Our area

Wawase, the village we live in, is located in the south of Ghana, about an hour’s drive north of Cape Coast and the Atlantic Ocean. It was established as a town in the tropical rainforest about 100 years ago. Many people came from other areas to settle here, stake a claim and clear the land. Most of the 2000 inhabitants are subsistence farmers with cocoa bean and oil-palm nuts as their ‘cash’ crop. They have enough to eat (mainly cassava, corn, yam, plantain and some fish), but little money to support their large families. Average daily income in our area is about $4.

Almost all profess to be a Christian, but many mix ancestor worship, juju and taboo observances with churchgoing. The introduction of the electricity grid about 10 years ago brought with it detrimental influences through TVs and DVDs.

The school

Charity African Mission has been active in this town since 1993. While helping children with Bible Memory, Joy Clark and Rosella Wittmer noticed that many children could not read properly. Eventually their assistance in teaching Phonics resulted in the establishment of a school in 1999 when three classes were populated. Since 2002 the following brothers have had a role as school principal / headmaster: Eric Cherry, Andy Zelinski, Elson Miller and at present Klaas Kouwen. Since 2006 the school is fully equipped with 330 children in 11 classes at KG, Primary and JHS-level. Beside Klaas there are 14 teachers, all Ghanaian.

Our family

We have lived most of our lives in Holland. During a two year stay in Ohio from 2005-2007, we felt the call to make ourselves available for missionary service. The Lord sent us to Wawase in August 2007. Klaas is very busy with school tasks. Geraldine takes care of household and homeschool duties beside giving medical assistance to many who knock at our door. Harry, Otto and Bram help with practical issues at school and around the house after their school hours. Recently we also stepped into a Bible broadcast ministry via the town loudspeakers.

Please pray for us that:

• Victory Christian School will have a spiritual effect on the community. Its motto “Equipping Youth to Serve God and Man” can only be worked out if all teachers are of one accord and on fire for God! We pray that the teachers and students will find the courage to step away from the influence their peers and seek the Lord. May His Name be glorified in all of us and them.
• we will acquire true fluency in the local (Twi) language, although we are all happy to see the progress we have made.
• interaction with the people in town will lead to them realizing what it really means to be a Christian.
• the staff will see opportunities at school to bring children to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
• God will show us how to effectively apply His Word to the Ghanaian mindset.
• the daily contact our own children have with many peers will open their hearts.
• we will be able to cope with the isolation. We are 12 – 15 hours away from the northern stations and five hours from Accra, and have limited contact with the other missionary families.
• revival will come to the whole area.

Thank the Lord with us for:

• protection against sickness. We enjoy eating local food and also street-side food while traveling without adverse effects
• protection against spiritual attacks. In the past years enemies launched specific curses that had no effect on us.
• good relationships with the students, teachers, village people and officials. Things have improved very much since we came.
• a continuation of His work in this area. These people are not considered ‘unreached’, but they are probably more ‘unreachable’ due to the way Christianity is often mixed with traditional religion.
• the indigenous, low-budget principles our mission is following. It gives us the opportunity to live simply among the people much like they do with no need of a guard and compound walls, and no fear of attacks.
• brothers and sisters who are willing to intercede for us. Can we also count on your prayer support?

Last updated December 2011

Available from the sermon ministry: What Great Things God Has Done for Us (Family Testimony)