Copy
Dear Friends, Supporters and Prayer Partners,

Greetings from The Republic of Ghana where the young people who will be next generation of African Leaders have witnessed a peaceful and democratic election of a new president.   In Africa.  

Ghana Has WonGhana’s presidential election was a month after ours, but a very different process than in the States.  Here there was little polling, and besides two major candidates, about a half dozen third party candidates.  Sometimes it felt like a traveling show for the media, who awarded coverage to the most sensational in a quest for more viewership.  Candidates were not judged by the merits of how they could help Ghana, but what attracted the most viewers, as if views equaled votes.  OK, so maybe the process was not that different from ours, but what is interesting is their use of bio-metric data (fingerprints), for voter registration, voting by inked fingerprint, and then dipping the little finger in violet ink to show they had voted (only once).  It took three days to count the votes and declare a winner, and it turns out, the people voted for a change in ruling party in Ghana.  

Because it was an election year, the supply of electricity had been more consistent than normal, and there was a feeling of prosperity as infrastructure improvements were completed.  But now, after the election, people are beginning to fear things returning to "normal": power outages, uncompleted projects, and inflation (at least until the next election cycle).  

Steve & Suzanne at Ashesi Christmas PartyIt is hard to believe it will be Christmas in six days, but then we’ve been hearing Christmas music and seeing fake trees in the stores since September.  Ashesi had it annual Christmas on the Hill and we sang of a white Christmas or dashing through the snow but only "dashing" we seem to be been doing (dash is a local word for "gift") is to all those who we have come to depend on, favorite Ashesi guards, house help, vegetable stand ladies, and hopefully by the time we are home, we will feel in the spirit, but as you know, that first one is difficult.

End of Year Giving - Next summer your first class of scholarship students from the village of Berekuso will graduate high school.  These scholarships are largely funded by your generous gifting to the Scholarship Fund at The Mission Society.  [Donate Now]

Saying Goodbye 
Suzanne, Nelda & SteveWe are traveling back to Texas today for Christmas but will only be there a few days before heading out to the East Coast to Suzanne's childhood home, where the second Celebration of Life for her mother will be held.  It has been a difficult time for us, not only the mold problems we have had (which we wrote about in the Octber eNews), but Steve got Typhoid Fever, and of course, Nelda's illness and passing.  
 
These are tender days for us when we are thankful for the prayerful love and support of friends and family.  Suzanne writes:

With Sadness…
Dear friends, it is with great sadness that we report that Suzanne’s mother passed away on November 6, 2016, from pancreatic cancer. She had two small strokes about three weeks previously, which prompted Suzanne to get to the US; as her conditioned worsened, Steve was called and he arrived about two days before she passed. A memorial service was held at her church in Sun City/Georgetown Texas on November 12, and another memorial service will be held at her Rhode Island home church on December 30.  We thank you all for your prayers and other acts of kindness and compassion during this difficult time. While we are joyous that Nelda entered the gates of heaven, we deeply grieve her loss in this earthly life.

 
New Faculty Guest House
New Faculty Guest House almost ready to move into (Jan. 2017)
In this edition of PrayerMatters

To Save a Leg - A medical need serves as an opportunity to witness God’s power in a young Rwandan student’s life in [To Save a Leg]

Tribute to Nelda - Steve's tribute to his mother-in-law who taught him almost everything he knows about hospitality. [Tribute to Nelda

Buchele Family Update - its December, so we like to brag on our wonderful kids. [Family Update]

UPDATES
Faculty Guesthouse - Ashesi has almost completed a new faculty guesthouse with a small manager's suite and has asked us to move into the suite and manage the two self-contained rooms reserved for short term guests of the University. The guesthouse comes with a large living and dining room (larger than our current apartment), and almost three times the kitchen space.  Entertainment space will make it possible to have staff and faculty social gatherings, or students over for dinner and Bible study.  We move in early January. 

Nelda's East Coast Funeral - Will be at Central Baptist Church in Westerly, RI on December 30, at 1pm. Much of the family that was unable to attend her Georgetown funeral will gather for this service. 
 
Peace,
Steve & Suzanne
To Save a Leg

A medical need serves as an opportunity to witness God’s power in a young student’s life.

Steve shares about the way God worked through a difficult situation and taught us all the best way to help. 

[To Save a Leg]
Buchele Family Update
 
Fox (26) is living his dream of being paid to be a Virtual Reality developer, at Idean, a Finnish design company. He also does his own VR development on the side, and was part of a team that recently released Snakes on a Multidimensonal Plane. He lives walking distance to his work on 6th street in downtown Austin. [FoxGameStudios]
 
Grace (24) has decided to "stop her work" (as they say in Ghana) being an autobiographical author and a social media presence. She and husband Ryosuke did a wonderful job taking care of Suzanne's mother, Grace's Nonnie, in the final months of her life, which enabled her to be home during much of her culminating time on earth. They are currently seeking "regular" employment and are open to many different possibilities. [HowIBecameTexan]
 
Anna (21) is in her second second year of University, at Olin College of Engineering in the Boston area. She is thinking that robotics captures her interest in mechanical engineering and her discovered enjoyment of programming. Last summer Steve and & Suzanne enjoyed having her in Ghana while she interned with Ashesi's engineering program; she is currently seeking an internship for this summer.
Share
Tweet
Forward to Friend
+1

Supporting Steve & Suzanne

Learn - visit ServingInGhana.org, and learn more about our mission. 
Give - pledge your monthly support through The Mission Society.
Pray – join our prayer team [click here].
Connect - send us an email Steve or Suzanne.
 

About Our Mission to Ghana

Suzanne and Steve live on the Ashesi University Campus in Berekuso, Eastern Region, Ghana.  Suzanne serves as the Provost and Steve teaches leadership and tends to the spiritual needs of the campus community. 

Ashesi University College’s goal is to educate African leaders of exceptional integrity and professional ability and to do this in an African context.  As you may know, young Africans, when they come to the States to study, often do not return home, a problem known as the "brain drain." Ashesi’s mission is to educate a new generation of ethical, entrepreneurial leaders in Africa; to cultivate within their students the critical thinking skills, the concern for others, and the courage it will take to transform Africa.  By raising the bar for higher education in Ghana, Ashesi aims to make a significant contribution towards an African Renaissance.  

Thanks for pledging your support
Copyright © 2016 TMS Global / ServingTheKingdom, All rights reserved.


unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences 

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp