Our last few days in Ghana were full of visiting dignitaries and the accompanying flowery speeches. On Thursday we were told that the President of Ghana would be stopping by for a short tour and speech at 11am, so we got all dressed up and were out on the Promenade deck to greet him at 10:45. At promptly 4pm, his motorcade pulled into the port. I missed it, partly because I didn’t actually believe he’d show up and partly due to afternoon napping obligations, but I woke up in time to hear his impromptu speech, which was quite moving – I don’t think he knew exactly what he was coming to see, and he was clearly struck by what Mercy Ships does.
An excerpt: “I am convinced you are a vessel of God, and I’m praying that you will continue to do this work. Ghana is grateful for the work you have done…You’ve come in a way to let us see the goodness that still resides in man.” He also spoke of how in the same way the crew uses their medical and other abilities to help humanity, he believes that politicians should use their power and influence with integrity and for the good of mankind. What a blessing to be able to demonstrate the power of God’s love to the leader of one of the most influential nations on this troubled continent!
An excerpt: “I am convinced you are a vessel of God, and I’m praying that you will continue to do this work. Ghana is grateful for the work you have done…You’ve come in a way to let us see the goodness that still resides in man.” He also spoke of how in the same way the crew uses their medical and other abilities to help humanity, he believes that politicians should use their power and influence with integrity and for the good of mankind. What a blessing to be able to demonstrate the power of God’s love to the leader of one of the most influential nations on this troubled continent!
The next evening, we were all invited by the Minister of Health to a cocktail in our honor, MC’d by the Minister. We weren’t sure what to expect, and most of us expected it to be painful in one way or another – painfully awkward or painfully long speeches -but it was wonderful. We all dressed up in our best white-man African clothes (I’m sure we looked ridiculous) and waited on the dock until our police-escorted buses came. There were delicious finger-foods and a live band waiting for us at the ministry, and the dancing commenced - again, we looked ridiculous, but that’s why it was so fun. The Minister of Health was a delightful host, joining us on the dance floor and sincerely thanking us for the work that was done by Mercy Ships in the past 9 months. We left with a lifetime’s supply of fried plantain chips, T-shirts and hats to commemorate Ghana’s upcoming 50th anniversary, and again, an overwhelming gratefulness to God for allowing us to do His works in such a way as to win the attentions of and to inspire the leaders of this important country.
‘But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God, and not from us.’ – 2 Cor. 4:5-6
Some stats from the 9-month Ghana outreach:
*639 general, reconstructive and gynecological surgeries; more than 19,000 eye consultations resulting in 1,364 eye surgeries; and 10,211 dental procedures for 5,435 patients.
*A 6,000 square foot maternity ward built for a Tema health clinic (Tema is the region’s largest slum), a 2,150 square foot youth health center, and additional classroom space for a school.
*24 new water wells dug in remote villages with trained local technicians to maintain them.
*Training for Ghanaians to educate their peers on maternal health, basic health and hygiene, and HIV/AIDS.
*Training for 206 poor women to start small businesses, and agriculture training for 23 female prisoners.
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