We hope you have been enjoying the beautiful colors of the fall season, and have had the opportunity to go out and enjoy the sunshine.
As you know, we are planning to travel to Ghana this winter (February 1st-February 29th). We are working through the organization known as the World Medical Mission, a ministry of Samaritan's Purse. Earlier this year, we placed our application, receiving a reply soon after, indicating the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu, Ghana was in particular need of help, both in the areas of ministry and medical care. It was clear that our personal experience and training would directly benefit the needs of the community, and thus, we decided to make a commitment to serve. As we learned more about the hospital and surrounding community, it became more clear what our individual roles would be. Ben will be participating in ministry opportunities such as Bible studies, chapel services, teaching children, and helping to coordinate patient care in the hospitals and clinics. Jen will be providing medical care for the patients in the hospitals and clinics.
The Baptist Medical Centre is located in the town of Nalerigu, which is in the rural northwest part of Ghana. The facility consists of 10 hospital buildings and seven medical wards including the medical, maternity, surgical, intensive care, pediatric, HIV and a tuberculosis ward. This facility consists of 137 hospital beds and approximately 400 patients are seen daily in the outpatient clinic. A physician from the U.S has been working at this hospital for his entire medical career, and will be serving as Jen's medical mentor.
We wanted to share this with you to ask for your prayer and/or financial support. We have estimated the total cost of our trip to be approximately $3,000 each. This includes airfare, housing, food and other related expenses. We are working on saving what we can to help cover these expenses. Samaritan's Purse may also provide some assistance.
If you would like to provide financial support, you can make a contribution through the Samaritan's Purse website: www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/giving/wmm_doctors/ (just type Erbes in the 'Find a Dr.' box) or send a donation to our home at 1501 Forest Road; Coralville, Iowa; 52241 with checks payable to Ben Erbes. If you are interested in making your gift tax deductible, please make your contribution through the online website.
We have included a prayer card you can put on your desk, refrigerator, etc. to be a reminder that we will need your prayers! Specifically:
Pray that we will have our full dependence and trust in God
Pray for the people we will teach and provide medical care
Pray that we would be able to build solid and purposeful relationships with the people in the community, so that we may share the love of Christ with them
Pray for safety for us, as well as the other volunteers and physicians
Thank you for partnering with us on this project and for keeping us in your prayers!
Love,
Ben and Jen Erbes
