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MISSIONS TRIP 2006
November 9ththrough the 19th, a team of 5 volunteer missionaries from The Rock Solid Church in Conway, Arkansas joined me for a 10day mission trip to Ghana West Africa. Thanks to your prayers, financial support, and encouragement, the mission trip was without a doubt the most successful trip I have ever experienced to date. God did awesome things this year and I am thankful to have been able to witness all of it. This was the first trip to Africa for all the members of the mission team, and my fourth trip. The team spent most of their time in Kumasi, Kormantse, and Salt Pond areas as planned. God blessed us with safe travel and good health, allowing us to be about our Father’s business without delay. While in Ghana in November, the Kormantse water project was successfully dedicated. After 2 years of work, the water system is working – booster pump installed, water pipes laid, reservoir tanks in place, water taps connected, and finally water is running there. After initial inspection, a flaw in the concrete platform was discovered which was caused by subcontractor error and engineers are correcting this situation to prevent damage to the components of the water system. In the end, the partners in the project donated just over $20,000 US dollars to accomplish the task. Thanks to all HolyGhost Prayer partners for faithfully supporting this project with your prayers and financial support. The mission team accomplished the following: purchased over 3,000 pounds of food for an orphanage in Obuasi (Aids babies and other great needs there);fed 2,000 meals over the course of 3 days in Kormantse (twice as many people came as we had food for); purchased generator, tv, and vcr for a small school and church in northern Ghana where conditions are some of the worst in the world and the muslim community is being shown the love of Christ; taught leadership meetings 2 days in Kormantse providing 25Developing the Leader Within You books for the attendees; established the first permanent scholarship fund for SouthernGhana Bible College in Salt Pond with $3,000 US dollars; donated $500 US dollars for repairs to the mission house at Southern Ghana Bible College; funded scholarships to individuals for $1,818 US dollars; gave small scholarships to help with secondary school fees for various people in need; donated $600 US dollars to Pastor John Sniper to complete the roofing sheets on Hope Assembly of God in Kormantse; donated$1,000 US dollars to host ministry of Rev. Isaac DeGraft to pay off the mission van provided for our team; gave gifts of toys, ties, food, and clothing to many children in the villages, schools, and the orphanage at Obuasi, and bible school students at Southern Ghana Bible College; donated $260US dollars for the purchase of an 80 x 100 plot of land for anew church planted by Pastor Appiah-Kubi and Central Assembly of God in Kumasi (that bought the whole plot which cost 2million cedis in Ghanaian currency); conducted the 2nd Annual Kormantse Interdenominational Crusade with over 3,000 people attending each of the last 2 nights (16 different churches supported) initial reports stated that 240 people accepted Christ or recommitted their life to Christ during those 3 days and there were several signs and wonders reported of healings and the deliverance of two people including an 85 year old “fetish priestess”; hosted post-crusade breakfast for pastors and spouses; and many other small projects and donations to assist the communities where we ministered. Rev. Frederick Kyereko, pictured above with Jason Rapert, is the Principal (president) of the Southern Ghana Bible College in Salt Pond Ghana. Holy Ghost Ministries funded the first permanent scholarship fund to be created at the college in November2006. The trip was very successful. Reading through the list of accomplishments it is sobering to see what all God did there. Praise God for your support and praise God for His results! If only one person accepted Christ, the effort would have been worthwhile In the future, the Conway Rotary Club has asked that I spearhead another water project and that is already in the planning stages. We will be providing extra water taps in a village called Wawaassee. I have already begun planning with my Rotarian friends from The Rotary Club of Achimota-Accra. We are excited to continue our partnership and friendship with our Ghanaian friends. In Memory of Mike Pike Many of you know that my partner in Rotarian humanitarian projects in Ghana, Mike Pike, died suddenly the night before I left Nov. 9th. It was a shock to everyone, and made my departure very difficult. I received word he had died literally 4 hours before I was to leave with the mission team. I met with his fiancé and his mother before leaving, and they urged me to go on – Mike would have wanted me to do so. Mike was only 43, appeared to be in great health, and made no complaints prior to his sudden death. He was having soup with a friend, when he stood up normally, then collapsed to the floor dying quickly. The news of his death, and my quick departure made that morning one of the most difficult of my life. Mike had purchased plane tickets and was to join me in Ghana for the water project dedication ceremony in Kormantse. A tremendous loss to us, and to the people of Ghana as well. When I met with Mike Pike's fiancé and mother, they informed me that Julie and Mike weregoing to adopt a Ghanaian orphan after marriage. This of course is not possible now. While in Ghana, I considered this and God dealt with me. They did not know that the village of Kormantse had been requesting an orphanage from me for over one year now, and that an American couple serving in Ghana as missionaries had shared with me their desire to run an orphanage in Africa. In addition, the village chief has promised to donate land to build the structure. In light of the tragic loss of Mike, and all the other factors, knowing he intended to do so much there, I felt that it would be a great honor to build an orphanage in the name of Mike Pike - he may not have adopted an African orphan, but he can have many, many orphans as "his children" in an orphanage there. With the consent of his loved ones, I am embarking upon this effort and presently planning the initial fundraising and implementation. I shared the idea in a speech I gave at the Conway Rotary Club recently and great support was committed. I asked for no money, but people came to me wanting to give for this effort. I am expecting this effort to be accomplished rather quickly. Please be in prayer for this effort because it will be a large, long term commitment. After holding young children in my arms in November that were without parents, suffering with AIDS and other diseases - I am convinced that this effort is needed, will honor my friend Mike Pike, and is God’s will. Psalm82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. James1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Many things we do in the name of Christ are not necessarily clearly defined in scripture, but caring for the fatherless is without question a charge given us in the Word of God. Holy Ghost Ministries is going to need great support in the way of volunteers and long term funding for this project. Please begin seeking God’s will for you, your church, or your organization to help accomplish the funding, construction, and support of The Mike Pike Orphanage in Ghana. I will be giving you updates on this project in the future and I pray that some of you will listen to God’s voice as He is speaking to you right now. The Rock Solid Church Mission Team I want to take a moment to give a special thank you to Tracy Leach, Chelsea Leach, Rebecca White, Sandy Freeman and Grant Thornhill for all of their hard work, dedication, support, prayer and help during the mission trip. These people made a firm commitment to go on the trip 6months before our scheduled departure. They worked overtime at their jobs, performed extra work when they could for friends, held garage sales, hosted a tremendous spaghetti supper and live auction to raise funds for the trip and made sacrifices to go and help their African brothers and sisters. Thesepeople changed the lives of the people they interacted with and they have been changed as well. Every one of them hassaid they want to return to help in Ghana again in the future. Theses five people put their hands to the plow and helped whereverneeded. May Godrichly bless them and grant them favor to pursue and accomplish God’s perfect will for their lives. The team recently testified about their experience at The Rock Solid Church and the congregation was deeply touched. Many others told me that they too want to go to Africa to experience the blessing of being used by God in a land where God is moving mightily to touch humanity in the midst of poverty, disease, war and famine. What an honor to serve Almighty God. 2ndAnnualKormantse Interdenominational Crusade The crusade was organized by the Local Council of Churches of Kormantse in conjunction with Holy Ghost Ministries. The council of churches was birthed out of the first interdenominational crusade we held in Kormantse in November 2006. I am told sixteen different churches supported the crusade this year including various protestant denominations and the local Roman Catholic Church – PRAISE GOD. Ephes.4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Col.3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor un-circumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. I am convinced that the body of Christ is at its best when it is united under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The fruits of this year’s crusade events are a testament to that belief and scriptural admonition. You may try to make excuses and explain why you support denominational barriers, but you will not be able to find scripture to back it up. Every person in Kormantse during the crusade could testify of the excitement, joy, and sense of expectation they felt as hundreds - numbering even around three thousand – worshipped and praised God together. Each night more people came forward to accept Christ or recommit their lives to Jesus. After the first night, we began hearing reports of healings. In fact, Peter Austin Baffoe, the local Roman Catholic leader, testified to me at the post-crusade pastor’s breakfast of his own healing. Brother Peter said, “I have been in pain in my body for years and years. Experiencing such pain that I could hardly awaken in the mornings. Yesterday, Thursday morning, I awoke at 5a.m. and I had no pain in my body. I know that I have been healed.” Praise the Lord! What an awesome testimony. I told Peter that I do not know God’s timing, but I would have to think that the unity God saw in Kormantse was being confirmed by healings such as he experienced. Deliverance On the second night of the crusade, I was just about to pray for those who had come forward to accept Christ when an old woman started toward me. That night I was told near three thousand people were present there, and the crowd hushed when the woman appeared. Pastor Kojo Stevens of the I.C.G.C. Church of Kormantse wrote the following, “During the altar call about eighty people came out, among them was an old woman of about 85 years who was prayed for by Rapert and she made some very serious confessions. She said she had had many children born by her during her earlier years but because she was a witch and a fetish priestess she had killed all the children and drank their blood. She also said she had done a lot of wicked deeds. This night she said she saw a river which was red in color representing the blood. She said she had to come out to receive Christ because she saw an angel which to her was Jesus calling her to be saved and she could not stand the power of God so she gave her life to Christ. Evangelist Rapert prayed for her and other Pastors including (myself) had to witness to her after deliverance. It was the power of God at work. Many people also came out to be prayed for and they received their healing. Those who gave their lives to Christ were given to church leaders from all the churches to counsel and directed to join churches of their choice.” Partners, what a powerful testimony. They told me that the woman was a well known witch. When I asked the woman what she came to me for, she said, “I have a spirit that needs to leave me.” I immediately laid hands on the woman and commanded the spirit to leave in the name of Jesus. The woman jerked backwards, screamed, and then became quiet as we stood at the altar in front of the entire crowd. I then counseled with her and she accepted Christ and made a confession of faith on the spot. There is nothing I can say to you about this other than allow the testimony to be made known. I do not question God about these sorts of manifestations. I simply pray and speak the Word of God and expect people to be set free in the name of Jesus. There are several messages and testimonies to share from others regarding the crusade and we hope to include those here for your reading in the future. The church leaders in Kormantse are to be commended for the unity they are allowing to occur amongst their churches and their people. It is fostering cooperation and goodwill that had not been experienced therein many years. I admire those men and women of God for submitting themselves to the scripture and encouraging corporate worship across denominational lines. I have experienced nothing like it anywhere before. True to form, the leaders voted to have the crusade again in November2007 and have invited us to return once again – we will go as long as God allows it! I must say a special thank you to Pastor John Sniper who has been a great friend to me over the past few years and has been responsible for the success of the local Kormantse crusade organization. He is a true leader among leaders and I thank him personally for all that he has done. Evangelist Jason Rapert and Pastor John Sniper, Mfantseman District Pastor Assemblies of God In addition, Pastor Kojo Stevens of the I.C.G.C. Church of Kormantse, Pastor Kingsford Kusi Kyere of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, and Pastor David Opoku of the Methodist Church of Kormantse have given great leadership and personal support to me in conjunction with Pastor Sniper and the many others there. God did great things in the crusade this year. Grant Thornhill ministered wonderful words every service to begin the ministry of the Word and I went on to preach after Grant all three nights. The mission team ministered in song for those gathered, and Rebecca even sang in Fanti one night – the crowd was overjoyed. All five of the team prayed with those needing healing, salvation or deliverance. God worked mightily. FROM JASON’SHEART Friends, I am amazed at what God is doing. It is with a humble heart that I say “yes” to God in pursuit of all the ministry opportunities and humanitarian projects that He has brought before me. I am grateful to be given the honor to help Him accomplish His will in places that I could not personally even begin to attempt something under my own power. Thank you also for partnering with me, whether in prayer, volunteering to go, finances, or helping in all areas. Every trip I make to Africa, I wonder if it will be my last. Then, God opens another door, and another door, and another door. In 2007 I will be focused upon the new water project for Rotary in Ghana, preparing for the November 2007 mission trip and crusade, and The Mike Pike Orphanage. I cannot do this alone. I need men and women of God that are called to help me. These projects are not mine to do. They are God’s and I have said I will help Him. What do you say? UPCOMING SERVICES and MISSIONTRIPS January14, 2007 – Living Grace Bluegrass Gospel will be ministering at Restoration Church on S. Elmira Avenue, Russellville, AR. The group will have the Sunday Night service which starts at 6pm. Please join us to kick off 2007. If you have questions or need directions to Restoration Church, please contact Brother Dennis Nordin at 479-857-2218. November2007 – 3rdAnnual Kormantse Interdenominational Crusade. We are accepting letters of intent from people that would like to go to Ghana for missions work in 2007. If you believe God is leading you to assist Holy Ghost Ministries in efforts in Africa, please submit a letter of intent to us via e-mail. We will then contact you to discuss further details. Our ministry and the Living Grace Bluegrass Gospel group declined all ministry bookings during November and December 2006 to allow focus for the mission trip and to rest in preparation for2007. Please keep all of us in your prayers as we are now receiving booking requests for 2007. We are very excited to be invited into so many different venues and blessed to minister within various denominations. If you believe your church would enjoy knowing more about Holy Ghost Ministries and the work God has called us to do, please have them contact us for more information or to have us minister in your church. God is the Lord of us all no matter what our denomination. Living Grace Bluegrass Gospel is also a wonderful ministry and if you would enjoy hearing anointed gospel music delivered in an old fashioned way, please contact us. HOLY GHOST PRAYERPARTNERS Thank you for your continued support of this ministry. As always, thank you for taking the time to pray for my ministry, myself, and my family. We love you! Allowing God to be God once again, Evangelist Jason Rapert
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