Dear Friends,
As we conclude our prayer series for scholars from Anglophone Africa, we invite you to pray with us for Raymond Ayayee in Ghana.
Located along the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, Ghana is known for its rich mineral reserves and diverse geography, ranging from tropical rainforests to grassy savannahs. According to a 2021 census, 71% of Ghana’s 34 million people identify as Christians and 20% as Muslims, while 3% follow traditional faiths. Amid surging inflation (reaching 54%), unsustainable public debt (swelling to 88% of the GDP), and alarming depreciation of the cedi (by over 55%) last year, Ghana secured a $3 billion (USD) loan this May from the International Monetary Fund. Last month, hundreds protested in Accra, the capital, over high living costs, lack of jobs, and government corruption. According to the International Labor Organization, 12% of Ghanaian young people are unemployed while another 65% are underemployed.
Raymond is pursuing a PhD in Theology at Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture in Ghana. His research focuses on holistic discipleship and missions. Raymond will assess the legacy of parachurch organizations in Ghana and identify effective models for promoting spiritual and sociocultural transformation in African contexts. Since 2003, Raymond has worked with the Great Commission Movement of Ghana, a ministry of Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ International), and currently serves as the National Leader of Campus Ministries. Raymond and his wife Esther, who is also a missionary with Great Commission, live with their son Josh and daughter Aseye in Kumasi, Ghana.
Raymond shares the following message:
Dear Praying Partner,
We are glad to connect with you through this avenue. We praise God for you in your labor of sacrifice, cheerful giving, and prayers.
Over the last few months, my focus has been on completing archival research on a major parachurch group in Africa, headquartered in Orlando, Florida. I also completed a research residency at Asbury Theological Seminary (KY), where I worked on chapters dealing with Gospel engagement with the core of culture – that is, with worldviews, beliefs, and ideologies (e.g., neoliberalism, secularism, postmodernism, etc.) that influence various social institutions, such as the family, the economy, education, and politics, across countries. These are some essential areas that require urgent attention in holistic disciple-making, in both my local context and the global scene.
Praises and Prayer Requests
1. Please join me in thanking God for His care for and preservation of my family.
2. Join me in thanking God for the provision and hospitality I received during my research trips. May the Lord remember and replenish all who contributed to the success stories of the past few months.
3. Please pray that my family and I will remain in good health. Pray for serenity for me to complete the remaining parts of my research in good time.
4. Pray that Ghana will remain peaceful. Pray for God’s help amid recent insurgencies and military coups in West Africa.
Raymond Ayayee