Uniting Hearts and Changing Lives in Ghana

Story by Liz Bailey

In late 2025, a mission team from the Mountain View Conference (MVC) and the Columbia Union Conference participated in an overseas medical and evangelistic outreach that left a lasting impact on both the community they served and the team members themselves.

The group included six pastors from the MVC: Walter Cardenas, Steward Pepper, Jonathan Ryan, Eddie Reyes, Heroes Sical and Jeremy Garlock— along with the youngest participant, 11-year-old Kai, Garlock’s daughter. Joining them were Columbia Union President Marcellus T. Robinson, Treasurer Emmanuel Asiedu and Assistant to the President for Evangelism José D. Espósito. Together with a medical team, they formed a diverse group united by a shared commitment to mission.

The journey began in Accra, followed by an eight-hour drive to the team’s final destination, Nkoranza. Along the way, the group experienced Ghana’s lush, green tropical landscape. They also enjoyed local cuisine and tropical fruits rarely found in the United States.

Each morning, the team operated a community medical clinic that served hundreds of local residents. Many who came had limited access to health care, and the clinic provided much-needed medical attention, compassion and hope. This practical ministry helped build trust within the community and prepared hearts for the spiritual outreach that followed.

In the evenings, evangelistic meetings were held in open-air settings. Community members gathered nightly to hear the Word of God, with attendance remaining strong throughout the eight-day series. Each pastor had the opportunity to preach, and they say the response from the community was both enthusiastic and deeply moving.

At the conclusion of the meetings, nearly 200 individuals chose to publicly commit their lives to Christ through baptism. In a powerful expression of unity and shared service, the pastors from the MVC entered the water to assist with the baptisms— an unforgettable moment for both the candidates and the team.

Kai states that one of her favorite parts of the mission trip was seeing the monkeys. “But my biggest blessing,” states Kai, “was seeing all the people getting baptized at the end of our meetings!”

The other team members agree with Kai, adding that the Ghanaians made a deep impression on them. Despite facing many limitations, community members consistently displayed joy, warmth and contentment. Their smiles, strong sense of family, and appreciation for life stood as a powerful testimony of faith and resilience.

“The trip strengthened relationships among the team members and renewed their passion for service,” says Sical, pastor of the Lewisburg, Marlinton, Rainelle and Lewisburg Spanish churches. “Participants returned home inspired, grateful and deeply aware of the privilege of serving the Lord overseas.”