You can order a free copy from the IMB’s online store. All you pay is shipping (60-ish cents) and the limit is 50 per order. Why not order a stack to give out at church! Who knows, you may help inspire someone to get involved in God’s work in West Africa.

If you read the recent newsletter you’ll see this section about their most recent project:

A container has just been sent to BMC with two incubators, two autoclaves, five oxygen concentrators, wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and over 130 barrels of medical supplies, bandages, and envelopes for pharmacy use.

Special thanks to Vicki Barnes and Tabernacle Baptist’s support of the Ghana Bandage project, Pat Howard for much of the medical supplies, Tarak Garas for the incubators, Steve Rutledge of Luke19-10 ministries for an autoclave, the Oxygen Store and Clear Choice in Rome, GA for donated oxygen concentrators, the numerous volunteers who roll bandages and send envelopes, and all of you who have helped with your financial contributions!

It is encouraging for me to see so many people coming together and donating their time, skills, tools, and finances for such an important cause. Read the newsletter’s brief report on the hospital’s 50+ year track record and you will realize how important the work at BMC is.

I got an email from Mike Mott, our pastor from Seminole First Baptist Church, telling me that she was on the front page of the Florida Baptist Witness!

Here are the stories on gowestafrica.org (I’m biased towards that source since it has more photos):

• 50 year celebration
• Volunteers needed
• BMC Public health

Or you can pick another source:

• IMB.org
• Baptist Press
• Florida Baptist Witness
• Oklahoma Baptist Messenger
• Christian Telegraph
• Mission Network News (with audio version too!)
• Baptist Medical Centre’s website

They also let users submit images to be considered for the Photo of the Week pick. The pick of the week is then critiqued by a pro. I was flattered not only to have a portrait I made at BMC get picked but get such wonderful comments by Atlanta-based professional photographer Craig Tanner. As usual, listening to his critique of my image taught me something new: specular highlights!

If you have an interest in photography and are looking to improve your skillset, I highly recommend The Mindful Eye.

The photograph was taken in December 2007 as part of a series entitled “It Pains O’ Why?“

Click the image to the right to launch a new window the large panorama. Please be patient, it may take a while to load.

Several years ago, after his wife passed away, Tommy moved to Nalerigu and became a full-time, independent missionary. No organization supports him financially – Tommy has dedicated his life to sharing Christ’s love with the people of Northern Ghana.

Tommy’s ministry is very unique. He works with the maintenance crew at the hospital, helping with repairs and construction. He takes his John Deere tractor out to remote villages to help them plow their fields (and bring in their harvest). He teaches farmers better farming techniques and he himself farms about 6 acres. The locals help him harvest his corn and soybeans and he saves the harvest until the dry season. When villages’ food supplies get low he begins distributing his harvest among them.

Meeting physical needs isn’t all Tommy does for the people. He took it upon himself to learn Mampruli (in his 70s mind you!) and has established 3 preaching points in remote villages. Each Sunday he visits a different preaching point and shares the Gospel. He also sponsors young men who attend the Baptist Seminary with the goal of returning to the remote locations and pastoring churches.

When I look at Tommy’s life and the impact he has, I am humbled. So many people’s lives have been made better thanks to the sacrifices Tommy has made. More importantly, people have gained assurance of eternal life with Christ thanks to the message Tommy has brought.

Talk to Tommy about his work and you’ll see that he is in no way arrogant about his role. When you point out how much sacrifice he has made, he quickly dismisses it. He points out how hard the lives of the rural West Africans are as they live by subsistence farming and poverty. “I’m just trying to help out” he says.

Following are some images of Tommy and his work that I took both this year and last:

She also gives me mad props for photos – thanks Emily!

In this photo, Trey is sporting the shirt I had made for him from the BMC 50th anniversary material. I think we’ll have to wait a while before he wears that shirt in public. He’s also wearing Heidi’s surgical scrub cap I brought back.

This weekend Trey and I will leave Richmond and head down to Georgia to be re-united with Heidi.