(Godfrey Naa-Tampah).

Bro. Godfrey Naa-Tampah was born in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region of Ghana in 1959. He started his basic education in Navrongo in the Upper East Region of Ghana but his father being a health worker kept on moving around the northern part of Ghana including Wa, where his services were needed.

Bro. Godfrey eventually finished his basic education in Nandom Secondary school and proceeded to the University of Ghana. He started his formation in 1986 making his first profession in 1989. Bro. Godfrey as a student got much inspired by the work of the brothers, particularly the late Bro. Guido Wigman. Bro. Guido’s dedication and commitment to his apostolate at that time made an impact on Bro. Godfrey’s life, and upon further information and understanding the life of a brother, he decided to join FIC. In Ghana one will say what Bro. Godfrey has done is “payback time”: returning after being trained by the brothers to appreciate what he has received from the brothers by also teaching, educating and forming the youth.

He was posted to Nandom Senior High school to start his apostolate as a teacher and also taking up other domestic chores. It did not take him long there before he was plucked off from teaching into the formation of our future candidates as the Director of novices. After a period of time in formation some more surprises came. He was elected to the General Council and he had to leave his formation apostolate to go to The Netherlands. He dedicated himself to the service of the congregation for six years, after which he returned to Ghana.

He hardly got settled when the Provincial Council of 2006 asked if he could be their “donkey”. He endeared himself to the demanding task of the Provincial Secretary till 2012 when he completed his task with the outgone Provincial Council. What is on the mind of Bro. Godfrey now is to train himself as an IT specialist and be available to serve wherever his services will be needed. He combines this study with the task of Assistant Provincial Treasurer.

These are just but a few of the attributes one can see in our brother Godfrey. From all the above, one can hold on to a phrase that best describes our Brother Godfrey: “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will”. In other words, he is completely available in service to humanity. This is the person for whom we are celebrating his dedicated service in the FIC for the past 25 years. While thanking God for your life and your dedicated service we equally realized that these 25 years did not come without challenges. You must have encountered all kinds of trials, but yet you rose above all. We thank you for your dedicated service as well as being a good example of dedication and availability. May God richly bless you and keep you strong as you are heading towards becoming a ‘senior citizen’ and allow you to be our fellow brother for many more years to come.

Congratulations!! Gara banye!!

Henry Surnye

(This article is taken from our magazine “ORIENTATIE FIC”, 2014-2-JUNI)