What is Pastoral Care? Pastoral Care is differently defi ned by many authorities. Encyclopedia defi nes it as the ministry of care and counseling provided by pastors, chaplains, and other religious leaders to members of their church or congregation, to anyone within institutional settings, with a focus on healing, reconciling, guiding, and sustaining. Kate Lombardi, in her article titled “Chaplains as Comforters“ in the New York Times of July 20, 2003, says, “While doctors and nurses at the Westchester Medical Center here, work on the bodies of patients, there is another group of people - the hospital chaplains, who work with their spirits. She lists some of the many services provided by the Pastoral Care Giver in a hospital setting as enumerated in my book and concludes on the note that “Chaplains see human emotions at their most raw...They work with people whose bodies are ravaged...These chaplains say that to see a medical crisis brings on a spiritual crisis.” I have identifi ed a human need of Pastoral Care among the Asante people and Ghanaians as a whole. As a starting point, this book seeks to highlight the problem and create communal awareness among community and religious leaders. From here, I plan to train leaders (volunteers) in basic skills in chaplaincy for visitation to some selected clinics and hospitals in Kumasi. (Phase 1). Under Phase II of my vision, I hope to establish an Ecumenical Pastoral Counseling Center in Kumasi for which reason I have started looking for partners and sponsors in the US and elsewhere for support. The Phase III (long term dream) is to establish a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program in Kumasi (Please see Introduction for more understanding of CPE). Readers who are interested in supporting the Royal Diadem Pastoral Center project through sponsorship or donation are to contact me at [email protected], [email protected], gabrielabm1913@gmail. com, Tel: 773-968-1983, 773-363-7889.

The aim of this book is to help every believer and minister of the Gospel to boldly speak about their painful past with the intent to positively impact lives through their respective testimonies and ministries that were born out of their past miseries. Thus, 'My Ministry Is Where My Misery Was.' Some of us are conscious of the genesis of our calling and the correlation between our painful past and present ministry, some may not. However, through these difficulties of life came our present ministries. There are many of such ministries out there, probably including yours. The ministry of Tim Ryan to whom I dedicated this book to, is one of such ministries that has touched my life in many ways. Tim shares his personal testimony of liberation from addiction with many today. us, his present ministry was his past misery. The book further discussed how we respond to God's call, the challenges associated with the call and how to overcome them and thrive in ministry. 'But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive' (Gen. 50:20, NKJV). Joseph's past misery became his ministry that liberated an entire nation to the glory of God.

Africans, both home, and in the diaspora, handle time. Time is central, critical, and crucial to our human existence. The Creator-God respected time very much in the creation account in Genesis Chapters 1 and 2. Maximum utilization of time leads to development and progress. Conversely, the misuse and misappropriation of time are “friendly” to poverty. The twenty-four hours divided into three segments of discussion and analysis in this book tell the full story. Time is priceless and most valuable. It is key to our survival as a people. What is “African Punctuality?” It is more than you think. Read more about it in this book. Lord Chesterfield, a British Statesman (1694-1773), says, “Know the true value of time, snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.”

My timely book seeks to, among others, to appreciate and congratulate all men and women of God in ministry; and also encourage them for their continued dedication in leading the flock under their pastoral care as Chief Shepherds. Bravo! On a more concerned and passionate note, the book seeks to equip the pastor/leader with some basic ministerial skills for sound, fruitful, untiring and ever-lasting soul-impacting ministry, devoid of any abuses either covertly or overtly. My final aim is to challenge the pastor/leader to be professional and current for contemporary ministry because society is becoming more scientific, technological, academic, intellectual, argumentative, and above all, critical, and skeptical. Our local communities are increasingly becoming more violent, confused, frustrated, socially darker and gloomy, stressful, and uncontrollable. The pastoral services of the pastoral/leaders thus become inevitable, crucial, and critical because communities look up to the spiritual leader. Indeed, the pastor/leader is the radiant light of hope, a beacon of light of inspiration, and encouragement to many. The challenge is for all pastors/leaders to lead their respective local communities to greater heights as Gods ambassadors and the Called/Chosen for our present generation, and further work harder to hand over a better holistic legacy to the next generation. The Gospel must be preached in its fullest entirety uncompromisingly in season and out of season, devoid of any excuses. Let the Body of Christ be more united than ever to build a New Church that is modeled after the life of Christ. The Church that is anointed and empowered with answers to address the multiple-problems and the myriad of challenges facing the 21st century and beyond.

In this book, Rev. Dr. Samuel AyeteNyampong has revealed his passion for the good quality of life for the ageing population in Africa and the development of Pastoral Gerontology courses in Theological Institutions across Africa. This book is a resource material for building the capacity of church leaders in the provision of care and support for the ageing population in Africa. All who read this book will find it inspiring, full of deep thoughts, and a challenge to the church and state, thereby provoking sensitivity to the needs of the ageing population in Africa. This book is highly recommended for church leaders, theological students, students of Gerontology and to all who have a passion to promote the quality of life of the ageing population.

When all three, culture, theology, and spirituality, work harmoniously in the life of the believer, a balancephysical, emotional, and spirituality stabilityis the outcome. Peace and joy within oneself, self-confidence, respect, and love for God and humans lead to satisfaction, and hopeful, faithful (faith in God) life will eventually lead to a powerful soul-impacting life and glorious testimony, which is easily seen, read, written by others (biography) or self-written (autobiography). The individual must hear the testimony today, but not as a tribute at death.