Bush Burning

We sit here in Tamale on this December 22 morning with 99% of our furniture moved to the Buipe house yesterday. We thank God that the move went well and now for the hard part of getting everything into its place. Hopefully by Christmas day it will feel somewhat organized.


As we drive the picture above is a common site. The rains ceased two months ago and everything is dry and the cultural practice is to burn all of the dry brush. The resulting smoke coupled with the Harmatan dust from the Sahara Desert really causes problems with our respiratory systems.


We have just a few more days to move the remaining items to Buipe before our lease is up December 31st.


It definitely looks different than Christmas in the states.


We wish you a very blessed Merry Christmas. 


Sustained by your prayers.


Terry and Amy Ruff

WOW! Is God amazing or what?!!!!

David & Barbara Kalb (left), Austin (Center), Amy & Terry Ruff (Right)

One of the many wonderful meetings we had while in the states was with the partnership pictured above that God has been putting together for the past three years now. When Amy and I arrived in Ghana three years ago, some of the first people we met were David and Barbara Kalb while visiting friends in Accra. David was a Professor at Ghana Christian University College, recently retiring after 30 years of service. A little over a year ago, David, Barbara and Abu, working among the Mamprusi people, came to our house in Tamale to meet with us and Isaac. The Kalbs were planning on moving to the north upon their return from a US furlough to work with the evangelists they had recruited over the 30 years David was professor. While in the US David experienced some additional health issues which has prevented them from moving back to Ghana but they still want to be involved in what God is doing. So they have asked us to train and oversee the men they have been working with in the Northern Region until Austin finishes his studies at Cincinnati Christian University sometime around May or June of 2012.


Below are some stats concerning the people groups where their evangelists are currently working. Their evangelists are already working with 9 of the 22 unreached people groups left in Ghana located in the northern region. All of these tribes learn orally and a very small percentage of their population can read and write.


People                         Pop                Religion               % Christian


Gonja                    268,000            Islam                     <5%
Hausa                    224,000            Islam                     <5%
Frafra (Farefare)     865,000         Ethnic Religion            11.3%
(Mossi)(Moore)        358,000         Ethnic Religion            >5%
Kusasi                    489,000         Ethnic Religion            >5%
Bimoba (Moba)        233,000         Ethnic Religion            <5%
Konkomba              596,000         Ethnic Religion            >5%
Ewe                     2,681,000          Christianity               >5%
Mamprusi                256,000         Ethnic Religion            <5%
Dagomba                866,000            Islam                     <5%
Kasem                    151,000        Ethnic Religion             >5%


             Total      6,987,000


Can you tell we are excited? Maybe that is why Satan has been attacking so strongly lately.


Sustained by your prayers!


May God be glorified!


Terry and Amy Ruff

Please Pray For Isaac During This Tragedy

Please join with us in a time of fasting and prayer.

I talked to Isaac this morning and just received this email.

1. A family received the Lord in a village called Shaibu-pe and died the following day, about 9 people. This is an account of the deaths.
3. One of the new converts from Kadelso went to his people in a village called Shaibu-pe and announced Christ to them by telling stories that he has also been hearing. The family of eight, all Gonjas and one Sisaala man and two Fulanis accepted the message and asked for a church to be started in their village.
5. The following morning the woman of the house was cooking beans and went down to the river to wash a few clothes as they lived very close to the river. Then she sent a nine year old boy to put salt pitre in the food. Where the salt pitre was, was also the powdered form of a chemical that is used to kill rats and insects. The child by mistake put this chemical in the food thinking it was the salt pitre (salt pitre is a product that is alkalinic in nature that makes hard foods like beans cook faster). The family came and ate and were all poisoned. They were rushed to the hospital where eight died. Three are still at the hospital, but in coma. Among those in coma is a nursing mother with about seven month old baby.
7. The guy who took the gospel to them is also a member of that family but he lives in Kadelso about three kilometers away. He was also served the food but before he returned from the farm to eat his food the people were already dying so he sensed the danger was in the food and did not eat.
9. We are visiting those in coma at the hospital.
11. It is sad but God is still good. Our visits and love we show make people to see and talk about the love of God displayed through the believers.
13. Pray with us as usual.
15. Isaac