Author Archives: Ash Zook

Clean Water and Living Water – gifts that are changing Chaagbuni

The village of Chaagbuni, Ash with Dokugiku, children who will benefit from clean water and the gospel in Chaagbuni, testing the new clean water, the Chaagbuni water project. Dokugiku from Chaagbuni is a sub-chief in his village.  Years ago, he converted to Islam and brought Muslim teachers from Tamale to Chaagbuni to instruct the peopleContinue reading “Clean Water and Living Water – gifts that are changing Chaagbuni”

YLI reaches Burkina Faso – Isaac disciples young village leaders

YLI Coach Isaac Gyesaw has been with YLI since 2002. Ever since I met Isaac he has been discipling young people in Ghana’s more developed and Christianized city, Kumasi. Over the years he has met with numerous young leaders for discipleship and taught as many YLI conferences as anyone else in our ministry.  But theContinue reading “YLI reaches Burkina Faso – Isaac disciples young village leaders”

YLI Trained Leaders – Elijah of Kintampo

  I met my friend Elijah in 2010 during YLI training in the town of Kintampo.  Over the following year I kept hearing reports from the coaches about this Elijah from Kintampo who was seeing amazing ministry as he lived out our teaching on love evangelism and deep discipleship. Elijah is an auto mechanic andContinue reading “YLI Trained Leaders – Elijah of Kintampo”

YLI Trained Leaders – Bossman and Samuel

  Almost a decade ago, Yeboah Bossman felt called by God to start a church in the midst of a community of northern immigrants who had moved south to his town of Sunyani to seek a better life.  The community, nicknamed “Angola,” was notorious for alcoholism, drug abuse, poverty and sexual promiscuity. Bossman and hisContinue reading “YLI Trained Leaders – Bossman and Samuel”

Abukari from Komlanyili – from defender to disciple

I wasn’t introduced to Abukari the first time I visited Komlanyili, but I couldn’t help noticing him. His imposing presence stood between us and the children of the village. His protectiveness was understandable–as far as I know, we were the first non-Africans to visit their village. Komlanyili’s chief had invited us to come after seeingContinue reading “Abukari from Komlanyili – from defender to disciple”

A YLI trained Timothy grows into a paul

For Isaac to travel from Kumasi to Navrongo, he must commit to a long journey by bus that takes as long as it takes me to travel to Ghana—except he doesn’t have the luxuries of air-conditioning, movies, or airline cuisine. Relatively speaking, it costs more for Isaac to travel to Navrongo than for me toContinue reading “A YLI trained Timothy grows into a paul”

Empowering Leaders Through Basketball and Love

Because Vincent dedicated two years to training his coaches and lovingly pouring his life into them, the coaches are ready to replicate the basketball ministry in other areas of Kumasi. Vincent Asamoah, YLI’s national coordinator in Ghana, started a basketball outreach in Kumasi in 2009. For almost two years, there were no kids in the program. NoContinue reading “Empowering Leaders Through Basketball and Love”

Coaching Conference: Empowering Young Leaders

Thanks for your patience. It’s been four days since I arrived in Ghana and this is my first update. Our Coaching Conference started as soon as I arrived at the Kumasi airport Friday night. Vincent, Naomi and Tettey were waiting for me at baggage claim. One thing I love about our people is the completeContinue reading “Coaching Conference: Empowering Young Leaders”

Today’s trip to Ghana and Coaching Conference News

I’m flying to Ghana today for my 20th visit since 2006.  This first of five 2012 trips was happily delayed by the healthy birth of Timothy Zook on January 8th.  Carrie, Katie and John Mark are doing well which allows my heart to be at rest for the next twelve days.  They are so thankfulContinue reading “Today’s trip to Ghana and Coaching Conference News”