Stateside
On Saturday November 4th I left Ghana for the
United States after an emotional goodbye event at the airport with family and
friends. After almost 24 hours of flying
through 3 continents and multiple time zones, I arrived in Louisville, Kentucky
on Sunday November 6th around 6:30pm and was picked up from the
airport by my American grandparents, Richard and Marjorie Wilson. I was so
eager to see and hug them that I walked right past them as I trekked to the baggage claim
area. They had to shout to get my attention. Fun times.
It’s been over 2 months since I arrived, and I’ve had a
wonderful time visiting with family and friends. It’s such a blessing to have a
home here in the States and in Ghana. I found it comforting when loved
ones here will hug and tell me “welcome home”. In
Ghana they said “akwaaba”. Time and space wouldn’t allow me to document all
that has happened since I arrived, so I have highlighted some special moments
below.
Marjorie masterminded the purchasing of a car to
enable me to move around without a hassle. It was beautiful and amazing
watching her work her magic. I was driving a “new” car less than 24 hours after
I arrived. Thank you, Marjorie 😊
I had the opportunity to visit with the
preachers and some members of both Cloverport (CUMC) and Hilldale United
Methodist Churches. CUMC and Hilldale have been very instrumental in supporting
our mission here and in Ghana. It was a blessing to visit and share with them
how the Lord used their prayers and support to change lives in Ghana.
Lunch with some members of CUMC
I attended the annual Global Missions Health Conference
(GMHC) in Louisville, Kentucky from November 9-11. GMHC brings medial
missionaries from all over the world to worship together and share with each
other how to properly reach the unreached using healthcare. It was such an
amazing conference. The CEO of Methodist Faith Healing Hospital, the hospital
where I served in Ghana, was also attending the conference. In addition, Dr.
Gongwer, a family physician who spent over 12 years serving at that hospital
was there with some members of the Dayton UMC medical team. The Dayton, IN. team embark on yearly medical missions to Ghana. Also in attendance was the
director for health and sanitation for the Methodist church Ghana. One of the
highlights of the conference was visiting the emergency field hospital used by
Samaritan Purse’s disaster assistance response team (DART). This field hospital
can be deployed to needed areas and set up in less than 11 hours with a fully
functioning ICU and operating room. Everyone who visited the field hospital was
awe-struck.
The field hospital was recently deployed to Kabul, Iraq to help victims of the war. Doctors and nurses working in this hospital treated both ISIS soldiers and their victims while sharing the gospel with everyone. An ISIS soldier gave his life to Christ as a result of the workers' selflessness, faithfulness and dedication. Truly amazing.
With some of the medical team members at the GMHC
I began my work for HealthSouth (Cardinal Hill) Rehabilitation
Hospital in Lexington on November 20, 2017. I was fortunate that HealthSouth
provided me with temporary housing in Lexington while I looked around for a
permanent apartment.
The difference between resource availability and
allocation at this hospital and the one in Ankaase became very evident as I
cared for patients. It is my prayer that more opportunities for resource acquisition
become available for the hospital in Ankaase.
Shormeh came down from Philly and joined me and the
Wilson’s for thanksgiving in Hawesville, Kentucky. I was thankful to be able to
get the time off work to spend my first thanksgiving since my arrival with
them. We had a great time.
Thanksgiving dinner :)
On December 2, I moved into my new apartment in Lexington.
It’s been an interesting transition. It feels like I’m re-starting my life. New car, new apartment, new items for the
apartment and so on and so forth. But I’m taking it all in stride.
On December 9, I left for an early morning
meeting in South Bend, IN, about a 6- hour driving journey from Lexington. It began snowing as I neared my destination
and visibility was reduced to almost 40 yards. The roads were nice and slippery
by the time I arrived in South Bend. We ended up with 7 inches of snow that
day. But the meeting went on without a hitch. We discussed different strategies
for an upcoming medical mission to Ghana in 2018. In attendance were Dr.
Gongwer and his wife, Ann, Glen and Sue Meiser (team leaders of the Dayton UMC
medical team), Enoch, Ghana Methodist health director and I. It was a humbling experience
to be part of that meeting. I spent the remainder of the weekend with the Gongwers.
Shormeh and I spent Christmas with the family again in
Hawesville. It’s been such a blessing to spend both thanksgiving and Christmas
with family. We are thankful to God for His provisions.
With the family on Christmas day :)
As we prepare to enter a new year I am reminded of the
beauty of the past year and humbled by all the things that have occurred. It’s
been a wild ride and I’m looking forward to what 2018 ushers in.
Happy New Year and may the good Lord bless you as we say
goodbye to 2017 and welcome 2018.
Shalom
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