It was all joy and excitement when the Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Bishop of Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate, in the Kwahu Afram Plains, Eastern Region of Ghana with some of his Pastoral agents converged at the shore of the Volta Lake at Bruben, to extend heartfelt gratitude via media, to all who contributed in various ways to provide life jackets to the Vicariate, for trips to the Lake Mission, done on engine boats.
The excitement of the delegation on January 31, 2026, was heightened when they tried on some of the life jackets and went on a mini tour of the lake, with a feeling of safety reflected in their smiles.
The Chief Shepherd, seated on the boat and clad in his life jacket, could not hide his feeling of exhilaration and gratitude when he exclaimed, “We are very excited today, and we wish to express our sincerest gratitude to all our donors who have offered these life jackets for our Lake Mission, when we travel on the Volta Lake”.
He recalled that the donation of life jackets, which was possible, thanks to the online contributions mobilised by Mr. Andrew Manomey of Accra Archdiocese and Zoomlion Refuge Collection Company Limited, through the instrumentality of their Accountant, Mr. Emmanuel Yaw Oppong was precipitated by a video shot by the Vicariate’s Department of Social Communication (DEPSOCOM) in November 2024 on the same lake during his Pastoral visit to the Lake mission, which featured himself and his entourage on the boat without life jackets.
It raised concerns among viewers about the safety of the travellers.
According to the Bishop, the provision of the life jackets to the Vicariate was a very good thing, as it will go a long way to offer the needed safety whenever Pastoral agents and others travel on the Lake for the Mission.
Bemoaning his inability to reach out to the individual donors to thank them personally, Bishop Asiedu prayed that they may all feel deeply appreciated, after watching/reading his words of appreciation on various media platforms.
“There are so many people involved; I cannot mention them all, but all in all, we are very grateful to every one of them,” he admitted.
He assured them of unflinching Prayers, especially during the Holy Eucharist, adding that the donors will be remembered always, especially “for this great sacrifice, this great act of generosity shown to the Apostolic Vicariate, to me as the Local Ordinary and to all my pastoral agents”.
“We are most grateful to God and to all our donors, our benefactors, who support us always in various ways. God bless you all,” he appreciated.
The prelate used this medium to request more Pastoral agents to come and help in the work of evangelization, in the Vicariate, and especially in the Lake Mission, assuring all that with life jackets, “It is very safe,” so they need not fear.
He looked forward to more frequent visits to the faithful at the Lake Mission, with the availability of life jackets.
Rev. Fr. Eric Ankamah, SVD, Assisting Priest at St. Mary Mother of God Parish, Adeemra, and one of the newest arrivals to the Vicariate, who was part of the delegation to the lake, could not but celebrate the gift of life jackets, which he admitted made him feel “relaxed, free and safe” on the lake, as opposed to the fear and tension he felt the first time he went on a boat without a life jacket.
He thanked the donors “for making our pastoral work on the lake mission safe and pleasant”.
With an overflow of gratitude, Rev. Fr. Otmer Auinger Aklah, Assisting Priest at St. Cecilia Parish, Fori Fori, who had accompanied the Bishop during the 2024 trip to the Lake Mission, while on the January 31 mini tour on the Lake, expressed that the donors really showed love by thinking about them. “We are very grateful and will continue to pray for you,” he expressed.
Dabuo Josephine, a young girl from Tease, Afram Plains South, who was part of the mini tour on the lake, was greatly amazed at God’s handiwork, confessing that it was her very first time sailing on a lake in a boat. It is good for me,” she celebrated, as she extended warm gratitude to the life jacket donors who made the experience even more pleasurable and safe for her and her companions.
Rev. Fr. Matthew Akakpo, Assisting Priest at the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, who was also on the team, expressed great excitement for having the opportunity to be on the Volta Lake for the first time ever, and for putting on a life jacket. He expressed profound gratitude to the donors. “We continue to support you in Prayers, may God richly bless you all,” he prayed.
The excitement around the lifejackets was not only limited to the Pastoral agents but also included onlookers and the sailors who had also put them on during the tour on the lake, and one of them, still in excitement, requested to keep one, and this was granted to him.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM-AVD)
