Reaching Ghana’s Nomadic Tribes: A Missionary’s Journey

Arrival in Ghana and a Detour to Takoradi

My wife Laura and I arrived in Ghana in 2005 under unexpected circumstances. Our original plan had been to return to Ivory Coast, where we had served before, but the civil war made that impossible. Instead, God redirected us to Takoradi, Ghana. At the time, it felt like a detour. Looking back, it was divine placement. We moved in with our dear friends, the Litsons, Matt and his family, sharing a massive house that seemed tailor-made for two missionary families. It had a huge open kitchen and living area, flanked on both sides by long hallways leading to four bedrooms each. That house was always full of laughter, prayer, and children’s voices echoing down the tiled corridors. Some people say living with another family is a recipe for disaster. But in the six months we shared that home, we never had a single argument, not one. It was a sweet and memorable season, a gift of peace during a time of transition. It was while we were living there that we discovered that Gilbert had a peanut allergy. One day, Laura made peanut butter cookies. She gave Gilbert half of a cookie. A few minutes later, he was covered in hives. Two of my sister’s girls have a severe peanut allergy. So, we called her to verify. We gave him a bath, and the hives eventually subsided. We had to start carrying Benadryl and eventually an epi-pen. Peanuts are a common snack there. Gilbert had to learn not to eat anything without checking with us first; even some of the candy had peanuts. If someone who had eaten peanuts touched him, he would break out where they had touched him.

Discovering the Challenging Healthcare System

When Laura became pregnant with our second child, we were thrilled! After much prayer, we decided to have the baby in Ghana. But there was one small problem; no one we knew had ever done it. We had met dozens of missionaries, but none had given birth in-country, at least not in Takoradi, several hours from the capitol. There were no books, no experienced expat moms, no embassies offering guidance. It was all new territory. Still, we felt a deep peace that God would take care of us. We began prenatal visits with a local doctor in Takoradi who seemed highly qualified. His office walls were covered in framed diplomas, many of them from medical institutions in London. He was confident, well-spoken, and reassuring. He introduced us to a kind Ghanaian midwife who was attentive and gentle. They gave us a solid prenatal care schedule; and, for a while, things went smoothly.

The Birth of Our Son

But the birth of our son, Danny, was a different story altogether. Laura’s due date arrived, and we were taken to the Port Authority Clinic, where the head doctor assured us he had done many C-sections. He was, after all, the head of Ghana’s Port Health Authority, the equivalent of their Surgeon General. He sounded confident. We trusted him. We were instructed that Laura had to check in to the hospital 24 hours early and that she was supposed to fast for 24 hours. But the ward had no air conditioning; they had ceiling fans but did not want to create a draft; the heat was unbearable. After we had been there for quite a while, they informed her that she only had to fast for 12 hours, but it was about the 12-hour mark then. By that time, she had a migraine from not eating. She became severely dehydrated and started vomiting. The nurses dismissed my concerns. Rules were rules, I was not allowed to stay overnight. The clinic was nothing like an American hospital. The beds were cots. Each patient had to provide anything that would be needed during their stay at the hospital – bedding, trash bags, clothing, food, etc. There were no buzzers for assistance; instead, there was a doorbell on the wall. I made Laura promise that she would ring the doorbell if she needed anything at night.

“Only 15% of births in Ghana take place in a health facility.” World Health Organization

Surviving the Paperwork Nightmare

After the birth, we had to deal with the paperwork nightmare of getting Danny’s citizenship documents. When a baby was born at the Port Authority Clinic, the parents were given a small slip of paper with handwritten information. That slip of paper had to be taken to the office of Births and Deaths to receive a larger handwritten birth certificate. Then, that birth certificate had to be presented to the US Embassy to start the citizen-born-abroad process. We had called the embassy before going to find out what we needed and told them when we were coming. When we arrived on a Thursday after a six-hour drive to Accra, we were told that they only do that type of paperwork on Wednesdays. I politely explained that we had called before coming and had made an appointment for Thursday. Reluctantly, they agreed to do the paperwork. Apparently, no one currently employed at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana had processed a birth abroad. Not only that, but none of the previous staff had trained them either. They were referring to Danny as “the American baby born in Ghana.” They messed it all up. We ended up having to go all the way to Ivory Coast to fix it, not exactly what you want to do with a newborn and a recovering mom. But, we did it. God helped us every step of the way.

Reflecting on the Experience

It was not until months later that we learned the full truth: the doctor who had delivered our son, Takoradi’s supposed “Surgeon General”, was a fraud. He had never attended medical school in London. He had forged every diploma on his wall. In reality, he was a local nurse who had taught himself surgery and lied his way to the top. And he had performed a C-section on my wife. If anything had gone wrong, if Danny had not breathed, or Laura had hemorrhaged, there was no backup, no surgical team, no life-saving equipment, no helicopter to Accra. We would have lost everything. But God was there. There are moments in life when you think you are ready, when you have planned, researched, and prayed. You trust the paperwork, the qualifications, the process. You believe you have done your part. But sometimes, it is not enough. We had no idea we were walking into danger. But God knew. He saw the deception. He saw the risks. And He was already there, shielding us, guiding hands we could not see.

“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Psalm 121:7-8

Reaching Nomadic Tribes in Ghana

As we reflect on our experience, we are reminded of the challenges that many communities in Ghana face, particularly the nomadic tribes. These tribes are often isolated and lack access to basic necessities like healthcare and education. But we believe that God is at work in these communities, calling us to be a part of His mission. We are committed to reaching out to these tribes, providing them with the love and support they need to thrive. And I invite you to join us on this journey, to be a part of God’s mission in Ghana, to help us reach the nomadic tribes and share the love of Jesus with them.

As we look to the future, we are reminded of the importance of partnering with local churches and organizations to reach the nomadic tribes. We are grateful for the support of our partners, who are working tirelessly to bring the Gospel to these communities. And we are excited to see the impact that God is making through their efforts. Consider joining us for a missionary internship and experiencing the beauty of Ghana firsthand.

Ultimately, our goal is to see the nomadic tribes in Ghana come to know the love and redemption of Jesus Christ. We believe that God is calling us to be a part of this mission, to be His hands and feet in these communities. And I invite you to join us on this journey, to be a part of God’s mission in Ghana, to help us share the love of Jesus with the nomadic tribes.

As we conclude our story, we are reminded of the power of God to overcome even the greatest challenges. We are grateful for the lessons we learned in Ghana, and we are excited to see the impact that God is making through our ministry. And I invite you to join us on this journey, to be a part of God’s mission in Ghana, to help us reach the nomadic tribes and share the love of Jesus with them.

References:

• World Health Organization
• International Mission Board
• Blue Letter Bible

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