eMi Round Two or "He's a Ghana!"


After a three year hiatus, I am overjoyed to be able to share another chance to serve with Engineering Ministries International (eMi.) If you are reading this, you have either followed the link on my support letter or are still subscribed to updates for this blog. I am excited to share more of this new project in Ghana, Africa.

 Ever since my internship with eMi in 2014, the desire to serve again has been strong. If you are unfamiliar with eMi's project process, here's a quick primer. eMi is a multinational Christian development organization that seeks to 'design a world of hope' for the spiritually and physically poor. eMi partners with missions groups already established on the ground, helping to bring the ministry's vision to light from a technical perspective. Each eMi project team is composed of eMi staff, student interns, and professional volunteers such as engineers, architects, and surveyors.

 On my last eMi trip, I served as a student intern, completing a four-month internship at eMi's Canada office in Calgary. My project was the master plan of a seminary and orphanage in rural Myanmar, South East Asia. On this year's trip, I go as a structural engineering volunteer of a 14 person team representing four countries (Canada, United States, Nigeria, and Ghana.) We will be working with the Navigators of Ghana on the master plan of a new 70-acre conference and training centre.

 Like my past trip, I intend to share as much as possible about the trip experience, the ministry, the culture, and the work. I will also be sharing prayer requests for the project trip and follow up efforts. With that in mind here are a few prayer requests that come to mind as I prepare:

  1. Visa Application: We leave for Africa on February 5th, a few short weeks away. I am in the process of applying for my work visa, please pray that the required documents would be mailed in time for my flight.
  2. Responsibility: I feel a bit intimidated by my role on the trip. While I am close to achieving my professional engineer status in Ontario, I still fell a bit underequipped for the job. One of the most important lessons I have learned these past three years working is 'knowing what you don't know.' Please pray that I would have the wisdom and courage to know my limits during my time in Ghana.
  3. Unity: One of my favourite parts of eMi is the consistent trust placed on the sovereignty of God. Despite the fact I will join a team of people I have never worked with, we place our hope know this is a team that God has put together. Please pray that we would mesh as a 'body within the Body' during our time in Ghana.
I was struck recently by a verse in the book of Acts describing the growth of the church. Acts 9:31 states that by 'walking in the fear of the LORD and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it [the church] multiplied.' What a neat example for me and my team to follow in the coming days; that we would have a sense of awe as we walk before the God of the universe, who gives us His spirit to guide and comfort. My hope is that that balance of fear and comfort in God will help our efforts in bringing a small part of God's kingdom here on earth. I look forward to what the coming weeks will bring!

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