The Latest Report
Mon/Sun - July 19-25

Reported by Daniel Stearsman on his return home. Ted is still in Ghana.

Mon July 19th.

This was the second of our clinic days. Saturday the 17th got rained out. This was a far better experience than the first clinic. We wisened up a little in our procedure.

The first clinic held on the prior Friday (7/16) was a nightmare. The people were pressing on top of us. We could hardly hear. We were cut off from the breeze, due to the crowds. It was to end at 3 PM, but we didn't leave till after 4PM. It was held outside under a tree in Gbetimong (pronounced Beta-mong). But, the well drilling in this village, plus the clinic had a great impact we believe on the gospel. That night when we preached there were probably 300-500 people who watched the film and heard the gospel. That night there were 34 baptisms and the following Sunday, 11 more. This clinic ended up seeing 132 patients.

Back to Mon. July 19th. This clinic was held in a school house in the village of Gbingbani (??) (pronounced Bing-Bon- nee). This was a far more efficient clinic. We had rope and crowd control in place and were able to see 286 patients (418 total). You didn't have to be medically trained to have an impact. We needed the help of all the group. Some were prepackaging malaria treatments. Some were dealing with the crowds (and those who would cunningly try to push to the front). There was a job for everyone. There were wounds that needed attention, candy to give away. It's difficult to imagine a medical environment such as Bunkpurugu (of which Gbingbani is a village). Bunkpurugu is a large community of 100,000 people including all these villages. For that community, there are few medically trained. There was 1 medic (the medical director with whom we worked) and we heard of another medically trained individual (who was reportedly a drunk!). The fact that there may be 1-3 other individuals who practice medicine (in the manner as the medic) for this entire population is unbelievable by our standards. All complicated matters are sent to Yendi hospital, which is a 2-3 hour journey away over rough terrain. There is no guarantee that you will be treated efficiently or effectively when you get to Yendi. As frustrated as we get with our Medical treatments (dealing with HMO's, long wait times, scheduling MD appointments, etc.), at least it is somewhat accessible to us. Most of the patients that we saw where treated for malaria, parasitic worms, skin infections, some ophthalmic infections, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, protein deficiency, and inflammatory disorders (which were often described as "waist pain", likely from carrying heavy object on there heads/backs for years over long distances). The people were tremendously greatful! It's hard to tell the impact of the clinic on the community, since we were there so briefly. What we do know is that the people are aware of who we are as Christians and are exposed to the benevolence of Christ offered by the clinic. Many missionaries (denominational or otherwise) do not venture this far North because it such an extreme experience. The impact of the clinic and the growth of the church in that area we may never know this side of eternity. We pray that it's impact may continue.

Tues July 20th

We traveled from Bunkpurgu back to Yendi, where we dropped the medications back off, along with the generator and headed to Mole (where the game reserve is). What a refreshing experience -- rooms with running water, and toilets that filled themselves (if the water was on), and AC (ahhh!). Although, our AC unit sounded like it was giving birth at different times throughout the night! We found no other small AC units in the morning! Ha!! We ate a restaurant at the reserve. The menu was comical. There was a pretty extensive menu listed (and we had notions of home). But basically what available was chicken and rice or rice and chicken or guinea fowl. Although there were Yam fries. We were thankful for the AC, food, and to be somewhere closer to home in our "time machine".

Wed July 21st

We spent Wednesday in the game reserve at Mole. We were greated by baboons in the morning, who are not shy of coming up to you and taking any food items you may have. We observed multiple elephants, gazelle, wart hogs, and many dearlike animals (where hunters like Ted salivated). The proximity to the elephants (and our guide cocking his gun, while telling us to retreat) was most exhillerating. We were in their home.

Thurs July 22

We traveled back to Tema where we stayed at Earnest Apeadu's house.

Friday July 23

We went to High street in Accra (the big market center for souvenirs). I got to spend much of the day with Bob and Jim and enjoyed the fellowship and sharing war stories. I thought Bob was going to beat up his navigation crew!!

Sat July 24

We traveled to Elmina castle (a center for slave trade from the mid 1600s on) and to the swinging bridges. Elmina was a humbling experience as 2/3 of the slaves died. The only hope a woman had of being free was to be impregnated by the governor, to have the child, and then she would be set free. Refusal of the governor's sexual advances placed the subject in the courtyard where they were made a public example by being chained to a canon ball for 24 hours. Men who attempted to rebel were often put in solitary confinement where starved to death.

Sun July25

We divided up and went to various congregations. Ted let me do the radio program Sunday AM. That was first for me. He said that there could have been 1.5-2 million Ghanaians listening. The FM station reaches far throughout the country. I was sent with 2 other sisters to the Lebanon Rd church of Christ. The singing was amazing. Many of the questions that the brethren are likeour own. They asked about the impact of culture on worship. Irony peaked when one brother asked a question about the final state of those individuals in the villages of Ghana who had never heard the gospel or who had heard and obeyed a perverted form. I tried to teach them that God's provision of salvation exists only in Christ, that all are ameniable (even those in the villages) to Christ and His teaching, that Biblcally ignorance does not excuse a person, lest one be saved by a means other than Christ (thus God let Him see corruption when salvation was available by other means). The irony was "thick" in that here (in to us -- are the remote regions of the earth) they were asking the same question. While those who have perverted His gospel are numerous, this question makes me wonder if the "remote regions" are more places in our minds than in reality. It is comforting to know that although these brethren are 8000 miles away from us, they are not that different from us in the questions and struggles they have. My appreciation for our brethren of Christ has grown immensely. I do not hesitate to say that the greatest individuals who walk this earth are members of the Lord's body, His Church. I am thankful to be associated with them. While to the Ghanaians we are a tremendous source of encouragement and strength, we were the ones who seemed encouraged most. Our association with the Ghanaians and their great warmth made us long for eternity-- to know them better, to enjoy there fellowship, and to endlessly commune with God.

What a blessing it was to be in Ghana!

From here we would have lunch and get ready for our long journey home.

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