Experiencing Missionary Life Overseas: Language School, Bible Training, and a Stormy Day in Ghana

A Day of Learning on the Mission Field

One of the most fascinating parts of experiencing missionary life overseas is realizing that every day brings a mixture of learning, ministry, and unexpected challenges. Some days are quiet. Other days feel like a whirlwind of language study, ministry training, weather surprises, and prayer needs.

Today was one of those days.

The morning started quietly enough. I woke up around 7:20 A.M., just as the sun was climbing over the rooftops of the neighborhood. Mornings in Ghana often begin early, and by the time breakfast was ready around 8:00 A.M., the house was already alive with activity.

After eating, I settled into one of the most important parts of the missionary internship—study time. Language learning and Bible training are both essential parts of experiencing missionary life overseas, and mornings often provide the best opportunity to focus.

So I opened my notes and began preparing for both my Fante lessons and my upcoming Bible Institute classes.

Learning the Fante Language

Language learning is one of the biggest challenges missionaries face when serving overseas. In Ghana, the Fante language is widely spoken along the coast, and learning it opens doors to deeper relationships and clearer communication.

Around 10:20 A.M., our Fante class began.

Our teacher arrived shortly after Bro. Ruckman and Mrs. Angie returned home. I was actually able to sneak in a quick ten-minute mini lesson before everyone else joined us. Those extra minutes were helpful because language learning is definitely a process that requires patience.

Progress is slow—but it is progress.

So far, I have only had about five lessons, yet I can already see small improvements. I can almost count from one to ten, and I have begun learning the alphabet along with the vowels and digraphs that form the foundation of the language.

We have also been practicing practical vocabulary such as:

• Days of the week
• Months of the year
• Greetings
• Body parts
• Simple sentence structures

Each lesson feels like putting together pieces of a puzzle. At first, the language sounds unfamiliar and difficult. But gradually, the patterns start to make sense.

This is one of the realities of experiencing missionary life overseas—learning the language is not optional. If missionaries truly want to reach people, they must first learn how to speak to them.

Interestingly, Bro. Ruckman was unable to attend the class today because he was helping the carpenter repair the bedroom door. Apparently, the door had been sticking badly, and they wanted to make sure Mrs. Angie didn’t accidentally get stuck inside.

Life on the mission field always seems to include unexpected maintenance projects!

Still, despite the small interruptions, we had a very productive class.

Bible Institute Training

After the Fante lesson ended, Bro. Ruckman and I grabbed a quick lunch. There wasn’t much time to relax because Bible Institute classes were starting soon.

So we headed over to the church.

Bible Institute days can be intense because several classes are scheduled back-to-back. Today we had four classes, which meant several hours of listening, note-taking, and learning.

Right away in the first class, we had a quiz.

I felt like I did a little better than I expected, but it certainly wasn’t anything to brag about. Missionary training often stretches you in ways you didn’t expect. There is always more to learn—more Scripture to understand, more ministry principles to grasp, and more humility required along the way.

Still, each class is another step forward.

For anyone considering missions, this is a vital part of preparation. Experiencing missionary life overseas is not just about travel or adventure. It involves deep training in the Word of God and practical ministry skills that will be needed for years to come.

When the Storm Rolled In

While the classes themselves went well, the weather had its own plans for the afternoon.

During the middle of the day, a strong storm moved through the area. In Ghana, storms can arrive quickly and with incredible force. The winds picked up dramatically, rain began pouring down, and the trees started bending under the pressure.

At one point, we even heard a loud cracking sound.

Later we discovered that one of the trees nearby had actually broken in half due to the wind.

Moments like that remind you how powerful nature can be.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the classes continued without major disruption. But it certainly made for an unforgettable day at the Bible Institute.

Power Problems at Home

When we returned home after classes, we quickly noticed the effects of the storm.

Several of Bro. Ruckman’s plants had been slightly damaged. Fortunately, the damage was minor and nothing too serious.

However, the bigger issue was electricity.

The power was still technically on—but only partially.

Instead of the normal 220 volts that homes in Ghana typically receive, we were only getting about 80 volts. That meant most appliances couldn’t run properly. Lights flickered weakly, and anything that required real power simply refused to work.

So we had to rely on a generator to keep a few lights running in the house.

Life overseas often includes small inconveniences like this. Electricity outages and voltage problems are simply part of daily life in many parts of the world. For someone experiencing missionary life overseas, these moments become normal reminders that ministry requires flexibility.

And sometimes… patience.

One downside of the low power situation was that hot showers might not be possible tonight.

That is definitely one of the luxuries you learn not to take for granted!

Evening Plans and Prayer Requests

As evening approached, supper was being prepared in the house. Before everything got too busy, I decided it would be wise to go ahead and type this update.

With the power situation being uncertain, there was always the possibility that the internet connection might disappear at any moment.

Later tonight, Bro. and Mrs. Ruckman will be conducting two marriage counseling sessions. Ministry often continues long after the regular workday ends. Please pray that these counseling meetings will be helpful and encouraging for the couples involved.

While they are meeting with those families, I plan to spend some time catching up on my studying before heading to bed.

Days like today remind me how much there is to learn during this missionary internship.

Language learning.

Bible training.

Ministry opportunities.

Unexpected storms.

Power outages.

Prayer needs.

All of it is part of the process.

This is what experiencing missionary life overseas really looks like.

A Special Prayer Request

Before closing this update, there is one more prayer request.

Please pray for my dad.

Since arriving home from Ghana, he has been sick to his stomach. He went to the doctor today and had some lab work done. They were planning to run tests for parasites and malaria, but the clinic wasn’t sure how to bill those specific tests.

So for now, they are waiting on the preliminary lab results. If necessary, they will try to run the additional tests afterward.

Please pray that the doctors will have wisdom and that the problem will be quickly identified and treated.

Mission work often involves many unseen challenges, including health concerns and travel stress.

But through it all, God continues to guide each step.

For those who want to see more stories like this, you can read about our full missionary internship program and life on the mission field here:
https://consfords.com/missionary-internships/