Reverend Cannon Christian T. Akumiah of the Anglican Church, said Christians who keep the word of God, when they fast and pray, could have the gift of healing.

With such a gift, they could change people’s challenges into opportunities, he said.

He explained that God created man in his own image and gave man that power to dominate over the world and therefore had that in-built capacity within.

Rev. Cannon Akumiah said this in a sermon to mark his retirement from the priesthood at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church at New Tafo.

A church service, which started on a lively note, became an emotional one with tearful scenes when people came forward to donate parcels to the retiring clergy.

There were a number of testimonies to thank the retiring reverend minister for his spiritual interventions, which saved lives.

A particular family presented the priest with a gift their dead father wished to be presented to the priest for his support to the family.

Almost all the congregation at a stage broke down in tears when, Rev. Cannon Akumiah requested families who have named their children after him to bring the children forwards for his last prayers for them and at the end of the prayers, one of the children who could barely speak shouted “Good bye father”.

Rev. Cannon Akumiah urged the congregation to be focused on the projects that they have started, stay united, and continue with the various prayer sessions that were established under his leadership.

Cannon Akumiah who was the Administrative Secretary of the Koforidua Diocese of the Anglican Church was posted to New Tafo as the Parish Priest of the St. Paul’s Anglican Church from 2009 till his retirement.

He was ordained into the priesthood in 2005 and before his posting to St. Paul, served in Akim Oda.

Rev. Cannon Akumiah, 67, before entering into the ordained ministry, worked with the Eastern Regional Branch of the Ghana Red Cross, the Christian Council of Ghana and Church World Service, a US refugee resettlement project.