‘People see me limp and they ask why,’ said Mr. John Ntsiful.
It was during a journey from Kumasi to Damongo in the Northern Region to send goods belonging to a missionary to the North and to bring back to CSUC foodstuff that had been deposited in the town(as payment for fees), that it all happened.
The vehicle driven by RansfordSenavoe (one of the first lecturers of Christian Service College), John Kiipo (a student) and I were travelling when we had an accident. The vehicle overturned starting from where I was sitting and landing downwards at the side where I was sitting.
We were given some first aid at the WEC Mission compound and we managed to return to Kumasi late at night. Sometime later I went to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for a proper checkup and treatment. The doctor told me I had a ‘50-50’ chance of being wholly restored to my former state should I agree to an operation. However, he advised that if I could manage the pain in my lower back with the aid of pain-killers, I should take that option as an operation might permanently injure me and it could not guarantee total recovery afterwards.
This was in the early 1990’s.
I opted for the second option that is to bear the pain. And so has it stayed with me for over 20 years now. There are times, when the pain is so much that I have to rest for days stretching to a week till it ebbs off as painkillers help very little.
So like Paul, ‘I bear the marks of CSUC in my body.’
In all of this, I have not been bitter but better in that God has given me the grace to bear itall. And God has kept me through it all.
Through the more than four decades I have been at CSUC, first as a pioneer student among the first five students of the College and subsequently as a lecturer, my passion has been to help needy students have a sound education. Thus since the 1990’s, my wife and I have been supporting needy theology students financially (though we have seen one person through HRM course from level 200 to completion, in the business department). The bursary support now stands at 2,000 Ghana cedis annually.
Mr. John Ntsifula.k.a Uncle John explained that it is this passion to help others that has motivated all his work at CSUC as he mentors students and helps them to succeed.
Uncle John added that it is this passion that influenced him to publish a book deriving from the encouragement of his co-author, a former student of his by name Emmanuel Augustus Twum-Baah, to put his notes on New Testament together, have it reviewed and edited and then published.
He added thathis share of the proceeds from the launch and sale of the book titled; ‘Walking through the New Testament: The Gospels and Acts’, shall be put in THE JOHN KOJO NTSIFULFOUNDATION, an endowment fund that would be used to support needy students so he can continue supporting them even after his retirement.
Writer’s email: aamankwah@csuc.edu.gh
