A question posed by his family’s pastor led the president of Ghana to examine his faith.
“He asked why I always come and drop the family off (at church), and drive off. Where do I go?” President John Dramani Mahama told reporters during a one-day visit to Springfield on Thursday.
He remembered the pastor, Ernest Kwadwo Agyei, said, “You’re going to drop them off at the gates of heaven and you’re going to pull the other way. It sent me thinking, and everything else is history.”
Mahama, now a member of the Assemblies of God headquartered in Springfield, said his faith gives him “the confidence to go forward.”
Mahama was in Springfield to speak at the Assemblies of God Centennial celebration, which held its kickoff service Thursday night. Agyei, his pastor, was also in attendance. The centennial celebration coincided with the first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which Mahama attended in Washington, D.C., this week.
President of Ghana since January 2013, Mahama said, “It’s a very stressful job, but knowing that God guides your steps and you have a family like the Assemblies of God behind you really is a comfort.”
In his speech to the thousands of attendees packed into JQH Arena, he expressed thanks to the Assemblies of God for sending missionaries and establishing churches in his country.
Mahama said the Assemblies of God is one of the largest Christian churches in Ghana, and it continues to grow. The Assemblies of God has over 67 million adherents, and over 17 million live in Africa.
“I liken it to the biological process of seed dispersal,” he said. “We have junior pastors who move off and found new churches and bring in more converts to the church.”
He said not only has the church affected the country spiritually, but he cited its humanitarian work in poverty interventions, health care and education.
Mahama also talked with reporters about what he called a historic meeting in Washington. The goal of the meeting was to strengthen the relationships between the U.S. and African countries.
“If we come away from this summit understanding each other better it will be a good outcome, and I guess that the last three days in Washington have made us understand each other better, Americans and Africans,” he said.
Mahama said he is keenly aware of the recent Ebola outbreak, thought it has not affected his country. Ghana is in western Africa, near the regions where nearly 1,000 people have died from the virus since March. Mahama said an outbreak could potentially affect Ghana as Ghanaians often travel throughout that region. Isolation areas have been established and protective clothing for medical workers is ready for use, he said.
“We are prepared, and indeed we’ve been working on our national response actively,” he said.
At the Assemblies of God kickoff event, Mahama said he draws strength from God every day. He attributed his success to his faith.
“What do you have that you have not received from God?”
Referring to the Assemblies of God, Mahama said, “I’m a proud member of this family.
“Long live the Assemblies of God church worldwide, indeed great things (God) has done and greater things he will do.”
