CREIGHTON MEDICAL STUDENTS (USA) AND MLI
After months of steady preparations and great communication between staff of Meaningful Life International (MLI) and the contact persons of Creighton University Medical Students in Nebraska – USA, the long anticipated collaboration between the two parties dubbed Missions 2011, has finally become a success story by the grace of God.
On Thursday 2nd June 2011, the team of eight Medical Students from Creighton University arrived in Ghana at the Kotoka International Airport. A delegation from Meaningful Life International arrived at airport (KIA) to welcome the team at exactly 8:35pm. The MLI delegation was made up of Enoch, Stephen and Mr. Osei. The students arrived individually on different flights and by 9:45pm they had all arrived. From the airport, the team was taken to their place of accommodation which is the EMEF HILL VIEW ESTATES at Mataheko to rest.
On Friday 3rd June 2011, the team from Creighton University quickly had breakfast, after which they were given a brief orientation which included the introduction of the MLI staff present and a brief talk on what to expect in Ghana. The team was also briefed on some of the operations MLI over the years after which they had the opportunity to watch a documentary on Meaningful Life International.
From the house, the team went to the Ashiaman State School for the Deaf. The team got to the school at about 11:30am and without delay, was taken to the proprietor’s office to greet him and also to be told a little about the school. The team was really surprised to hear the extent to which some parents and family members could go and things they do to their wards just because they were born deaf and dumb. The team really counted the gift of sight and hearing as a blessing. The team had time to interact and take pictures with inmates at the school. A donation of clothes and shoes was made to the school. The team was also taken to the Pacific Ostrich Farm to see the animals after which they were driven to the Tema Central Mall to have lunch.
SATURDAY
A delay in the arrival of three nurses from the NARH BITA HOSPITAL in Tema and two medical assistants led to a general delay in the departure of the team to the Freedom Life Chapel at Afariwa, where the medical outreach was taking place. This was because there was only on mini bus transporting both teams to the place. The community in which the Church was located had a population of about 1500 people with most of the people there mainly cattle rearers. So finally at 9:26am the team arrived. There were two doctors, one medical student from Korle-bu in addition to the team from Creighton and Narh Bita in attendance and a counselor from Freedom Life Chapel. The nurses together with the members of the team attended to a total number of about 284 patients, mostly children and women. The whole outreach came to a close at about 4:45pm.
SUNDAY
Today was very packed because we had two major activities. The team was first taken to Cedar Mountain Church Int. to have Sunday service and indeed, the team had a wonderful fellowshipping with them. The team got to the church at 7:19am when praise and worship was in session. A very powerful sermon was given by Rev. Stephen Wengam, the senior pastor of the church. By 10:20am church service was over.
The afternoon saw a Seminar on Hepatitis B at a Senior High School very close to Kakasunanka called Witsands Senior High School. The team had a quick stop over at the Accra Mall to grab some snacks after which they were driven by the house to pick up the projector and seminar equipments. At exactly 12:30 we were in the school and by 12:45pm the seminar had begun.
Dr. Lenusia Ahlijah gave a powerful presentation on the topic and some of the team members also gave some inputs. She talked on the major causes of Hepatitis B in our part of the world and ways in which this virus in spread. The students were given the opportunity at the end of the talk to ask questions after which the students also had the chance to interact with the medical students from Creighton University. We left the school at 2:30pm to the Tema Central Mall where the team bought themselves some snacks, after which we left for the house.
MONDAY
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Matthew 5:46-47 (N.I.V)
A good religion cares for orphans, needy and widows. This is what landed the team of medical students on the compound of the Weija Leprosarium on Monday 6th June 2011. The team left the house at 10:15am hoping to make it to the leprosarium at around 12:00 noon with less traffic. Traffic was very intense as usual on the Tesano - Mallam Junction stretch and by the time we arrived on the compounds of the Weija Leprosarium, it was 1:30pm in the afternoon. We were welcomed by Mr. Kwansah, the caretaker of the Leprosarium during the absence of Rev. Father Campbell who is the current Chairman of the Lepers council. He gave a brief history about the place and some of the predicaments of the inmates and the stigma they faced in society. The medical students had the chance to ask him a lot of questions about the disease and what the inmates were going through.
The medical students had a wonderful time interacting and socializing with the inmates. We presented clothing and foot wares to the inmates of the Weija Leprosarium and taken round the compound to have a look around, after which we took a group picture with the inmates. The team left the leprosarium at 2:45pm.
TUESDAY
Today, 7th June 2011 begun with a Bible studies at the team’s place of residence. All the staff of MLI was at the house to have a wonderful Bible discussion. Pastor Godwin and Dr. Lenusia joined us later on in the discussion. We dwelt on Proverbs 4:7 and the main theme for the discussion was Wisdom. The Creighton team members shared their views with us after which pastor Godwin gave a short exhortation to close us. Today being the teams last day with MLI, a short parting ceremony was done for the team. Each member of the team was decorated with a Kente sash with their names neatly interwoven into the fabric. Dr. Lenusia Ahlijah, the deputy Executive Director did the decoration after which both MLI staff and the Creighton students gathered for a group picture.
The team was taken to the Doron Medical Clinic construction site to look at the progress of work. Pastor Godwin gave the team and explanation of why the clinic was being put up, the vision and the purpose it was going to serve with regards to MLI’s mobile clinics to rural villages. The team really had a nice time in the open air and change of environment. A short prayer was said over the clinic and the team was taken back to the house.
WEDNESDAY
Then came the moment that neither the staff of MLI nor the Creighton Medical Students wanted to come, it was time for the team to depart. The teams had to continue to Kumasi for a quick stop over before leaving to Saboba where they were to have a three weeks internship program in a clinic. At about 10:00am the team was to the V.I.P transport yard to get on a bus that will take them to Kumasi. By 12:20 in the afternoon, we were at the transport yard. The team bought their tickets and for the last time, we took a group picture on the bus with them and said goodbye.
