Members of Tarentum, Brackenridge churches deliver ‘seeds of friendship’ on mission trip to Ghana

Members of two local churches are on a mission nearly 5,400 miles across the globe to deliver “seeds of friendship” in the form of eyeglasses, jump ropes and produce.

A group of eight congregants from Abundant Joy Fellowship in Tarentum and Generations House of Worship in Brackenridge recently traveled to Ghana for an excursion of love and fellowship. They arrived safely for a 16-day stay.

“People from America going there, it gives them joy and hope,” said Samson Ampofo, a West African native who lives in Apollo. “It helps them feel like they’re OK, like they are loved.

“Sometimes people just want to be asked how they are doing.”

Ampofo, 34, is a member of Abundant Joy, along East First Avenue. He left Ghana three years ago and is leading the group of friends on their trip to Tamale, the third-largest city in Ghana with a population of about 730,000.

Others on the team include Abundant Joy Pastor Cathy Blythe; Amana and Brenae Briggs; Judy Pizzuto; and Brett, Tonya and Nazareth Weaver.

“It is our goal to invade Ghana with God’s love and joy,” Blythe said.

The whirlwind itinerary will find the group visiting schoolchildren and serving local villages in the day, and working at the Yendi Kids Camp to teach Bible lessons. At night, they will connect with missionaries to learn how Americans can continue to support efforts.

They’ll team with Susie Briscoe, a pastor from Missouri, who serves as a full-time faith missionary among the Dagomba people. Licensed and ordained through the Independent Assemblies Fellowship, Briscoe and her family do pastoral training and church building.

The group didn’t go empty-handed.

They met beforehand to stuff their luggage with special treats for children, including baby clothes, handcrafted bracelets and jump ropes made from old T-shirts.

“We’re also taking suitcases full of prescription glasses,” Blythe said.

Terry Snider of Mission Vision provided equipment called ClickCheck that can tell someone’s prescription with the press of a button.

“It’s pretty cool,” Blythe said, noting that the group will distribute about 2,000 pairs of glasses.

They also took vegetable seeds harvested from the Greg Blythe Friendship Community Garden near Dreshar Stadium.

“We’ll give them to local farmers and families — seeds of friendship,” she said.

Brett Weaver, a member of both churches, had no hesitation about traveling afar, despite the conflicts unraveling in other parts of the world. However, that was before the Israeli government formally declared war to retaliate against Hamas for its surprise attack that killed 1,100 and wounded thousands.

“I’m excited. I have no fear about being in another country,” said Weaver of Harrison.

Blythe confirmed by email last week that the group is safe and has no concerns about being overseas.

“Our main mission is to tell people about Jesus and that they are loved,” Weaver said.

“When poverty comes into play, I think hopelessness takes root. Maybe they think you have to do something special for Him to love them, but He made us all important, and I want to preach that.”