Well we’ve been back stateside for a full week and already my heart is longing to be back in Ghana with our friends. Even after 6 trips, it’s still bittersweet coming home. Sure it’s nice having hot, overhead running water; a toilet seat, air conditioning, and all the creature comforts of first world America. But yet, those pale in importance to what God taught us and accomplished through us during our mission in Nzemaland. It’s incredible, really, but the trips somehow ge

Simply saying that my Ghana medical mission trip was “good” is an absolute injustice to the work that was accomplished and a failure for me not to share the amazing love that God has for every one of us, and for all the people of the world. This was my third trip to Ghana, West Africa. For the first trip, I went for 3 main reasons. First, curiosity (what will this foreign place be like). Second, Christian obligation (serving on an international mission will make God love me

It is hard to believe that today is already our last day in Ghana. Sitting on the bus tonight making our way to the hotel where we will stay the night before boarding the plane to come home tomorrow there are multiple emotions that come to mind as I reflect over the last two days here. Yesterday was our last day of clinic at the brand new Nzema Baptist Hospital. I was both sad and happy as we drove away, looking out the windows as the children all chased the bus waving good

Today was our first day at the Nzema Baptist Hospital! Excitement was definitely in the air as we drove up to the entrance! I was amazed at all of the wonderful changes that had taken place as we toured the building. The building has been painted a fabulous blue and decorated with new plants, glass windows, a labor and delivery suite, running water, tiled floors, electricity, the works! This has been my fourth mission here serving the people in Ghana. The first year God had

Today was our “off” day, a day off from the busyness of clinic and a much-needed chance to catch-up on some sleep and recharge for the remaining two clinic days and the travel home. We began our day with a later breakfast followed by a “tour” led by Pastor Frank’s son Kofi through the Fanti fishing village across the street from our lodge. For me (a pediatric resident physician) and my husband Jay (a pharmacist), this is now our third trip to Ghana with the CVC team and our t

Day three began slightly earlier than usual since we had to drive for an hour and a half each way to and from our clinic location in Ankobra, the farthest of the trip so far. Francis maneuvered the giant bus on dirt roads between houses that were only slightly taller than the van. We arrived at our final location for clinic and looked up to find nothing but sky. Instead of a school or a church, we were given a small courtyard for clinic! However, God always provides. Kyle and

Greetings in Christ! So we are into the third day of the non-travel portion of the trip. To be honest, I was pretty wiped out and feeling a little overwhelmed my first day of clinic yesterday. The volume of needy people and the unusual (for me) and non-specific nature of many of the complaints, combined with the challenges of communicating through an (excellent) translator all while trying to have meaningful spiritual conversations with probably close to 50 people left me

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of their troubles. Psalm 34:17”. The day started with devotions at 6am. Mike played his guitar. What a pleasant and encouraging way to start the day, in a land of not much artificial light, we met on the open air 2nd floor balcony to see the sun rising and the day starting. Today was the first day of our clinic. Being the first day we had trepidations of what the day held, how will this go, do we all k

Hi everyone! Today was my first full day in Ghana. I’m not counting the day of travel, since it was a strange, sleepless, 40-something hour trip that started in Ohio, somehow skipped a night, and ended around midnight last night, finally at our hotel in Half-Assini. Half-Assini is about 45 minutes away from the clinic, and is the home of our host, Pastor Frank Archer. He and his wife Joyce have been hosting CVC missions teams for many years, doing the difficult ground work th

It’s a little bit silly starting a Mission’s blog with the title of “Coming Home”, yet that is exactly what this is for Amy and me- a homecoming. This trip marks my 6th to Ghana and it is a place that is very near and dear to my heart. I find the noise, commotion, and heat comforting. In some ways it’s a lot like that comfortable pair of jeans which always seems to fit just right. This year, when our wheels touched down in Accra my overwhelming emotion was relief. Despite Del