Adventists of the Twifo Adugyaa Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ghana recently celebrated an milestone event. There, an entire village and a group of 23 people from the United Kingdom, the U.S., and other countries participated in what they described as “a life-changing experience,” when a dream cherished for more than 20 years came true during a recent dedication of a brand-new church building in central Ghana.
Long-time Support
This “remarkable demonstration of liberality and sacrifice,” as local church leaders described the initiative, was made possible through the collaboration of two families from the Beckenham Hope Community Church in the UK. A native of Twifo Adugyaa, Edward Yeboah and his family had been supporting their hometown church’s building project for more than a decade when the unexpected happened: the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of Yeboah’s mother.
Some members of Hope Community showed their love by accompanying the Yeboahs to Ghana for the late mother’s funeral. It was at this event that local church members shared the plight of the Adugyaa church. According to those involved, the Spirit of the Lord impressed the hearts of Hugh and Rachel Gray, who pledged to work with the Yeboahs to help complete the church construction.
Almost three years from that eventful trip a beautiful edifice, fully furnished with chairs and fans, stands majestic in the community, changing its landscape. The main sanctuary can seat 300 people, and the building includes a children and youth church and related facilities.
Church Dedication
The church dedication was performed by Southern Ghana Union Conference president Thomas Ocran and other regional church leaders.
The Grays shared their appreciation for the Yeboah family — for the opportunity to partner with them in the Lord’s work. They thanked church leaders for their faithfulness to the project and encouraged members. “Use this church to the glory of God and to foster unity,” they said.
Former General Conference vice president Delbert Baker and his wife Susan attended the ceremony. During his keynote message, Baker reminded everyone that what they were witnessing had been made possible because of God’s providence, plan, and purpose. “It is therefore imperative for us as Christians that we should always seek to walk in line with God’s will,” Baker said.
Community Impact
To increase the church’s impact and assist the community and surrounding towns, church leaders offered civil authorities the new building’s youth hall to be used as a community health clinic post. “It has become a center of influence that the church never thought it would have,” local church leaders said.
The trip to Ghana allowed some members on the tour to reconnect with their African heritage by visiting historic sites such as the Cape Coast castle and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.
Nana Baagyan, village chief, thanked donors for their generosity and for “the honor that has been brought to [t]his village.”
Church members celebrated, too, with singing and dancing. “Today is a clear manifestation that miracles still happen. Our God works miracles,” one of them said. Another added, “I am amazed how God can touch the hearts of people who gave of their money to build a church from foundation to completion and furnish it!”
Members of the traveling group reflected on how the mission has been a blessing to each one of them. “Our greatest take-away was the blessing of being motivated to make a difference in the lives of other people,” they said.
The original article was published on the Adventist Review website.
