On June 19, villagers gathered beneath a warm West African sun to witness a remarkable ceremony.
The Church had just completed the construction of a brand-new, community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) facility — a fully equipped medical clinic complete with nurses’ quarters, delivery and consulting rooms, washrooms, a dispensary and much-needed medical equipment. For this small community, the project was nothing short of transformational.
The clinic is a story of persistence, love and answered prayers.
A mother’s plea for her village
At the heart of this effort stands Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, a Morso native and retired professor of animal biology and conservation science at the University of Ghana.
Moved by the deeply inadequate conditions of her hometown’s original health post, she began to seek help, reported the Church’s Africa Newsroom.
“Whenever I visited the old CHPS facility, I felt something urgent needed to be done,” she said. “Seeing a female in-patient sharing that single patient room with a male patient was something I felt too bad. It was just not right.”
Her appeals to nongovernmental organizations came up short.
“I knocked on several NGOs doors for help to get a new facility; I didn’t succeed,” she said.
That’s when she approached The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “They opened and welcomed me in,” she said. “Now we have a new facility built. I will forever be grateful to them.”
A gift of healing
The Church responded with speed and care, building the clinic from the ground up and outfitting it with needed medical equipment.
Among the many donations were hospital beds, an ultrasound machine, fetal doppler, oxygen tanks, a vaccine fridge, wheelchairs and even an infant resuscitator — items that are often scarce in Ghana’s rural clinics.
But this was more than a list of materials. It was a message, loud and clear: The people of Morso matter.
At the handover ceremony, Elder Isaac K. Morrison, General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Africa West Area presidency, offered words that reflected the Church’s purpose.
“This project, which is a CHPS facility, reflects the Church’s deep and enduring commitment for strengthening families and communities through service, love and collaboration,” he said. “Our goal as a Church is to do well. We strive to do that by sharing our love and our devotion to Jesus Christ.”
A day of joy and unity
Local leaders arrived in traditional regalia, and a celebratory air filled the village as people expressed gratitude.
Nana Obeng Poku Tano II, chief of the nearby Kwahu Bokuruwa community, chaired the event. He was impressed not just by the scope of the donation but by its timeliness: “What struck me and was fascinating to me was the speed with which this project was completed,” he said. “I congratulate the donors, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and say a big thanks to them.”
The queen mother of the community, Nana Acheampomaa Anima I, echoed that gratitude with deep emotion. “This morning my heart is full of joy. I thank the Lord very much for granting us the desires of our hearts because health in our bodies is very important,” she said. “It was always my prayer to get a new one for the community. We had many disappointments from some NGOs until we met The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints. We are so very grateful for what you have done for us.”
More than medicine
Though Morso has no Latter-day Saint congregations, its people have now seen firsthand what discipleship in action looks like.
Elder Morrison explained that as followers of Jesus Christ, members of the Church are committed to obeying the Lord’s two great commandments. He affirmed that the residents of Morso are neighbors, and more importantly, brothers and sisters.
As the ribbon was cut and the clinic officially opened, conversation quickly turned to the future.
Some spoke with excitement about the expected economic ripple effects. With better healthcare access, residents from surrounding areas may begin to travel to Morso, increasing the demand for places to stay, eat and shop.
But the day belonged first and foremost to the people of Morso. For them, this clinic was more than a building, it was a blessing. And though the Church may not yet have a meetinghouse in Morso, its presence has already been felt in the most Christlike way possible; through love, service and healing.
