2 weeks:(

I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. Two weeks from today I will be going to Ghana. I am VERY excited for that as well. I guess that is just how things go- it takes a little bit to get used to things and then you are called on. I was in Monrovia on Friday walking around on the streets, taking taxis, just being a part of the culture and I actually had the thought, "Hmm, this is starting to feel pretty comfortable. I love it!" When I first arrived I wondered if I would ever feel comfortable in a place that is so different from the Western world.
I worked this weekend. This is a picture of me and some of the patients. I think it is one of my favorite times when we are able to take them out to the deck. When they are out there they really open up and you can see their personalities so much more. They just love to look around and, of course, have their pictures taken. They are such beautiful people! This is the last week of surgery and we are praying that everyone heals well and quickly as the ward is scheduled to close on May 8. I am sad to see some of the patients leave. Sad because of the relationships that have been built, sad of what they may be returning to, and saddened by what their futures may hold (the children especially). But, I also am encouraged. I am encouraged that I know the Lord goes with them. They do not need the lifestyle I live. By knowing the Lord they are happy. They have hope. When I look at their lives through my eyes it seems so hopeless but so many of these patients are just so full of praise. Praising the Lord for what He has done for them through Mercy Ships. Also, praising the Lord that they are alive after living amongst war! These people are true examples of faith!
This little boy has melted my heart! You should hear him recite John 3:16! It is so precious. The other day when we were out on the deck he was saying it and I asked him if he knew any others and he giggled and said no. Not long after he blurts out, "I and my Father are one!" So cute. His mother is teaching him what is really important in life!
Please be praying for all of the crew this week as Thursday and Friday we have screening days. I don't know what to expect and I don't know what exactly I will be doing. I just imagine that it is a powerful day. I am sure hundreds if not thousands of people will show up hoping to be scheduled for surgery later this summer (on the Africa Mercy). Please pray for the physicians to have the discernment to schedule those who need help the most. Also, pray for the ones who will be turned away- that in the midst of their disappointment they may find hope. May they see Jesus in all of us whether they receive an appointment card or not. Your prayers are changing lives in Liberia. Thank you!

HIV/AIDS

There is a song that I was introduced to prior to my coming to Africa. I have been thinking about the lyrics a lot the last few days. They moved me prior to coming to West Africa and now they seem to express the cries of my heart more than ever. I don't know if the impact can be as great by just reading the words but the song is powerful...
Esther by Sara Groves

I have a picture of Esther and David
She is a young bride and he is a soldier
They didn't know then that David was dying
They wouldn't have children

Alone with a life time, Africa called
She went for the first time, it grew in her heart
All of the children, all of those children

Now Esther has 2.4 million children
She writes us and asks us to pray for them all

She's compelled, she's compelled by what she's seen
And she tells us, she tells us do anything you can
To help, oh please help, there's so much to do
And I'm just Esther

She visits her homeland, she fights with her words
She comes to the courts of the kings of the earth
Who don't understand their inherited power
To answer her question

Now Esther has 2.4 million children
She writes us and asks us to pray for them all

She's compelled, she's compelled by what she's seen
And she tells us, she tells us do anything you can
To help, oh please help, there's so much to do
And I'm just Esther

Yesterday on my day off I went to Missionaries of Charity which is the ministry started by Mother Theresa. It was encouraging to see the work of the Sisters. They have quite a nice facility and are doing the best they can with what they have. Again, it is quite heart wretching to see the men, women, children with HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis, malnutrition. As I held a child, her lungs rattling with every breath, barely able to hold up her head- I prayed. I asked God what I could do. Nothing- all I could do was pray! So I write with a breaking heart and I ask you to pray! Please pray for the children. It is estimated that 10-15% of the people in Liberia are infected with HIV or AIDS. I am afraid that number is probably low. With their limited health services it is difficult to even have proper statistcs to idenitify what the infection rate is.
I too am compeled by what I am seeing! Please help...please pray!

The Africa Mercy

The long-term crew members here on the Anastasis are counting down the days until the new ship, the Africa Mercy, arrives in Monrovia in May. Apparently this has been a very long, trying journey. I believe I heard they have been praying and expecting this new ship to be ready to sail for almost 8 years! This was the ship I originally thought I would be serving on but, once again, it was not ready. There are apparently a lot of maritime rules and regulations that have be quite complex.
As I prepared for my trip to Mercy Ships they were really unable to tell me my final work dates here on the ship. They were still unsure if/when the Africa Mercy would be operational. Well, shortly after I arrived I found out that the final surgery date was the beginning of May. The ward is scheduled to close on May 8. Through much prayer I have debated as to how I should best use my time. I am welcomed to stay here on the ship and help with the “transition”- packing boxes and cleaning. I wrestled with this for a couple weeks and God has pointed me in another exciting direction.
So now…I am going to be leaving Mercy Ships on May 13 and flying to Accra, Ghana. There I will be working with missionaries whom I have been in touch. They are actually my good friend’s aunt and uncle. They served on Mercy Ships years ago and now have been working in Ghana as missionaries. In the process of my preparing for Mercy Ships Kirk and Christine have been a huge encouragement and gave me lots of inside information on Mercy Ships. I had only dreamt that I would ever be able to meet them while I am here in West Africa. Christine works as a nurse/teacher and I will be able to work with her at the school! I am so grateful for not only having the opportunity to experience Mercy Ships but also to experience living among the African people in a village in Ghana! Wow, to think that God had all this in store for me when I stepped on the plane a month ago. This is far exceeding my greatest expections! He continues to amaze me!

Some more pictures!

#1: These are some women that I have met and been talking to at church!

#2: My sweet British roomate and I!

#3: One of the beautiful patients that has been on the ward almost the whole time I have been here. It has be wonderful building a relationships with some of the patients that have been here the longest.

Tailor

Yesterday I brought some fabric to the tailor across the street from the port to have somethings made. It is a small tailor shop, not the one in this picture. The one by the port is just a small little box with one man and one sewing machine. As we walked in the young man stands to greet us and he is wearing a UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS t-shirt! I was so excited so of course I was like, "Ahh..that is where I am from...Minnesota!" And he smiled (not nearly as excited as I was) "Oh, Minnieesoda!!!" It was quite precious! A prime example of how everything is handed down- if they have clothes, they wear what is available.

On our knees

Last weekend when I was working nights I was taking care of 3 new admitted patients that were awaiting their hernia operations on Monday morning. Three strapping Liberian men, all in beds next to each other. They were pretty funny. Laughing, joking and trying to figure out what was going on on this "hospital ship." Actually, for all I know they were laughing at me. I couldn't always understand them. Two of the men were older and in the middle of the beds was a younger man about my age. He seemed to be quite educated and he spoke very intelligible English and was often translating for the other men. When I was explaining his IV to him in my "Liberian" termonology he said very boldly, "I know, I understand." That was a good lesson for me to realize that not all the people are at the same level. After the evening tasks were done the patients all slept well through the night. Around 530am the next morning I started up again getting ready to get the patients sent to the OR. I walked into the other side of the ward and there was Elijah, the young man, on his knees beside his bed praying to Jesus! I stopped in my tracks to marvel at the heart of this man. Here he was grounded firmly enough in His faith to be on his knees before the Lord ready to start the day. Elijah gets it- he knows right where the Lord wants us- on our knees before him. Isn't there a Country music song that says, "A man never stands as tall as when he gets down on his knees." How true. What a statement Elijiah made to me that morning. It is incredible to see who is learning from who here! Praise God for how the Holy Spirit is working in Liberia!

So they may know!

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10: 14-15

Nights

I was talking to a friend on the phone today and she asked me what I am really missing from home. It was sort of fun to think about. I couldn't think of too much that I am missing terribly from home but I did think of a few things that I won't miss when I leave here. They are:
1. I won't miss my bunk bed. I can't sit up in it and every morning I wake up feeling for my alarm clock on my one little shelf (that I hit my knees on when I roll over at night) and every day my hair gets stuck on the springs of the bunk above me!
2. I won't miss the "liquid" only toilets and having to walk (a ways) to the appropriate toilet depending on what needs to be done!
3. I won't miss the milk here. Milk that doesn't need to be refrigerated! Chunky!!!
These are by no means complaints! Just adjustments:)
I do miss...
1. Listerine
2. Ice cream
3. Chocolate (but I got an amazing care package full of it the other day so I am set for a while!)

I am working night shift right now. It is very quiet but I am really enjoying it. I feel it a privilege to be available through the night. I enjoy looking around the ward at the beds packed side by side with people hanging out of them. Many of the single beds have 2 people in them. We don't have space for families to stay so they just sleep with the patient. It is quite precious and they don't complain about anything. God has surely transformed my mind on so many things. I pray that I am pliable to Him to do what He sees fit for me!

Arizona

I had another wonderful night at work. I just have to share this story. For the last 2 days I took care of this 40 some year old male who had a piece of pavement taken out of his leg today (remnant of the war in 1990). He was doing great and he was telling me stories about the war (fasinating). He was so grateful for Mercy Ships and was so thankful to God for his life and that he is alive! Then he proceeded to ask me if I was from the UK or Canada. I then said, "the USA." He then glowed and said, "Oh, our neighbor country". The Liberians really feel like they are pary of the US! I have even heard mentioned- they are the 51st state! Anyway, he asked if I am from Washington or New York. I then said I live in Arizona. He had never heard of it. So I asked if he had heard of the Grand Canyon. Of course not. He asked if he could see pictures. So, I brought him a few pictures that I have with me. I showed him a couple pictures of me with others at the Grand Canyon. He was so excited to be learning about the US! He thought I was my cousin Jessica in the picture of us at the GC! It was cute. Then (here's the funny part) I showed him a picture of my dad and I on top of Camelback. He first of all was suprised that my dad is still alive (the life expectancy here is around 45 I believe, sad). Then he studied the picture closer and responded, "oh but your dad is old, he has a stick!" Ya, he had a stick- I walking stick!! So this Liberian man thinks my old dad can hike Camelback with a CANE!!! Oh, I was laughing so hard. Little does he know my dad is in better shape than me! Sorry Dad! It was funny! He had previously asked how we got up there and he wondered if we had taken an airplane. Oh, bless him! It was a fun moment. He was so delighted to learn about a part of the USA that no one knows about. Now he said he is going to tell people he knows someone from Arizona!!

Tug Boat

Good morning! This is a picture I took yesterday morning from a tug boat I went out on! The sun was rising above our ship. It was great to get out on the water a little bit. I loved it!
Please pray for me to stay healthy as I feel I am getting sick! I have 4 night shifts to get through this week as well. Prayers for that would be great as well as I am NOT a night person at all! More later. I am off to get some lunch before heading to work. Thank you for being faithful supporters of what God is doing here! Have a great day!

HAPPY EASTER!!

Easter Greetings from Liberia! I don't feel like I am so far away today as I have worshipped much similarly than I would be at home. The difference is that I experienced my sunrise service on a ship bow! It was wonderful. The sunrise wasn't exactly visible through the clouds but the experience was great. The praise and worship was powerful and I continue to be overjoyed to be able to praise the Lord in Africa. The whole reason for it all is for this day! I hope that you all are having a blessed day and learning more and more what it means to live in the joy of the Lord! As the words of an African song sing...Great things He has done, Great things He will do! Alleluia!

The Latest

(Disclaimer: I just typed all this out and finally got the pictures uploaded and they are in reverse order from how I talk about them. So, you should be able to figure out what I am talking about. Sorry!)

It has been a wonderful week. Here are a few pictures from what I have been doing this week. Tuesday I went out with the HIV/AIDs team to observe their teaching at a local church. The first picture is of the kids I tried to teach to play Duck, Duck, Goose. That was quite fun. They did well until I brought out my camera and I almost got trampled because they ALL wanted their pictures taken. Next is a view of the city as we walked over a bridge that is covered in bullet holes. Next a little more fun, is a monkey that was tied up to a tree at a restaurant by the beach that we ate at. Last is the view from the grass havana we sat under and I enjoyed pizza and a diet coke:) In the midst of devastation there are pockets (very small) of pure splendor! I also did just learn that most of Monrovia doesn't have electricity. If they do it is generator run. Like this restaurant- they were going to light a candle for us to use the bathroom. I decided to wait until we got back to the ship!

The Youth

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40: 28-31

These are a couple girls that I have taken care over the last few days. They were discharged this morning. It was amazing to see the changes in them over the last week. Initially they were so scared, quiet, insecure. By yesterday they were bouncing around the ward with such energy and joy. These are the little beings that need to take the initiative to be the change that Liberia needs. As they leave Mercy Ships I pray they have experienced the joy of the Lord and they will go and be the change that this country needs. What potential they have! Please pray for the youth of this country- the future!

Praising God

These are a couple pictures of the city. It is so incredible! There is NO order here. The pictures do no justice. Each time we go out though I am humbled by the respect people have for us. We are the only white people so when they see a group of us there are often people that yell from across the street "Mercy Ships!" "Thank God for Mercy Ships!" Wow, this organization surely is making a difference and bringing hope to the Liberian people! How priveledge I am to be part of it!
I worked all weekend and I loved it! I look forward for this week as I have gotten to know some patients that have been waiting on board to get there surgeries. It will be amazing to see the results postoperatively. There have been about 5 children on the ward for about a week and I am really going to be sad to see them go. They are so precious. One of the young girls told me she didn't want to get discharged on Tuesday and that she is just going to stay on the ship cause it is so fun! Who thinks the hospital is fun? She is so sweet. It has been fun to see her grow and change over the last week. She has really warmed up and blossomed.
This morning we had church on the ward. It was incredible. I had a little "moment" when the translators were leading worship (their music is so beautiful) and I looked around and saw all these sweet patients praising the Lord. Despite tubes coming out of their noses, dressings and sutures holding their faces together they were clapping, dancing, and singing! It was powerful! These people really have little but they know what is important. They know what matters! I will keep learing from these people...


"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16