Friday, July 15, 2011

What I Love About Ghana - Akpafu Odomi

Wednesday night worship at the Akpafu Odomi Evangelical Presbyterian Church. 

Akpafu Odomi is a village just north of Hohoe, in the Volta Region of Ghana, about 4 hours northeast of Ghana's capital Accra. It's small, but nonetheless, the congregation is vibrant and has an incredible music ministry. I always enjoy when I can visit them and listen to the choirs sing.

In 2003, a group from the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago traveled to Akpafu and helped work on the early stages of the chapel construction project.  Additional funds given by Fouth Church allowed Akpafu to completely roof the chapel.  In November, 2010, the church celebrated its 100th anniversary with a dedication of the finished chapel -- although there is still quite a bit of finishing work to be done.

Here, you can see some pictures of the anniversary celebration in 2010, and the construction in 2003:

The church choir, as the centennial service is about to begin.
Rev. Francis Amenu, moderator of the EP Church, cutting the ribbon into the chapel. 

When Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, came to Ghana in June, 2003, this is what they found.  The group worked alongside the residents of Akpafu Odomi, hauling sand and water from the river to make concrete blocks.