By Lee Ranney
Lives throughout West Africa are being changed because Sam Dunya is obeying God’s call.
Sam grew up in Ghana, West Africa, the grandson of a village chief. In Ghana, a village chief is responsible for upholding and enforcing the worship of ancestors and idols. Sam’s father was next in line to become the chief, but he ran away instead to avoid taking on those oppressive duties.
Sam’s father met a missionary from Scotland who told him of Jesus’ power to save, deliver and protect from evil. He became a believer in Jesus Christ and worked with missionaries to plant churches throughout Ghana.
It was into this life that Sam was born. “I grew up going to church,” he said, “and at the age of seven, gave my life to the Lord.” One day during a Sunday School lesson, Sam learned that salvation was not transferrable through his father’s faith or family line. “I wasn’t a Christian just because my dad was. I needed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and I began to lead a life of obedience to Christ.”
Sam went to college in Ghana, studying business administration, but God led him back to work in a church in Ghana where he led the youth ministry and planted three churches. It was during this time that someone introduced Sam to Youth with a Mission (YWAM). He completed the YWAM Discipleship Training school in Ghana and received an invitation to join Mercy Ships in their mission to provide medical care to people in need. He served on board for two years where he met his wife, Jonhild.
“While serving on the ship, God made my calling more clear,” Sam said. He was convinced that God wanted him to share the Gospel with the people of Ghana and plant churches. But he knew he needed more training. Someone recommended a school in Bloomington, Minnesota, and it was through that school that Sam became connected to Wooddale Church.
Making an Impact as a Global Partner
As a Wooddale Church global partner, Sam’s ministry now includes:
· An elementary school
· A vocational school
· GlobeServe College of Missions and Seminary, training 200 pastors
· 609 church plants in Ghana, Togo and Liberia
· 205 wells dug providing good drinking water to approximately 450,000 people in Ghana
· Feeding centers established to provide food to 25,000 children in northern Ghana
· Mosquito nets provided to 45,000 families
This month the kids in our Vacation Bible School (VBS) at Eden Prairie and Edina are being encouraged to donate $4,000 for the purchase of mosquito nets through Sam’s ministry to help save the lives of other kids. For more information on Sam’s ministry, visit www.globeserveministries.org.
