District Elder Wolfgang Oehler (DE Oehler) is the Head of the Seminar Supervision Team for West Africa. His supervision includes material development, introduction and planning supervision for seminars in West Africa. He works together with Bishop Urs Heiniger and District Evangelist Dinkelacker in Germany.

NAC Ghana began a two-part interview with the “Smiling Wolf” where he shared his thoughts on his experiences in West Africa. This is the concluding part with a perspective on Ghana.

NAC Ghana: What are your thoughts on virtual conferences?

DE Oehler: Hmmm it works. And I think in our case it is because we know and love each other so much. But I have such a great longing to hug my beloved co-workers once again and show them how I admire their work; to sit together in the evening and listen to their wonderful reports of their experiences of faith.

By the way, we have successfully achieved our objective of African self-reliance by 2020 in Seminars! And this was successfully achieved through the exchange of ideas and supervision at a high level.

NAC Ghana: Given the current on Sunday Schools in Ghana, what do you suggest parents and ministers can do to help the children not to lose their focus on God.

DE Oehler: I have some ideas, but better than these ideas are the solutions which my Ghanaian brothers and sisters can create in their communities! It is my hope that parents, Sunday school teachers and ministers sit together and suggest at least 3 good ideas and put them into practice.

NAC Ghana: What has been your biggest concern with seminars in Ghana?

DE Oehler: Ghana has super excellent senior tutors! So committed, joyful and energetic but Ghana is so, so big; the biggest of the 11 countries where I have the privilege to serve. We need more young co-workers. We have so many talented and faithful brothers and sisters let us give them responsibilities, they are the future!!

I am old and many of the tutors are seniors already. Let us give them leeway. Let them feel that we need their energy and enthusiasm, and that they are the ones responsible - not we the grandpas. This also gives a youthful and fresh face to our church here.

Having enjoyed a wonderful interaction with District Elder Wolfgang Oehler (rtd.), NAC Ghana indulged him to share some parting words. Ever focused on the Gospel and his faith, the affable retired ministers drew on an inspiration from his youthful days.

“Sure” he began, “As a young man, before leaving for work each morning, I would speak to my father on phone to check on him concerning his health and other matters for the day.”
“And every time, he will end the conversation with the same question: ‘Do you know what I want to give you as the message of today?’ I will respond, ‘No Papa’, and he will continue:

‘Beware! Hopefully the Lord will return today!’

The end.