The Women’s Ministry of Akuse District in the Agormanya Area of The Church of Pentecost has organised a get-together event for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The event, which took place on September 3, 2022, had in attendance 22 PWDs, some of whom are not members of the church.
Preaching on the theme; “Preach the Gospel to All Creation”, with Mark 16:15 as his scripture reference, the District Minister, Pastor Jacob Kwakye Frimpong, encouraged members to extend ministry to PWDs since they are also part of God’s creation.
He advised PWDs not to look down upon themselves because God loves them and to know that disability is not inability.
As part of the event, the participants were given the opportunity to minister in songs and dance.
Present at the event were Elder Solomon Leigh (Assistant Area MPWDs Coordinator), Elder Samuel Adu (District MPWDs Coordinator) and other local executive committee members of the Women’s Ministry.
The participants expressed their gratitude to the church and the Women’s Ministry, in particular, for demonstrating the love of God to them through the gesture.
The Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) of The Church of Pentecost, in partnership with Joni & Friends and Covenant Family Care Missions, Ghana, has provided assistive devices to about 213 persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The exercise is in fulfilment of the ministry’s vision to project the love of Christ to PWDs by granting them opportunities to actively participate in the Kingdom business and thereby facilitate their full inclusion in society.
The assistive devices include wheelchairs, crutches, zimmer frames, and white canes.
The MPWD is a ministry of The Church of Pentecost birthed under her five-year strategic vision, dubbed Vision 2023. It seeks to build a strong ministry to persons with disabilities (PWDs) through effective evangelism and discipleship, as well as create an enabling environment to promote their spiritual, emotional and personal growth in order to impact the church, their communities, and nations.
Joni & Friends is an organisation in the USA which envisions a world where every person with disability finds hope, dignity and their place in the Body of Christ.
Covenant Family Care Missions, on the other hand, is a subsidiary of Covenant Family Community Church in Accra that evangelises to persons with disabilities in Ghana.
The Takoradi Area of The Church of Pentecost has held a day’s seminar for the Takoradi community and its environs to promote the full inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the church and society.
The seminar, which took place on July 9, 2022 at the A.T. Nartey Memorial Temple, Takoradi, was attended by ministers and their wives, presiding elders, officers, MPWDs committee members, district ministry committees and MPWDs volunteers across the area.
Addressing the gathering at the event on behalf of the Takoradi Area Head, Prophet Samuel Tetteh Doku urged members to demonstrate love towards persons with disabilities.
The main facilitator for the training, Pastor Alexander Nyame (National MPWDs Coordinator), outlined the church’s vision for the PWDs as captured in the five-year strategic vision of the church (Vision 2023) and challenged all to work towards the successful realisation of the vision.
Quoting from Genesis 1:26-27, he mentioned that PWDs are created in the image of God and, therefore, must not be neglected. Instead, he urged them to demonstrate love to them and lead them to Christ.
The Takoradi Area MPWDs Coordinator, Pastor Christian Asiedu Budu, expressed his profound gratitude to Pastor Nyame for educating them on the plights of PWDs and the need to care for them. He further thanked the church for its continuous support for PWDs.
The topics treated during the training programme included “MPWDs At A Glance,” “Dos And Don’ts When Interacting With MPWDs,” and “Basic Ghanaian Sign Language.”
The seminar was attended by Pastor Stephen Okyere Acheampong (Area Secretary), Pastor Stephen K. Asuo (Area Executive Committee Member), Elder Daniel K. Quaye (Area Deacon), as well as a cross-section of the area pastorate and their wives.
The National MPWDs Coordinator was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Evelyn Nyame, Moses Amankwaah and Christian Dadzie.
Report by Pastor Ernest Perbi-Asare (Takoradi Area Media Pastor)
The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, spent this year’s Easter season in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, sharing fellowship with members of the Koforidua Deaf Assembly of the church.
The Church of Pentecost, as part of its five-year strategic vision (Vision 2023) which has an overarching aim of ‘Possessing the Nations,’ established a separate ministry dedicated to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) dubbed Ministry to Persons With Disabilities (MPWDs) to offer them the space to worship God without any impediments.
Joining the just-ended Koforidua Area Easter convention which took place at the Jubilee Park, Gallaway, Apostle Nyamekye took time off his busy schedule to interact with the members of the Deaf Assembly who took part in the convention.
In an interview with PENTECOST NEWS, Elder David Asante Agyei, Presiding Elder of the Deaf Assembly, said that his members could not hide their utmost joy and gratitude to God for the opportunity to join and celebrate the Easter together.
“When you make them feel that they are the same as you, they will rally and accept whatever you do,” he stated.
He disclosed that the Koforidua District Minister of the church, Pastor Akwasi Amo Afropong, has put in much effort to make services conducive for them whenever they meet together.
He mentioned that the opportunity to lead the Deaf Assembly became expedient for him to learn from them. He, therefore, urged all Christians to endeavour to learn sign language to help in smooth communication with PWDs during church service.
Elder Agyei further called on members of the church to approach persons with disabilities with smiles, especially deaf persons. According to him, they communicate through facial expressions, saying, “If even you cannot sign, a smile to them is enough.”
He noted that as the only officer of the church with the PWDs, previously the total number of deaf persons was 43. However, the number has currently increased to 82 due to the creation of the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs). This, he believed, has led to many people bringing their families and friends who are equally in same state to church.
He thanked the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, and the Koforidua Area Head, Apostle Samuel Osei Asante, as well as Pastor Akwasi Amo Afropong, Koforidua District Minister, for their immense support to the ministry.
The Ave-Dakpa District in the Aflao Area of The Church of Pentecost has supported Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs) within the district.
As part of their annual event, 16 PWDs members were given assorted food items and undisclosed cash amounts to support their livelihoods on Sunday, January 30, 2022.
Speaking on the topic, “Be Grateful As An Equipped Soldier” (Luke 17:12-19), Pastor Eric Osei, District Minister of Ave-Dakpa, said that Christians must demonstrate acts of appreciation to God by taking care of the needy.
He stated that after Jesus had healed the ten lepers who requested help from him, only one of them went back to the Lord to thank him for his kind gesture. This, he said, should not be the attitude of any soldier in the army of God.
“In our present situation, when we give to the needy, we are expressing our gratitude to God for his unmerited favour bestowed upon us,” he noted.
He then urged Christians to exhibit love to one another, since it is also an act of love towards God.
After the exhortation, the members were taken through a time of prayer and thanksgiving.
Elder Fred Obed Asamoah, the District Coordinator for the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWD), advised beneficiaries to be regular at church, and always pray for those who have been supporting them.
Present were some members of the District Executive Committee, Local Coordinators of the ministry, and some members of the church.
Report by Pastor Francis Lamptey, Aflao Area Reporter.
The Frami District in the Cape Coast Area of The Church of Pentecost has held a day’s seminar for the Frami community, and its environs aimed at promoting the social inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The seminar, which took place on 14th August 2021 at the Frami Central Assembly auditorium, was attended by traditional leaders, members of the district as well as the community folks.
Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator for Ministry to Persons With Disabilities (MPWDs) of the Church, Overseer Alexander Nyame, called on the members to demonstrate love towards persons with disabilities in the church and the entire community.
Quoting from Genesis 1:26-27, he mentioned that such people are also created in the image of God and, therefore, must not be neglected. Instead, he urged them to demonstrate love to them and lead them to Christ.
He further outlined the church’s vision for the PWDs as captured in the five-year strategic vision of the church (Vision 2023) and challenged all to work towards the successful realisation of the vision.
Overseer Alexander Nyame, on behalf of the Church and the MPWDs, donated five wheelchairs and four clutches to church members in the Frami and Dominase District as well as some individuals from Abrafo and Bremang communities.
Overseer Appiah, on behalf of the Frami District, donated a gari-processing machine to the District MPWDs Committee to be used to generate money to support the livelihood of the PWDs in the district.
The Chief of Abrafo Odumase, Nana Amoateng III, expressed his profound gratitude to the Frami District Minister, Overseer Daniel Appiah, for organising such an insightful seminar for members, chiefs, and the community to educate them on the plights of PWDs and the need to care for them. He further thanked the church for its continuous support for PWDs.
The seminar was attended by Pastor Felix Zee-Shi (Dominase District Minister), some District MPWDs Coordinators in the Cape Coast Area, members of Frami and Dominase districts, chiefs, Queen mothers and traditional leaders from Frami, Abrafo-Odumase, Mbem and Bremang communities.
The Ministry to Persons With Disabilities (MPWDs), a specialised ministry of The Church of Pentecost, has donated items valued at GH¢16,795.00 to the Wa School for the Blind and 10 wheelchairs to some Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Wa and Tumu Areas of the church.
Among the many items donated were 50 white canes, two audio Bible listening devices, 10 bags of 50kg rice, five maxi bags of maize, five gallons of 25 litre oil, three boxes of tin fish, three boxes of tin tomatoes, three cartons of milk and 230 packs of cooked food.
Making the presentation to the Wa School for the Blind on Saturday, April 10, 2021, the National Coordinator of MPWDs, Overseer Alexander Nyame, stated that the gesture was part of the Church’s Vision 2023 agenda of “Possessing the Nations.”
He stated that students in specialised institutions do not pay fees and that the donation from the Church was to compliment the government’s effort and to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to them.
Rev. Grace Amoako, the Headmistress of the school, described the donation as timely. She was full of praise and appreciation to God and The Church of Pentecost for the gesture.
The Girl’s Prefect of the school, Barikise Mumuni, who was also delighted about the gesture, prayed for God’s blessing upon the church.
In an exhortation, Overseer Benjamin Teye Djabanor of Tanvaare District spoke on the topic, “The Mystical Love and Will of God for Us.” Reading from Ephesians 1:7-12 and 1 John 5:11-12, he established that the mystical love and will of God for humanity can only be found in Jesus Christ. He, therefore, challenged the students to give their lives to Christ.
In a related development, the MPWDs National Coordinator, on Friday, April 9, 2021, presented wheelchairs to individuals with various degrees of disabilities to aid their mobility. In all, a total of 10 wheelchairs were donated to PWDs in Sombo, Nandom, Eremon, Lawra, Kunfabiala, Babile, all in the Upper West Region.
By the grace of God, 11 persons were won during the presentation of the items to the PWDs. Five were won during a wheelchair presentation at Lambussie and another six at Wa School for the Blind.
Present were the Wa Area Head, Apostle Daniel Nii Tetteh Tackie, and some ministers in the Area.
It was certainly a day to remember for Mr Lanaang, a 73-year-old man with visual impairment (blind), and his wife, Mrs Lanaang, a 58-year-old woman with hearing impairment (deaf) when the Kete Krachi Area Head, Pastor Joseph Danzerl, handed over a newly constructed residential building to the couple.
The building, which was jointly constructed by the Kete Krachi Area and the Bladjai District, has a kitchen and washroom facilities.
The building was handed over to the couple during a special ceremony held on Thursday, December 17, 2020, at the Digangam No. 2 Assembly church auditorium.
Before the gesture, the couple were virtually homeless due to the deplorable state of their place of abode. The mud structure, in which they were previously living, had collapsed and its roof almost entirely ripped off due to a heavy downpour. The couple had since been left with no option than to sleep in the “death trap” exposed to harsh weather conditions.
The couple was highly elated and could not help but shed tears of joy. Mr Lanaang thanked the Area Head and the entire membership of The Church of Pentecost for the extraordinary gesture.
At the same event, 62-year-old Peter Nakokuah, who also has physical disability (crippled) from the waist down, was presented a wheelchair by the National Coordinator for the Ministry to Persons With Disabilities (MPWDs), Overseer Alexander Nyame, on behalf of the ministry.
Upon receiving the wheelchair, an awe struck Mr Nakokuah said “I thank The Church of Pentecost very much for what they have done for me. I have never seen such an act of kindness in my entire life. Today is the happiest day of my life.”
Exhorting the audience at the event, Pastor Danzerl admonished Christians to take a cue from what Jesus said in Matthew 25:35-40 and be mindful that any act of kindness we show to persons with disabilities, we do it to Jesus.
Report by Pastor Emmanuel Kenin (Kete Krachi Area)
The Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) of The Church of Pentecost participated in the maiden Disability Inclusion Summit organised to commemorate this year’s International Day of Persons With Disabilities.
The event, organised by the National Council on Persons with Disability of Ghana in collaboration with the stakeholders in the disability fraternity, was held at the International Conference Centre in Accra, under the theme: “Not All Disabilities Are Visible: Building Standards for Disability-Inclusive and Sustainable Post COVID-19 Ghana.”
In attendance were delegates from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the host ministry, representatives of the government, members of parliament, heads of missions of Embassies in Ghana, other organisations of persons with disabilities, civil society organisations that promote the interests of PWDs, representatives from academia, and other development partners,
The Church of Pentecost was also represented at the event by the MPWDs Coordinator, Overseer Alexander Nyame.
The purpose of the meeting was to get all stakeholders together to work towards the removal of barriers to the inclusion and advocate for the equalisation of opportunities for persons with disabilities in society.
Among other things, the forum sought to critically assess the situation of disability mainstreaming in Ghana, including the implementation of laws, existing policies and programmes, and statutory strategies for disability inclusion.
The Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) is a ministry of The Church of Pentecost which was birthed in the Vision 2023 that promotes the full inclusion of PWDs in the church and society by ministering to PWDs through effective evangelism and discipleship, as well as creating an enabling environment to promote their spiritual, emotional and personal growth so that they would impact the Church, their communities, and nations.
The InternationalDay of Persons With Disabilities is a day (December 3, 2020) earmarked to celebrate persons with disabilities across the globe, promote the rights and well-being of PWDs in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
The New Tafo District of The Church of Pentecost has presented a deep freezer refrigerator to Madam Akosua Nyantakyiwaa, a Person with Disability (PWD) in the church to enable her to make ends meet.
The district has also granted two brilliant but needy students in the church scholarships to enable them to pursue their university education.
The package was presented to Madam Nyantakyiwaa on Sunday, December 6, 2020, at the M. K. Yeboah Temple.
According to the District Minister, Pastor Seth Dwamena Asante, Madam Akosua Nyantakyiwaa, a deaf-mute in the district, was given the support to empower her financially without inconveniences.
Elder David Kwadwo Amoako, the District Coordinator for the MPWD, said that the church seeks to reach out to all needy persons to raise them from destitution to be useful persons in the body of Christ.
“She is not the only one with disability, there are a few others. This is just the beginning of what we are doing. We want to extend our arms to all PWDs in the church to nurture them for Christ,” he said.
The eldest daughter of Madam Nyantakyiwaa, Akosua Akyiaa, expressed her sincere thanks to God and the church for coming to the aid of her mother with a life-transforming asset. She said the package will go a long way to expand her mother’s table-top trade.
“She used to have a small fridge for selling drinks to school children. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she is unable to sell again and she will really benefit from this asset,” she said, adding, “We are very grateful to The Church of Pentecost for this assistance. May the good Lord continue to bless this church to be able to reach out to others like my mother.”
Pastor Dwamena Asante revealed that sign languages will soon be employed in the church with disability-friendly facilities to make church service conducive for PWDs.
The Church of Pentecost’s commitment to possessing the nations as agents of transformation is not only about preaching the gospel message but assisting the underprivileged in society and extending the fellowship of Christ towards them.
The Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWD) was established to build a strong ministry to PWDs through effective evangelism and discipleship, as well as create an enabling environment to promote their spiritual, emotional, and personal growth in order to impact the church, their communities, and the nations.
