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2020 ended up being a very busy year for Eternal Footprint Missions (EFM), even in the midst of the pandemic. The number of trips I made to the North in the final quarter of the year, was what I would usually do during the entire year and God’s grace was sufficient to carry us through. This was because the number of COVID cases in the country was low and virtually non-existent in the rural communities where EFM works. Therefore, ministry activities continued as though there was no COVID, and we did our best to observe the necessary COVID-19 protocols.
Within the year 2020, by the grace of God and with your prayer and financial support, the Lord gave us the opportunity to take the gospel to the Konkomba people group, who are predominantly traditional idol worshippers, with some Muslims among them. The Konkomba mission field has become our most active, among all the people groups we work in, due to the enormous needs they have. Education, healthcare facilities, potable water, electricity, and good roads are some of the basic needs there.
Seeing the need, EFM has therefore begun sharing the holistic gospel and helping meet some of these needs. The foremost among these is education. From the second week of October, our co-missionaries, with the help of some high school graduates, began tutoring children in 3 locations serving about 9 communities in the area. They have been teaching basic numeracy and literacy to these children, in their heart language. We hope to properly register these tutoring groups as mission schools in the near future.
At the beginning of 2020, we were working among 5 people groups. However, due to a reduction in the number of missionaries, by the end of 2020, we were working in only 4; 3 of the old ones and 1 new one. These are the Dagomba, Chakali, Mamprusi, and Konkomba people groups respectively. During the year, we planted 4 new community fellowships (churches), 3 among the Konkombas, and 1 among the Chakali while continuing with household discipleship.
Another highlight for 2020 was the successful completion of our first mission house to provide accommodation for our co-missionaries in the Dagomba land, a predominantly Muslim community, which in itself is a testimony. Also, bringing all our co-missionaries to Accra for an annual retreat in September was another hallmark of 2020. The Lord also blessed us with a new motorbike to facilitate movement for our co-missionaries working among the Chakalis.
In 2021, we (all missionaries) are determined with the help of God to commit to being deeply rooted in Christ. We also plan with your prayer and support to invest in capacity building spiritually, intellectually, and practically to touch the hearts of more unreached people groups with the love of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our core activity is intentional, Christ-like discipleship, and we are trusting God to have at least 15 discipleship groups and 5 more community fellowships. Our hope is that we can re-engage the Kantosi people group and take the gospel to the Gonja people group.
A big goal for 2021 will also be to begin and complete two 3-classroom block structures for the literacy groups in preparation towards formalizing the school projects. The first phase of construction (to the window level) for these buildings will start in 2 weeks and end in March. We also intend to revisit the uncompleted library project for communities in the Dagomba land so the children can benefit from its operation.
We are envisaging to offer the holistic gospel in the area of neglected tropical diseases through a partnership with Sustainable Medical Missions, whose vision is to eradicate these diseases in developing countries. Our first project for tackling intestinal worm infection among children in the Konkomba communities will take place in the first quarter of 2021. In as much as our 2021 mission projections might look daunting, we are confident that with God’s help and your prayer support, we would fulfill the Great Commission in our generation and beyond.
Please pray: