"Sorry!"

By Grace Mueller

Friday, February 3, 2012

Another day at the hospital has come and gone.  There are just some days when you are reminded why you decided to become a nurse, and today was one of those days.

Hays, Bethany, and I went to the pediatric ward, where the children’s mothers greeted us warmly.  A few of the children were not quite so happy to see us, since they are not used to seeing white people.  One little girl screamed at the top of her lungs EVERY time she saw us.  It was hilarious.  Anyway, we were able to give away some of the baby clothes that we brought with us.  We spent most of the morning running to and from the Matron’s office, sifting through the items in the suitcase to find the perfect dress, onesie, or shorts for the kids.   We had so much fun picking out clothes for each individual child, and the mothers were extremely thankful.  Linda, one of the hospital administrators, told us that we had really brightened up the place.  Though it was a brief statement, it was a huge encouragement.

Later on, I walked by the women’s ward, when I saw two women struggling to get an older woman onto a bedpan.  I walked in and asked if they needed any help, and one of the women (the patient’s daughter) told me that I was an angel that had helped her in her time of greatest need.  My action seemed insignificant to me, but it really ministered to her.  Hays and I answered some of the family’s questions and had the opportunity to pray with them a few times throughout the day.  There is no greater joy than making someone feel important and cared for, and it is exciting to think that we will get to do that for the rest of our lives.

Emily and Nian went to the school and shared devotionals, which were very impactful.  Afterward, they went around to each classroom, teaching handwashing and answering questions from the kids.  They also played with the children at recess.

A few of us followed up with the mother and baby who had delivered the night before.  Both mother and baby were doing great and were even discharged that same day!  Matt went back to the men’s ward to care for his patient from the day before.  Rachel spent the day working in medical records, and Kaitlin spent the day in the lab, where she had the opportunity to draw blood!  Julianne floated between the different female wards, where she learned a lot about the Ghanaian culture from the women.

Dr. Catts shared her testimony with us that night, and it was a blessing to see her heart.  She had some great advice to share with us, and we definitely appreciated her encouraging words.  We have all really enjoyed this opportunity to get to know our professors in such a personal way.  They are truly beautiful women of God, with such great passion for nursing.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Today was quite the day.  We underwent a thrilling, 2-hour journey to an island called Ada.  Upon arrival we pulled up to a beautiful island resort, and we were overjoyed to get out of the car and explore.  We each suited up in our bright orange lifejackets and piled into a boat.

Once we reached the island, we hosted a clinic, where we took vital signs, tested vision, conducted breast exams, and helped pass out medicine after the doctor wrote the prescriptions.  Hundreds of patients attended, and we were worried we wouldn’t have time to see them all.  To our delight, we were able to see every last patient before we departed.  We also passed out candy to the children and played duck, duck, goose with them.  They all walked with us to the shore as they said goodbye, and it definitely tugged on our heartstrings.

After the clinic, we set off to a nearby island.  Almost immediately after landing on this island, we were each given a refreshing drink of coconut water.  Then we helped plant coconuts, which was a cool experience that we really enjoyed. :)

That night during our time of team devos, we shared our thoughts from the day.  We were all feeling a little overwhelmed after seeing the great need in Ada.  Those patients do not have easy access to healthcare on a regular basis.  It was hard not to feel like our little contribution was insignificant, and we were all left wondering if what we did had actually made a difference.  We concluded by stating that there will always be need, but we were still able to make an impact on over 100 lives.  And even if it would have just been one person, it would be worth it.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

It’s hard to believe that our trip is almost halfway over already.  It seems like just yesterday we had the baby shower at ORU and were all scrambling around to get those few last-minute items for our trip.

Today we went to the family service at Manna Mission Church.  Because it is the beginning of the year, the church took the opportunity to give a report on the church activities for the past year.  It was cool to hear all that Manna Mission has accomplished for the Kingdom of God in their church, academy, Bible school, and hospital.  This year’s projects will include opening their nursing school and opening a 40-bed women’s center in the hospital, which is sure to add to the impact Manna has already made here in Ghana.

After church, we did a blood pressure screening.  Then we returned to the mission house, where we rested and studied for our test.  Bethany, Julianne, Emily, Hays and I went over to the Ablorhs’ house again to watch the soccer game.  Ghana won, 2-1!  Woohoo!  On our way home, traffic was stopped, because tons of people were running through the streets in celebration!  The sense of community was really awesome, and it was a fun sight to see.

As you can see, we are still having such a great time.  The Lord has really been speaking into all of our lives throughout the trip, and we already have so many great memories that will last a lifetime.  We are looking forward to the remaining days with expectation.  Please continue to pray for our team, and we will keep you updated as best as we can!  We love you all :)