Christians praise God for Black Stars' victory

Accra, June 27, GNA - Christians throughout Ghana on Sunday worshipped and sang praises to God for helping the Ghana Black Stars to defeat the U.S.A. 2-1 at the ongoing South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament. Members of Harvest Chapel International in Accra, some clad in white, amidst clapping, whistling, blowing of trumpets and vuvuzelas; shouting, waving of miniature Ghana flags and white handkerchiefs, danced to the glory of God for the qualification of the Black Stars to the quarter-final stage of the tournament.

Led by Harvest Praise Band under the direction of Mr Yaw Antwi Dadzie, the members "made a joyful noise unto the Lord for granting Ghana victory over the unyielding Americans for the second time in succession". Ghana beat the Americans in the Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup tournament with the same score line, a defeat the Americans had planned to avenge in South Africa.

Ghana News Agency observed at Harvest Chapel International that most of the members including Pastors and their wives wore either Black Stars replica T-shirts or T-shirts designed with the national colours - red, gold and green or white outfit as a sign of expression of their support for and identification with the Team.

The Reverend Emmanuel Titi-Lartey, Senior Associate Pastor of Harvest Chapel International, adorned in national colours T-shirt and a cap and in a jubilant mode said "the World Cup cannot come to Africa for them to come and take it away. We will continue to beat them even if it means them refusing us visas."

He said "Black Stars will continue to move forward," amidst the shouting and blowing of vuvuzelas and trumpet.

Preaching on the theme; "bearing fruits," Reverend Samuel Kwesi Dickson, an Associate Pastor, urged Ghanaians to be strong in the power of the Lord.

He said "the purpose of our faith is to bear fruit and be a blessing to people, make them satisfied and happy".

Many Pastors GNA spoke to challenged Christians not only to celebrate the victory of the Stars but to continuously pray for the team. Some Pastors said that they would declare special Black Stars prayer session from now till the end of the tournament to ensure Ghana's victory. Ghana's Black Stars on Saturday beat United States of America 2-1 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa, to qualify for the quarter-final stage of the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup. Striker Asamoah Gyan fetched the match winner on 93 minutes to keep the Black Stars, the only African side remaining, in the competition and thus became the third African team after Cameroon and Senegal to achieve the feat.