July 2023 WMU around the world Ghana
Missions Discipleship

Ghana WMU: Sisters and Laborers in God’s Vineyard

June 8, 2023 /

Anowa Boison Ochire has faithfully served as the WMU national coordinator of the Ghana Baptist Convention for four years and has worked within WMU for 21 years. Anowa’s passion for missions is equally shared by our Ghanaian WMU sisters in Christ. This becomes apparent when discovering the various ways God is moving as members of Ghana WMU demonstrate what it truly means to be disciples of Jesus who live on mission.

Anowa aptly referred to 1 Corinthians 3:9 to describe the women of Ghana WMU as they consistently choose to serve God and others: “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building” (NIV).

Anowa described Ghana WMU as “the backbone of the Ghana Baptist Convention” with “its mission being missions.”

There is an opportunity for both women and children to participate throughout the four categories divided by age:

    • Women’s Missionary Society (WMS): adults older than 35
    • Baptist Young Ladies (BYL): young women between 17 and 35 who are not married or do not have children
    • Girls Auxiliary/Girls in Action (GA): girls between 10 and 16
    • Sunbeam Band: children from birth to 9 years old

Setting Captives Free

The women of Ghana WMU continue to seize opportunities for missions. They adopted ex-Trokosi girls who have been freed from enslavement at the hands of shrine priests located in a Ghanaian village. These girls suffer sexual exploitation and often give birth to the priests’ children. The women of WMU provide food and clothing and donate the equipment needed for the girls’ employment after they graduate from the Baptist Vocational Institute.

The Ghana Baptist Convention places the girls in school to give them a brighter future. WMU has also established seven schools in Mafi and one school at Prampram to give formal education to the children of the ex-Trokosi girls.

Due to financial constraints, it is difficult to continue school in another town as the children grow. Ghana WMU’s desire is to expand the primary school to both junior and senior high school.

Living Water

Ghana WMU shares the provision of literal water as well as the living water of God’s Word.

In April 2021, Ghana WMU went to Bunase, a village in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. There they discovered no access to clean water; the residents were drinking green water from a stream. Some had been drinking like this for years. Ghana WMU was able to provide them with healthy drinking water. Anowa attested that the people of Bunase eagerly accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior afterward.

April 2022 presented the opportunity to share about God’s Word and salvation. The women of Ghana WMU traveled to Kambonwuli, a village in the Volta Region in Ghana, for missions and evangelism, where they were welcomed by the chief. The people of Kambonwuli later gave their lives to Christ. According to Anowa, “This showed us that, as Jesus told His disciples, the harvest is ready, but the workers are few. We testify that the harvest is indeed ready.”

Challenges and Triumphs

With plenty of missional assignments awaiting, obstacles arise, yet God’s goodness prevails.

The WMU Retreat and Resource Center in Ejura, a town in the Ashanti Region in Ghana, lacks accommodation space; two houses were destroyed by fire in July 2022. Many women slept in the dining hall while attending the annual conference.

Despite what may appear to be a setback, the women of Ghana WMU remain triumphant. The intensity within them to serve God burns deeper than any fire. Their missions work continues, and they participated in all activities organized by the women’s department of the Baptist World Alliance and the Baptist Women’s Union of Africa.

Missions Motivated

The women of Ghana WMU press onward and remain passionate about sharing the Word of God and serving others. Their fervor for missions is displayed through their work:

    • Monthly evangelism at the association level and travels for village evangelism.
    • Established new churches with the help of the other churches: Joined the evangelism and missions department of the Ghana Baptist Convention to serve in Limbuinsi, a village in the Northern Region, revamping weaker churches and starting a new one in November 2019. Established a new church at Abriw, a town near Accra, in 2020
    • Created an audio version of the Bible in the Konkomba language, a Ghanaian dialect, through a nongovernmental organization called Theovision in 2022.

Prayer Requests

Pray the churches established by Ghana WMU would receive basic structural repairs. Anowa’s deep devotion to missions is shared by her coworkers in Christ. It is evident in her request: “Our prayer is that more women would join in evangelism and discipleship. We are also praying that our young ladies would join the WMU when it is their turn.”

Jeneé Shearin is mission strategist for Sisters Who Care and adults for WMU Virginia. She enjoys serving and connecting with the expanse of God’s kingdom.

This article was originally published in February 2023 issue of Missions Mosaic.