March 2009 TOYS FOR TOTS IN ATEBUBU
Dear Friends, We’re really excited to hear the church in Atebubu, Ghana is now a preschool during the day. Two women with a heart to reach the Muslim families that surround this little church have taken in over 60 toddlers. Two women and 60 toddlers! Yikes, try to get your mind around that, village life in Africa! They teach the children Christian songs and they are now having their first official day care meeting with the Muslim women, in the Christian church! Who knows what the Holy Spirit will do? Mission Support Network was able to purchase all the toys and meet their needs. It would be hard for you to picture day care in Africa but just think of a brick building, cement floors covered with dirt with plastic chairs on it and kids crawling around on the ground. Add a few flying bugs and there you have it! We are so happy we were able to purchase toys and a jungle gym. (Now picture those toys with lots of dirt!! :) Lord, we pray you would get us in that dirt again! It’s crazy I know, but we miss it so much.
A NEW SCHOOL FOR ATEBUBU, GHANA
An open field, short walls made up of mud bricks and blackboards that consist of black paint on mud. That is a simple description of Zion elementary school Atebubu, Ghana. When we first arrived to take a look at the school we had to walk through an orchard of teak trees like the kids do every day. We soon discovered the orchard was affectionately called the international bathroom! Wanting to be polite we kept our heads down and made it through to the open field where the school was.
The kids were so excited when we arrived and were quickly organized to sing us their songs. All of them were wearing their brightly colored orange uniforms. Uniforms are standard protocol for all Ghanaian schools. Filled with rips, stains and frayed in some places, the donated uniforms were barely hanging on the kids as they ran to gather for the special performance. Many had shoes- also donated- but many didn't. The songs were beautiful and the kids were excited to perform for us. Over 100 kids gave their lives to Christ that day it was amazing!
Most people pay for education in Ghana and the more you pay the better education you can get. Some have money but many of the poor in the village regions cannot afford a better education. So you do what you can for those who are less fortunate than yourselves. So this small group of believers is doing their best to reach the poor of their region. For us, we would consider those giving the ones less fortunate. But no, they’re rich in mercy and love. They’re rich in Christ and demonstrate His love daily.
The kids are happy to receive that love in the way of education. There are 300 kids and four teachers and only math, English and God are taught in the school. The only play equipment is a small merry-go-round donated by another missionary. Then there is the open field where soccer or football is played daily. Unfortunately, the soccer ball was stolen after our visit. The kids were devastated, but we were able to purchase a new one and all is well but is it?
We were told once that it’s important for us to find the apostolic work, the big thing God is doing, and invest in that and we believe there is some truth in that. Mission Support Network partners with indigenous apostolic leaders in the nations to advance the Kingdom of God. So what kind of investment and impact is a little school like this in a small rural village of Ghana really going to have? Mother Theresa said, “What we do is a drop in the ocean of human need but it is one less drop required.”
What did it mean to you to have your own children receive a good education? For most of us we take education for granted but in many nations education is a lift out of poverty and in some circumstance means life or death.
What would five more teachers and two more classrooms - even if they are only made of mud bricks - do for these kids whose only hope of a decent education is the church? The Muslims are sending money down from Northern Africa into the poor regions of this country and many are establishing schools and indoctrinating them into the Islamic religion.
Our hope is that these words help paint a picture for you that will encourage you to join us in building a new school for the poor.
What does it cost to build a school? Less than you would think. A permanent brick structure along with the purchase of the land in front of the current school could run about ten thousand. If you’re like me, you see an amount like that and your first response is “I don’t have that kind of money”. Neither do we, but most of these projects, even the church planting we’ve done, started with small donations of less than a hundred dollars. We want to thank you for your prayerful consideration and participation in this project and would humbly ask for your prayers for Mission Support Network and all those involved.
You can donate online at www.msnministries.org or mail a check to the address listed on this email. We thank you for your continued support.
Thank you, Blessings, Stuart and Cathy Greer
“What we do is a drop in the ocean of human need but it is one less drop required.” - Mother Theresa
PRAYER REQUESTS AND FIANCIAL NEEDS.
Pray for our finances, an increase in monthly support and ongoing provision for church planting in Ghana.
Pray for anointing and power to be released as we equip in several churches this month and next here in the US.
As doors continue to open into the nations we are asking the Lord for continued wisdom and His timing on our next steps. Thank you.
Pray for Cathy's health. Unfortunately I did pick up a bad staph infection in Africa and have been fighting it since October of last year. I believe we are at the end of of this but you're prayers are appreciated HOW TO CONTACT Stuart and Cathy Greer Mission Support Network Ministers and Cofounders
25108 Marguerite Pky.
Ste. A, PMB #136
Mission Viejo, CA 92692 USA Phone: 949.273.1882
Email:cathy@msnministries.org or stuart@msnministries.org
Website: www.msnministries.org
HOW TO GIVE CHECKS - Mail checks made out to
"Mission Support Network"
addressed to:
Mission Support Network
25108 Marguerite Pky. Ste. A, PMB #136
Mission Viejo, CA 92692 USA
ONLINE DONATIONS - You can give online with a credit card or through a paypal account. Thank you.
We’re really excited to hear the church in Atebubu, Ghana is now a preschool during the day. Two women with a heart to reach the Muslim families that surround this little church have taken in over 60 toddlers. Two women and 60 toddlers! Yikes, try to get your mind around that, village life in Africa! They teach the children Christian songs and they are now having their first official day care meeting with the Muslim women, in the Christian church! Who knows what the Holy Spirit will do? Mission Support Network was able to purchase all the toys and meet their needs. It would be hard for you to picture day care in Africa but just think of a brick building, cement floors covered with dirt with plastic chairs on it and kids crawling around on the ground. Add a few flying bugs and there you have it! We are so happy we were able to purchase toys and a jungle gym. (Now picture those toys with lots of dirt!! :) Lord, we pray you would get us in that dirt again! It’s crazy I know, but we miss it so much.
small group of believers is doing their best to reach the poor of their region. For us, we would consider those giving the ones less fortunate. But no, they’re rich in mercy and love. They’re rich in Christ and demonstrate His love daily. 
We were told once that it’s important for us to find the apostolic work, the big thing God is doing, and invest in that and we believe there is some truth in that. Mission Support Network partners with indigenous apostolic leaders in the nations to advance the Kingdom of God. So what kind of investment and impact is a little school like this in a small rural village of Ghana really going to have? Mother Theresa said, “What we do is a drop in the ocean of human need but it is one less drop required.”