The Columbus Ghanaian congregation started looking for a place to worship in 2001. The Lord rewarded the members beyond expectation for their prayers and patience with a desirable plot of land and started constructing their new facility in April 2002. With assistance from Maranatha Volunteers International, the church saved $50,000 on foundation and roofing. Members also gave more than $300,000 in cash to support the project, with many sacrificially donating as much as $7,000 each, even though they earned less than $10 an hour. By God’s grace, they finished the building and opened it for service in October 2002.
Through the help of the Ohio Conference, they contracted a loan from the Columbia Union Revolving Fund for the balance of funds needed. The following year, the church saw the need to expand the property and contracted another loan of $160,000, making their total debt $449,000. Nonetheless, by members’ faith and faithfulness, they never defaulted in their loan payments.
“In the past three years, several of our members left our church for greener pastures while others left because of immigration issues,” shares Pastor Isaac Boateng. “Humanly speaking, some of us were very discouraged, but the Lord wanted us to know that it is not by might nor by power but by His Spirit. The 40-plus people who left challenged us to be on our knees and ask the Lord for guidance and directions.”
At the end of 2010, the Columbus Ghanaian members were left with $189,000 on their mortgage. At a church business meeting, they decided to pay off the mortgage in two years. By 2011 the members paid more than $100,000 toward the balance, and earlier this year raised more than $70,000 to satisfy the loans. “The Lord in His mercies has demonstrated to us that this church belongs to Him, and if we depend on Him and trust Him, ‘mountains will turn to plain lands,’” concludes Pastor Boateng.