12 Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. MEMBER SPOTLIGHT A Mission. A Purpose. A New Perspective Merit Shop Contractor takes first mission trip to Ghana Tom Deere, the owner of Deere Electric in Tecumseh, MI, never imagined he’d venture outside of the United States, but on a joint mission trip with his son Matt, he returned home with a new found mission for his life. Winneba, Ghana is home to 55,000 people and no hospital. Deere accompanied nine medical professionals on his first mission trip in November 2023. The team performed 45 life-saving surgeries in five days and he kept the team moving by sterilizing the equipment in between. “I assisted this incredible team by getting their equipment up and running, and keeping to their schedule even when the power went out,” Deere said. “We needed power inverters to lower the voltage, so I set those up. We also encountered a few times when the power would just go out while they were operating, so I made sure we traveled with headlamps and helped get the power back to the building. I didn’t think my background as an electrician would come into play as much as it did, and that I’d be sterilizing equipment, but it helped keep things moving.” Deere continued saying as he got older, he realized life’s not just about working. Life needs a mixture of security like a steady paycheck and experiencing what else is out in the world. “I was very humbled on this trip. This was my son’s fifth mission trip and he’s asked me every time to go, so finally I said yes and I’m changed for it,” Deere said. “Experiencing this country, seeing people go years without medical The surgeons operate without power using only headlamps in Ghana. Villagers seen carrying items and food back to their homes. Tom Deere is seen sterilizing medical equipment between surgeries. A look at the electrical supply for the village.
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