Ghana Overview

Tomorrow I leave for Ghana with my team, and I am so excited about it!  Most of you probably have a pretty good idea already of what this is going to look like because I have probably talked your ear off about it or you've already worn out our project page, but here are the basics one more time.  Also, I've included a calendar with what we can expect every day.  Hopefully I'll be blogging every couple days, but if not, this way you can know what I'm up to and can know how to be praying each day.

Click on the Calendar to see a larger image with easier to read text.

• Our team will be surveying and master planning for an 100 child orphanage staff housing facility.  Currently the orphanage houses 40 children on a different piece of land.  The current building is over capacity and the site has problems with flooding.  
• The orphanage if funded by the Jesse Brooks Foundation and run by a Ghanian pastor.  The foundation was started by Jesse Brooks' family after she passed away in a car accident on her first missions trip at age 10.
• Our team consists of myself, one other EMI intern named Nick from Oklahoma State University, EMI staff leaders John Agee and Bob Smith, and 7 other engineers and architects from all over the country who are volunteering for this trip and will continue to work with us from their homes when we get back to the states.
• Throughout the week there will be all sorts of different works and jobs to be done.  We have to survey the site, determine the resource needs like fresh water for the site, determine the best local materials to be used in the project, and put together an overall design for the site that we will detail when we get back.  There will definitely be down time throughout the week during which we will be able to explore Aflao a little bit and also interact with locals and play with the children in the orphanage.  

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for the families of the volunteers who will be accompanying us on the trip.  Many are leaving wife's and kids (sadly no female engineers, coming but John's sister who is a teacher is coming with us).  Please pray that God would provide for and guard them as we are serving in Ghana.
• Please pray that our team would be quick to hear and slow to speak as we work with the in-country ministry in determine the best design to meet their needs.  Please pray that cultural differences don't hinder communication, but that we are all sensitive to the Spirit's leading and love one another before we let our own selves get in the way.
• Please pray for protection through travel and our health in-country.  Pray that we would adjust to the new place quickly and wouldn't be afflicted by physical ailment.
• Please pray against the work of the enemy.  Pray that our team would stand firm in truth, dependent on the Spirit, and wouldn't fall victim to Satan's attacks.  Please pray for endurance for our team.