Raising Support to Return to Ghana: A Sunday on the Road
Since we didn’t have any meetings scheduled for this Sunday—our only open Sunday until the end of the year—we decided to take the opportunity to visit some of our former supporting churches. Raising support to return to Ghana is our top priority, and rekindling these relationships is both meaningful and effective.
Sunday School at Calvary Baptist Church in Palestine, TX
Our first stop was Calvary Baptist Church in Palestine, Texas, for Sunday School. We were thrilled to reconnect with our old friend Richard Hinton, who taught the lesson that morning. Years ago, Richard was a faithful member of our home church, Central Baptist Church in Center, TX, where he led a “preacher boys” class I was privileged to attend as a young teen.
It’s a blessing to see people serve God with their whole lives—faithful, steadfast, and uncompromising in their beliefs and standards.
A Church That’s Still Growing and Going
Calvary Baptist Church has seen several pastors since they first took us on for support in 2001. They supported our ministry faithfully until we returned from the field in 2014. The current pastor, Andrew Stoddard, has been leading the church for just over two years, and he is doing an incredible job. His preaching was powerful and Spirit-filled.
One of the most moving moments of the morning was witnessing the baptism of a man who had attended the church faithfully for 44 years—but had never accepted Christ as his Savior. Just recently, he trusted Christ and publicly followed the Lord in believer’s baptism. What a powerful reminder that God is always at work! It’s always a joy to see the baptismal waters stirred—it’s a sign of life in the church and obedience to Christ’s commands.
After the service, we gathered outside for a groundbreaking ceremony for their new Sunday School building. The congregation was smiling, excited, and unified—what a picture of a healthy, growing church! The pastor radiated encouragement, and the joy of the people was contagious. That first shovel of dirt was a declaration of forward momentum.
Fellowship and Future Support
We enjoyed lunch with Pastor Stoddard and his family at Cotton Patch, where we discovered that we have many mutual connections. He was raised in a Christian home and spent his youth around several preachers I’ve known and admired for years. The fellowship was warm, and I’m confident I’ve made a new friend in the ministry.
Even more exciting, Pastor Stoddard shared that he expects the church will vote to take us back on for monthly support. We are overjoyed at the prospect of partnering with Calvary Baptist Church once again in raising support to return to Ghana.
Evening Service at Woodland Hills Baptist Church in Tyler, TX
After leaving Palestine, we drove to Tyler for the evening service at Woodland Hills Baptist Church, pastored by our friend Danny Reynolds. We know Bro. Danny through Man Camp—a ministry that’s near and dear to us. If you’ve never been to Man Camp, you’re missing out!
I was invited to give a testimony about our return to Ghana, and the church family welcomed us warmly. At the close of the service, they surprised us with a generous love offering—what an incredible blessing! Pastor Reynolds told us that the church plans to take us on for support in the near future.
Raising Support to Return to Ghana — One Step Closer!
This Sunday was a huge encouragement to our family and our ministry. God is providing, and we are getting closer every day to raising the full support we need to return to Ghana. We are praying for:
- 160 churches at $50/month, or
- 80 churches at $100/month
Every week, these numbers change—and with each new partnership, we get closer to the mission field. We believe God can raise this support quickly so we can return to the work He’s called us to in West Africa.
📣 Follow Our Journey and Stay Updated
We’re sharing updates, stories, and testimonies as we travel the country raising support to return to Ghana. Every mile driven and every church visited brings us one step closer.
👉 Want to follow our journey?
Visit our blog at consfords.com and sign up to receive email updates every time we post!
📬 Subscribe here: consfords.com/connect
Your prayers, encouragement, and partnership mean the world to us. Let’s go to Ghana—together.