MEET THE LATEST "FIVE-STAR GENERAL"

The news:
Last November I received a call from Ghana that I had been selected for an award to be presented later that month. "An award, by who and for what?" I queried.

Christian Awards Trust (C. A. T) is the name of the organization. The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost stood in to receive the award on my behalf at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Please find below the citation.
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CHRISTIAN AWARDS TRUST

        APOSTLE DR MICHAEL NTUMY

 

IS HEREBY DECORATED WITH




  5 - STAR   GENERAL OF THE GOSPEL

          

FOR BEING A MISSIONARY WHO ENDURED LIFE-THREATENING HARDSHIPS FOR THE SAKE OF

THE GOSPEL DURING THE CIVIL WAR IN LIBERIA.

HE STOOD FOR CHRIST DURING HIS DETENTION AT “FLAMINGO-THE CAMP OF NO RETURN” 

AND FAITHFULLY SERVED THE LORD. 

AND ALSO FOR HIS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS GLOBAL EVANGELIZATION AND

THE PROMOTION OF CHRISTIAN VALUES ACROSS THE REGIONS OF GHANA, AFRICA AND THE

REST OF THE WORLD AS EVIDENT TO ALL DURING HIS TENURE OF OFFICE AS THE CHAIRMAN 

OF THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST, HENCE HIS MERIT OF THIS AWARD.

 

           23^RD NOVEMBER 2013          INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER, ACCRA. GHANA


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A RECAP OF OUR YEARS IN LIBERIA

The citation made reference to my ministry during the war in Liberia. I present here a brief account for the sake of those who may not have heard or read about it from my book, "FLAMINGO, The Camp of No Return"

Late Pres. Samuel Doe of  Liberia

We were posted to Liberia in 1988 as missionaries and stationed in Buchanan City. The following year the rebel war started in that country. As the war approached, the church bought us airtickets to leave the country at once because it would be too dangerous to stay on. However, upon prayerful consideration, my wife and I decided to stay on, judging that people would need their pastors more in such crises times than normal times.

The Lone Star, Flag of Liberia

Prince Johnson, captured and killed Doe

Charles Taylor, architect of the war

When West African countries sent in a peace-keeping force called ECOMOG, Charles Taylor's rebels who felt that ECOMOG was going to hinder them from overthrowing the government, arrested citizens of countries which had contributed troops to the peace-keeping force. 

Consequently, about 2,800 Ghanaians, Nigerians, Sierra Leoneans and Guineans were arrested and conveyed to Flamingo Camp, dubbed "The Camp of No Return." Many of our compatriots were executed and hundreds died of acute starvation. With the permission of the Base Commander, and together with other pastors we organized prayer meetings on a football field. We prayed, wept and supplicated for our lives before the Throne of Grace. We exhorted, encouraged, and strengthened our compariots, keeping faith and hope alive.

Besides, the LORD gave me the courage to venture outside to my fellow captives to secretly witness about Christ, winning very many to Christ. My message was simple: "You saw how our colleagues were killed recently and have seen how others die daily. Where would you spend eternity if we are all killed tomorrow?" Through this means, we won more people than in my entire missionary work in Liberia in times of peace. I devised a very special way of baptizing converts. We would ask permission to go and wash down in the nearby Wantou River. Moving from one baptismal candidate to another as though we were playing water games, I would grab one convert at a time, pray and then immerse him.

Many people died in Flamingo Camp; many were killed, many suffered multiple reverses in life but for many others, "The Camp of No Return" was the genesis of their spiritual journey with Jesus Christ. All of these took place in the heart of the dense forest of Lower Nimba County in North-Eastern Liberia --- away from public view        

It amazes me that after about 23 years, the world should remember and give me an award for this. Sure, I did not do this to catch anybody's eyes. I only did what seemed to me as the best thing to do at that time.

The lessons reinforced in me are

• Even if men, who are proned to forget, remembered what the LORD used us to do, how much more would God not remember our labor of love done for Him
• Even men will not always forget
• We cannot beat God in giving. It is an indisputable fact that nothing we do for God can compare to what God has done for us through Christ Jesus. Notwithstanding, God still blesses us for those little, incomparably insignificant, things we do for Him. 
•   Beloved, let us continue to serve our King  with grateful hearts for in due season, we shall receive, not trophies and titles given by men but, INCORRUPTIBLE REWARDS, CROWNS GIVEN BY THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

COME, WRITE A BOOK WITH ME

Recently an idea dawned on me to publish a book out of my blog postings. This book would be  mostly pictorial and aims at telling the story of  how I confront my current handicap condition on a weekly basis.
Just waiting for unknown hours, days, months and even years for your miracle would seem to be a heavier burden than the condition itself. Many give up their faith in God, others simply give up  on life while many lose even the will to live.
Many of those who want to keep hanging on, holding on and fighting on do not actually know what to do while waiting.
What you do during the intervening period between your present and your miracle is of crucial importance. What about those who are not expecting a miracle of any sort; what should they be doing or how should they be spending the rest of their lives until the inevitable happens?



I think to some extent my blog postings over the past two years seem to respond to these questions. What I need now is to INVITE YOU TO BE MY CO-AUTHOR. I would like to request you to contribute a few lines for inclusion in the book by responding to these questions:

1. How did you feel when you heard the news of the paralysis of Apostle Ntumy?
2. What was your prayer for him?
3. Do you have a word of encouragement for him?
4. Have you learnt any lessons about the Christian life from his life or situation?


 Please take note of the following:

• Your response should reach me by 15th February
• You may respond to ALL or ANY of the questions
• Your response should not be more than 5 lines per question
• You may write your full name or initials and your town/city and country
• Please send me your response through this email address: apostlentumy@gmail.com
• I will shortlist your responses and include as much of it as possible in the book. In this way you will become a co-author with me

Please share this with your friends who are standing with us in prayer. I look forward to having you as my co-author.
BLESSINGS
 

UNITED KINGDOM RAISES THE CURTAIN

Praise God for another year

By the great grace of God, we have been safely seen through 2013. Just like many other people, there were many occasions bright and fair which glittered our paths, including visiting Ghana for the first time in five years. The going had not been entirely rosy but through it all the LORD took our hands and led us safely through into this brand new year.

At this time it is my greatest joy to pause and say THANK YOU for your massive prayer and moral support as I traverse this difficult phase of my life. Let us continue to hold on tenaciously to the LORD and to one another knowing that in Him, through Him and with Him, victory is assured.

L-R Mrs Martha Ntumy, Elder Obeng Gyasi and his wife, Gifty

Dr Gamael and I on an evening walk

An excited Dr Gamael

Our last visitors towards the end of the year, like previous ones, were a blessing. Elder Michael Obeng Gyasi, Presiding Elder of Emmanuel English Assembly and Manager of Accra Mall Forex Bureau. He visited with his wife Gifty on their return from a tour of the Holy Land. They are a very pleasant couple, open to the LORD and radiant in the faith.

 After them came our son, Dr Gamael Koizan, a medical doctor in Ivory Coast. Gamael was eleven years old when his
father, COP Pastor Raoul Koizan (Rtd), brought him to live with us to start Secondary School. That was in 1991 when I was serving as COP National of Ivory Coast. Young Gamael was an extremely brilliant chap, one of the top ten of his age-group in the nation. I looked straight into his eyes and said, "This is the home of champions; you will become a medical doctor." Twelve years later, that dream was realized. He got married to the only other person who passed out as a medical student that year. Dr Joan D'Arc, his wife is also a COP member and daughter of Mr and Mrs Kouao, our closest private friends in RCI. Dr Gamael is now Deputy National Director of a U.N medical organ while his wife bears the same title in the UN Food Programme. It was a pleasure having him and share reminiscences of those earlier years.

Dr Gamael and I arriving from town

A FRIEND, COLLEAGUE AND IN-LAW GOES HOME

Apostle Dr Emmanuel Owusu Bediako

Apostle Dr Emmanuel Owusu Bediako, the COP National Head of Canada went home to be with the LORD late last month in Houston, USA. After a protracted bout with an unidentified illness, he was flown from Canada, his duty station, to Houston where he passed away after a couple of months. He was 59.

My first meeting with him is still fresh in my mind. We had just returned to Ghana in 1991 from Liberia where we had been taken hostage by Charles Taylor's NPFL rebels for nearly six months in Flamingo Camp, dubbed the "Camp of No Return." The Church of Pentecost and others had fervently interceded for us. When my whole family returned unscathed it made national news in Ghana. Our churches, home and abroad wanted to see us; to see the evidence of their prayers. That was how we factored a visit to the US in our plan.

Apostle Bediako and his wife, Faustina

When we arrived in Washington we met the then Pastor Emmanuel Bediako for the first time, a tall, handsomely-built giant of a man. His over-towering and elegant personality notwithstanding, he was very soft-spoken, a calculated man, humble-looking and of a shy-looking disposition. He had given up his lucrative post as Manager in one of the leading banks in the U.S to answer God's call to become a Pastor. Our chemistry clicked and we became instant friends. His wife, Faustina, and I  became "siblings" for which Pastor Bediako and I fondly addressed each other as "Akonta," meaning, "Brother-in-law."

The annual General Council Meetings of the church afforded us the opportunity of meeting periodically until year 2000 when we met in Los Angeles, he as Western Regional Head and I as Chairman. Two years later, he accepted the missionary call, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and was stationed in Germany as National Head of COP. The fruit of his apostolic ministry is still evident for all to see. The church almost tripled in membership and in the number of congregations. All these besides, during his tenure of office, the church bought the magnificent building which houses the COP Germany National office as well as the Hamburg Central Assembly and the residence of the National Head, among others.

The Church of Pentecost National office Building and Hamburg Central Assembly

While in Germany, our gallant colleague was given apostolic oversight over the COP churches in the Far East, a duty which he discharged very well.

In an amazing play-out of the sovereignty of God, the year he was being transferred from Germany was also the year I was ending my second and final term of office as Chairman of COP. In that year, 2008, I was transferred to replace him in Germany he was recalled to the US. As the sovereignty of God would have it, after just one year in the US, he was transferred to head the church in Canada in 2009

The Church of Pentecost National office building in Toronto, Canada

The LORD brought our two families even closer when my son, Dr Emmanuel Ntumy-Mensah wedded their daughter, Dr Christina Bediako in 2010. Our relationship thus progressed from being friends, colleagues in ministry to that of being in-laws!

Perhaps one of the reasons why many regret the death of our beloved apostle is that in May 2013, at the COP General Council Meeting in Ghana, he was elected member of the esteemed nine-member Executive Council of the church. He could not attend their induction into office in August, only to pass away after four months.

The International Executive Council of COP. Apostle Dr Bediako is standing third from left

By his demise, COP has lost a spiritual stalwart; a dynamic apostle with deep prophetic revelation; an insightful teacher; a seasoned missionary; a caring pastor; an accomplished scholar and author.

A book authored by Ap Bediako

On behalf of the NTUMY FAMILY, I extend our deepest condolences to Mrs Faustina Bediako, Dr Christie and her siblings- Esther, Portia and Eunice; to the aged mother of the late apostle, his siblings, as well as the extended family members in Ghana and abroad. Our condolences also go to the churches in Canada and the US. May you all be strengthened in the LORD.

Apostle Dr E Owusu, National Head, USA

We salute the gallantry of Apostle Dr Owusu, National Head of COP, USA and his team for rising up  to the occasion during the hospitalization and funeral of our colleague. To all others, thank you for your prayer and moral support. May God bless you all.

GOD PROVIDES

Pastor Ben and Mrs M. Mensah

God's providential care is one of His doings which never ceases to amaze us. Although He sometimes stretches our faith to the last minute, at the nick of time He intervenes to provide for our needs, even for those things we did not know were going to be needed by us. And that was how He has amazed us by the provision of people around us to offer me some of the essential support I need.
Pastor Osahene Amankwatia Boateng, then District Pastor of Hamburg North, and our children Mike and Joanna, were the main people who helped me with my home physio and ergo therapies, transfer and other manipulations I undertake aside the official, professional ones.

Mike and his sister, Joanna Ntumy

Last September however, Pastor Osahene Amankwatia Boateng was transferred from Hamburg to serve as Area Head while Mike left for university. 

Joanna and I

The onus then fell on 17-year old Joanna (and of course my wife whose help cuts across board) to help me out. One night as I saw her struggling through to help me, I told her, "Maame Jo'  I appreciate all your services. I pray for God's intervention to heal me and bring an end to all your hard labours." Then she replied, "Yes, that is the prayer of us all. But Daddy, I want to assure you that although sometimes it is hard on me, it is not a burden at all. At the time of the testimony, I wish to be able to proudly say, 'I did my part.' I think it is only then that I can truly share in the joy."  That was the resolve of the characteristically calculated and philosophical teenage daughter and it was powerful enough to silence me.

God had made provisions to bail out my dear wife and a determined Joanna. To replace Pastor Amankwatia Boateng was the newly transferred Pastor Ben Mensah who willingly, lovingly and conscientiously stepped into the shoes of his predecessor. He drives me out for my external therapies and other duties I have to attend to. Pastor Mensah is doing very well.

Pastor Ben Mensah and I returning home after one of our usual rounds

Bro G Afrifa

Dn P Aninakwa

Then out of the blue emerged two gentlemen, Deacon Patrick Aninakwa and Brother George Afrifa, who volunteered to come home every night to help with my home therapies. It is amazing to see these men at work as we do standing, "Johnny-walking," body-building, chest-expansion and many other therapeutic manipulations.

Bro Afrifa, left, and Dn Aninakwa

16-year old Abigail takes her turn with joy

17-year old Emmanuel

Then to join the Ntumy Family came Emmanuel and his sister Abigail, aged 17 and 16 respectively. These siblings are the children of one of our Pastors whom we took in. They happily requested Joanna to coach them regarding the therapies and tranfers. It is a delight to watch these youngsters mobilizing, massaging, twisting, turning and transferring me while asking various questions or sharing various things.

Our new family members, Emmanuel and Abigail, with Joanna in the middle. Young but dedicated. bless them daily

You see, the coming together and availability of these loved ones may sound very trivial to some people but to us, we see them as God's providence. For Martha and I, as we sit back and reflect over these and other things, we are amazed at how much God cares and how graciously He provides. We unwaveringly conclude that if God meticulously programmed for even these little but essential things, He has done the same for all other situations and circumstances in our lives. In His own good time, He will make manifest these provisions to meet our every need. Patience is the key.

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My new team L-R, Emmanuel, Patrick, Joanna, Abigail and George.