Bittersweet Blessings

In the wake of the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Ghana, and the attendant hardships it is exacting on far too many, the entire socioeconomic situation in Ghana is becoming increasingly overwhelming. This was reflected in this month’s distribution of food to some 250 beneficiaries. The whole exercise was fraught with a mix of heart-rending issues and heart-warming developments. Kind of bitter-sweet experiences.

On the whole everyone was full of praises for and heaped blessings upon the donors of the foodstuffs. Many could not hold back their tears as we surprised them with a week’s supplies of foodstuffs. A Grandma looking after five children openly shed tears of joy, and prayed blessings upon donors with a trembling voice. On the flip side, COVID-19 is exacting its hardships on many recipients. Not that they had tested positive. Rather, they are sick and cannot get help for treatment. They were thankful for the foodstuffs alright, but they were afraid of dying because of financial difficulties—unable to afford very specific medications for their survival.

Many in this category of beneficiaries sorrowfully appealed to us for help, but we had to gently deny such appeals and focus on our core mandate. It was tough. We are considering a ministry fund for life-sustaining medications based on a very rigorous needs test. We are praying for the Lord’s guidance on this. That aside, our volunteers in one out of the seven distribution areas reported sick of malaria. A handful of them and their families were down, but they had to force to carry out the distribution into the late night. It was only the next morning that they managed to drag themselves to the nearest clinic at their own costs.

Looking at it all, one question that comes to mind is: What would happen if the hope of having meals for at least a week is nonexistent? The gratitude of parents, the joy of children and their constant glorification of God over the foodstuffs overshadow all other concerns. We will continue to faithfully serve those we’ve been called to serve, and we are grateful to those who make this possible. The rest is up to the Lord. And in this vein, the advice we’ve been giving to the needy for medical help is to use the Biblical Hotline – Jeremiah 33:3: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”