Apostle Dr Michael Kwabena Ntumy is a father who has given a true and perfect definition of a real adoption of someone’s child as his own. For so many years, he and his wife, Mama Martha, adopted me as their child.
Exactly 26 years ago, he came to Konongo Area during a tour when Apostle Ntumy was elected as Chairman of the church, with Apostle Obeng Atuah as the first Area Head. I was only 16 years of age by then; he was so impressed to see a young girl giving a prophecy of everything he had prepared to speak on, even the words in the Bible quotation he was coming to use. When he took the platform, he publicly asked, “What is the name of the girl who gave the prophecy? And continued: “There is no need for me to speak again because the prophecy through that young girl has stated almost everything I was about to say even the words in my Bible quotation.” He further said: “The leadership of the Area and the District should take good care of this girl because she is a gift and a property to The Church of Pentecost.”
Apostle Ntumy ordered my Mom and Dad, who were church officers, to bring me to him after service. When they took me to him, he told my parents: “From henceforth, she is NOTa daughter to you alone but our daughter too. She will now be called “Esther Ntumy Lartey, ” not “Esther Lartey.” Knowing the genuine heart from which Apostle Ntumy spoke, my dad wholeheartedly accepted what he said, and right in his presence, my dad started calling me Esther Ntumy Lartey. When my dad died, Apostle Ntumy came to the funeral not in his official suit as the Chairman but in traditional clothes as a family member to support the funeral. He came to stand behind me, my Mom and my siblings as our father to help us bury our Dad.
My father, Apostle Ntumy, and Mama Martha took charge of my school fees from when I was 16 years old at Konongo Odumasi Secondary School until I completed my third Master’s programme. Father, even on his sick bed, still paid my school fees, though we could have by then paid it ourselves, but for a reason known to him alone, Apostle Ntumy still decided to support me while he was on his sick bed. What a mysterious father!
For about 26 years that I have been his adopted daughter, there was not even a single moment his action or act reminded me of the fact that biologically, I am not his child. I have now realised the motive for which God touched his heart to do that. The motive is for me to be well-established in Christ through his advice and nurture. I am saying this because, in my Christian life, I can confidently say that l am very well rooted and deeply established in Christ, so much so that nothing, not even death, can separate me from the love of God. I give credit to my father, Apostle Ntumy, who always looked at me from a very positive perspective and made me feel that I am not a package of bad goods after all; a father who cautiously watered the good things in me and removed the weeds in me with care. When I married Martin Berko Kesse, a Pastor in The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Ntumy invited my husband when he was called into the full-time ministry and these were his words to him: “Martin, in this ministry, your success is my success, and your downfall is my downfall.” He continued, “Martin, be a genuine minister of God and be accountable to God as a minister even in your secret place.” My husband always ponders over these challenging words to him, and these words always serve as internal checks to his ministry. Martin himself confesses this to me from time to time. Hmmm! Can someone explain the mystery behind this unique fatherly love that Apostle Dr M. K. Ntumy and his family have shown me and my family?
Apostle Ntumy is a father who has given me a true and excellent definition of how to righteously live with an adopted child. The legacy he left has positioned his biological children to treat me like their own sister, and they are doing this excellently well. Joana Ntumy, his last born and only daughter, after her wedding in Accra, spent her honeymoon with her husband right in my house at Akosombo New Combine. She could have afforded a 5-star hotel to spend her honeymoon but decided to lodge in the mission house to be with her adopted sister. This was possible because of the legacy our dad, Apostle Ntumy, has left.
Two months to the completion of my first degree at the University of Cape Coast in 2008, when her term of Chairmanship ended, he invited me and threw a very big challenge to me. These were his words: “Akosua, I could see you have a very strong passion for learning. You are still young. If you wish to further your education and do your master’s programme, I will advise you do it straight away after your first degree without working. For now we will be able to pay your school fees, but I do NOT know what will happen next in the years to come.” Sensing the revelation behind his speech, I answered, “Dad, please, if I get the opportunity, I will further my education straight away.” He encouraged me to apply to any of the public universities, and by the grace of God, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology admitted me to study a Master of Business Administration, Supply Chain Option. So, per his advice and encouragement, I completed my first degree in June 2008 and started my master’s in the same year, August 2008. He paid my admission, accommodation, and feeding for the first year before he left for Germany.
A day before his surgery in Germany, he called all his children one by one, including me and asked us to remember him in prayers. He told me, “My daughter, after the operation, it will take about two months before you would hear from me. That is why I have paid your feeding, accommodation and fees to cover the whole year.” He encouraged me to keep up with my faith, stay in Christ and own all my gratitude to God. Unfortunately, his surgery took a different dimension and I couldn’t hear from him again for over one good year because of his health condition. His sons Ebenezer and Joe gave me updates on his condition. They sounded humanly hopeless by then, witnessing his condition. They never thought he could live for another fifteen years.
Not hearing from him for over a year, life became very difficult because I was not working when I started the master’s programme so that I couldn’t pay my school fees after the first year. I decided to defer the course to search for a job and mobilise some money to continue the programme. Father taught me that any money that does not come from my own toil or support that does not come from a genuine source should be considered unclean. That was the principle I decided to apply when I became handicapped during that period.
I had a foreign call on my way to submit the letter to defer my course at the KNUST. Who could this be? Of course, once in a while, I used to have a call from Ebenezer and Joe from France for an update on his condition. But Praise God! When I picked up the call, it was my Father, Apostle Ntumy. I was surprised, short of words, and remained silent on the phone for a while. His voice was very clear and loud. His first question was, “Daughter, how is your master’s programme? Are you still on the programme, or have you quit? I answered, “Please, I have not quit yet, but I am on my way to submit a letter to defer the programme so I can work and mobilise money.” His response was, “No! Don’t quit what you have started. How much is the new fee?” When I told him the amount, he said, “You will hear from us, but don’t submit the letter you are sending.” After the call, I stood where I had reached for over an hour, pondering over this call and even the timing of the call.
The following day, I had a call from Mama Martha, directing me to take money from a place where Daddy had sent me money through a Western Union transfer. Even on his sick bed, he did not allow me to defer my studies on the excuse that he was not well. Another footprint Apostle Ntumy left for me to follow is never to base my life on excuses.
I know I am not the only person my father adopted. He has been good to all of them, but I decided to stick to my personal experience with him as an adopted child in this particular write-up so I can account for every word I have used here and answer any questions arising from it. Every word I have used in this write-up is carefully selected, and God knows it is true.
Father, when my biological father died, I felt it much because I was very close and attached to him. But because Apostle Ntumy was there for me, the situation, though hard, was still manageable. But now that he [Apostle Ntumy] is also gone, who do I have to stand in his position? Will I ever have a father who will always figure out what to do to add value to his child and make sure she becomes relevant? But, I take consolation from the fact that I am now more rooted and established in Christ through his counsel and nurture.
In 2012, when I met my husband, Martin Berko Kesse, the unique role Apostle Ntumy played as a father in the marriage ceremony could never be different from what he would have done for his biological daughter, though he was then battling with his health in Germany. He allowed me to marry just as the Chairman’s daughter. Though he was not in
Ghana and was in a critical phase of his surgery, he called Apostle Osei Bonsu, the then Ejisu-Konongo Area Head (now retired), to stand in for him as a father and give my hand in marriage during my engagement ceremony. He made my engagement ceremony so glorious even in his absence. Ooh! What a father have I lost?So precious than everything money can buy.
During my wedding ceremony, he called Apostle Dr S. K. Baidoo (now deceased), the International Missions Director at his time and many others to represent him at the ceremony. I remember Apostle Albert Amoah, the first General Secretary during his term as Chairman, travelled from Cape Coast to Kumasi Asokwa to preach during an Adopted Child’s wedding. This is very interesting! Eiii Dad, If my memory serves me right, I could remember other prominent ministers in the church like Apostle Osei Bonsu, Apostle F. E . Antwi, Apostle Emmanuel Asante, Apostle R. C. Ackon, Apostle Moses Ayitey, Apostle Appiah, and many others I can’t even mention came to my wedding in Kumasi.
In ministry, Apostle Ntumy did not deny us his fatherhood responsibility. He visited us at our first station at Nsakina. At our second station at Goi in Ada, he again visited us with Mama Martha. Ooh, what manner of Apostle is this? An Apostle who could draw people so low, like me, closer to him and nurture them.
Father, I am now in my third station, Akosombo New Combine District and this is the only district I have been in where he was NOT able to visit me in his wheelchair.
Will I ever have a foster father like him again? Who will be so convinced, pleased and determined to nurture, advise and develop me for who I am, just like he did?
In ministry, once in a while, Daddy would call my husband and, as he affectionately called him, ‘M’ase Sofo,’ how is the ministry?” Is there anything you think you need my advice or expertise to handle in your District?” Awww, Father, who will call us and ask if his expertise or advice is needed? Who will give us rich and deep advice in ministry? Who will love us for who we are and nurture the Giftings in us like he did?
Father, some great men of God died, but their dark secrets unfolded after their death. But for my Father, Apostle Ntumy, I am boldly here to reveal his Shining Secrets, which are the good things he did for the world to know that we still have Genuine Men of God in our days. This is what makes his departure very Different and Unique.
Dad, my precious readers are sending me many private messages advising me to develop a book from this story. Some have even suggested some topics to be considered in the book. I have decided to take that one up and develop this precious book after his burial because I could see by doing so, I may be impacted by his writing skills.
I thank my father, Apostle Ntumy, for drawing me closer to him. Thank you for deciding to mentor me. I thank him for educating me and nurturing the giftings in me. I thank him for not making me lonely and, above all, for dedicating himself to establishing me in Christ. Daddy, you do all.
MAY HIS GOOD WORKS FOLLOW HIM. REST IN PERFECT PEACE!
By Mrs Esther Ntumy Lartey Kesse
