Posts in category: MPWDs

The Ministry to Persons With Disabilities (MPWDs) of The Church of Pentecost, in partnership with Joni and Friends, has launched an initiative to distribute free assistive devices to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the Tamale metropolis.

The programme, which began on July 15, 2024, aims to enhance mobility and improve the quality of life for individuals facing physical challenges.

Led by the National Coordinator, Pastor Alexander Nyame, the MPWDs has embarked on a week-long working visit to Tamale with a mission to provide essential assistive devices, including wheelchairs, white canes, and crutches, to those in need.

Before receiving the devices, the PWDs undergo a comprehensive process. First, they register and verify their information for accuracy. Next, they participate in an assessment to determine their specific needs. Once assessed, they are equipped with the appropriate devices. However, the journey does not end there as they also receive vital counselling, where many find solace and make decisions that extend beyond physical well-being.

Speaking exclusively to PENTECOST NEWS, Pastor Nyame emphasised that the initiative aligns with Vision 2028 mandate of The Church of Pentecost. The church seeks to transform society by embodying Kingdom values and principles.

According to him, PWDs are integral to the church’s transformational agenda. Pastor Nyame’s conviction was clear, saying, ‘Reaching out to people with disabilities is not merely a favour—it is a divine and legal imperative.’

He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Joni and Friends, a US-based multinational non-governmental Christian organisation. The group seeks to envision a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and a rightful place within the body of Christ.

The joint efforts of the MPWDs and Joni and Friends will continue throughout the week, serving the Northern regions of Ghana. As wheelchairs roll, white canes guide, and crutches support, the message is clear: ‘Inclusion knows no bounds, and hope extends beyond physical limitations.’

PENTECOST NEWS

The Northern Sector of the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs), led by Sector Coordinator Overseer Joshua Korku Semador, has provided training to 185 persons with disabilities (PWDs) in various vocational skills, including soap making, beverage production, and pastry baking.

The free training session took place on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at Bantama Central Assembly in the Bompata Area.

Addressing the participants, Overseer Joshua Korku Semador emphasised that the skills training aligns with the church’s “Vision 2028” and the objectives of the MPWDs.

“As part of the Sector’s vision, we intend to equip persons with disabilities with skills to improve their standard of living so they would not become burdens on their families and society,” he stated.

He underscored the importance of equipping persons with disabilities with vocational skills, enabling them to actively contribute to the church’s mission and vision.

In a brief exhortation, the Sector Coordinator referenced 1 Peter 2:9, a key theme text for the church’s 2024 theme.

He elaborated on the scripture’s significance, highlighting four key lessons: our origin, our purpose, our identity in God, and the tasks entrusted to us. Despite societal perceptions, he reminded participants that in the eyes of God, they are valued and specially chosen.

Participants were organised based on their interests and received training in various areas such as liquid soap making, shower gel production, beverage preparation (including sobolo and millet drink), as well as pastry baking (including chips, pies, and bread).

The enthusiasm displayed by participants was remarkable, and their testimonies of gratitude were heartfelt. Several participants expressed appreciation to the leadership and organisers of the program and encouraged fellow persons with disabilities to take the training seriously.

Also in attendance were members of the Sector Working Team, including Elder Dr. Joel Kyeremeh (Secretary), Elder Patrick Opoku Appiah (Bompata Area Coordinator & Sector Programmes Coordinator), Pastor Jacob Ossom (Abuakwa Area Coordinator & Sector Pastors’ Rep.), Deacon Edward Kwabena Effah Kontoh (Member), and various Area Coordinators from the Ashanti Region.

Others are Pastor Eric Oppong Asomah (Konongo Area Coordinator), Pastor George Owusu (Asokwa Area Coordinator), Pastor Emmanuel Akwaboah (New Tafo Area Coordinator), Pastor Richard Asare-Drah (Mampong Area Coordinator), and Pastor Daniel Konlan (Kwadaso Area Coordinator).

Reported by the MPWDs Media Team

The various Area Coordinators of the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) of The Church of Pentecost are undergoing a two-day training programme aimed at equipping them to discharge their mandate of leading PWDs into the saving knowledge of Christ.

The session, dubbed “Beyond Suffering,” is being facilitated by Joni & Friends, an international organisation focused on ensuring full inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the church and society, and is taking place at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

The Chairman for the MPWDs National Committee of the Church, Apostle James Tetteh, is chairing the meeting with assistance from the National Coordinator, Pastor Alex Nyame.

The Joni & Friends team includes Mrs. Kimi Archer (Director of Internships), Dr Kevin O’Farrell (Director of Theological Education & Engagement), Pastor Joel Quansah (Country Coordinator, Ghana), Dr Ashley Mugisha (Beyond Suffering Africa Regional Coordinator), and Mr Ronald Mugisha (Beyond Suffering Instructor).

In his opening remarks, Dr. Kevin O’Farrel said that Joni & Friends, as an organisation, Joni & Friends seeks to glorify God as they communicate the Gospel and mobilise the global church to evangelise, disciple, and serve people with a disability.

According to him, they present the gospel of Jesus Christ through programs they undertake worldwide by training, discipling, and mentoring people affected by disability to exercise their gifts of leadership and service in their churches and communities.

“We energise the church to move from a lack of awareness of people impacted by disability to including everyone in the fabric of worship, fellowship, and outreach,” he said.

Dr. Ashley Mugisha took the participants through the Beyond Suffering training. “Beyond Suffering” is a comprehensive course organised by Joni & Friends that gives an overview of the theological and practical underpinnings of PWDs.

The course, she said, will equip participants to think critically, compassionately, and clearly about the complex issues that impact people with disabilities and their families and to bring them to the love of Christ confidently.

The two-day training is expected to end on Friday, with each participant receiving a certificate for participation.

PENTECOST NEWS

The Kaneshie Area of The Church of Pentecost, under the leadership of Apostle Samuel Osei Asante, has donated two wheelchairs to the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs).

The donation was made today on the sidelines of the ongoing “Beyond Suffering” training workshop for MPWDs Area Coordinators of the Church at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

The items were presented on behalf of the Kaneshie Area by Pastor Emmanuel Oppong Kyeremah (Kaneshie Area MPWDs Coordinator) and were received by the National MPWDs Coordinator, Pastor Alexander Nyame.

Pastor Alexander Nyame thanked the Area for the thoughtful gesture and revealed that the wheelchairs will be donated to the Agormanya and Sefwi Bekwai Areas to aid persons with mobility impairments.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The Asofan District Minister of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor Christopher Martey, has called on Christians to strive to do everything with a good heart, as that is God’s requirement for receiving His divine inheritance.

Pastor Christopher Martey made this call today during his exhortation at the opening session of the “Beyond Suffering” training with Joni & Friends for the Area Coordinators of the Ministry for Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

Using Colossians 3:23 as his foundational text, the Achimota Area MPWDs Coordinator emphasised that God demands that every believer does everything with their heart.

He explained that God expects them to respond to His will and purposes with a good heart, which is why they must always endeavour to guard their hearts.

He cautioned that every action must be done with a good heart, stating, “As we serve God daily and, in our ministry, we must do so with all our heart so that we will also receive the inheritance He has given to us.”

Pastor Martey acknowledged that at times it may seem that God is distant from the Christian, but the truth is that God is omnipresent, seeing everything, and in His appointed time, He will reward them for their actions.

He observed that the nature of the MPWDs may be easily overlooked and prioritised over other concerns, but since God has called them to serve in this ministry, they should strive to fulfil their mandate.

“Inheritance is acquired over a period, so as we do God’s work, we will receive divine inheritance. If you work for man, you will receive the reward of a man, which is not eternal. However, if you do it for God, you will receive an eternal inheritance that will transcend generations,” he urged.

Pastor Martey further noted that the heart is a treasury, and individuals must be careful about what they allow into it.

He concluded by stating that the distinctive mark of one who will receive God’s divine inheritance is someone who loves God and loves to serve Him. These are the individuals who live to glorify God.

He also advised the Area Coordinators to submit to and respect the leadership of the Church and the ministry, as they are the vessels through whom God reveals His divine purpose.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Pastor Alexander Nyame, the National Coordinator for the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs), has urged church leaders at various levels to provide their utmost support in ensuring the successful realisation of the five-year strategic vision of The Church of Pentecost (Vision 2028).

He emphasised that engaging in “support ministry” requires leaders to assist the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the vision bearer, in pursuing the divine agenda of “Possessing the Nations” bestowed upon him.

This advice was shared during the opening session of the MPWDs Report Reading and Training Seminar for MPWDs Area Coordinators, which is currently ongoing at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

Speaking on the topic “Supporting Ministry,” with 1 Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:16, and Exodus 17:8-13 as foundational texts, the MPWDs Coordinator explained that supporting another person is akin to bearing or sharing the weight of their responsibilities.

He clarified that providing support ministry involves sharing the burden of the individual assigned by God to a specific task.

To illustrate this point, he referred to the story in Exodus 17:8-13 involving Moses, Aaron, Hur, and Joshua. In this account, Moses, chosen by God to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land, was supported by Hur, Aaron, and Joshua during a war against the Amalekites.

During the battle, as Moses raised his hands, the Israelites were winning. However, as fatigue set in and Moses’ hands drooped, the Amalekites gained ground. Observing this, Hur, Aaron, and Joshua stepped in to support Moses by providing a rock for him to sit on and holding his hands high until the victory was secured.

Pastor Nyame explained that this story holds valuable lessons for those in support ministry, particularly those mandated to help vision bearers realise their divine assignments.

He stressed that members of the support ministry must acquire the necessary knowledge to discharge their duties effectively, display a sense of initiative similar to the trio who placed a stone for the fatigued Moses to sit on and held his hands high, and be willing to make significant sacrifices to ensure the realisation of the Vision.

Additionally, he advised them to understand their role in Vision 2028 and appreciate the significance of their contributions, especially as MPWDs Area Coordinators.

Pastor Nyame urged Area Coordinators to fulfil their roles effectively, contributing to Vision 2028, which aligns with the various objectives set by the Chairman.

Concluding his message, he reminded the participants of the potential impact they could have on individuals and the world at large through their commitment to the Disability ministry.

“Beloved, only God knows the number of people the devil has destroyed because you let your hands down. Only God knows people who are getting lost because you are not taking the Disability ministry, the MPWDs, seriously. Let’s wake up, get to the battlefield or the mountaintop to lift the rod or hold up the hands of those whose hands are to be up for us to win the war to the glory of God. Let’s remain loyal to God and our leaders and be loyal to the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities,” he charged.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The Offinso Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Samuel Edzii Davidson, with the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) Assembly in the Offinso Obuasi District of the Church on Communion Sunday.

According to Apostle Samuel Edzii Davidson, the purpose of his visit was to fellowship with the members and to officially share with them the new vision direction of the Church for the next five years, dubbed “Possessing the Nations (Phase II).”

Before administering the Lord’s Supper, the Offinso Area Head, Apostle Edzii Davidson, gave the congregants an exposition on the 2024 theme of the church: “A People of God Unleashed to Transform Their World.”

Reading from 1 Peter 2:9, Acts 1:8, Daniel 5:3, and Genesis 37:37, the Area Head drove home the fact that God has intentionally positioned everyone wherever they find themselves for the sole purpose of bringing transformation to those spheres.

This, he expressed, can only be done after one has been unleashed. He mentioned names like Abraham, who, until he was unleashed, was only restricted to the four walls of his father’s home. But when unleashed, he transformed his world by feeding hundreds of people as an embodiment of God’s blessing. Other examples of people who transformed their world he mentioned were Joseph and Daniel.

Bringing his message to a close, Apostle Edzii Davidson outlined the various topics to be treated in the year and charged the brethren to avail themselves as God’s tools for transformation in their worlds of life.

As part of their visit, which took place on February 4, 2024, Apostle Samuel and Mrs. Winifred Edzii Davidson, on behalf of their family and the Offinso Area, presented two crutches, one wheelchair, assorted food items worth GH¢ 6250.00, and a cash donation of GH¢ 1000.00 to the Assembly.

Elder Sylvester Twum Barima, the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Physically Challenged Action Foundation Center, received the items on their behalf and expressed their profound gratitude to the Area Head and the Offinso area for their visit.

Also present at the ceremony were Pastor Austin Kofi Fuachie (Offinso Obuasi District Minister), as well as the Offinso Area Women’s Ministry Leader and her assistant.

Report by Pastor Austin Kofi Fuachie (Offinso Obuasi District)

The maiden edition of the Christmas Convention of the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) has been successfully held in the Ashanti and Western North regions.

The three-day programme began on Thursday, December 7, and ended on Saturday, December 9, 2023.

Chairing the opening session was Apostle Yaw Agyei Kwarteng, the Kwadaso Area Head, who doubles as the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Committee (ARCC) Coordinator and an Executive Council Member of the Church.

In his sermon, Apostle Yaw Adjei-Kwarteng highlighted the importance of Christmas and the need to celebrate it to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He said the birth of Jesus is good news that reveals God to man. “Christmas reveals a God who resides in man,” he hinted.

The glorious event brought participants from 18 Areas in the Kumasi zone, numbering about 350.

All the Area Coordinators from these 18 Areas, and the Kwadaso Area pastorate and their wives were present at the event.

The glory and presence of God were highly felt as persons with disabilities praised and worshipped the Lord in splendor, demonstrating active involvement in all activities of the programme.

The Northern bloc of the MPWDs Christmas Convention was held at Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Kumasi, under the theme, “Jesus Christ; Our Hope for Maximum Impact.”

Report by MPWDs Northern Bloc Media Team.

The Northern sector of the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) of The Church of Pentecost has kicked off its three-day Christmas convention at the Radach Lodge and Conference Centre in Tamale under the auspices of the Tamale Area.

The ongoing convention, taking place nationwide, is under the theme, “Jesus Christ; The Hope that Brings Maximum Impact to All.”

Apostle John Budu Tawiah, the Northern Regional Coordinating Committee (NRCC) Coordinator and the Tamale Area Head of the Church, officially opened the convention yesterday. He spoke on the topic, “In Christ, We Have Hope,” using Hebrews 6:13-19 as his foundational text.

Apostle Budu Tawiah mentioned that every word that God has spoken can be relied upon because the one who has spoken cannot lie.

Explaining the text, he emphasised that for every word or promise to be sure, the one who gives it must vow with someone of greater authority, and since there is no greater authority than God, He swore by Himself.

“This should give every Christian hope because the one who has promised is the one to whom all authority and power belong. Whatever He has promised in His word will come to pass,” he said.

He quoted Hebrews 11:1,7 to assure believers that though there might not be a physical substance to rely on, faith must be built on the person of Christ through whom the promises have been made.

Concluding his message, the Tamale Area Head encouraged believers to exercise their faith in expectation of the fulfillment of the promises of God, notwithstanding the challenges.

In all, 150 participants were in attendance, drawn from all eight areas of the Church in the Northern Regions.

Also in attendance were sign language interpreters from the Bolga Area to assist persons with hearing impairments.

Report by Pastor Martin Ossom Boafo