| Greetings!
Greetings from Colorado Springs where I am listening to the interns practice to lead the EMI family in worship tomorrow morning. I pray that God's name is being hallowed, declared holy, through your life.
|
| Life in Aflao from Death in America |
 | | Babies with New JBF Site Model |
As a result the physical death of 10-year old Jesse Brooks in 2002, God is bringing life to the Aflao region of Ghana near the border with Togo. Jesse was on her way home to Alabama from her first mission trip to Montana when she was killed in a tragic car crash. Jesse's heart had been to share the gospel of Jesus with people in New York and in Africa. God has provided for her parents, Chris and Tammy Brooks, to be involved with sharing the gospel and caring for orphans in Ghana, with potential to expand into more African countries through the Jesse Brooks Foundation (JBF).
 | | JBF Home Model |
The current children's home provides care for 43 children, including 3 babies, young lives that were redeemed from abandonment at the border and near the ocean. JBF unsuccessfully attempted to purchase the land where the existing home sits, a piece of land next to a swamp, a cemetery, and the town garbage dump. God recently provided for JBF to purchase an almost 4-acre piece of land. I had the privilege of leading an EMI team of architects, engineers, and surveyors to investigate and design for this new land. We were blessed to be hosted by Chris and Tammy, as well as 9 local pastors and a police officer.
The new land will accommodate a home for 100 children, a church, a private elementary/junior high school, a clinic/admin building, and an agricultural area.
 | Sod Cutting with
the King of Aflao |
We celebrated the team's work with the community, including the paramount king of Aflao, and we presented the ministry with a model of the new site. The celebration was filled with praise to the Lord, cheers from the kids, and tears from Chris and Tammy. A part of the celebration included the official sod-cutting ceremony with the planting of two mango trees, one fittingly named "Fountain of Life" by the king.
Praise God for bringing life out of death, especially eternal life through the death of Christ Jesus!
We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:9-11)
|
| Highlights from Summer Ghana Trip |
 | | Pastor Christian and Family |
While it was difficult for me to leave Ghana and to see the state of the existing children's home, I rejoice in what God did and is doing as a result of our investment in Aflao. The following are highlights from my time in Ghana.
- Late-night teamwork in building the site model
- Presenting the model to Chris and Tammy
- Preaching on the radio and at church in Aflao
- Sending the team out to 5 different churches in Aflao
 | | EMI Meeting with Local Design Professionals in Accra |
- Worshiping passionately with believers
- Praying over land and people of Aflao
- Seeing two children at the home commit to follow Jesus
- God-orchestrated meetings with local officials and the king of Aflao
- Spending time with and playing football (soccer) with the children
- Working with George, a Ghanaian electrical engineer on our team
- Watching God bring George's church from Accra to partner with the children's home in Aflao
- Meeting with local architects, engineers, and surveyors in Accra
|
| Fall 2011 Return to Ghana |
 | | Reading with Kids at Village of Hope |
I am looking forward to returning to Ghana this fall with a team of architects and engineers, some of whom are Ghanaian. Pray that God would continue drawing design professionals to this team, specifically another architect, a structural engineer, and another civil engineer. We plan to partner with a university ministry of the Churches of Christ in Ghana, primarily for master planning two campuses. Praise God for the opportunity to briefly visit both sites, Heritage Christian University and Village of Hope while I was in country!
|
|
|
Grace and Peace in Jesus,
John Agee
Engineering Ministries International |
|
|
| Looking Toward Greater Glory in Aflao, Ghana |
 | | Land Survey in Aflao, Ghana |
| |
The theme that God has been impressing upon His children in Aflao, Ghana has been one of greater glory to come.
In Hagai chapter 2, God encourages Israel in the rebuilding of His temple. God had revealed His glory before Israel was taken into captivity, but He promised even greater glory with the rebuilding. Likewise, God desires to reveal greater glory of who He is among the people of Aflao in the days ahead. We trust Him to establish His kingdom out of the darkness along the Togo border. I look forward to increased revelation of His glory on the land that the children's home will be built upon.
Reflect with me on the Lord's encouragement from Hagai 2 to be strong:
God is with us, according to His unbreakable covenant through Jesus.
God will shake all nations so that treasures come in and so that His glory is seen in us, His dwelling.
God owns and provides everything we need.
Our coming glory will be greater, and we will see greater revelation of who God is as we get to know Him more.
God gives peace to His temple, our lives justified by faith in Jesus.
|
Prayer Requests
- New Partners to Cover $200/mo. Financial Need
- That God would raise up an EMI team for EMI's West Africa office, especially as our Annual Report with a West Africa article goes out
- Praise God for continued connections with people & ministries in West Africa
- For Jane & my relationship to grow and for God's provision for her and her family in Nigeria
- Praise God for the teams that EMI mobilized around the world this season, and pray for our ongoing work to finalize designs.
|
|
|
