SCAPC MISSION WORK IN GHANA

Our Brothers and Sisters in Senchi Ferry:
A Visit by Henrietta Harris, January 2025

Greetings from Henrietta...

SCAPC, my visit this year to Senchi Ferry was most rewarding, spiritual enriching and a blessing. SCAPC‘s partner church, Gethsemane Presbyterian Church, the Ghana Scholarship Program, and the Senchi Ferry Community Learning Center are all doing well. These three partnerships are most appreciative of the love and support of SCAPC.

Thank you, SCAPC, for the purchase of the Authentic African Textiles Notecards that helped to make this possible.

Highlights from Henrietta's trip...

Outside the Senchi Ferry Community Learning Center (SFCLC) with Kathleen Ismail, leader of the Ghana Scholarship Fund (GSF), and Ed Collins, leader of the Computer Center at SFCLC.

With Tieku Dadey at our partner church, Gethsemane Presbyterian Church of Senchi Ferry (GPCSF). Tieku, a member of Gethsemane, reported about our partnership at the annual PCUSA Ghana Mission Network Conference in Tamale, Ghana in October, 2024. He also facilitated a Zoom call with SCAPC, SFCLC and the GSF. Tieku facilitates the Computer lab of the SFCLC.

Presentation of Kente cloth to SCAPC from GPCSF.

Parents of GSF recipients with two GSF Board members, Bonnie Max of New York and Ed Collins of Massachusetts.

Visitors and officers of Sinai Presbyterian Congregation. Rev. Elijah Foh Armstrong (back row, second from left) was our former lead pastor at GPCSF. Note our Presbyterian Church (USA) Mission Coordinator Rev. Joshua Heikkila (back row, far right) was able to join us.

Henrietta Harris with the children of SFCLC holding some of the 82 books given through the sponsorship of SCAPC families as well as friends of Henrietta's. There are a record number of students in all of the Center's programs.

GSF students with Henrietta, Kathleen, and Bonnie

Some of the 82 donated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) books, all bearing the bookplate "In honor and memory of John Geiser III and Walter Harris, Jr." two late members of SCAPC who were crucially instrumental in building our Presbyterian relationships in Ghana.

Each child was presented with their own spiral notebook.

Members of GPCSF presented us with a song.

Partnership in God's Mission:
23d Annual PC(USA) Ghana Mission Network Conference

In October, the Ghana Mission Network met in Tema, Ghana. The 2024 PCUSA-GMN Conference brought together representatives from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG), the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), and the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (PCUSA) with the mission statement: “To strengthen, expand, and celebrate mission collaboration between Ghana and the USA.” SCAPC members sponsored a young leader from our partner church, the Gethsemane Presbyterian Church, in Senchi Ferry, Ghana to attend the conference.

Kwaku Tieku-Dadey, reports that “the conference highlighted the participation of many young people, with a focus on mentoring and nurturing them into Christian leadership. As a participant, I was privileged to engage in meaningful dialogue, worship, and cultural exchange, all aimed at deepening our collective mission.” For his full report click here.

The Global Ministry Committee is working with Spiritual Formation to find ways to create and foster connections between the young people in Ghana and our young people with a goal of finding meaningful avenues to engage in the 2025 Ghana Mission Network conference when it returns to the United States.

History of SCAPC Partnership with Ghana

In 2011, one of our members was introduced to the Gethsemane Presbyterian Congregation of Senchi Ferry, Ghana while on a Global Volunteers trip there. The next year, SCAPC entered into a sister-church relationship with Gethsemane. For many years, the number of worshippers far exceeded the space in their small Sanctuary. Owing in large part to gifts by SCAPC and its members, construction of a new Sanctuary is now near completion. The old Sanctuary was converted into a Sunday School building, sheltering classes that had previously met outside.

Members of SCAPC's Global Ministries Committee have also helped maintain, furnish, and staff a new library and mentored students in the Senchi Ferry community. They have led donation drives for books and laptops to provide new curriculum and technology. SCAPC has also supported the Ghana Scholarship Fund, providing scholarships to high school and university students, and supporting a local preschool/kindergarten and a girls vocational training school. 196 scholarships have been awarded. Most recently the ministry partnered with the Obapa Peace Club to make over 6,000 free masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. A group of SCAPC members was to attend the 2020 PCUSA Ghana Mission Network Meeting. Though it was cancelled due to the pandemic, they hope to return soon.