Dear Friends,
The year 2007 is almost over. We had a very busy year with two Missions trips to Ghana. We seize this opportunity to thank you all and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance. We made lots of progress in the construction of the outpatient building for the IHDN Mission Hospital . The roof is up, and plastering and windows are nearly completed. This year 22 U.S. volunteers reached out to several thousand people in Ghana . In return, we were blessed more than we gave. Existing relationships were strengthened and new ones established. In this newsletter, we share the experience of two of our volunteers. We also share with you upcoming IHDN events. We thank you for your partnership with us. We also thank God for all He has helped us accomplish this year. Please continue to support us in the coming year and the years to come as we serve Him. Let us remember that “whatever we do, whether in word or deed, do it in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father” Colossians 3:17.
Sincerely,
Dr. Edem Agamah
President,IHDN
E mail:
ihdn@aol.com
Another year is quickly coming to an end. We usually spend this time taking stock of what happened to us during the year. We also make New Year resolutions, most of which are hard to keep. Another truth about our lives is that the end of year and Christmas celebrations bring excitement to most of us. At IHDN, we are also very excited and thankful to God for seeing us through another calendar year. During the year, we celebrated our 10th year birthday with our 10th mission trip to Ghana . We took a medical student and other potential medical students on our team. As a group, we exposed them to tropical medicine and the reality of practicing medicine with very few resources. We also took full possession of the land at Adzadokpo-Wheta in the Volta Region of Ghana for the construction of our Mission Hospital and Nursing Training School. We broke ground for the outpatient clinic building during the year. We also shipped medical and non-medical supplies to the Ghana for the hospital.
Several people showed interest and supported our efforts in various ways. We are very thankful for all who donated their time and money in support of our work. Above all, we thank God for making it possible for us to accomplish the impossible. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Dr. Edem Agamah
President,IHDN
Email: ihdn@aol.com
We just returned from another successful mission trip to Ghana. As we shared our experience with friends and well-wishers, one comment that was shared was “It's only a drop in the bucket; the problems of the people in Ghana are so huge that we may not have made that big an impact”.
While this is largely true, it also gives us an opportunity to reflect on our experience and comment on the full meaning and the effect on society. Remember that we feel called to serve and be difference makers. We are being obedient to this calling.
A drop of water is not enough to quench a thirst. However, if drops fall several times into a bucket, a reasonable volume of water could be collected—enough to quench a thirst. Our medical mission efforts have great similarities to a drop of water. We have been making little efforts repeatedly to improve the livelihood of the people of Agbozume-Klikor, a small rural community in Ghana . We have been consistent and sponsored 9 mission trips since 1996. Over this period of time, we have made some impact on the community. Each year, the people eagerly look forward to our next visit. In this newsletter, we share aspects of our November 2005 trip to Ghana . Despite these successes, we recognize that they are very temporary and not eternal.
When the Lord Jesus Christ met the Samaritan woman at the well, he asked her for water (a “no-no” for a Jewish man). While talking with her, Jesus described a living water that makes a person never be thirsty again. Before I gave my life to Christ, I wondered what a drop of that living water will taste like. I wondered how I could collect many drops from that living water. I imagined how much I could be filled when I drank that water. Not anymore. Jesus Christ declared to the Samaritan woman that He was the Living water (John 4:7-26).
As we celebrate the Christmas season, we are thankful to God for everything we have been able to accomplish through IHDN. We are thankful to all who supported and prayed with us. Though our efforts may seem like a drop in the bucket, we have brought hope to some disadvantaged people. With your support, we intend to continue to make small, repeated efforts for His glory. It is our hope and prayer that these little drops would someday grow into a mighty ocean. Yet this is nothing comparable to the thirst and hunger that is satisfied by the Lord Jesus Christ, the living water, whose birthday we celebrate. We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a blessed Happy New Year.
