One of our programs to aid women and getting them started in their own micro-enterprise (small business) is beekeeping. We are in partnership with the Ghana Forestry department and have 52 women enrolled in the program. Though for the Africans and my former neighbors in Indiana, bees can be scary and fear of being stung. So as part of the program, we visit each of the women’s communities as a form of follow up to see her set up and then for the entire community we show a film on bees so that they understand better and are more welcoming to bees and the woman’s business – in the photo I am setting up the screen. This has really ministered to these women and will allow them a way to earn money without much time invested everyday so not to take them away from their families.
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Dr. Mike Visiting Mobile Eye Patients
We had the opportunity to host Dr. Mike Barrington from Rotary for a couple days last week. Here we are visiting with some patients who came to see the Mobile Eye Team in the community of Ashaiman. Usually about 150-200 people come each day to see the Mobile Eye Team.
Special Birthday Photo
An email arrived with this photo attached. This is what I received – from my nephew Jeremy and my neice Jaylie for my Birthday.
Life Guide Bibles
We received a container from the Netherlands and I was encouraged to see that there was an entire pallet of New Testament Bibles. They were produced by Health for Life, a project initiated by VVHS/BKV, International Bible Society and Mercy Ships-Netherlands. Their aims is to provide people in developing countries with in-depth information for healthy lives, both spiritually and physically. Primarily they will be used by the HIV/AIDS educators who are working with the local churches to create mercy coalitions. They have given us 250 for use by our disciplers and crew members as they are in relationship with, prayer and ministry with people here in Ghana.
Children at Well Drilling Site
This village has no electricity or water – they walk a good distance to another village to a well to obtain water. For these children, the well drilling rig is great entertainment as they had just started and were drilling through sand and it was flying up in the air. School is just starting up next week and so they were enjoying the show. Our team will usually work in a village for a week and besides the well drilling and sanitation lessons, they have time with the people and especially with the children to share our Father God’s love for each of them.
Well Drilling Cap Off well
We have partnered with Ghana Water and Sanitation to help impact 38 communities. We will be drilling water wells, constructing demonstration latrines, teaching on community hygiene and training 3 residents in each community on water well maintenance. We have a great team together to be in these villages helping to provide the basic necessities of life and sharing their heart and faith with them. They have had some technical problems in the beginning, but they are up and going now.
Land Rover 4×4 KRB Driving
Are you envious? I was driving to several of our well drilling sites – about an hour and half from the port city. The night before, it had severely rained and so the ‘roads’ were not too good. The ship has about twenty Land Rovers which are used by all the teams working at off-ship sites and all the business and activities of the ministry. Some are in better shape than others. I was hosting the captain, chief engineer, and second engineer as I wanted to share with them what is happening in Community Development Services (CDS) with well drilling and sanitation. The vehicle before me had our executive director, her assistant, CDS manager, and one of the communications photographer – she took the photo.
President Kufuor
This morning we prayed particularly for the leaders of the nation. We prayed for President John Kufuor, his wife Theresa, the various Ministers who are serving here – particularly for the Minister of Health, Manpower, Transport and the Members of Parliament who have helped and continue to help with our time and the people of the nation of Ghana. President Kufuor, a devout Roman Catholic, is in his second term and the next elections will be in ’08.
Fountain Head Work Day
One of our Community Development Services projects is to construct another building for the Fountain Head Christian School here in Tema. The directors are from the Youth With A Mission base and they were needing to expand to have junior high grades. On Saturday, we invited general crew to join in and help. We had over 20 people volunteer and we painted chairs, moved the desks and chairs, haul rock for the foundation of an additional classroom and that is where I am heading with this wheelbarrow – thankfully my friend Rene from Guinea was there to help me. Good to be a part!!!
Jonas’ head tumor removal surgery
As most of you know about our amazing medical surgeries that we are able to offer to the people. These are truly life changing surgeries. I have seen eye surgeries on the Caribbean Mercy and a hip replacement surgery in San Pedro Sula performed by our ortho team. Though, this was the first chance to see a head tumor removal. Jonas had a large tumor of his right parotid gland that had grown externally and internally. The surgeon, Dr. Thermon, and staff explained some of the procedures so I understood what was happening. I was able to stand right behind the surgeon and looked over his shoulder (I’m the one in the back of the photo). The nerve that controls movement on that side of the face was intertwined with the tumor; it was more complicated than originally planned. Before cutting anything, they had to ensure that it was not the nerve. The surgery was over 3 ½ hours, but it was completely successful.