Powerfully Changed

Nalerigu has been such a tremendous place for me spiritually as well as for working with the patients in the hospital. Many goodbyes have been said and prayers prayed for more commissioning to do God's work here and back at home. We visited with Tommy, Jane, Angela, the Hewitts, the Failes, and the Dickens. I visited with the Ghanaians, including Doris who shared with me a special prayer request. I'm so thankful to have brothers and sisters in the Lord here who can partner in the Gospel, medicine, and prayer. Tommy kept sharing how he truly feels that serving God by serving others is the best way to live. He's found true joy in life and he abundantly pours out that zeal.

Yissa, who works at the house where we stay, stopped by the house. He and his wife, Joyce, have been our friends here, plus I met Yissa two years ago. He did not just stop by to say goodbye. Out of his mouth flowed the Holy Spirit in such a way I have never seen. He had a captive audience of three--Jodi, Rachel, and me. He preached commissioning and annointment over us. He has been here many years and has seen volunteers come and go. He knew exact details from the last time I was here and talked about the comparison of this trip. He thinks I'm more of an outside the hospital kind of person now. :) This trip did allow me to go into the community to interact more by visiting with him and his wife in their home and with others. He said everyone who comes here to Nalerigu is broken by whatever life's weights are and they pour out even more of their broken vessels here to help others. The irony of the process is that those who come to serve are the ones who end up being more softened and powerfully changed.

Early the next morning, Jodi and I met a man who drove us on the bumpy road to Tamale. In the dark, we dodged many goats that were sitting in the middle of the red dirt road for the night just outside their owners' homes. I asked how the goats could wander around and how owners could find their goats later. He said the goats like to roam during the day to find their daily bread, then they sleep near the door of their owner's home. In other words, they always come back home, because they know who cares for them. We then enjoyed the sun rising in the east as we continued our drive. It was a glorious splendor--a new dawn with His mercies anew every morning. At the airport in Tamale, I saw Doris' brother, who is a chief of his tribe. He flew to Accra with us. A small world.

These are new family members in Christ and I am powerfully changed by our LORD here in Nalerigu, Ghana. I pray to see the same red dirt path or whatever path the LORD brings next.