This has been the most intense two months of our Ghana experience!
 
As most of you know we returned back to Ghana in April with our “miracle baby,” Blake Mensah* Beil. To be completely honest this was our hardest time to go back to Ghana. With our fragile new born baby and just plain selfishness we wanted to stay home with all the comforts provided for us in America.

After our first few weeks back Brett and I made a conscience decision to make this year our best year ever. With newness of spirit* and mind excited about what our last year on the mission field had in store we began the month of May.
 
On Saturday, I went out with one of my friends for her birthday lunch to a place Brett and I often frequent on our date nights. I came home so proud of myself for eating pizza that I did not care for,* as I was bragging to Brett about how “great” of a friend I was I started feeling a bit ill. After two hours of severe stomach pains I began vomiting uncontrollably. Brett told me afterwards that I vomited between 10-15 times within the next two hours. When I finally gave up hope of feeling better and felt like I was going to die I asked Brett to bring me to the hospital where I knew there would be no doctor until Monday. This was at about midnight. They admitted me quickly and started “fishing” into my vein on the top of my left hand to start an infusion followed by a shot in my lower back. I lasted about 1 hour without vomiting and started demanding the nurses to let me go. The room had no air conditioner. Blake was crying because it was so hot and I had barely enough fluids to attempt to feed him. I was miserable and wanted to get out of there. I started crying and then noticed that the fluid from the infusion had dripped dry and my blood was starting to go the opposite way up the IV tube. I started throwing an all out temper tantrum. I blame it completely on the meds they gave me which made me jittery and anxious =)! I started kicking the wall and crying. Brett talked to the nurses and they agreed to let me go. As Brett was checking out in the front I was trying to make it by myself to the truck and began throwing up again. At that point I didn’t care I just wanted to get out of that hospital! We made it home at about 2:00 AM and I finally got some sleep. I was weak for the next 2 days but I recovered. Praise the Lord.*

Brett caught a nasty cough on the plane on our way back to Ghana. He was struggling with it for about 5 weeks. He got a nasty sickness on top of that where he could hardly function. He missed church on a Sunday night and had to call off for the first time since he became Headmaster of the school the next Monday. We went to the hospital to have the doctor check out his lungs and he seemed to be O.K. The doctor gave him some medicine which was disgusting to even smell yet alone swallow.* It seemed to help and he has been in good health since.
 
Two weeks ago Judson began to spike a fever in the night. We waited a day to see what the fever would do. The next night Judson was extremely hot to the touch and started shaking with the chills. We started him on Malaria medication. This is the 3rd time he has had malaria so we call him the professional malaria fighter for our family.
 
A few days after Judson recovered Jackson started getting a fever. They sleep in bunk beds with the same mosquito net over them so I think that the mosquito bit both of them one night. We started Jackson on the Malaria medicine the next day and they both recovered nicely.
 
It seems like the very moment our family decided we were going to finish out our term strong the Devil decided he was going to throw the fiery dart of bad health in our direction. Thanks be to God, who has already defeated our enemy, that HE allows us to personally claim victory over Satan in our lives.
 
Last Sunday we found out that one of our faithful class members, Johnson Oppong, died. On Tuesday Brett visited the family and discovered that Johnson committed suicide and his 11-year-old daughter was the one who came home from school and found him hanging from a rope. This was devastating to us! Brett had the opportunity of being in charge of the funeral and it was definitely a time of great mourning as he left behind a widow and 5 girls. We thank God that Brett was able to witness to Johnson about 8 months ago and he sweetly accepted Christ as His Saviour! What a relief to KNOW that you were obedient to His great command to preach the gospel.
 
Before Brett visited Johnson’s family on Tuesday he felt burdened to witness to our neighbors who live directly across the street from us. After about an hour and a half Noah and Charles accepted Christ as their Saviour. Yesterday Noah and Charles came to church with us in the morning and followed the Lord in believer’s baptism.  
 
During Sunday morning church Jackson asked Brett if he could get baptized too. Brett said that he wanted to talk to him about it first and if he still wanted to he could get baptized that night. After much discussion in the afternoon Jackson decided he wanted to obey God and make Jesus happy and get baptized. He told me he wanted everyone in the church to know that he got saved. He was a bit scared but overcame his fear so that he could make Jesus happy.  Brett had the opportunity to baptize him last night. Jackson was quite proud of himself. Brett also baptized a convert of his from about 2 years ago named Louis. Louis told him he got baptized in the Catholic church years ago but that was before he got saved. He felt convicted about it and asked Brett if he would baptize him. Of course Brett obliged.
 
Today our family went to go visit Johnson’s widow and children. We brought them some rice, oil, fish, washing powder, and tomato paste* provided by our Sunday School class along with an offering our church gave. I had the chance to witness to the family that was there and 9 family members received Christ including Johnson’s wife, two children, three sisters and one brother. If I could only capture the joy they were expressing when they realized that Johnson was in Heaven. Here in Ghana if you commit suicide it is the unpardonable sin. His widow, Adowa, was convinced he was burning in Hell. It was one of my favorite soul winning experiences of all time. The renewal of spirit was obvious and the joy of the Lord was evident. How refreshing!
 
Needless to say the month of sickness was worth it! Thank you Lord for the service you allow us to have in Ghana.
 
We miss you all tons! Hope this update was a blessing to you!
 
 
Brett, Jennifer, Jackson, Judson, and Blake Beil
 
 
 
 
 
 
*  Means third born son in twi.

*  Much due to the amazing truths found in the book “Reclaiming Surrendered Ground” by Jim Logan, which I encourage EVER believer to read.

*   For those who do not know – I am a VERY picky eater and seldom eat ANYTHING I do not like.

*   “It is extremely difficult to accurately convey the severity of Jenn’s sickness as well as the state
of healthcare in Ghana. Just know that anyone in the States should be VERY thankful for the healthcare that is available.” – Brett

*   No grape or bubblegum flavored cough syrup here!

*    These are some common cooking ingredients and are traditionally used to bring as gifts for   
      various occasions.