At the beginning of the 1980’s a ship with a Ghanese crew came into severe trouble during a heavy storm, close to the coast of America. Water was entering the ship and it was in danger of sinking. Other nearby ships were in problems too and the  coast guard tried to help the ships by sending helicopters, which lowered pumps onto the ships’ decks.

However, the storm was extremely heavy and one of the helicopters even crashed onto a ship’s deck. Time after time the attempt to drop a pump onto the ship with the Ghanese crew failed. In the end, in desperate need, the crew called out to God and promised to serve Him, if He would bring them safely through. Finally they were able to grab a pump the fifth time the helicopter dropped one, enabling them to pump the water out of the ship and safely continue their journey.

Building work near the meeting hall in Takoradi, Ghana in 2007.

After this event the ship sailed to the Netherlands and anchored in a shipyard in the village of Bolnes, close to the church in Rotterdam, to have the storm damage repaired. The crew came in contact with our church and an appointment was made to show them the film “The Deep calleth to the Deep” on the ship.

On seeing the film, the crew of the ship was deeply impressed by the ministry of Brother Branham. Seeing the Holy Spirit discerning the sicknesses and the secrets of the heart through Brother Branham, they became very enthusiastic. Following this many of the crew visited the church in Rotterdam. They witnessed of what they had gone through and told about the promise they had made to God. More than ten of them were baptized in the church, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Harry van der Stel has been in Ghana several times, on missionary trips; several other brothers from our church have also visited this country. Throughout the years local churches there have been supported by our church to bring out the Word and the Message.