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A befitting farewell service for Apostle Owusu Kwaah, National Head of COP Finland
On Sunday, 16 August 2026, the Church of Pentecost (COP) in Finland held a befitting farewell church service for Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah, the National Head of COP in Finland. It was a well-attended event and, by all measure, a perfect way to offer a well-deserved gratitude to Apostle Owusu Kwaah for his service and contribution to the growth of the church in Finland.
Apostle Owusu Kwaah arrived in Finland on 22 November 2020 and took up the position as the National Head of COP in Finland, taking over from Apostle Edmund Appiah who then moved to the UK.
Many people extolled the remarkable character and excellent leadership qualities of Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah.
Achievements of Apostle Owusu Kwaah
A key farewell message stated that under Apostle Owusu Kwaah’s leadership the church has experienced remarkable growth and transformation.
The message said further that there have been significant increases in church membership—two (2) more Assemblies have been added to the church fold while three pastors have been ordained (2 of them have been sent into missions abroad, with the other one is working in Finland).
Testimonies and Appreciations
Testimonies and messages of appreciation were delivered as appeared in the programme by the National Presbytery, the Men’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Children’s Ministry, and other well-wishers.
“Our Apostle is known for being approachable and reliable. His warm personality and humility have endeared him to many”, the farewell message further said, adding that his ministry has extended far beyond the walls of the church. He has faithfully visited hospitals, homes, and prisons to preach the word of God, pray with people, and bring hope to those in need.
For the over 20 years that the church has existed after it was started in September 2000 as a prayer group with a small number of devoted persons in Helsinki (see www.copfinland.fi), the COP has had smooth running and change of leadership to its advantage.
Apostle Owusu Kwaah took over from Apostle Edmund Appiah, who was the first to be appointed as National Head of COP in Finland from 2013 until early 2020. Indeed, under the leadership of Apostle Owusu Kwaah, and Apostle Appiah before him, the Church has grown and spread to other cities and towns in Finland.
Apostle’s response
Surrounded by his beloved wife, Mrs Joyce Owusu Kwaah, and their five children, Apostle Owusu Kwaah delivered a powerful and infectious message in response to the messages of gratitude to him and his family for their good work in the church.
He preached the importance of loving God with one’s whole heart. He entreated the audience to love God and do His work to glorify his name.
The Apostle thanked the COP Finland, the numerous friends and well-wishers who supported him and interacted assuredly with him and his family and thus made their stay very comfortable in Finland.
COP’s future and growth in Finland
The COP Finland has become very formidable in the religious space in Finland.
Indeed, it has played a prominent role in the religious or spiritual existence of its members, as well as in people’s social lives as a key aspect of integration into the Finnish society.
The church continues to grow and, for example, it has been one of the major channels through which the Ghana Union Finland (GUF), an association for Ghanaian immigrants in Finland, has made more contacts with members of the Ghanaian immigrant community.
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I saw a video of two young men mistreating a guy in school uniform. The manner in which a man in a white shirt was stamping on the head of the student on the ground and kicking him, was heart wrenching. It was like a scene from an action movie.
Comments in the video made me to understand that the two people engaged in the dastardly attack on the chap on the ground were teachers. How teachers who had been trained by teacher training institutions could do what they did, defies logic; simply mind boggling.
This brings the issue of screening of would-be teachers to mind. Is there a psychological vetting system in place to identify unsuitable characters like those two teachers so that they are barred from being teachers or are helped to have the right mindset as teachers? We cannot continue to let the status quo remain and expect a different result.
Digitalisation of the economy has brought in its wake a whole lot of ways that seeks to address pertinent socio-economic issues. One of them is the introduction of the TraffiTech-GH system of regulating traffic flow without human intervention.
This clearly is an innovative way of enforcing compliance which obviously would ensure discipline and therefore safety on our roads. The drivers are raising some issues which are legitimate and must be addressed as soon as possible or should I rather say immediately.
If a Bus Stop is occupied by traders and therefore the drivers cannot stop for passengers to alight or board, they would have no option than to park in the road, blocking traffic flow, which would be an offence that TraffiTech-GH would capture as a violation and punish accordingly, by imposing a fine.
A very sad incident occurred last week resulting in the senseless murder of an uncle and her niece in the Greater Accra Region. The story making the rounds on social media was that, the uncle took a loan from the suspected murderer but failed to honour his obligation to pay back the money.
The suspect accompanied by a lady, went to the residence in the Sakumono area and a heated argument ensued, resulting in the suspect shooting the Uncle and her niece in the process. The first question that came to mind was that “Why did they not allow patience to carry the day?” If it is true that the uncle indeed owed the man, he ought to have maintained a certain demeanor that portrayed a willingness to pay the money and not to enrage the suspect in any way.
Again, if someone owes you, you do not take the law into your hands by going to confront him with a loaded gun in your pocket. The proliferation of small arms must be given serious attention.
The leaders in the educational sector need to sit up to address the misbehaviour of both students and teachers, especially the teachers who have been sexually harassing students. The fallout, in the recent Obuasi Senior High School (SHS) issue, has been an official statement directing teachers not to ask students to work in their bungalows.
This code has been in the books of the Ghana Education Service (GES) all this while. It is nothing new and so like everything else in this country, the issue is not the lack of laws but the enforcement. What I find surprising is that after breaking this code of ethics, the GES has not sacked the notorious Headmaster who evidence has been established beyond reasonable doubt that he had grossly flouted this regulation, repeatedly. This is a gross failure on the part of leadership, from the ministry level down to the school level. This must not be allowed to repeat itself. God bless.
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Implant-based reconstruction recovery
Implant reconstruction is generally less invasive during the initial phase, allowing for a quicker return to baseline daily activities.
Initial healing window: Most patients resume light, non-strenuous daily tasks within 2 to 4 weeks.
Activity Restrictions: Heavy lifting, intense upper-body exercises, and high-impact movements are typically restricted for four to six weeks to allow the chest tissues to secure the implant or expander.
The expansion phase: If a temporary tissue expander is used, recovery includes periodic office visits over several months where the surgeon gradually adds sterile fluid to stretch the skin.
Physical therapy focus: Gentle arm and shoulder stretches begin early to prevent stiffness, frozen shoulder, and tight scar tissue formation around the implant pocket.
Autologous (Tissue-Based) reconstruction recovery
Autologous reconstruction (such as a DIEP flap) is a more complex, major operation because it involves two distinct surgical sites: the reconstructed chest mound and the donor harvest area (usually the lower abdomen).
Initial healing window: Requires a hospital stay of two to five days, with an overall recovery period of six to eight weeks before resuming normal routines.
Donor site management: Because abdominal muscles or tissues are involved, patients must avoid bending, twisting, or lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk for at least six weeks to protect the deep facial repairs.
Mobility milestones: Recovery starts with short, gentle indoor walks immediately after surgery to promote circulation and prevent blood clots, gradually building up distance each week.
Physical therapy focus: Postural retraining and cautious core re-engagement once the surgeon gives medical clearance, ensuring the abdominal wall heals securely without strain.
Essential rehabilitation practices
Regardless of the chosen surgical path, effective physical therapy incorporates specialised techniques to restore physical freedom:
Scar mobilisation: Professional massage techniques to soften surgical scars and prevent tight binding of underlying tissues.
Lymphatic drainage: Gentle massage protocols to reduce swelling and encourage fluid movement through the lymphatic pathways.
Let’s pull together everything we have talked about into one simple, easy-to-understand guide.
Here is a summary of the complete journey-from understanding what breast cancer is and busting myths, to managing emotions and navigating surgery and recovery.
1. Is surgery a “cure”?
What it means: A mastectomy (removing the breast) is a powerful tool to take out the local tumor, but it isn’t an automatic, guaranteed cure on its own.
The Example: Think of it like pulling a weed out of a garden. You got the main plant out, but if tiny seeds or roots already spread elsewhere in the soil, you still need extra care (like medication) to make sure they don’t grow back.
2. The cancer’s “personality” (Biomarkers)
What it means: Not all breast cancers are the same. Doctors test the cancer cells for specific “locks and labels” (like hormones or proteins) to figure out how fast they grow and what medicine will stop them.
The Example: It’s like figuring out what kind of fuel a car engine takes (gasoline, diesel, or electricity) so you know exactly how to fix or run it.
3. Busting common myths
The Reality: Many rumors about breast cancer are false.
Men can get breast cancer too (about one per cent of cases) because everyone has a small amount of breast tissue.
Most lumps are harmless (like a harmless pebble in your shoe, not a dangerous nail).
Underwire bras and deodorants do not cause cancer.
Most people diagnosed (about 85 per cent) have no family history of it, which is why regular checks are vital for everyone.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
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