Ray and Sheila Davis

Greetings from Ghana!

We praise the Lord for your prayers for Moses Mensah (11 year old) with the serious leg infection.  Because the infection was in the bone, the doctor decided to perform surgery last Wednesday.  To date, he has shown remarkable improvement.  He is walking around in the hospital and is anxious to return home.   Lord willing, Moses will be discharged from the hospital later today or tomorrow.

Last Friday, Sheila had taken Moses’ mother to the hospital for a visit.  Upon returning to the house, the mother gave birth to a baby boy in the house while alone.  Both are doing fine.  She was up and about as if nothing had really happened.  She was scheduled to deliver at the hospital but the baby had other plans.  Thank the Lord for a safe and healthy delivery.

Please pray for Moses’s family, mother, Cecilia, brothers Daniel, Oppiah, Michael and grandmother Baidoo.  The grandmother is involved with a cult which is called the “Twelve Apostles”.  The children have begun attending church and we are still working on the mother and grandmother.  Pray for their salvation!

Pray for teachers and students as we begin another Bible institute semester this week.  We will celebrate the graduation of two of our students on January 31st:  Evans Benyah and Solomon Ebu have completed three years of Bible training.  We anticipate the Lord using both of these men for His glory.  Please pray that God will continue to call men to preach and that we can have a part in equipping them for the ministry.

In recent correspondence, I mentioned how light the Harmattan was this season.   Satan must have been listing because in recent days, the Sahara Desert dust has been very heavy in our area.  Many who have respiratory disorders are surely suffering.  The presence of the Harmattan blocks out the sun rays which lowers temperatures (which we like) but the nationals are searching for jackets or more articles of clothing to keep warm.  You know the dust is heavy when you can smell it inside and your eyes are constantly itching.   Please pray for Bro. Nixon’s son, Justin, who has asthma and is suffering because of these weather conditions.

Thanks for your faithful prayers for the ministry in Ghana.

Love in Christ,

Ray & Sheila

Greetings from Ghana!

We want to thank all of you who sent cards and gifts during the Christmas and New Year holidays.  Your thoughtfulness and generosity during this time of the year encourages us greatly.

During our break at the Bible institute we will teach two class modules before beginning our new semester on January 26th.  Please pray for teachers and students as we will be teaching more subjects this semester than before.  Also, a national Baptist pastor has invited me to teach in his church school.  It is primarily for his church members and the classes are all taught in the evenings and on Saturday.  Pray that we can be a help and blessing to this faithful pastor.

We praise the Lord for the six men who preached at our Mt. Calvary watchnight service.   Members and guests enjoyed preaching, singing, refreshments and a special time of prayer.  As people were leaving,  we experienced a rainstorm which delayed the departure of many. The majority of people walk to the services or take taxi and some ride with either Micah or me in our vehicles.  I believe I can safely estimate that there were 20 plus bodies in our two vehicles.  We finally got to bed at 2:30 a.m.

We praise the Lord for faithful Sunday school teachers.  Our children’s ministry continues to grow at Mt. Calvary. Sheila is doing a great job in coordinating our Sunday school curriculum.

The Green Mambas did not appear in November but we had a small one to come on the porch this past Saturday. One of our church members was passing by and saw the snake going up the steps to our porch.  After getting Sheila’s attention and informing her of the snake, he came on the porch and executed deadly judgment.  Amen!

On another note, many of you may recall the invasion of honeybees in our roof.  After much battling (spraying and running), they have left for the time being.  But, last week we had an invasion of moths inside our house.  We do not know where or how they are getting inside.  Last Friday night, there were many on our living room ceiling.  When we tried killing them with a fly swatter,  it left a dirty looking black smear on the white walls.  Therefore, we got the idea of using the  vacuum cleaner.   Problem, the hose was not long enough to reach the ceiling so it was necessary to hold the vacuum cleaner up while reaching the moths.  Guess what, it worked very well but the next morning my back told me, “it is not a good thing that you have done to me.”  Please pray for a full recovery,  I was sidelined at home for three days.

Please pray for Moses Mensah (11 years old) who fell from a tree and injured his left leg.  A month later we noticed him limping and the leg had swollen to twice its normal size.  Upon examination we noticed the leg to be very infected with breaks in the skin.  We took him to the hospital for x-ray and they began a course of antibiotics and pain medicine.  At first they thought it was fractured but later determined that the infection was in the bone. After lab work to determine the bacteria, a new antibiotic was prescribed.  Sheila and I have been changing his bandages daily and will take him back to the hospital for the doctors to decide if surgery will be required to rid his body of the infection.   There is the possibility of Moses losing his leg if the infection is not stopped.  Please pray him!

Thanks for remembering us in prayer.

Serving Christ in Ghana,

Ray & Sheila

Greetings from Ghana!

“When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth:  but the righteous shall see their fall.”
—Proverbs 29:16

“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:  and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that is should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
—1 John 4:3

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:  because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
—1 John 4:4

We praise the Lord for His abounding grace and the power of His Word. In recent days, we have witnessed the salvation of seven people. Four were saved during our weekly evangelism and three came forward in church services.  Two weeks ago we baptized two young women and two young men.  These have gone through our discipleship class.  In addition, please pray for these whom we are currently sharing the Gospel:  William Moore (age 68 with failing eyesight), Musa (age 25, a muslim), Agnes, Charlotte, Rita, Cynthia, Portia, & Victoria (ages range from 16—19).

The WBBI semester has closed for the Christmas and New Years holidays. Recent days have been filled with final lectures and exams.  Both teachers and students welcome the break.  Please pray for those students who will be graduating in the near future and seeking the Lord’s will for their lives.  Its is extremely difficult for graduates who are just starting in pastoral ministry.

We enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving meal with the Siekberts and Colberts.  This was Micah and Debbie Colberts first Thanksgiving in Ghana. Of course, we all ate too much but enjoyed a relaxing time of fellowship.  We are now planning a Christmas program at Mt. Calvary on Christmas Day and a watch-night service with several of our Bible school students preaching in this special service.

Ghana had its presidential elections on December 7th but the final results are yet to be announced.  It is a very close and critical election for the nation.  Please pray that it will remain peaceable when results are determined.

We thank the Lord for the safe and timely arrival of the Colbert’s container.  It’s arrival was previously postponed on two different occasions and was risking being affected by elections and two other holidays.   This would have resulted in another week delay or longer. The agent was able to secure delivery on last Thursday (4th) with on site inspection by the custom officials.  Everything went very smoothly. Only those who have experienced the clearing of a container in a third world country can appreciate what took place this past week.

Sheila and I want to wish each and everyone a very Blessed Christmas and New Year.  May the Lord give us much fruit as we serve Him together.  Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and financial support.

Love in Christ,

Ray & Sheila Davis

Greetings from Ghana!

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.” —Philippians 1:3-5

We praise the Lord for you partnership in the Ghana ministry.  Your faithful prayers and financial support are a continual encouragement to Sheila and me.

Our schedule has been more demanding than usual.  We traveled to Accra to pick up Micah and Debbie Colbert, who are joining our mission team in Ghana.  It is a blessing to finally have them on the field.  We stayed in Accra three nights in order for the Colberts to check on the purchase of a vehicle, do some repairs on our car and to buy some grocery items not available in Takoradi.

The Colberts were able to purchase a vehicle before we returned to Takoradi last Friday.  Micah and I will return to Accra this Thursday or Friday to pick the car after necessary paperwork is completed for ownership, insurance and licensing.

Please continue to pray for the Bible Institute.  Students have just completed their mid-term exams.  Having the Colberts here will allow sharing some of the teaching responsibilities.

After two months, we are still waiting for Ghana Electric Co. to install our meter for the new Sunday school building.  Presently, we are temporarily connected to our meter in the church auditorium.  Pray that work on the bathrooms will soon be completed.

November is almost here, so Sheila will begin watching for Green Mambas in our backyard. On November 7, 2006 and November 8, 2007, two Green Mambas each year have come to mate in our backyard.  Therefore, as time approaches we will be on the lookout for these uninvited green guests.  Green Mambas are aggressive and dangerous.  Our day worker was able to kill 3 of the 4 snakes which measured between 6 to 8 feet.  We will keep you posted for any signs of green moving objects!

Thanks for your prayers!
Love in Christ,
Ray & Sheila Davis

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatest is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty
acts.” —Psalm 145:3—4

If you are feeling discouraged by the world news, just read the entire 145th Psalm.  The world’s news is depressing to hear but the good news of Jesus Christ brings rejoicing.  I am “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ“;  how about you?

Classes at the Bible institute have been going well and we praise the Lord for the men who are training for the ministry.   May God give us wisdom as we seek to give the students a solid biblical foundation as they go out to serve Him.

We are excited that Micah and Debbie Colbert will soon be joining us on the field.  They have completed deputation and have airlines tickets for their departure October 21st.  Please pray that we can get the necessary paperwork approved for the arrival of their container which is scheduled to reach port on October 30.  Clearing containers are not any fun in Ghana!  We have begun preparations on their accommodations to make things go as smoothly as possible.

Pray for Isaac and Mercy Nkrumah.  The funeral for Mercy’s mother was on Saturday.  This couple have been the primary leaders for the group of believers that attend our church from Dwomo (pronounced JoMo).  Lord willing, one day we hope to plant a church in that area.  There area a number of villages and two small towns near Dwomo within just a few miles of one another and the population is estimated to be approximately 70-80 thousand people.

Our preaching ministry in the public and private schools have resumed since their recent vacation and the ministry at the Ghana National Fire Service continues to be a blessing.

The group with the Rock of Ages Prison Ministry had successful meetings with the leadership of Ghana Prisons last week and were also able to preach in several local churches, prisons, and schools.  In one of the senior high girl’s schools, 54 came forward to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

Sheila and I are doing well and want to thank each of you who pray for us regularly and faithfully send financial support.  May the Lord give us much fruit as we serve Him together.

“The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him,  to all that call upon Him in truth.  He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him:  He also will hear their cry, and will save them.”

Rejoicing in Him,
Ray & Sheila Davis

Jones Frazier has asked me to preach Mary’s funeral on Saturday morning in Cape Coast.  We know that there will be a lot of
unsaved people attending the funeral.  Please pray for me!  “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”  Only the Holy Spirit of God can defeat the stronghold that Satan has in the lives of many of these people who are
involved in the occult.   The preaching service will be at 10 a.m.  (Ghana time).   We are 4 hrs. ahead of Eastern time and 5 hours ahead of Central time.  Thanks for praying!!!
Pray also for affordable and timely transportation on Saturday.  That will be an added problem because our vehicle is still in the repair shop.  Cape Coast is an hour from our location.  Ray needs to return for a meeting with WBBI students on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Another note for prayer,  we have been invaded by large red ants.  We have been spraying for days but they continue to come and we cannot discover where they are coming from.  They usually come by the thousands during the night on the our porch.  Twice they have come into my study but we were able to destroy them.  We are suspicious that they are coming through an electrical outlet on the porch which leads
into the cement foundation.  We have also found them in our basement garage.
Thanks for praying!
Ray

Greetings from Ghana!

Mary Frazier went to be with Lord on Thursday morning.  Jones had called
her just a few days earlier from his work site and she told him that she
was able to eat and walk and felt that she was improving.  Then on
Tuesday her condition worsened once again and she was taken to the
hospital where she died.  Our hearts are encouraged knowing that Mary
was saved.  Jones had led her to Christ before their marriage.  This
month is also one year since the death of their ten month old daughter.
Please pray for Jones at this time.  He has been digging a 4 ft. deep
trench for the laying of cable and being paid by the meter.  He worked
for two weeks and earned less than a hundred dollars.  He used part of
the money to buy some provisions for Mary and traveled to the hospital
the very day she died.  (I might add that his employer was holding back
part of his wages).  When he came to our house on Thursday evening,  we
discovered that he was also sick with malaria.  We are trying to
encourage him and help with funeral expenses.

Our car is still in the repair shop in Accra.  We are hoping the repair
will be complete at the end of this week.

Sheila and I have been getting extra exercise when taxis are not
available.

Thanks for praying!

Ray & Sheila Davis

Greetings from Ghana!

At the end of a Sunday evening service a week ago, I received a call
from Jones Frazier (Liberian Graduate) that his wife Mary had died.
Abbey and I met with him and other refugees on Monday morning to travel
to Cape Coast where she had been staying.  Instead of transporting her
body to the refugee camp, it was decided to bury her in Cape Coast.
Upon our arrival we were all shocked to discover that she was still
alive.   Evidently she had gone into a coma and all present thought she
was dead.   But at approximately 2 a.m., she revived but could not
speak.   At present, she has improved and is now talking in a whisper
and even can sit up with assistance.  She is still very weak and we are
praying that she will regain enough strength on order to transport her
back to the hospital near the refugee camp.   We had hoped earlier to
transport her to Ivory Coast with the intent of seeing a specialist.

We also discovered that family and friends had deceived Jones about
Mary’s whereabouts before he was called to her near death experience.
While Jones was taking final exams at the institute, she was taken by a
woman who lives near the camp to a cultic group called the Twelve
Apostles (predominantly women who use demonic and ritualistic practices
to heal people.  When Jones inquired to her whereabouts, they told him
she was in Cape Coast when actually she was close by.  Even Mary’s
sister was involved in the deception and kept delaying Jones’
attempts to go to find Mary.  Please pray for Jones and Mary.  Pray also
for us as we seek to help them.  This has been a very upsetting
experience for Jones.  Mary’s health is still critical.

Pray also for Evans Benyah, (one of our day worker and also a Bible
school student).  He was bitten by a scorpion yesterday.  We were able
to give him treatment and he is improved today.  His finger is still
swollen but he accompanied me to one of the private school where we
preach each Wednesday morning.  This a.m. thirty students responded to
the invitation.  Please pray for us as we minister to them.

It is good to have Erica Pahlson with us for a visit from the U.S.  This
is her second trip to Ghana and the Ghanaian people love her, especially
the children.  She is like the Piped Piper, children follow her
everywhere she goes and come to see her at the house.

Please pray for our vehicle.  It is smoking excessively and we may have
to rebuild the engine or look for a replacement.
This is a tremendous need for us and funds are not on hand for such an
expense.  We need to wisdom and discernment.

Love in Christ,

Ray & Sheila Davis

We praise the Lord for the approval of our visa quota renewal.  Such
things are often uncertain and can sometimes be delayed
without any reasonable explanation.  We appreciate your prayers for us
and God’s faithfulness to meet the need.

We praise the Lord for the completion of another semester at WBBI.  We
had graduation services last Saturday for two Liberian
students.  Nathaniel Wilson and Jones Frazier completed our Pastoral
Theology program.  Please pray for them as they seek God’s
direction for their future in ministry.  Pray especially for Jones’
wife, Mary.  She is having a problem with her kidneys.   The
hospital next the refugee camp says that her condition requires surgery
which cannot be done in Ghana.  Another hospital in Accra
is telling her that she can be treated with medication which costs over
$1,000 (US).  Neither hospital has made a diagnosis of her
problem.    We are hoping to raise enough money to transport her to
Abijan in the Ivory Coast.   Missionary Bob Mach is willing to
help her make contact with a specialist if we can arrange for her and
Jones to travel there.  Please pray Mary Frazier to be healed.
Jones and Mary are the same Liberian couple that lost their ten month
old baby approximately a year ago.

We praise the Lord for His protection.  Sheila, while turning out our
security lights this morning, was startled to find a 3 foot snake
on the porch.  We have killed many snakes while living in Ghana, but
none have ever come on the porch.  Sometimes pesky frogs come
on our porch and the snakes like to eat the frogs.  Sheila was not
harmed or in immediate danger until Francis (our watchman) and
I came to kill the snake.  Sheila insisted that we take him off the
porch before killing him to avoid blood on her recently mopped
porch.

Praise the Lord!  God is so good to us.

Thanks for praying.

Ray & Sheila

Greetings from Ghana!

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  —Ephesians 2:8, 9

A young fireman came to Bro. Nixon after I preached at the Ghana Fire Service Tuesday morning and expressed his confusion concerning salvation by grace and not works.   After further explanation, he bowed his head and prayed to receive God’s gift of grace by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  We praise the Lord for the opportunity each week to preach in chapel at the Ghana National Fire Service.

Please pray for Mary Frazier, wife of Liberian student Jones Frazier.  She is experiencing kidney problems and has been given conflicting
advice by two different medical institutions.  Pray that she can receive proper diagnosis of her problem.  Jones will be graduating from the Bible institute this semester.  It is a very destitute situation because of their circumstances as refugees.

Also pray for an eighteen year old girl that the Lord brought us in contact with this week.  Adwowa, was crying profusely as she came limping to our house with her grandmother and small sister following in her steps.  Before reaching our yard, we could hear her cries in the distance and asked Bro. Evans, who could see them coming, what was the matter.  The grandmother said that Adwowa had been bitten by an animal.   We tried to calm her as we examined her foot for a wound.  We noticed that both feet and ankles were very swollen but could not detect any sign of a wound where she was pointing.  Finally we were able to calm her and Sheila applied antibiotic spray and a bandage.  After further questioning, it was revealed by the grandmother that Adwowa suffers from Filariasis, a disease of the blood and lymph caused by a worm transmitted by mosquito bites.   Repeated infections over a number of years can cause enlargement of parts of the body, called Elephantiasis.  That explained the swollen feet and ankles which progresses to the appearance of an elephant’s foot.  We transported the family to the village and she was later given an injection at the local hospital.  Since no animal was actually seen, we suspicioned that she was stung either by an insect or a scorpion.  Pray that we will have opportunity to share the Gospel with the family.

Please pray for the approval of our three year visa quota renewal and quota approval of missionaries Charlie Luther and Micah Colbert.  We are praying that both the Luthers and Colberts will arrive in Ghana before the end of 2008.

The needs we witness are often overwhelming, both spiritual and physical.

Thanks for your faithful prayers and financial support.

Love in Christ,

Ray & Sheila Davis