Akrofi-Christaller Institute - June 2020 Update

Ghana

Warm greetings from Akrofi-Christaller Institute (ACI) in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We hope that in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, all of you are doing well and keeping safe. We pray that our good and ever-faithful God will preserve and sustain you in these difficult times. It was heartwarming to see Jeff Ritchie leading an Outreach Foundation group to visit ACI last February, pictured above. This letter is to update you on how we are coping with the challenges imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

We have been closed since March 16 when the government of Ghana directed all educational institutions to close. Our international students, however, remain on campus. We have managed, ahead of schedule, to transition to online teaching. We have continued to supervise research students who are writing their project essays and dissertations during this period. We have had to postpone our annual doctoral seminar even though we are in the process of working out how to conduct graduate seminars online. We have conducted one faculty-led online seminar. Our face to face continuing education programs have had to be suspended and that, together with our inability to generate support from our partner congregations (because they cannot meet), has had an impact on our finances. We are currently working on how we can move our continuing education programs online. Finally, to cope with the current and anticipated challenges posed by the pandemic, we are keeping our expenditures to a minimum and have had to request members of the ACI family to take a cut in our salaries – 10% for support staff and 15% for all other staff (senior members and senior staff). The door is open for a higher cut; I have personally offered to give up 25% of my salary.

I share this with you to solicit your prayers and continuing support. We do not know what the future holds but we intend to manage the deficit and recruit students for the next academic year. We recognize not only the challenges but also the opportunities that the current situation offers, and we intend to utilize them to further our ministry to the glory of God. We continue to pray for you.

In Christ,                                                                             
Rev. Prof. B. Y. Quarshie, PhD, Rector

Read more about Akrofi-Christaller Institute HERE.

THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts totaling $10,000 for scholarships for students at Akrofi-Christaller Institute. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.