What These Two Popular Ghanaian Preachers Said Right After The Deaths Of Their Children
Perhaps, the toughest, yet shocking angles of all the stories that have stemmed from the death of the 31-year-old son of the Founder and General Overseer of the United Denomination Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches (UD-OLGC), Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, is the fact that he has not relaxed his drive for preaching the Gospel.
While it is unclear exactly what day Dr. David Heward-Mills died, news started emerging on Good Friday, April 15, 2022, but then, it was that same day that the renowned evangelist led one of the typically large events, leading thousands to Christ.
And with only as much the information that the late first son of the preacher died after a short illness in the United States, where he lived and practised, many have wondered how it is that a father can find such strength to continue with his life-transforming activities in the face of such great temptation.
But he wouldn’t be the first big-time preacher in the country to have exhibited that amount of strength after losing a child, or in the case, of the other most prominent person, two children at a go.
On Friday, April 10, 2009, the Founder of the Fountain Gate Chapel International, Rev. Eastwood Anaba, lost his two daughters in a ghastly road accident as they were en route to Bolgatanga for that year’s Good Friday Service with their father.
The two ladies: Audrey, 15 and Amanda, 20, died along with four other church members when the Toyota 4 Runner vehicle they were driving in burst its rear tyres and somersaulted.
In this article, we bring you the first words of Bishop Dag Heward-Mills and Rev. Eastwood Anaba after they lost their children.
Rev. Eastwood Anaba
Making his first statements on the death of his daughters on April 11, 2009, Rev. Eastwood said the accident has taught him a lesson that there are no special people on earth.
“It is a very big blow, we cannot pretend about it, but our faith cannot be shifted during times like this…in times like this you cannot afford to be weak because it is not in your power to give yourself grace during times like this, some grace comes from somewhere to uphold you and we have discovered the source of the grace and we are holding on to the grace…
“By the grace of God, we are ok and the prayers of the saints have been very strong.
“They are very good people, if there is any blessing God has ever given to me is my children and we love them very much…and their spirituality is unquestionable.”
Bishop Dag Heward-Mills
The renowned Evangelist’s first public comment about the death was through an Easter Sunday sermon titled, ‘The grave is not the end.’
He stressed how difficult it was to take the news stressing that David’s death had created a “funny environment.”
“My son David just passed away. It spoils everything. You ask me am I sad? If you had a son who died, will you be sad? You should ask yourself that question. It [ spoils everything. It brings a funny environment and it makes nonsense of everything. We always try to wish it further and further away but that is how it is.”