June Newsletter

Nothing of eternal significance is ever accomplished apart from prayer.-Jerry Falwell

STORY:

Before we traveled overseas our biggest prayer request was for God to provide National friends and partners whom we could learn from and pour into. God answered our prayer in a big way. This month we want to highlight our National friends and partners...

PICTURES:

Meet Avom, he is the pastor for Faith Baptist Church. Faith Baptist is the church Julia and I have been working with during our time in Nalerigu. The church ministers to patients with tuberculosis. He has become a close friend and fellow partner in the faith. His vision for the church and love for the Lord is contagious. 

Meet Cheny our worship leader at Faith Baptist. He lives out the verse which says to make a joyful noise to the Lord. He has even written a song which goes, "1,2,3,4,5 Hallelujah" which you sing over and over and over again. I can't wait till we arrive in Heaven and he will teach all of us how to sing to the glory of God.

Julia and I posing with Shadu or "S". I have been discipling Shadu for a little over a year. He is maturing and growing in the faith. We have gone through material on Starting and Strengthening New Churches as well as how to share Jesus with Muslims. He loves the Lord and is anxious to learn as much as he can about His Savior. His hunger for the word is contagious and causes me to hunger for the word more.

Julia posing with all of the children of Faith Baptist. Julia has started a vibrant children's ministry with the church. She ministers to the women and children on Tuesday afternoons. The children love her and call her Momma.

We have been involved in numerous ministries during our time in Ghana. One of our most enjoyable times of ministry was during this month when we had the privilege of observing children receive an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox. The excitement and joy on everyone's face as they received their box was priceless. 

We have been involved in serving the hospital through our work with the chaplains. They have taught me how to minister to the sick and hurting. I have learned how to serve the least of these. They have taught me about culture and ministry. This is a picture of a typical chapel service which takes place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Lives are transformed everyday at the hospital. Women are responding to an invitation for more prayer and to learn more about Christ.

Reverend Adam (Chaplain) is meeting with the patients who wanted to learn more about Christianity. We take their information and will follow up with them after they leave the hospital and return to their village. 

This is the motorcycle which we use to travel into the villages on Thursday mornings. I have spent many Thursdays bouncing along on the back of the moto. Rev. Adams has taught me threw his actions how to love the members of your church and serve them.

This is our "Potatoe lady". She is the most helpful person in Tamale. We travel three hours to get our supplies and the day before we travel into the city I call her and she is able to get all of the fruits and vegetables which we will need. In October I asked her for a pumpkin and she travelled around the city for an hour until she returned with a "pumpkin." She has been a huge blessing to us.

Meet Lariba. She is the Presbyterian minister over the Witches Camp of Gambaga. She has become a member of our family. She is our person of peace which allows us to minister to the women and she also translates for us. She pays a price for working with the women but she understands that God sees her sacrifice and will reward her.

Meet Rebecca; our cook. She is a member of our family. She comes Monday-Friday and makes us lunch/dinner. Her help in the house frees us to be able to minister in the community. She is always willing to help with language and cultural questions. God has gifted her with the ability to cook and she uses her gift to minister to us and others in the community.

It wouldn't be a blog if there weren't pictures of Piper. She is becoming more active and aware of her surroundings. She is very curious and wants to touch, look at, and place everything in her mouth. She is going to make our plane ride back to America very interesting.

Tummy-time.

Julia and I will celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary on June 5th. She is my best friend and partner in ministry. We have had an amazing four years and excited for another forty.

Meet "B" one of the men which I have tea with on a weekly basis. The group of men I have tea with call themselves the "Base Members." The base members have been a giant answer to prayer. I met them while prayer walking through Nalerigu on our second day in town. They invited me to have tea with them and I have been going every week since we arrived. They have taught me about language and culture. They are not only my teachers but have become my best friends. When they found out I was leaving they wanted to know who would come and share the Jesus stories with them after I left. Would you be that person?
  

DEVOTION:
Have we Suffered?
Do you KNOW God?

PRAYER REQUESTS:
June is our last month in Nalerigu. Pray for a sweet month of fellowship, ministry and good-byes. We leave Nalerigu early on June 30th and will arrive in Raleigh, NC on July 2nd. Pray for traveling mercies. Pray Piper travels well. We will be spending the month of July traveling between Raleigh NC, Williamsburg Va., and Charlotte, NC. We would love to meet with each of you. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see when we will be in your city.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone again next month.

Serving Him,

The 3 Welchs