Hattiesburg
19th June 19, 2008
Dear Friends,
Peace of Christ our Lord be with you. Thank you so much for sharing and showing interest in my ministry back home. God bless you. I wish to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself before giving you the details of my ministry.
I am a native of Ghana in West Africa. It was an English colony called Gold Coast before independence. (The internet will give you more information)
I was ordained 19 years ago (23rd July 1989) at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra, Ghana. My assignments after ordination have been; Associate Pastor at a Parish with 15 missions and directly in-charge of a sister Parish with 23 missions. I was made Pastor of this Parish after two years. I was appointed Secretary to the Bishop when our part of the diocese was carved out as a new diocese. I worked for five years and then proceeded to Rome to study Catechetics and Pastoral Youth formation at the Salesian University for three years. On my return I was appointed Pastor of a Parish with seven missions and the coordinator of Catechetical formation in the diocese. We have more than 500 Catechists in the diocese. A year ago I was re-assigned to St. John the Baptist Parish, which is a rural Parish with 27 missions, 16 Catholic schools (primary& junior high). We have some kindergartens too. The Parish has a clinic and maternity home in one of the missions. I work with an associate Priest.
As a developing country, we have our challenges and difficulties. These have to do with illiteracy, unemployment, bad roads, lack of adequate medical facilities etc. However, we are very grateful to God that there is peace and no wars in our country.
ROLE OF THE PRIEST: The Priest is like a “lighthouse”. He is expected to give direction in many things. The people depend on us a lot. Can you imagine being called in the middle of the night to drive a woman in labor to the hospital? These and many experiences are what the priest goes through in his pastoral work. In my missions, there are lots of youth who are loitering around because they do not have any one to support them continue their education or learn a trade. The situation is unfortunate because they are the future of the nation and the Church. Unfortunately, the outcome of this situation is drug addiction and teenage pregnancy.
A way out of this situation is formal education. A great Ghanaian educationist, Dr. Aggrey once said; “If you educate a man, you have educated a single person but if you educate a woman, you have educated a nation”. This is very true because women are concerned about the welfare of their children and of all. Educated women will teach many, many people. Unfortunately, in our situation, many women have not been privileged to have had formal education. The government of Ghana in recent years has been very much concerned about the education of the ‘girl-child’.
Not all people are academically inclined and therefore some are interested in learning a trade. In this way, they will be self sufficient since they have the skills of a trade. Hairdressing, carpentry, masonry, welding etc are some of the trades of interest.
I have assisted many people in school and the learning of trades but this has been possible through the generosity of benefactors. Even as Priests, we do not take salaries and therefore we are very limited in terms of the assistance we can offer without the help of benefactors. The high rate of poverty leads to social vices and that is why I am very concerned about the education of the youth. We need to help the youth to have an in-depth understanding of life, to serve God and neighbor. There are many intelligent boys and girls out there. You may be helping a Kofi Annan out there without knowing. Kofi Annan is the former Secretary General of the UNO and he is from Ghana.
I wish I could write and explain everything to you. However, I hope to tell you more when the opportunity avails itself. I would not mind talking to some of your friends if they want to know more about my work.
As discussed earlier, religious books and novels as donations will be very much appreciated. This will help the youth to improve their knowledge of the English language. These items will have to be shipped out so a donation to that effect will help. If some people would like to assist particular pupils/students or trade oriented people, I will be happy. Clothes, shoes and sandals etc. If you can organize some people for the Ghana Mission it will be a great idea.
Attached are some photographs to give you an idea of the structures (schools and chapels) and terrain in the area I work. Presently, there are about ten uncompleted chapels due to lack of funds. The school buildings are in a poor state. I thought I brought along a photograph of the school in the main parish. It was built about 50 years ago and has since not been renovated. It has deep cracks and very dangerous. Since the kids have no place, they have to manage it for the mean time but they have to leave the building any time it threatens to rain. I have started making appeals towards the building of a new school. The people were happy about my interest and they have promised to offer manual labor if construction begins. In future, I will send you better and clearer photographs. May be, you will take better ones when you decide some day to visit Ghana.
There are other particular needs I would like to discuss with you when we meet. As a popular saying goes “One thing at a time”. I am just overwhelmed with the task I have to take care of and I am filled with joy when I meet God sent people like you. Thank you once again and may God bless you and all your friends who will be ready to donate towards this ministry. “The Lord loves a cheerful giver”. My e-mail address is fathercharlesinghana@gmail.com
Your friend in Christ,
Rev.Fr. Charles B. AHENKORAH.
19th June 19, 2008
Dear Friends,
Peace of Christ our Lord be with you. Thank you so much for sharing and showing interest in my ministry back home. God bless you. I wish to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself before giving you the details of my ministry.
I am a native of Ghana in West Africa. It was an English colony called Gold Coast before independence. (The internet will give you more information)
I was ordained 19 years ago (23rd July 1989) at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra, Ghana. My assignments after ordination have been; Associate Pastor at a Parish with 15 missions and directly in-charge of a sister Parish with 23 missions. I was made Pastor of this Parish after two years. I was appointed Secretary to the Bishop when our part of the diocese was carved out as a new diocese. I worked for five years and then proceeded to Rome to study Catechetics and Pastoral Youth formation at the Salesian University for three years. On my return I was appointed Pastor of a Parish with seven missions and the coordinator of Catechetical formation in the diocese. We have more than 500 Catechists in the diocese. A year ago I was re-assigned to St. John the Baptist Parish, which is a rural Parish with 27 missions, 16 Catholic schools (primary& junior high). We have some kindergartens too. The Parish has a clinic and maternity home in one of the missions. I work with an associate Priest.
As a developing country, we have our challenges and difficulties. These have to do with illiteracy, unemployment, bad roads, lack of adequate medical facilities etc. However, we are very grateful to God that there is peace and no wars in our country.
ROLE OF THE PRIEST: The Priest is like a “lighthouse”. He is expected to give direction in many things. The people depend on us a lot. Can you imagine being called in the middle of the night to drive a woman in labor to the hospital? These and many experiences are what the priest goes through in his pastoral work. In my missions, there are lots of youth who are loitering around because they do not have any one to support them continue their education or learn a trade. The situation is unfortunate because they are the future of the nation and the Church. Unfortunately, the outcome of this situation is drug addiction and teenage pregnancy.
A way out of this situation is formal education. A great Ghanaian educationist, Dr. Aggrey once said; “If you educate a man, you have educated a single person but if you educate a woman, you have educated a nation”. This is very true because women are concerned about the welfare of their children and of all. Educated women will teach many, many people. Unfortunately, in our situation, many women have not been privileged to have had formal education. The government of Ghana in recent years has been very much concerned about the education of the ‘girl-child’.
Not all people are academically inclined and therefore some are interested in learning a trade. In this way, they will be self sufficient since they have the skills of a trade. Hairdressing, carpentry, masonry, welding etc are some of the trades of interest.
I have assisted many people in school and the learning of trades but this has been possible through the generosity of benefactors. Even as Priests, we do not take salaries and therefore we are very limited in terms of the assistance we can offer without the help of benefactors. The high rate of poverty leads to social vices and that is why I am very concerned about the education of the youth. We need to help the youth to have an in-depth understanding of life, to serve God and neighbor. There are many intelligent boys and girls out there. You may be helping a Kofi Annan out there without knowing. Kofi Annan is the former Secretary General of the UNO and he is from Ghana.
I wish I could write and explain everything to you. However, I hope to tell you more when the opportunity avails itself. I would not mind talking to some of your friends if they want to know more about my work.
As discussed earlier, religious books and novels as donations will be very much appreciated. This will help the youth to improve their knowledge of the English language. These items will have to be shipped out so a donation to that effect will help. If some people would like to assist particular pupils/students or trade oriented people, I will be happy. Clothes, shoes and sandals etc. If you can organize some people for the Ghana Mission it will be a great idea.
Attached are some photographs to give you an idea of the structures (schools and chapels) and terrain in the area I work. Presently, there are about ten uncompleted chapels due to lack of funds. The school buildings are in a poor state. I thought I brought along a photograph of the school in the main parish. It was built about 50 years ago and has since not been renovated. It has deep cracks and very dangerous. Since the kids have no place, they have to manage it for the mean time but they have to leave the building any time it threatens to rain. I have started making appeals towards the building of a new school. The people were happy about my interest and they have promised to offer manual labor if construction begins. In future, I will send you better and clearer photographs. May be, you will take better ones when you decide some day to visit Ghana.
There are other particular needs I would like to discuss with you when we meet. As a popular saying goes “One thing at a time”. I am just overwhelmed with the task I have to take care of and I am filled with joy when I meet God sent people like you. Thank you once again and may God bless you and all your friends who will be ready to donate towards this ministry. “The Lord loves a cheerful giver”. My e-mail address is fathercharlesinghana@gmail.com
Your friend in Christ,
Rev.Fr. Charles B. AHENKORAH.
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