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John in Ghana- A Brief Update [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-08-15

I know we all have other things on our minds today but I wanted to write at least a small story on my friend John in Ghana and his situation.

John has dedicated his life to helping the poorest of the poor in he Buduburam Refugee Camp and elsewhere in Ghana who come to him in desperate need. His main concern has been immediate medical emergencies but he will try to help anyone he can.

John has serious health problems of his own and more than once has been close to death. Last week he suddenly began passing large quantities of blood. A friend took him in to the local hospital where they provided emergency treatment, including several drips. He was in the hospital for several days but they managed to stabilize his situation.

The problem was paying for it. Hospitals in Africa do not look kindly on those who do not pay on the spot. They do not let you simply go home and send a bill. You must pay before you leave, period. Otherwise they do not let you out and each day the bill is higher.

Unfortunately last week while this was happening with John I was having a serious emergency with my son that absolutely had to be taken care of lest he lose all contact with the world outside of the prison where he is being held. So it was a very stressful and difficult week.

But I did manage to get the money to John for his release and he is now home with enough meditations to carry him through, at least for the time being.

I am very worried about his health in general. My impression at this time is that John’s medical condition can be controlled but not really cured (no, I do not know the details and John doesn’t have the vocabulary to describe it anyway; I don’t know what the doctors are telling him and I’m not sure I want to know.)

Also I did manage to resolve the situation with my son, though for privacy reasons and for his safety I don’t want to go into details about that.

To give an idea about John’s character, while he was lying in the hospital bed and almost too weak to talk he asked me for funds to pay for Anabel’s keep in the shelter where she is staying. (Anabel is a four year old girl who was abandoned by her mentally ill mother when she was three years old; some homeless kids took her to John and we have been paying for her to stay in a children’s care shelter for perhaps nine months now.)

Incidentally anyone who might think that John is simply using her to get money out of me, that isn’t necessary. John doesn’t need to lie to me to get money for his needs and for the needs of others there and he knows it.

Also John asked for help for his homeless brother Joshua, even though John has no money for food himself right now. I know Joshua personally and have chatted with him directly more than once.

Joshua is my Vincent Van Gogh. He wants desperately to be a painter and has asked me for books on art and for artist’s supplies but alas, that has been beyond our means. Also he is being supported by his brother, as Vincent was supported by Theo. And sadly, Joshua has some mental and emotional issues.

He has a place in my heart.

So the good news is that John has received medical care and is home. It will be a challenge to handle the rest of the month financially for everyone and I am a bit concerned about the rest of Anabel’s monthly bill but one step at a time. Of course if John goes down everyone there will be on their own anyway, including Anabel, so first things first.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/8/15/2187392/-John-in-Ghana-A-Brief-Update

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