Dozens accept Christ at health outreach
ACCRA, GHANA — In recent years, many people from northern Ghana have migrated to the southern, urban areas in search of work. In 2022, the OneWay Africa team launched an urban missions initiative to reach these new residents for Christ, many of whom come from people groups with little to no access to the gospel.
OneWay Africa staff and partnering ministries led an all-day medical missions outreach in Accra last month where they offered medical care and shared the gospel with more than 270 women, children and men. They saw 72 people respond in faith to Christ as their Lord and Savior!
The venue they chose for the outreach, Darkuman Station, is in an area predominantly home to Mamprusi migrants from northern Ghana, as well as many people from southern Ghana. It is a transportation hub known for being frequented by people who deal with drug addictions.
But on the day of the outreach, Darkuman Station was filled with tents, colorful plastic chairs, tables for medical supplies and equipment, and nearly 70 believers with a heart to serve and share the gospel. Volunteers guided patients through seven different “stations”: registration, checking vitals, consultation with doctors, pharmacy distribution, spiritual counseling and two others.
The outreach was primarily for Mamprusi women, explained Portia Owusu-Amoateng, the director of urban missions at OneWay Africa. Volunteers also shared Bible studies and discipleship games with children. And they gave medical services to men, praying for and preaching to them as well.
“We took the chance to share Jesus with everyone who passed through for medical care,” she said.
People heard the gospel at three of the stations, and at the spiritual counseling area anyone could come forward to talk to and pray with someone. A pastor from the Mamprusi people group was at that station, sharing the gospel in the Mampruli dialect. He gave BiblePlus players to new believers he personally spoke with who needed Bibles. Each player is loaded with the New Testament, Bible stories, testimonies, choir recordings and more in Mampruli and is a wonderful tool for ongoing discipleship.
By 4 p.m., the 68 volunteers had served 278 women, men and children.
The outreach was made possible by partnerships with other groups and ministries. Forty-five volunteers signed up to serve in advance — and then 23 more showed up! Represented were medical groups DORON Medical Centre and the Pantang Nursing training school, campus ministry PENSA-Legon (University of Ghana) and missions groups Cedars of Lebanon and the Livingstone School of Missions (OneWay Africa).
Despite there being a last-minute scramble to assign roles for the extra volunteers, Owusu-Amoateng said, “It was encouraging, demonstrating how people are looking for an opportunity to serve in short-term missions.”
WHAT'S NEXT?
Today, OneWay Africa’s goals are to continue serving the migrants in Accra and to see these new believers established in their faith.
They will start disciple-making groups with those who responded in faith to Christ, Owusu-Amoateng says. These groups will meet regularly to study Scripture and grow in their understanding and love for God, by God’s grace.
“The mobilization officer for OneWay [Africa], an intern and some of the Livingstone School of Missions students who speak Mampruli will spearhead the follow-up and discipleship classes with the new believers,” she said. “We also have a partnership with another Christian group who has assigned two of its members specifically to the area to engage the Mamprusi women through Bible studies.”
The team has a list and contact information for those who received the BiblePlus players. They hope to start the discipleship class with these believers first, trusting the Lord to bring more people into the groups as time goes on.
JOIN US IN PRAYER
Pray that these 72 new believers will grow in their personal knowledge of Jesus.
Pray that the follow-up team will receive boldness from the Holy Spirit to start discipling those who responded to Christ as soon as possible.
Pray that the team will be sensitive to the leadings of the Holy Spirit as they plan the discipleship group structure.
More photos from the BiblePlus trip: