Six Weeks in Ghana: A Summary

Well this is it. My six weeks in Ghana is up. I can’t believe it’s already over. In this post I’m sharing my thoughts and feelings about my experiences in this beautiful country. Over the past six weeks we’ve seen over a thousand locals in need of eye care. It’s been such an eye opening (pun intended) experience for me.

Something that really stuck out to me on this trip was the complete love and kindness of the locals. From local patients to the doctors, I have definitely felt welcome and loved. This has been one of the recurring themes of this trip. The people that we have worked with over the past six weeks work endlessly to support and uplift each other. I remember during an outreach, we were assisting a woman who needed to purchase glasses. When she realized that she didn’t have enough to pay for the glasses, a woman in line right behind her immediately decided to help and give some of what little money she also had. It was indescribable to see the charity of this woman who was probably in a similar situation as the woman in front of her. This experience helped me do a little bit of self-evaluating. In the spur of the moment, how willing would I be to help someone else in need?

“I have my own problems—my own concerns and needs. Only when I’m ready, will I help my fellow man. Now just isn’t the right time. “

Do we find ourselves looking more inward than outward in circumstances such as this? In the moment, I couldn’t understand how someone with so little was so readily willing to give it up. It’s this sort of selflessness that I’ve taken away from this trip. Through simple acts of sincere kindness and love will we be able to propel this world in a positive direction.

Ghana has been great, but as I go home, it will become nothing but another memory. However, the friends I’ve made and life lessons that I’ve learned I hope to carry with me moving forward.