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I Actually Feel at Home

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Alexandria is one of our Ghanaian nurses who has worked with us for many years now. On Friday, she became sick and had to stay back on the compound to rest. Once she had recovered, she shared with me how overwhelmed she was by the way the NEA staff took care of her. While she was sick, plates of watermelon would be left outside her door and someone would check in on her every few hours bringing cold water, asking what they could do to help her. She told me, “I actually feel at home in this place.”

Medical Team Residence: Nim House

She expressed something that this 2018 Health Team is feeling as well. Not enough can be said for this NEA staff and the entire support team for their hospitality and commitment to the success of this program. Tonight’s blog is dedicated to them — the behind-the-scenes heroes that make our work possible.

The indoor kitchen staff that prepares food for our team starts at 3:00 am and ends at 9:00 pm every day. The quality, colour, flavour and creative presentations with which they prepare the meals is unbelievable. Tonight, we had peanut soup over rice balls, chicken and roast potatoes, salad garnished with fresh vegetables and tuna and fresh watermelon. On talent show night, the kitchen sent up a Ghanaian appetizer platter to contribute to the celebration. It was mini-skewers of chicken gizzards with fresh jalapeño pepper and onion. There is also an outdoor cooking team that prepares three traditional meals a day for all of the translators, volunteers, staff, compound kids and post-operative patients. It is a massive operation.

Kitchen staff led by Patience in pink.
Ghanaian Party Platter

Every three days, each team member’s laundry is done for them. We send it out in a personalized black bag and it is returned to us at the end of the day. A large group of women from local villages make up this team. Once a week, our sheets and towels are laundered as well.

We never see the cleaning staff, but we arrive home every day to find our residences and washrooms absolutely spic and span. Tea, coffee, crackers and Laughing Cow cheese are set out for our enjoyment with a fridge full of water and pop.

The compound has never looked better in my opinion. The groundskeeping staff have created a place of true beauty, and the attention to detail in the landscaping and the maintenance of the property and buildings is breathtaking.

Our security staff are on duty 24 hours a day and a security team travels with us. We don’t notice their presence but we know they are there and as a result, we feel safe and completely at ease at all times.

We have an amazing team of NEA drivers. Manoeuvring three busses in convoy down bumpy, pothole-ridden village roads takes skill, and these drivers are the best. Despite the dust and the dirt, the buses are always spotless inside and out, and we have yet to have any mechanical problems.

Our translators wear blue shirts, and they are by our sides at all times while we work. We are lost without them.

The clinic volunteers are the heroes in the yellow shirts. Today’s team left at 3:00 am. When we arrived in Asantekwaa, the crowd was well organized and the entire clinic was already set up, ready for us to begin working. These volunteers also control the flow of patients through the stations, run prescriptions to pharmacy and assist with the taking down of the clinic and transporting it back to Carpenter at night.

The surgical volunteers are responsible to manage all transportation, housing, and feeding of the hernia patients during their two-day stay in Carpenter.

Translators and volunteers finally sitting down after a busy day!

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the pastoral team. This large, dedicated team has the important task of praying for us, for our patients, and for the mission as a whole. They pray constantly from the moment we leave our homes and will continue until a word is received that we have all returned safely to our loved ones.

I’ve shared with you what this NEA team does but what I have not done is communicated how each of these individuals discharges their duties with such kindness and love. This is what Alexandria was talking about . It is this love that they show us in such practical ways that makes this NEA compound in this remote area of this small African country a second home to so many of us.

PS: The entire team had a beyond busy day but we managed to all make it to the dining hall by 7:00 pm for dinner and team reports. We were off to bed early as we know what we are in store for tomorrow! Apparently a patient arrived from another country yesterday to get in line for our Wednesday clinic!

This post is one in a series of Ghana Health Team 2018 Updates. You can subscribe to receive these updates by email.

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Comments

  1. Thanks once again Jenn for making each day of the mission come alive for us at home. I am waiting to buy the book you need to write. Love to you, Carlye and Joan and all my friends from past journeys as you gather all your strength for these last few hard days ahead. I keep thinking of Jessica and hoping she is having the experience of a lifetime. May God bless the work of your hands as you minister to each precious person you see. Love Alexandria and glad she is feeling better and well cared for. She is a gem!

  2. I enjoy reading the updates every day. They are so inspiring! Some days, like today, I save them til the end of my work day so I can sign off on an high note. I admire your collective work so much. Thank you all so much for the work you do to support people who would not otherwise receive the medical care they need.

    Special shout out to my cousin Dan and his wife Barb. We love you guys so much! The boys are happy but miss you – they told me so. Sailor also told me Rich ate his food. Right out of his bowl. Rich denies it…

  3. Colleen and I were really glad to see my sister Martha Bailkowski at work there in a picture a couple of days ago.

    Best wishes to all of you with your fabulous work!

    Bob and Colleen

  4. Sending love and kisses to you Toni-Ann..

    Life changing work! Proud of you.

    ..Love Mom.

  6. Much love and prayers to my dear friend Alexandra. Hope she is feeling better. I love the new coloured t shirts!
    What a wonderful picture of the teamwork you all do!
    Thanks again, Jenn, for the daily updates.

    Tracey B

  7. Like an iceberg …you only see what is on the surface. Much love to you, Carlye, and the whole amazing team!
    PJ

  9. How wonderful to dedicate your blog to the behind the scenes support staff. They are often the forgotten heros that are crucial to a mission’s success. How blessed you all are to have such a caring team to look after you so that you can focus on the tasks at hand.

    Missing our girl Leslie. Working on roof four, Lovey is very well, being fed and watered, although carrots are no longer on the menu.

  10. Difficult to put into words the amazing work you are all doing once again . It is inspiring how you do it the long hours and heat and the ants !!
    Over half way through and still on your feet , full of admiration ,and missing Dr Rob.
    Safe journey home at the weekend
    Love and Prayers
    Kate and Peter x

  11. The amazing work continues!! I have loved following your journey -such a wordsmith you are Jennifer!
    Ive been thinking of you all everday – big hugs from Canada.
    Xoxo
    Angie

  12. Thanks so much for writing such detailed,touching updates Dr Jenn.!
    Please know that everyone here loves to read them and hear all about your amazing NEA group both Medical staff and behind the scenes angels !
    Just a quick note to Wee Jenny … I cant believe you didn’t share your tap dancing skills at the talent show !! Oh well there’s always next time ?
    Come home safe
    Xoxo
    Love A-M

  14. Good morning from snowy cold damp Uxbridge. Love and hugs to all of you but especially my hubby Martin?.
    Xx Adrienne

  15. Regarding the ‘Translators and volunteers finally sitting down after a busy day!’. Can’t you guess who isn’t Ghanaian? Love u Dave N.
    thank you to all the behind the scenes people you r the best!!!

  17. Hey Dad,
    I’ve been thinking about you and your team the past few days. I’m so proud of the work you are doing and am grateful to have an amazing role-model of a father to look up to. To see you use the gifts and abilities you have worked so hard to master, in a way that serves these people in Ghana touches my heart ??
    I love you so much and miss you!
    I can’t wait to hear about all of your experiences once you’re home.
    Xoxo
    Grace (Bunchie)

  18. I am beyond words and teary after reading today’s blog. Blessings to all the NEA staff.

  19. It does take a village!
    Good work!
    Hi to Martha
    Love Jennifer

  20. The behind the scenes worker bees are truly the unsung heroes. Thank you for taking such good care of our loved ones for us.
    Much love to Gramma Pidge, Leslie and Helen.

  21. Wiping a few tears away. Wow the amount of people behind the scenes, good for them. It certainly make your jobs easier.
    Hope everyone has a good working day.

  22. Thanks Jenn. Love reading all of your blog posts and a special thanks for recognizing the great efforts of this support team. Roger

  23. Sending lots of love Pete from the Westwood clan. Good news to share – Mum’s jewels she thought she lost after her birthday party last year have turned up – she is over the moon!

  24. Once again today, as you have shared all the people who are all working together to make life easier for you , who care and organize things behind the scenes and who serve in so many different capacities n it just blows our minds at this end

    Thank you once again for these very detailed messages each day!

    it almost makes us feel as if we were right there with you …but I hope you do know that our prayers are ongoing for Everyone !
    Much love from the Wiles in Orillia xoxo

  25. Reading about the volunteers found me wiping tears away from my eyes. It takes a village of people.

  26. My background is in education not healthcare but the importance of having support personnel is no different. I am amazed at the number of people who work behind the scenes to enable you to do the work you are there for! When every one of you works together for the common goal of delivering much-needed health services to the people of northern Ghana, you CAN do the impossible! Kudos to all of you!

  28. The behind the scene workers are so incredibly critical to ensure a happy, clean and healthy work place. Good for you for highlighting them! They are the ones who allow the doctors and nurses to continue to do the amazing life saving work they do, without worrying about the typical daily chores. Shout out to my super fantastically awesome Mom Leslie, my cousin Helen and my 2nd mother from when I was a kid Sue! Love to you 3!

  29. Chicken gizzards. Wee Jenny’s Kate would be drewelling. Kudos to the support team and you all.