St. John Parish Summer Mission Appeal, 8/12-8/13/23
THIS WEEKEND WE WELCOME
Fr. Richard D. Affrim from the Diocese of Ho, Ghana
This weekend Fr. Richard D. Affrim is asking the people of our parish to support the work of the church in the Diocese of Ho, Ghana. Their mission is to bring the Gospel to people in their rural diocese by providing some of their needs.
About the Diocese of Ho
The Diocese of Ho is one of the 20 archdioceses and dioceses in Ghana. It is located mainly in the Volta Region with some portions of the Eastern and Oti Region of Ghana. It covers ten Administrative Districts of the Volta Region.
The Diocese covers a total land area of 5,893 square kilometers. It is divided into thirty parishes. The socio-economic life of the people in the Ho Diocese is very poor. The biggest obstacle is the lack of funds; there are only some clerical workers in the towns. The principal occupation of the villagers is agriculture, mainly subsistence farming, with a good deal of petty-trading involving 70% of the population. The population of Ho Diocese is 790,000 and the total population of Ghana is 30,000,000. There are no manufacturing industries and no factories in the diocese.
The Diocese of Ho has drawn up a ten-year strategic development plan for the people beginning in 2017.
Challenges Faced
Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic had brought new emergency needs which must be attended to so as to alleviate the suffering of our people. Due to the pandemic, many of our people have lost their means of livelihood with the result that they cannot provide for themselves and their families’ needs. Paramount among these needs are healthcare and education.
Many children have not been able to return to school. We are trying to support them with local contributions. Hopefully, with the support of the outcome of this Mission Appeal, our help will reach more people. We have provided for the cost of basic necessities like nutritional supplements and clothing for needy families.
What YOUR HELP Will Do
We oversee educational services and materials for young children. We sponsor the training/education of nurses to serve in our health facilities in remote and deprived villages after graduation. We give them partial support during their first year in the field.
With your support through Mission Appeal, we also want to continue our efforts to provide the chance to children to be exposed to computer literacy. We sponsor the education of a few poor but talented children, and we try to help villages with water problems.
THANK YOU!
We continue to be grateful to the Mission Office of the Diocese of Lansing for their readiness to partner with our diocese in our Evangelizing Mission.
Please use the Mission co-operative envelopes this weekend, or take one home and bring it back next weekend with your gift. The Mission Office of your Diocese will forward your donations directly to the Diocese of Ho for their use.
Please be as generous as you are able.
God Bless You!!
Fr. Richard D. Affrim