The Next Adventure: Parenthood

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.
So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.
~I Samuel 1:27-28

We would like to announce the most joyous occasion in our lives: the birth of our firstborn son Jason Scott Jr. (J. J.) on October 5th, 2011. Words cannot express how ecstatic we both are for this wonderful, handsome, precious answer to prayer. Both mom and baby are doing well and are getting comfortable back at home. Read on for our abbreviated birth story:

The adventure began during our 3 year wedding anniversary on October 4th. We were eating great food at Chester's restaurant when Katherine started to have contractions. We both thought this was most likely false labor, so we blew it off. Over the next several hours, the contractions started getting stronger and more consistent. We went in to labor and delivery but were sent home a few hours later, because Katherine was not yet in active labor. Katherine describes the next 1.25 hours as the most painful of her life as she continued to labor at home. We took a trek back to the hospital and were informed that Katherine was dilated to 9 cm! We were having a baby. =) After only 50 minutes of pushing, our miracle was born. Praise the Lord!

Mom, J. J. and our wonderful physician, Dr. Liz Westby

J. J. was 7 lb 13 oz and 21 1/4 inches long!

It seems Junior takes after his dad with his abnormally large feet.

The new O'Grady clan a few hours after delivery.

We may be biased, but have you ever seen a more adorable kid?

Katherine is absolutely radiant on J. J.'s 2nd day

We are having a blast being parents. Thank you so much for your prayers as we embark on this journey. It is our prayer that J. J. will grow up to be a Godly man, set apart for His service.

From Togo With Love

Praise God for a wonderful, rewarding experience in Togo, West Africa! It will be hard to adequately summarize all that happened, but we hope that these snapshots will help provide a clearer picture of our month in Africa.

April 18, 2011: Agape Guesthouse in Ghana

Jason's days at the 40-bed Hopital Baptist Biblique started early with medical rounds, and he usually spent the rest of the morning in the operating room. Jason had ample opportunity to hone his surgical skills, as he was the lead surgeon for C-sections and assisted with hysterectomies and hernia repairs. After a two hour siesta from noon until 2 (which is “mandatory” for all Togolese), he usually spent the afternoons in the outpatient clinic, treating a host of tropical and common diseases.

Men's Ward

Pediatric Ward



An infant after one of Jason's first C-sections



Malaria was a common diagnosis, and several children with cerebral malaria died despite our best efforts. This child was diagnosed with malaria, but he was able to be treated as an outpatient.



Easter Sunday was a blessing in Tsiko as six of the local congregations joined us to celebrate the resurrection. This is one of the local choirs singing a beautiful hymn.



The following Sunday, we visited one of the local congregations "up the mountain".





A couple of Thursdays, Jason accompanied several nurses and chaplains to rural villages to put on a mobile medical clinic.



Jason's office



Mobile lab



Typical Togolese Village -- Dzedrame

While Jason toiled at the hospital, Katherine was ably assisting the long-term missionaries with childcare and various tasks of cleaning, cooking, and organizing. It didn’t take her long to fall in love with the four children (Sydney, Jadon, Maddox, and Adilyn) that she often watched for one of the missionary families. The youngest, Adilyn, won her heart as the little girl reminded her so much of herself as a young child. This young toe-headed, blue-eyed girl was adventurous to say they least (often picking up strange insects that she would find around the compound and showing them to Katherine). This sweet 2-year old loved to do things by herself. You showed her how to do things once, and then she took the reigns and moved you out of the way with the exclamation, “Addy can do it.” It was wonderful to see these children fully adapted to the mission field and loving their surroundings.

On the day before we left Africa, we were extremely blessed to have many of the hospital staff sing and share some encouragement with us as we prepared to return to the States.

As we look back on our month in Togo and our first mission trip as a family, we feel so privileged to be able to serve in this way. We don’t know where the Lord will have us in the future, but we eagerly await His direction.

T minus 1 week

¹⁶ ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. ¹⁷ I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Acts 26:16-18

I can’t believe that in one week, we will be on our way to Togo by way of Ghana. For those of you that aren’t aware, Katherine and I will be headed to work for a month at the Karolyn Kempton Memorial Hospital in Tsiko, Togo. This hospital is supported by World Medical Mission.

Slightly smaller than West Virginia, Togo is a slender country in West Africa located between Ghana and Benin. It is home to 3.5 million people, with approximately 70% under 30 years of age. Over half of this population is involved in some form of spiritism or animism, but many are receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will be working at the 40 bed hospital, which functions as a medical, surgical, and acute care facility. Since this hospital serves approximately half a million Togolese, I will have ample opportunity to practice medicine and perform a myriad of surgical interventions. Katherine will be serving at the mission complex, cooking, cleaning, providing childcare, and supporting the missionaries in a multitude of ways.

We need your prayer, for without prayer, our entire work will be in vain. Please pray that the LORD would open the hearts of the people to hear His gospel. Pray that He would keep us both safe inside the hospital and throughout our travels. Pray that I would be able to hone my medical and surgical skills as a healer. Pray that Katherine would be flexible and find ample opportunities to bless the lives of the Togolese and their missionaries. Above all, pray that God would be glorified through our lives as we minister in Togo.

Solus Christus

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.


Isaiah 61:1

This blog, the musings and travels of Rev. Dr. Jason and Katherine O'Grady, is dedicated to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We invite you to come along as we walk with Him throughout life's joys and trials.