Dear friends ,
Greetings from Accra. I have just landed in-country. Bob and Josh have been here for a week and things are going really well. They have installed 4 poles in the Volta region and tomorrow we head up into the Eastern region to install 4 more. On my way here I had some meetings with people in Cape Town. I was able to spend time with an amazing couple, John and Averil Thomas from Living Hope Trust https://www.livinghope.co.za. Please look them up, it’s a great story. John has become a good friend of mine over the years. He was the Chairman of the Board for Reach Beyond US. Averil took me for a drive around the area to look through some of the ministries of Living Hope. A highlight was sitting with John and hearing more of his story. What an inspiration!
I met with him, at his suggestion, to talk about the mission pole project. This man knows what is going on in Africa and studies missiological trends, especially in Africa. He was profoundly enthusiastic about the mission pole project and encouraged me to keep going. He said that Islamic militants are pushing down from the Sahel region of Africa into the southern part and they are doing it by force. He told me that he believes that the mission poles are a vital tool in slowing or reversing this push. He says that, because the poles broadcast the word of God at least twice daily and provide discipleship, devotional material, women and youth specific programs each day, to villages without regular Bible teaching, that the poles are more important now than ever before. I knew they were a good idea, but I didn’t realise how vital they are.
I also met with Alex Walker, the Sub-Saharan Regional Director, and he is looking at expanding the mission pole project into Benin and Sierra Leone. Praise God! I want to acknowledge your part in this. If it weren’t for your prayer support, your words of encouragement, and your financial stewardship none of this would have been possible. Your support is what enables Bob to do what he does. Your prayer support keeps us going, especially through the times of tiredness, keeps us safe, and brings inspiration when technology fails. You can smile with the knowledge that because of you, there are thousands of villagers in remote areas of Ghana turning to Christ, being discipled, and growing in their faith. Once again, the little nation of New Zealand is leading the way and providing not only spiritual light and eternal security to the villages, but physical light and temporal security too.
If you haven’t already, I would encourage you to follow this link and have a look at where the existing poles are and also where the new ones are going. You can zoom in and see the actual village. https://wanderingsheep.org/ssgateway/ghana/ Please pray for Josh, Bob, Alfred and me as we travel around Ghana, the road, road rules (or lack thereof), and the driving is not like NZ! Also, please pray for Africa. The rise of militant Islam is concerning many people. Pray that the light of Jesus and the Gospel of a risen Saviour permeate the country and that believers can stand firm in the face of fierce adversity.
Thank you for supporting us. Please pray with us that Reach Beyond will always stay true to our mission of ‘Sharing Jesus, Giving Hope and Transforming Communities’.
If you would like to chat with me, please contact me on 021 985 810 or rgrainger@reachbeyond.org.
Blessings,
Ps Russell Grainger
CEO Reach Beyond New Zealand
Reach Beyond is an international mission organisation with specialised skills in media, healthcare and community development. We’re passionate about reaching the unreached with the Gospel.
© Reach Beyond NZ, 2022
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