Day 16: He is the Potter, I Am the Clay

Bitter sweet would be the words I would use to describe this day. It would be the last time that we wear our white nursing caps, white shirts and skirts, and white shoes. It was the last clinical day that we would have in the Manna Mission Hospital.

It was an eventful day just like any other! We all headed to the hospital for devotions where Katelyn, Jennifer and Kayli each shared a short testimony to a crowd full of hospital faculty and patients. God was definitely moving that morning throughout the hospital as we participated in devotions and worship. After devotions were over, we went to the different clinical wards that we were assigned. Abby, Lina and Kayli were all assigned to the operating room where Kayli got the opportunity to be first assist to the doctor during a myomectomy. Lina and Abby were able to stay with and comfort the anxious patient by holding her hands. It’s amazing what holding a patient’s hand can do…comfort is the best medicine! The surgery lasted for about two and a half hours and all three girls were exhausted when they arrived back home that evening.

Katelyn delivering her devotion. 

Kayli assisting with surgery. 

Janice and Jennifer went to the academy where they each got the opportunity to teach a class. Jennifer reviewed for a test with her class while Janice taught division in another. Helping these children learn here is such a blessing not only to them, but for us as well. They have all stolen our hearts…we’ve even begged Ms. Poore and Dr. Catts to let us bring a few of them home. They are all so wonderful, so full of joy and love to take “snaps” (as Ms. Poore calls it) or pictures with anyone.

Group A (Chelsea, Caren, Vanessa, Katelyn and myself (Kayla)) went back to the mission house around 11am to have lunch and get our things together for our second (and biggest) presentation of the three that we were to present for our group community project. This time around we presented in Morris Hall in the Manna Mission Church where we had quite a turnout! There were about 20 to 30 people who came to learn about our three different topics that included: pediatric burns, triage management, and neonatal resuscitation. There were many people that had really good questions to ask us and they all seemed like they were very eager to learn. Something that I noticed to be very different from our culture in America is that many tend to have the attitude that they know everything as an educated professional, this is not the case here in Ghana. They are all willing to ask questions to anyone no mater their own rank in society or how much education they’ve had…that’s why I love it here, these people are indescribable. They have amazing hearts and are willing to take the shirt off their back just to make our group feel at home.

Group A ready for their teaching. 

Kayla delivering her teaching on triage management.

Group B (Kayli, Jennifer, Janice, Lina and Abbey) also got the opportunity to present earlier today to classes one through three at the Manna Mission Academy. They taught the children on the topics of environment, nutrition, and hygiene. The children were very accepting and participated by asking and answering multiple questions.

The kids coloring their pictures during Group B's teaching.

Later Friday night Group A presented for the last and final time back at the hospital…the projects were fun but we were all so happy to finally finish them! As we were all walking back from our presentation up to the porch of the mission house, we heard a familiar voice. To our surprise it was Joe Fox…the tailor who was making our African dresses for us! He definitely has an amazing spirit and was willing to even lose some much needed sleep just so that he could finish our dresses on time for us to wear to church this coming Sunday. Joe handed each of us our dresses and we quickly ran upstairs to go try them on. We then ran back down stairs for the soon to be fashion show that we would put on in our living room for some of the Manna Mission staff that were helping us practice our two African songs. We were all in amazement at the astonishing details he had added to our dresses. Some of us got buttons or jewels, some had bows and others had lace…we all looked so beautiful! This is once again another example of how willing these people are to serve others for Jesus.

Most of us with our beautiful dresses made by Joe Fox!

God has definitely shown his presence throughout this place. His love is so great and we have been able to share His love with many people here at the Mission in many different ways. The Lord is our potter and we are the clay…he is molding us through our experiences on this trip to prepare us for a future that is unimaginable. It’s amazing the miracles that He has performed over the past 2 weeks during our stay here in Accra. I will never forget the faces I’ve met and the lives I’ve helped change all because God had a special plan for my life to come on this wonderful adventure.

Kayla J. Keiser