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The Word brings life

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01.19.2021

Cam and Anne Gongwer, with their infant daughter, moved to Ghana in 1998 to serve as cross-cultural workers with TMS Global. Cam served as a physician at the Ankaase Methodist Healing Hospital. Anne, a former teacher, founded a library in the village of Ankaase and coordinated a small, adult literacy program there and in several remote villages.

When the Gongwers returned to the US in 2012, Cam began serving as TMS Global’s regional coordinator for the US, coordinated medical mission trips to Ghana, and established the GreenLight: Medical mission exploration experience for third- and fourth-year medical students. Cam also remained in close contact with the Ghanaian CEO of the Ankaase hospital and established Crosspoint Global Health to support hospital needs. Anne continued to encourage the library and literacy leaders from her new home in Indiana. In 2018, Anne received a three-year grant to create children’s literacy classes. The grant helped to increase the size and effectiveness of the literacy program.

George, the primary Ghanaian leader of the BLESS Literacy Program, supervises 14 facilitators who teach 250 children and youth in several villages or towns around Ejura, Ghana. George is also trained in the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) method. DBS is a way of studying scripture by reading a passage aloud, retelling it in your own words, and asking a series of questions which allow the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts and minds of the people present. Anne commented, "Whenever DBS discussion starts, it's amazing to hear people express how they see God's character in scripture and how the scripture impacts their own heart and mind."

George wanted to train more people how to facilitate a DBS study. With the help of Juliana and Augustine, who serve with a DBS ministry in Accra, Ghana, George and Anne planned four days of training in four different Ghanaian towns.

On the first day of the trainings, while the Word of God was being discussed aloud, a woman exhibited physical signs that she was possessed by an evil spirit. Juliana, Augustine, and local leaders surrounded the woman and prayed over her for her release. After a time of prayer, the woman was freed from the evil spirit, and she became calm.

Several people of the Muslim faith also participated in the large group events. Anne said, "The Holy Spirit worked through the Scripture and drew five people of Muslim background to dedicate their lives to follow Jesus as Lord!"

During the four events, 91 adults and 138 children and youth were trained. Since the training ended, some youth are leading DBS in their churches and teaching younger children how to study the Bible. Anne said, "Imagine our own youth discipled in this method and discovering the power of the Word of God in very personal ways!"

Prayer requests:

  • Pray that the people trained in DBS would invest in their communities and help other people to study the Bible.
  • Pray for George, Juliana, and Augustine as they train new DBS facilitators.
  • Pray for the woman who was freed and the men who accepted Jesus as Lord, that they would grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus.