JOSH HEIKKILA TO BE OUR GUEST

Posted November 7, 2023

What are the least developed countries in the world? According to the United Nations Development Program, they are located in Africa. The U.N. developed an index that considers health, education, income, and living conditions to rank countries from the most developed to the least developed. The three that rank at the bottom of this index are Niger at 189, Chad at 190 and South Sudan at 191. Ghana is ranked as 133rd.

The Rev. Joshua Heikkila, Presbyterian Church (USA) Regional Liaison for West Africa, will be attending our November presbytery meeting. Josh has a wide variety of overseas experience. He served as a Young Adult Volunteer for the PC(USA) in a one-year term (2002-2003) in Ghana, where he learned the Ewe language. He has been a mission coworker in West Africa, based in Ghana, since 2009.

In Ghana, where PC(USA) historical roots go back many years, we maintain partnerships with two denominations, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana. The PC(USA) also has newer partnerships with the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria and the Evangelical Church of the Republic of Niger. Josh is responsible for maintaining relationships with all these partner churches.

The Christian churches of West Africa are some of the most dynamic on the continent, and they are committed to addressing the many problems that people of faith confront. We look forward to hearing what Josh has to share with us about the work of the PC(USA) in West Africa and how we can support our mission coworkers.