Relationships that Leave a Hole in your Heart
Over the five years that the Two Pennies Ministry has served here in the United States and in Ghana, West Africa, we have been blessed by the relationships that we’ve had the fortune to develop with people. We have helped to fulfill many dreams and are currently working to continue this in exciting ways. The friendships that we’ve made at schools, churches and orphanages have opened our eyes in ways we could have never imagined.
Maame and her brother
Our Two Pennies Ghana Branch serves those who are in need of medical care, but can’t afford it. Although we don’t have much of a budget for larger operations, we have been able to provide several procedures for individuals in dire circumstances. It has been rewarding to see them come through and begin to live regular lives again. Sometimes we are met with circumstances that we can’t help. In one of our most recent Journeys, our team had the chance to meet young Maame Ekua. They spent time with her family and watched as she sat quietly while the other children around her played. She had a gentle spirit and few words.
Maame had been born with a congenital heart defect, commonly known as “hole in the heart.” In the United States and other first world countries, this is usually dealt with early on and children can recover quickly. In Ghana, however, this isn’t the case.
Our representative, Aboagye, took Maame to the training hospital for exams and was told that she would need surgery. A procedure that they couldn’t afford. Over the past few months, while we’ve wrestled with questions about what we could possibly do, Maame grew weaker and a few weeks ago, she passed away.
Lindsay spending time with Maame.
Sometimes our dreams meet with fantastic reality and we are able to provide a poultry farm to a struggling orphanage, a church for a congrega tion and a library for a school. We laugh with our friends, watch in wonder as children read for the first time and we rejoice in providing meals for the hungry.
And sometimes we must just sit with a child – even for a sliver of time and rejoice in the fact that this one is precious to God and we were blessed to be able to share in this light before he takes her home.