Tanner Leibee Family

The Lord called us to Ghana to do evangelization and church planting among the Gonja people of the Northern Region. The Gonja are a tribe about 280,000 strong, most of them farmers living in rural villages. They are mostly Islamic. This is mixed with a lot of animism, idolatry. These people have strong family-clan and tribal ties. They are hardworking and very welcoming and friendly. We've targeted the unreached area of Tulewe in Central Gonja. Bordered by water on three sides, the area has been untouched by the gospel and has seen very little modernization of development.

We have completed our language and culture learning in Kafaba, a village about two hours to the southeast. Village life has been enjoyable as we've entered it with our people in many aspects of their lives; their work; observed their ceremonies as they rejoiced in a new baby; and grieved with them at the death of their loved ones. The Lord is helping us learn to identify, and it's been an enriching experience. We face many challenges of sickness, setback in language and the pure grind of learning a strange African tongue. As we seek to penetrate a new tribe, Satan has tried countless ways to chase us out. Praise God for His faithfulness and care in standing by us. Our goal is to see a church among rural Gonja that lifts up Jesus and has stable local leadership.

Our local house in Tulewe is now complete and waiting for our return from furlough in America. We will return to Ghana in Dec. '08, upon which we will begin ministry.

Prayer Requests:

Pray with us that God would grant us much needed rest during our furlough.
Pray that God would continue to prepare us for evangelization and church planting among the Gonja people.
Pray that God would prepare the hearts of the Gonja people to receive the Gospel and that God would bind the powers that bind them.