Team Updates

Today was a truly wonderful day. Our morning began with a special time under the gazebo with the entire team and all the NEA staff. Chef Abraham gave an inspirational devotional on Romans 12:5-8 which speaks about how we, who are many, form one body as we each use our gifts to serve. He challenged each of us to play our role well on this team of over 100 members so that together we can be vessels of healing to so many. He concluded with the quote, “What you are is a gift to you; what you do is a gift to God and to mankind.”

The Canadian team presented three plaques to be hung on each of the operating room doors in honor of David Mensah, Brenda Mensah and Moses Mensah. Moses was David’s father who died at a young age of a hernia in the village right next to the compound. It was a moving moment to realize how easily his life could have been saved by a procedure that hundreds will receive in these two weeks.

After breakfast Brenda surprised us with a visit from a local tailor. Can’t wait to show you our outfits!

We also had a surprise visit from 2 optometrists and an optician from Sunyani who heard about our eye program and decided to donate 2 weeks of their time to help Doc Martin, Marion, Jacques and Brigitte in the nut house. (They run the eye clinic in the peanut storage building on the compound!). Amazing.

New team members went on a tour of the compound while the veterans set up for the staff clinic which began after lunch.

By the time we all congregated hot and sweaty for dinner around 7 pm, the team had completed 22 hernia procedures and just under 200 NEA staff and families were seen by the medical, surgical and dental team. Overall, we noticed a big improvement in the health of the staff on the compound this year.

We are all too tired for a costume party tonight. Off to sleep to prepare for a very busy 2 days in Nyamboi village.

Jennifer

Dear friends and family,

It is with a very thankful heart that I report that every team member and every piece of baggage except for one (piece of baggage, that is) is safe and sound on Carpenter soil.

After an 11-hour ride, the team climbed off of our special bus and was warmly greeted with the words “Welcome Home” by David, Brenda and many of the NEA staff. For two-thirds of our team who are returning to Ghana for a second, third, fourth or fifth mission, these words are ring true. This place has become a second home to so many of us and we were so excited to greet our dear friends, brothers and sisters once again. It was so special to me to then watch as the 43 of us formed a huge circle and joined hands with a large group of our Ghanaian friends. Pastor Yebohah thanked God for bringing us safely to this place for this special time of service and committed these next two weeks into God’s hands. It was a special reunion.

I had to dry my tears quickly as we needed to prepare for tomorrow’s patients. After setting up the clinic and preparing the operating rooms, the team is now settled for the night. Most of us are in a wonderful new dorm together! I hope they all sleep well … there is much work ahead of us!

Thanks to you all for following our journey. We are grateful for your prayers and your support.

Jennifer

Jennifer Wilson, a physician in Uxbridge, Ontario, launched GRID’s annual health team several years ago and continues to lead it. She and her husband Graham are committed to alleviating suffering among Ghana’s poor. Jennifer is a board member of GRID.

Our 2011 Medical Team is off! The team members departed from Toronto this evening, along with their 126 hockey bags of luggage.

Please pray for health and safety for these volunteers as they face a long journey and a grueling schedule over the next two weeks.

For those of you who have been following the news from the 2010 Ghana Health team online, we wanted to inform you of two main ways that you can hear more stories from this team.

First, GRID plans to release a newsletter to report back on the team’s experience. We hope to email it out in the week of November 22 – 26. To receive the newsletter automatically you simply need to subscribe to GRID’s quarterly e-newsletter by November 21st.  We will also post it on our website shortly after emailing it out.

Second, the medical team will be sharing a report with us at Uxbridge Baptist Church on Sunday, November 28th at 10:30 am. All are welcome!

Thank you all for your interest in and support of this team.

The team ran into some traffic as they neared Accra which put them a bit behind schedule. They were able to spend a short time in the market before they got to the airport.

When they arrived at the airport they were met by a representative of the Prime Minister’s office who had them bypass the normal checkpoints. The team was very thankful for this blessing.

They boarded their plane to Heathrow at 6:30 pm eastern time.

We are on our way to the Accra airport as I write this last update. A little after 5:30 am all the vehicles were loaded and our caravan was waving goodbye to David and Brenda and others that had become friends and who got up early to see us off.

Yesterday was a somewhat more relaxed day for everyone except for the surgical team who decided to put in an extra day of surgery to complete the patients who had been scheduled for this week. The rest of the team pitched in to complete necessary paperwork and to sort through and pack up leftover supplies and medication, much of which will be left behind for distribution to village clinics.

Last night was PARTY TIME when all the teams, the Ghanaians, the British and the Canadians, came together for a great feast enjoyed together outside under the stars. It was a great time of fellowship as stories about our two weeks together were being retold with added colour and drama. After gift presentations and a few words of acknowledgment a group of Ewe dancers and drummers came to liven things up with plenty of audience participation for the rest of the evening.

As we continue our trip to Accra I can’t help but think about the impact of this year’s and previous years’ medical missions. For each person who was helped it made a big difference. But beyond that, the team leaders who have been here for several trips have commented that the level of health in the villages had improved overall and I find that very encouraging.

So, as I sign off I can only say “Well done team” and to all friends and family back home we will see you soon with more stories about a great experience.