I remember being glued to the TV Friday morning as I watched the coverage of the earthquake and tsunami.  I was watching a local Kansas City news station as it covered the disaster and its aftermath when the anchor of the show caught my attention.  The anchor stated, “our reporting is from information we are receiving via Facebook, Twitter, and Text messages from Kansas City natives and others who are right now in Japan”.   What??? Did I hear that correctly?  The news and images we are receiving from Japan are from non-journalist reporting and sent  information via social media.  I was not only impressed by the source of information, but as I continued to listen and double check the information being received from social media sites I realized that the information was 1. Fairly reliable and 2. The information was in real-time.

The use of social media continues to expand beyond the “catching up with old friends” interaction to legitimate exchange of information.  The question remains how do we access information and resources through social media to assist disaster victims and promote disaster recovery?

35 seconds on January 12^, 2010 devastated an already distraught and poverty-stricken country, Haiti.   It seems that the unconfirmed death tolls are in the thousands, homes no longer exist, looting and crimes are occurring, the government seems unorganized and overwhelmed, hunger is even more exacerbated, and hope seems lost.  But is it?  Watch the following video and consider your answer. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5vEntWb7AI

Busy here is a little different than back in the States.  Time has no meaning here and so being busy feels a little different.

Lailah is doing well.  We have done some traveling in-country and she has been such a trooper.  She makes friends everywhere she goes.

Jen has been busy taking care of very sick patients.  Anyone admitted to the hospital is essentially critical.  In the States they would be in the ICU.  So Jen jokes and says the entire hospital is an ICU.

I have been in the OR much of my time, first assisting with procedures.  We have done some major procedures and it is amazing how tough these people are.  They don’t go under general anesthesia like in the States and post-op pain medicine is Tylenol. 

We are really enjoying our time here and feel like it has gone by way too fast.

This past summer Lynette Lartey and her family took upon themselves to spear head a medicine bottle drive with the ALBC Youth to help the pharmacy at the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu.  The pharmacy at the BMC typically uses old offering envelopes from Churches to distribute the medicines.  However, it is necessary to have bottles for ointments and sometimes keep medicines dry and contained.  The need for containers to hold these pharmaceuticals was great, but through the Lartey’s leadership and the servant attitudes of many ALBC youth the pharmacy received the needed bottles.

A bottle seems so simple and worthless to many of us in the States but the bottles used at the BMC is just another way to show compassion to the people of Northern Ghana.  Thanks to the ALBC Youth for being the Hands & Feet of Christ!

If you are looking for ways to partner with the BMC there is a great need for bandages.  You can use old, but clean, sheets, pillow cases…and tear them in strips.  Wound care is crucial here and clean bandages are always in great need!  To learn more you can visit www.baptistmedicalcenter.org  or email me directly.

Just an update, all the Flint’s have been free of any illness now for 3 days!!!  No, really we are doing good, Lailah is having a blast with a new Ghanaian friend named Abana who watches her for us.   This is the dry season in Nalerigu and there is tons of dust.  The dirt essential turns into a sand consistency so you track it everywhere.  Lailah loves playing in it, so mom is giving her several baths a day….no comment!

Yesterday, I bought a soccer ball to play soccer with some of my new Ghanaian friends.  My friends had escorted me to market to make sure I got the right ball.  The ball they picked out is the colors of Ghana and in big print says LOVE JESUS.  Here talking about Jesus is not taboo, in fact you would be considered intolerant if you did not allow Jesus to be spoken of.  Anyway, I looked at the back of the ball to see where it was made and to my amazement it was made in CHINA….go figure!!!

The Higgin’s, the surgeon from INMED, is arrived today.  They have so many cases for him.  The need for surgical care is so great here that words are not enough.  So the hospital staff, patients, and community are excited to have him here for two weeks.  In fact, Dr. Higgins was in the OR doing surgeries 20 minutes after arriving at the hospital

Lailah is doing so good.  She still mentions Poco occasionally and when we were looking at pics on the computer of her she saw one of Poco and got really excited. 

I am trying to post more pics of the hospital, where we stay…but loading them takes so long.  So bare with me and hopefully I can have some up in a few days.

Micah 

In Nalerigu, Ghana surviving to age 1 is a huge accomplishment.  In reality, most babies are not given names until after a week of age because so many die during that first week.  This morning we operated on a baby that is really sick.  In the States, this baby would probably make it just fine with a specialized surgical team, nurses, allied health support, and appropriate medicines.  Here, everyone does their best to give each person a fighting chance.  Ultimately in the States and here God is the one in control. 

This little girl’s mom waited patiently but anxiously outside of the operating theatre.  When I was leaving the theatre she was still there waiting for the staff to wheel her baby girl out and I briefly saw her pain, fear, and uncertainty in her eyes.  This little girl will probably not make it and if she does she probably won’t live that long. 

So many questions fill your mind when you see cases like this.  Many times theses questions go unanswered.

Micah

Today, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Nalerigu took me to The Baptist Church by the River to see the new roof, finished floor, and windows of the Church that ALBC (Abundant Life Baptist Church of Lee’s Summit) partnered to provide.  It is awesome to see how God works, so far this Church has been completed for less than a year and there are 30 members plus new visitors every week, I got to meet some of them.  They have no furniture so all of the members stand!!!!  This would not be acceptable in the States but here it is TRUE RELIGION and a little discomfort to be with other believers, learning the Word, and worshiping is all they desire.  VERY HUMBLING!!  Anyway, the pastor, members, and community wanted me to tell ALBC a big THANK YOU!!!  In fact, Pastor David prayed for ALBC that God would use us to reach the world!

Some of you might wonder why is there a First Baptist, Second Baptist, Baptist by the River…it sounds like in the States?  Not really, there was no split in the Churches but after the First Baptist Church was maxed with members and no room to add on then the Second Baptist was built on the south side of town.  Now First and Second Baptist are maxed out so they built Baptist by the River (that is the translation I don’t know the Manprusi name) on the west side of town by the river.  For those of you who question who leads these Churches – all nationals, not one expat has a leadership role in the Churches.  They are solid in the Bible and Pastor David is disciplining several men to go out in the Northern Region of Ghana to disciple as well.

Lailah is feeling better, we believe.  No fever today just a little congested and a little fussy but we accept that as mom and dad dragging her halfway around the world.

Micah

Today we went to the First Baptist Church of Nalerigu.  If you have never been to an African Church you are missing out on some amazing praise and worship.  I truly believe the passion for Him through their worship will be the way we worship in heaven! 

Rounds took place prior to Church and after Church I spent the majority of the afternoon playing with some local kids.  They are so much fun and they love to ask questions about America or how we live and it is interesting for me as I try to explain a way of life that is truly foreign to them. 

The Dr. and Mrs. Ted Higgins, a surgeon on the INMED board, are supposed to begin their journey here tomorrow.  Unfortunately, their daughter was working at a clinic in Haiti when the earthquake occurred.  She has been providing medical care there until she can be safely evacuated, which we hope is very soon!  So the Higgins arrival here in Ghana is dependent on their daughter arriving back in the States safely.

The missionaries and even nationals here have prayed for the people in Haiti.  The amazing thing is I am not even sure if the nationals know where Haiti is, but they do know that brothers and sisters are working and suffering through this devastation there so they are lifting them up in prayer.  It has been a humbling experience to see the faith of so many here, even when they seem to have no material wealth their joy and passion for Christ and others is never ceasing.

Lailah is doing better.  She spiked a fever this morning and was miserable but I believe she is coming around.  She keeps asking for Poco.

Micah

Things are going well here.  Jen caught a bout of illness but is feeling much better.  Lailah has been spiking fevers for the past two days but we think she is cutting a new tooth, not sure so you can pray about that.

There is a small group here that has been leading a pastor’s conference this week.  One of the guys is an amazing classical guitar player and the Ghanaians love to listen to him play.

This evening we are going to a soccer match.  Everyone here plays soccer and they are quite good.  The guitarist is going to play after the game, we use these events as an outreach in the community.

Now for the Manna from Heaven – Ghanaian ICE CREAM!

On Wednesday Lailah and I woke early before the heat set-in to walk into town to buy a backpack full of ice cream.  Yes, ice cream, but here it is called FanCream.  It is amazing stuff!  Anyway, it was well worth the early morning hour walk there and a half an hour walk back – didn’t want the ice cream to melt too much so we picked up the pace.  I had packed my backpack full of ice packs and it worked, Lailah and I arrived back to the house before it melted and we had ice cream for breakfast!

Off to eat some more FanCream!

Micah

Prior to coming to Ghana I already had an opinion, of course the correct one, on US healthcare and this “crisis” that some talk about.   The real healthcare crisis is not in the US but in places like Nalerigu Ghana where everyone is eligible for the “healthcare scheme” that the government offers, the problems is will it pay out and the quality and access of medical care.  First, although there is a healthcare scheme it has no money so clinics and hospitals are still waiting to get paid from the “insurance” for care they provided 6-12 months ago.  Second, the quality of healthcare here is based on resources available, which are minimal.   Finally, access, for some it can take several days walk to the nearest clinic or hospital where you may wait 8-10 hours in the sun to be seen. 

Many of the patients here have lived with their illnesses for days, weeks, and sometimes years.  THIS IS A REAL HEALTHCARE CRISIS.

So to any of those politicians that read my blog, probably none, although there is room for improvement in the US healthcare system it is still far from crisis.  Furthermore, I wonder what the rest of the world thinks when they hear the news report “healthcare crisis in the US”…I can imagine they probably laugh.

Micah