News Release

Attitude of Service Drives Helping Hands Volunteers

For Nicholas Tawiah and his friends, waking up at 4:00 a.m. to travel and screen hundreds of teenage students for diabetes is not a drudgery, but an opportunity to serve God and their fellow men.

“I am here to serve,” said Nicholas, “and serving means giving your all – your time, your talents and even your sleep!” 

 

On February 20, 2017, Elizabeth Denyoh, President of the Ghana National Diabetes Association, addressed a group of volunteers at an LDS church meetinghouse in Takoradi.

“We simply could not do this project without you,” she said.

Volunteers are given an introduction course about diabetes—what it is, why it occurs and ways to identify and control the disease. They are then trained in techniques to record data and conduct the diabetes blood screening test using testing strips and equipment donated by LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mawusi Ametame reminded her friends, “When we joined this Church we promised to do service. It is always good to donate your time. You always get blessings when you render service, and today we learned a lot about a disease which causes much suffering for Ghanaians.”

On February 21, at Fijai Senior High School in Takoradi, 28 Helping Hands volunteers joined medical professionals to ensure 1,830 students were properly screened for diabetes.

Though there was some hesitation to begin the process, each volunteer had been trained and prepared for the task at hand. Nephi Nortey-Annan, an 18-year-old Latter-day Saint young man from Takoradi said, “I am glad to give my service. I also receive blessings because I have learned about this disease and know better how to care for my own health. Service to God is never lost. You always get more than you give.”

      

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