June is a WEC hero, serving in Ghana for over 18 years. This is impressive in itself and all the more so when we consider what the journey to Wa, her current place of ministry in northwest Ghana, involves …
WEC: So, what is the journey to Wa like?
June: To travel there by road from Accra, the capital city, takes around 13 hours. Usually, if I’m travelling by myself, I take a flight from Accra to Tamale first, which takes about an hour. Then after one or two nights, I travel by road from Tamale to Wa, which takes four or five hours. We thank God that the road was properly surfaced about two years ago. Before that the drive took up to eight hours with at least three hours on a dirt road whose surface resembled a washboard!
There’s plenty to see on the way. Especially on the Wa and Damongo Roads, we see Fulani herdsman with their splendid white cattle with enormous horns. We usually have to stop at least once to let them cross the road!
WEC: What does your work involve?
June: My specific calling is to be like Philip (Acts 8:26-39) – helping Africans to understand God’s word. I have done this in different ways: Bible studies, preaching, drama, story-telling, lecturing and writing. Now, I am mainly involved in an educational project, using biblical stories and principles to help our students develop good character and life skills.
‘The mutual love I enjoy with the Ghanaian people, and their good humour, food and culture have made serving them a pleasure.’
WEC: In your view, how does helping people in practical ways sit alongside overt evangelism?
June: People need to see and experience Christ’s love in action to convince them that the message we bring through overt evangelism is true. Especially here in Africa, relationships are more important than anything else and these are most often judged on the level of concern and compassion shown to others.
WEC: What prompted you to join WEC?
June: I first learned about WEC through a German friend. She was preparing to join the WEC candidates’ orientation and encouraged me to consider my own calling. We visited Bulstrode (the WEC headquarters back then) and I was greatly challenged by the sayings of CT Studd in a pamphlet I picked up there. God confirmed the call to join WEC three years later, when I was at Bible college.
WEC: You’ve been in Ghana for a very long time. What has kept you going for so long?
June: I have a strong sense of God’s call to serve Him here. Actually, I thank God each day for this great privilege. And maintaining a close walk with Him day-by-day produces a sense of joy and peace that has kept me through the difficult times. Finally, the mutual love I enjoy with the Ghanaian people, and their good humour, food and culture have made serving them and serving alongside them a pleasure.
WEC: You must have seen God at work in some amazing ways. Can you think of a particular example?
June: I was privileged to help one elderly muslim lady who fell into a fire when her room collapsed during a very severe storm. The fingers of the old lady’s left hand were so badly burnt, they needed to be amputated. When I visited her in hospital before the operation, she was very sad and fearful, so we prayed that she would know the presence of Jesus with her and that He would give her peace. We continued to visit her after the operation and when she returned home. I will never forget the smile on her face when we visited one day. I said, “Jesus is our healer” and she immediately replied with great conviction, “I know”. Clearly Jesus had answered our prayer and made himself known to her.
