was built nine years ago. It has collapsed every three years and had to be rebuilt

each time. Now they have laid a foundation for a cement block chapel. TimothyAdaam a member of Bugzunde church encouraged them to speed up construction of their new chapel. Evangelist Mark Awidaan Encouraged the Kpaliga church members to increase their giving to the Lord.

Recently Rebecca Akuka drowned in the White Volta River near her home. Traditionally the funeral rites for a woman are held on the fourth day after death (for a man it is three days). The service was held at the

home of Mr. Akuka. The evangelism effort at Naransaug has given birth to another new congregation. With the permission of the chief and his elders, the evangelism effort was carried out after several

requests were received for Nicholas and his leaders to start a church. All praise to God, the first service was held on Sunday, December 4th, 2011. The man on the right in the picture told Nicholas “The message I heard from you last week when you came to my house has made me to come to hear more about Jesus. I will bring all my family”. Next to the old man on the right is Nicholas’ son, Baba. It is Nicholas’ hope that Baba eventually becomes the leader of this church. Michael Asaan of Naransaug congregation will probably be the assistant leader. There will be more information regarding

Naransaug in the future. This is just the beginning and we are blessed to be able to witness this planted seed grow through the years. Isn’t it exciting??

TIMOTHY ADAAM

EVANGELIST MARK AWIDAAN

THE BANKS OF THE WHITE VOLTA RIVER

NICHOLAS AT REBECCA"S SERVICE

BABA SALIFU (center) AND THE OLD MAN (

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I’m sure you remember how difficult it is to be an evangelist/pastor in an area that has such a large Muslim population. Nicholas has told us all about the Mosques that are placed on the roads every few miles apart. They are well kept, permanent structures. Here are pictures of two of them in the area where Nicholas’ congregations are. They are just there, there is no specific “Congregation” that worships there, they are in no community, but in case someone is traveling past at prayer time, they are for anyones convenience.

The “Face of Ghana” for this issue is Mark Awidaan. Nicholas writes; “Mark is a native of Teesnatenga, a village near Ziako where Nicholas comes from. He is the leader of the newly opened church at Narangtengnoog. When the Lutheran church was started in 1983, Mark was 19 years old worshipping idols with his

MICHAEL ASAAN MEMBERS OF THE NEW NARANSAUG CHURCH

MUSLIM MOSQUE MUSLIM MOSQUE

MARK AWIDAAN

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family. Mark was one of the young men who were attracted when he heard the Gospel message in Nicholas’ house. Wanting to know more about Jesus Christ, Mark enrolled in the pre-baptism classes. Mark was among the first people to be baptized in October 1985 at Ziako. He was in the “Salifu’s Harvest” video. Because Mark had never been to school and seeing the potential in him, Nicholas encouraged him to join the literacy class which he had opened. Within six months Mark had learned to read and write Kusaal. He with other young men who had become literate in Kusaal were enrolled into the Leadership Training class that Nicholas has set up to get young men into the church’s leadership positions. Nicholas encouraged Mark to enter the formal school. He was admitted into class five instead of class one because he was a brilliant young man. He finished Primary school, continued to Junior Secondary school and further into the Bawku Technical Institute. In the technical school Mark acquired the skills of well lining.” (As shown in the Bugzunde well project) “Later in his life, Mark undertook a certificate course in the University of Ghana on animal rearing and farming techniques. After the Leadership Training class, he also enrolled in the national Theological Education by Extension (TEE) that took him four years to complete and was commissioned as an Evangelist. Mark has served the church in several ways. He has served the following churches as leader: Ziako, Sakpanatenga and currently the Narantengnoog church. In all the churches that he led, he prepared several people for baptism. It was Mark who organized the Ziako youth choir and women’s fellowship to be vibrant groups in the Kusasi area. Today Mark is devoted in leading the newly opened Narantengnoog church. He rides his bicycle at least twice a week to the church which is nearly 15 miles away from his home in Teesnatenga. Currently he is organizing a youth group as well as women fellowship group. He is assisting Daniel Azuuga in the church to teach adults how to read and write, Mark is married to Diana and they are blessed with four children. I performed their wedding about 15 years ago. Mark told me after his training in the University of Ghana, “Pastor, with my training I can find a job in Accra but I want to join you to lead our people to Jesus.” Mark told me if the church could assist him start a small piggery project near his house to help him, his family and the church. He has written an application to the church head office for nearly three months and no response has come so far. Our prayer is to find support for Mark to start the piggery project.” This project would cost about $700.00 to provide for pigglets, room, feed, and drugs. This would help Mark support his family because like any other leader, except David Abuguryaab who is a professional teacher, he receives no salary. Besides he will also be doing a tent ministry. The sixty page translation of “A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories” has been sent to Thailand for printing. Nicholas is now working with LHF to support the printing of the Kusaal Lutheran Service Manual that has been translated and adapted for use. It is a sixty page book with the Order of Service using the Five Settings from the LSB, topics on Holy Matrimony, Blessing of Traditional Marriage, Burial, Memorial, Litany, Kusaal songs, etc. When printed this would be the first Kusaal worship book and the second in the ELCG.

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The newly built Ziako Chapel is finally finished far enough that the first service was held in it. One major unfinished area is the floor, which is still dirt. When the funds are available a cement floor will be poured.

The other unfinished area is the altar. It is hoped to be completed in 2012. At this first service Abraham Nderaug gave testimony of how God brought him to faith. We have followed this construction from the beginning and many of you who have contributed to this project can feel a sense of joy and satisfaction. As we begin the Advent Season in preparation for the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are reminded that the work begun by the Lord continues every day, not only at home but also in the far reaches of His beautiful creation we know as planet Earth, especially in the area of Upper East Ghana. There the mercy and love of Christ is proclaimed among the Kusaai people by the dedicated servant of God, Nicholas Salifu, and his organization of Evangelists and Leaders. Most of them have no means of support, but know that our Heavenly Father will provide for them tomorrow as He has today. It is unbelievable that one man could accomplish so much in a month, but with Almighty God at his side “nothing is impossible”. Without the birth of that special Babe on Christmas day, none of this would be possible. My wife Charleen and I pray that all of you have a blessed Christmas Season, and many blessings in the coming year. Remember LHF and Concordia Seminary, St Louis in your gifts. You may still send funds to Nicholas through TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, 3765 McKELVEY RD., Bridgeton, MO 63044-2002. In the notation area write ‘Nicholas Salifu’. May God’s Spirit enrich the lives of you and your family. phil

DAVID ABUGURAAB LEADING WORSHIP

ZIAKO MEMBERS BRING FOOD TO THE NEW CHAPEL

ABRAHAM NDERAUG