‘When we are compelled by love, when we embrace the life of beatitudes, we are truly blessed. Truly we are filed with inexpressible joy knowing we dwell in the shelter of the Most High God. We rest in the shadow of the Almighty. He is our refuge and our fortress; we put our trust in Him. He covers us with His wings of love, and we find safety in Him.’ Heidi Baker, in ‘Compelled By Love’
During our three years in Ghana, we were able to learn more than we ever imagined about the cup of suffering and joy.
We witnessed poverty and sickness and drank from the cup of suffering when both worked together to steal lives of people like young Yaw, that died because the clinic could not offer him an emergency blood transfusion (with severe anemia due to malaria and sickle cell). But I also drank the cup of joy when less than one year later a three year old boy from Ankaase was the first one of many that followed to receive healing through a life-saving transfusion (with blood donated by a clinic construction worker!) marking a milestone at the clinic: our blood bank was in place and already saving lives!
We drank the cup of suffering when a tropical rainstorm destroyed many of the homes and churches in the neighboring villages and many were left without a roof. But what a wonderful cup of joy it was to be able to provide (through your support) new roofing material to the community!
After I found out my license had been revoked I experienced being faced with patients coming to the footsteps of our house almost daily looking for relief from their sickness and not being able to care for them, against the cry of my heart, for the sake of obeying the authorities. It was a sour sip of the cup of suffering… But what a joy it was to see walls being raised and lab equipment purchased as part of the new phase at the clinic – that will continue through the work of the Methodist Church Ghana.
We drank the cup of suffering when we were leaving our home in Amakom and had to let go from holding the hands of our Ghanaian brothers and sisters, but rejoiced over a cup that is to come, on the day we all meet again, and enjoy a feast already prepared by our Lord and King! We are blessed beyond measure to be called His servants and to serve with you wherever He leads us to go.
In Him, through Him and for Him, Jesus, are all things.
Love,
Juliana
