Day 22: Eternally Minded

Today is the day the Lord has made and we shall rejoice and be glad even though it seemed to be the hardest day to get up. It felt as though a mac truck came through the mission house. Many were sprawled and asleep on the couches as we wait for our ride to the village of Akporman. Regardless, the team is ever so excited for today’s rural clinical to the village of Akporman. This is where Dr. Seth Ablorh grew up.  His uncle is the chief of which was the first to come through for prayer with Vanessa and I (Janice).

All of us - crashed - struggling to wake up, while waiting for the van.

Vanessa and Janice praying with the chief of Akporman

Katelyn and I assigned our teams to various stations of the temporary outreach clinic. Together, with the Manna Mission Hospital team we all set up the stations to get ready for the clients. Abby and Caren performed breast exams. Vanessa and I joined with Ghanaian pastors for translation counseled and prayed with the patients. Lina and Chelsea worked with Prosper in the lab screening patients for malaria and blood sugar levels by finger sticks. Kayli and Katelyn served in the pharmacy. Jennifer and Kayla assessed vital signs. Three medical students from University of Virginia (Laura, Laura, & Jennifer) were able to join all of us today making it flow better in the physician station by increasing the number of physicians from one to four.

Jennifer and Kayla at the vitals station

Kayli and Katelyn at the pharmacy station

At ORU we believe in the Whole Person Theory and that nursing is a ministry in itself. This leads us to see value in each individual and to help them promote, restore, and maintain physically, mentally, and spiritually. We are a three part being and each person is unique.

Today brought it home for me spiritually, not only with the patients but within our team. There were so many spiritual needs and not one of the patients walked away without prayer and agreement. Even they see the need for prayer. It was simply beautiful how each of our girls served in different capacities providing services that as a team fulfilled the Whole Person Theory. But, as each of us served differently, we served alike by the Spirit of God with demonstration of God’s love and compassion. Another beauty was the joining of the two teams that operate thousands of miles apart from one another and again by the same Spirit of God; the Ghanaian and ORU teams. Pastors David, Isaac, and Frances translated for us when needed with the patients. Pastor Isaac and I were humbled as we lead two people to the Lord today. One patient was very ill with possible TB and the other was a Muslim woman who claimed she believed Jesus helped her recover from a stroke some time back, but still practiced Islam. She also had recently lost her husband due to an illness. I shared with her how God does not like mixed worship. I actively listened to her and shared the love of Jesus. It was getting late and the clinic appeared to be closing up and she had not seen the doctor yet. We sent her on without praying further. I did not want her to miss her opportunity for healthcare that we were all there to offer. I sat wondering about her soul. It was a little bit later she came over to me asking me to pray with her because she wanted Jesus as her Lord and Savior! She wanted to know that she knows if she were to die she would be going to heaven. I am certain of her genuineness because she could have just left after she received her services, but she wanted to confirm her salvation with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prior to this trip I have had no experiences with Muslims. Upon arrival in Ghana, my first patient was Muslim and wanted me to pray for him. The Lord gave me a friend who is presently Muslim to just walk in the love of God (not Allah) with. Then just today, Valentine’s Day, He brought a Muslim ready for harvest . This demonstrated to me how some sew seed, some water, and some reap. Another observation was the unity within our team and between us and the Manna Mission team. All of this was definitely predestined by the Spirit of God banded together as brothers and sisters in Christ. The cultural collision was beautiful and divine. As this trip is drawing near to a close, the importance of whole person care is resounding loud and clear and the need to be eternally minded.

A fitting back window on our way home today

Much Love, 

Janice Burkybile, SN