Tuesday 9 December 2008

Counting our blessings

The past couple of months have delivered mixed blessings to Nixon. The hospital has been forced to make adjustments to our operations as a result of the departure of one of our doctors. This has resulted in making changes to our Out Patient Department (OPD) and Mobile clinic project. The hospital has to re-organise and move personnel who would otherwise be used on the Mobile clinic to the OPD to reduce the pressure on the remaining doctor. This has however opened doors to other personnel who otherwise would have been overlooked, to partake in the mobile clinic activities.
The changes also mean that others are improving the skills in OPD which helps the hospital operate effectively despite the shortage. It is obviously not an ideal situation but presently things are working relatively well - without any major hitches.


Last month the hospital received an unexpected blessing from an unexpected source. The hospital received a water pumping and purification system from a couple of engineers based in the USA.

Presently the hospital’s main drinking water supply is from a bore hole dug about four years ago. Other sources of water – not fit for drinking- include rain harvested water, used main

ly for washing and cleaning, and water from a swamp down the valley of the hospital property.

bore hole is also the only source of drinking water for the surrounding community and this places tremendous pressure on this source. So it was a real blessing when these engineers, who are natives of Segbwema, felt led by the Lord to donate a water pumping and purification system to the hospital. This enables us to pump water from the swamp into two large water tanks. The water would then be purified before being distributed for drinking. Unfortunately the pump they donated was not powerful enough to move the water from the swamp, up a steep incline into the collecting tanks; (they have promised to send us a more powerful pump when they get back to the US). Jim Keagy giving his testimony during worship



We have learned, and were reassured by, the many lessons of this blessing. A few are noted here:
proof that the underground water network from the swamp was intact and therefore could be used when the right pump was available.
the gift has allowed us to save a huge portion of the finances which would have been required to restore the water network system at the hospital.
it is a demonstration that God answers prayers and……..
miracles still happen.

As a Ghanaian, M is watching the elections in Ghana this month with keen interest. Our hope and prayers are that they pass off peacefully and that all the parties accept the final results without the shed of blood or for that matter any violence. God bless Ghana and Africa in general.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Michael and Joey--
Came across your blog while looking for news on Segbwema. I was a Peace Corps volunteer there 77-79. Taught at Holy Ghost SS and lived above PZs (across from St Peters).

Aileen Clukas was a nurse tutor at Nixon then (another PCV) and a good friend of mine. Dr. King came to my flat once when I was out of it with malaria.

if possible could you email me at merryfield.1@osu.edu ?

Merry Merryfield