England

Here are a couple pictures of Adriel and I in England. I froze the whole time I was there. I packed to go from Arizona to Liberia. I totally forgot about the stop in England and that it was going to be a bit of a different climate:) It was beautiful and I look forward to having more time there in June:) The house is the Youth with a Mission house Adriel and Joel live in during the week. It is a beautiful English house. Very quaint!

Settling in

I had my first shift yesterday. It was very good. I work again this evening. I really think I am going to enjoy this type of nursing. The patients are so different though. There will surely be many challenges. One primary challenge is communicating with the patients. Most of them do speak English but it is such a different English. They have such strong accents or dialects and just used different terms and words as well. We do have translators available all the time so that is helpful.
The Liberian people are very different from what I imagined. I look forward to understanding the culture more than I do and thus understand the people and the patients more than I currently do. The are very withdrawn, quiet and appear to be unhappy. I don't know that that is actually how they are feeling but compared to our interpretation of character that is how they appear. I don't think it is feasible for my mind to understand what these people have been through. Yesterday I watch a movie called Liberia: the uncivil war. It explained the history of Liberia over the last few years. It was awful. The war and terror that this country has undergone in the last 20 years is unimaginable. After seeing this video it explained more to me why this country is in the state it is. I just can't fathom that in the early 80s Liberia was one of the leading most promising countries of West Africa. Now...it appears hopeless. These poor people! They have haunting pasts and are trying to find hope and rebuild after this outrageous deception and destruction. Currently the average age of Liberians is 18 years old. That tells you how many people survived the civil war in the 80-90s! Devastating!
I am also currently reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (currently being sold at Starbucks:). It is about a boy in Sierra Leone (neighbor to Liberia) and his life as a boy soldier during their war. Unbelievable! We are so blinded by the reality of what so much of our world has been through.
Please be praying for these people. Also pray that I can connect with the people I will be working with on the ward. As I have said before the need is SO great. The most powerful thing we can all be doing is praying for revival in Liberia. Praying that these people can see beyond the mistakes of humans and see that there is a God who has created them with a purpose. I can't imagine being able to find that here if I were a Liberian but we KNOW that that is TRUTH!

"Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave." Psalm 86:8-13

Work

Today I have had orientation and tours of the ward and an intro into what I will be doing. I am pretty excited for my first shift tomorrow. I will be working rotating shifts. Tomorrow I start at 7am, Wed I work the evening shift and on the weekend I will be doing 12 hr shifts. I will be doing some night shifts throughout my time here as well. We'll see how that goes:)
The surgeries that they are doing right now are all maxillo-facial repair. That means a lot of cleft lip and palate repair, tumor removal, and facial reconstruction. I will write more about who I care for once I actually start. The pts that are getting surgery right now are from Northern Liberia. One of the surgeons and his wife (a nurse) went to Northern Liberia and did screening to select pt's that will most benefit from the care we can provide. Mercy Ships worked with the Red Cross so the Red Cross is assisting in flying the pt's down here to get their surgeries.
The nursing care here should be interesting. It is very cramped quarters. The supplies seem to be okay (we'll see). They are pretty high tech. There is an xray machine. A CT scanner although it is not working right now. They also have some kind of device hooked up that they can take a biopsy and send the microscopic view of the histology over the Internet and someone somewhere else can work with our docs and pathologists to verify what the organism is for sure. Amazing!
I would also like to announce that I am now a licensed RN in Arizona, USA and Liberia, West Africa. You should see my little card that says I am okayed by the board of nursing here in Liberia. I don't think there really is a board of nursing in Liberia. It is all very interesting! Did you think that license will be very impressive on my resume someday? I think I better depend more on Mayo and HOV to get me places!
Alright, I am off to dinner...probably rice and cucumbers! I can't complain about the food that is for sure. Apparently there is a man from Germany in the kitchen and he bakes the most amazing breads and croissants! I better watch my carbs here soon. Not yet though- I will keep enjoying the croissants! Later...

Phoenix Connection

God is amazing. If you haven't realized that I am in complete AWE of who He is you soon will.
Shortly after I had accepted a position with Mercy Ships last fall a coworker brought in an article she had found in the Arizona Republic about a women who was serving on Mercy Ships. She lives in Phoenix and works in the housekeeping department on the Anastasis. Well, that news paper article hung in the admissions office at HOV from that day until my last day at the office a couple weeks ago. I had sort of forgot about looking for this women until tonight! I went to a worship service on the ship and when the women got up to share a message I recognized her from the newspaper article back home. So afterwards I was sure to find her and introduce myself. She actually had mentioned in her talk the article that had been in the paper back home. She told me later that she hadn't planned on mentioning it but she did because it is an example of how God works not only where Mercy Ships is docked but also back in our homes. So we had a joyous little connection over Phoenix with a few hugs and tears and THEN....she asked me where I work back home. So of course, I told her Hospice of the Valley and she again, teared and hugged me saying, "I love you!" Her husband died on HOV service 15 years ago. She had such a wonderful experience with HOV and is SO grateful for the hospice care she and her husband received! What a neat connection. We were both incredibly blessed by these few connections and I am excited to continue to get to know this woman of God. She is serving on Mercy Ships "until God calls her elsewhere!" Wow! The blessings continue to flood me!
I had another wonderful day today. More later but let me just say...these Africans know who to PRAISE the LORD! Wow, the music and dancing at church this morning was incredible! This white little body doesn't really know how to move. I hope to get some rhythm before I go home:) I have a lot to learn from these people!

Day #1

Alright, so I already feel as if I have so much to tell. I wish you all could be here. There is no way I have the capability to give any kind of description as to what I saw while I was out today.
First off, the Mercy Ships bicycles are no fancy ride! Myself and 4 others took off of the port today and headed to CeCe Beach. The culture and lifestyle of these people blew me away. We biked 13K (each way) to get to the beach. Let me tell you (use your imagination) this was no leisurely stroll. Imagine this and multiply it by 100! Imagine Dara, on this mountain bike with gears that won't change, driving through streets dodging people. Now, imagine her dodging cars that are honking, men that are shouting out things (can't understand them all, probably good!) and yet trying to take in all that she is in the midst of. Plus wild goats, dogs, smells, naked children, chickens, a boy with a monkey on his back (apparently that is normal). Those are just a few things to give you an idea. The biggest challenge was probably trying to keep my eyeballs in my head and not crash my bike or be "that white person" who looks as if she has never been out of luxurious Scottsdale! Pretty much I was praying the whole time that the Lord would protect me from getting hit or wiping out on this classy bike. So, as I knew, this description is not even close to what it was really like but it was crazy! It was totally intense! I felt like I was in a movie but actually a movie I have never seen. If it were a movie, it would be in the midst of the most extreme poverty and chaos that I have never imagined. I don't understand what these people do. There are no businesses- everyone is trying to sell things on the side of the roads- who buys the stuff? I don't know. Unbelievable. I truly felt like it is completely hopeless. I am overwhelmed. What is the purpose of their lives? I am eager to understand the people here more- to know what they get up for in the morning. If they don't know Jesus and have that hope I have NO IDEA what kind of hope they have. I am truly thankful that I had my trip to Brazil last May or I would be in total shock and probably taking the next flight home! Brazil is light years ahead of Liberia. In the midst of this I didn't feel unsafe today. Well, not like I was going to be hurt other than falling off my bike or being hit by a car, that can happen anywhere. No need to worry all of you motherly figures. They really do watch out for us. We have photo ideas and have to sign out whenever we leave and we have to scan our ideas so they know we are off the ship. Also, it seems that everyone in the community knows who we are. Since they see groups of white people they just seem to know we are with Mercy Ships. They will just shout out "Mercy Ships" and give us the thumbs up sign! That is pretty humbling.
Anyway, the beach was beautiful and the water was warm! I lubed up on sunscreen so the African sun didn't do too much damage yet:)
I will try to get some pictures posted on here next week. My computer has to be checked to make sure it has adequate virus protection and I need a British plug attached before I can use it. When it is ready I will try to upload some of my photos.
I am going to a local church in the morning so I am looking forward to that.
Oh, ya, another thing that has been surprising to me is the United Nations involvement here. They are everywhere I look! Liberia is more populated with UN camps and check points than the US is with Starbucks! Can you believe that?
Alright, I am off to make my cabin "home". Thank you for your emails. It is fun to check my messages and see everyone that is thinking about me. I need it and appreciate it so much. Love you all!
PS: I have orientation and meetings Monday and Tues and start work later in the week I think.

Liberia!

I am here. What seemed like a dream for so many years became a reality yesterday when I rode up on the dock to the Anastasis. The pictures that I have admired and dreams that I have created over the last many years are now my reality and my home. WOW. I am in complete awe of this opportunity. My flights all went incredibly well. No problems at all. I continue to have an unexplainable peace (unexplainable, yet promised from the Lord). Which continues to affirm to me that this is just where the Lord wants me to be.
The flight yesterday from London to Monrovia was interesting. The airline and service was outstanding. We made a stop in Freetown, Sierra Leone. As we were landing I could see the little huts, dirt roads paths, people walking around and I was sure the pilot was going to try to land this 757 on a dirt runway. But, suddenly there was a bit of pavement to pull the landing off on, phew!!!!
I am going to have to finish this later...my roommate (Hannah from England) just came and asked if I wanted to ride a bike to the beach. Heck yes! So I am off to a Liberian beach. I will write more later. I don't have much going on until Monday so I will be back. Thanks for the prayers. Rest assured. I am safe, happy and living in the Joy of the Lord and all He has prepared me for and has in store for me. Praise Him!

Here I go...

I can't believe it! I leave on Tues. My family is all here, my bags are packed for the most part and I will soon breath a sigh of relief as I sit on the plane and leave the Western world behind (for a while). I continue to be amazed at the overwhelming emotions that I have been feeling. Please pray for peace these last couple days and pray for rest and that I stay healthy.

He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken! Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:2, 5, 7-8

A great reminder for me!

Final Preparations...

Friday was my last day of work. Now I can have some time to focus on the final details of this adventure. I am convinced I have have the best job, maybe in the world, and work with the most amazing group of people. They had all planned a suprise Farewell gathering for me. I felt so blessed- flowers, food, cards, money, hugs! Perfection! It was so encouraging that everyone came together to show their support for what God is doing! Thank you all! One of the ladies even wrote the cutest song for me! It was precious- a wonderful way to close a chapter of my life (temporarily) and begin a new adventure.
I am really looking forward to this week. To have some time to pack and finalize all the details but also to just relax, I hope, and spend sometime with my family and friends.
If I may ask you to pray for me. I have had glimpses of the enemies attack in my thoughts. I don't want Satan to steal any of my joy or the assurance of what God has called me to do. Pray that I have the strength to continue what God has started. I came across this verse the other day. I am going to claim this as my statement over the next 3 months:

"Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." Psalm 28:6-7

I AM

I was driving home tonight, listening to a CD I have listened to 100 times and realized these lyrics are precisely what I have been feeling over the last couple weeks. The song is by Ginny Owens and it is called "I Am"...

No Lord, he said, you've got the wrong guy.
Simple conversation gets me tongue-tied.
And you're telling me to speak with a maniac king.
Could it be I've lost my mind?
And besides, I am weak, don't you want someone strong,
To lead them out of Egypt when they've been there so long?
And anyway, they wont believe You ever spoke to me.
That's not your problem, God replied.
And the rest is history.

There's a bigger picture you can't see.
You don't have to change the world, just trust in me.
'Cause I am your creator, I am working out my plan,
And through you I will show them, I Am.

Now Lord, are you sure? He's just a shepherd boy,
Too small for battle gear with a giant to destroy.
What on earth can he do with five stones and a sling?
That's not your problem, God replied.
'Cause I can do anything.

There's a bigger picture you can't see.
You don't have to change the world, just trust in me.
'Cause I am your creator, I am working out my plan,
And through you, I will show them,
I Am the first, I Am the last,
I Am the present and the past,
I Am tomorrow and today,
I Am the only way.

Great Lord, she said, I'm just a simple girl.
You say that I will bring your son into the world.
How can I understand this thing You're gonna do?
That's not your problem, God replied.

'Cause, there's a bigger picture,
And you don't have to change the world.
I'm your creator, I am working out my plan.
And through you, I will show them,
There's a bigger picture, you can't see.
You don't have to change the world, just trust in me.
I'm your creator, I am working out my plan,
And through you, I will show them, I Am.

Wow, that is exactly how I feel right now. I could easily convince myself that God has called the wrong girl to be heading off to Liberia, but no! He is I AM and I am honored that He is entrusting me with this opportunity! Please pray that I will remember this over the next couple weeks. I don't have to change the world I just have to trust in HIM!

Keep in Touch

If you want to write to me I am sure it would be a delight to get letters!!! Remember though, that it may take several weeks for things to get to me. Keep in mind I will be leaving the ship around June 15. The address to send letters is:

Dara Hillstrom, Health Care
Mercy Ships-Anastasis
PO Box 2020
Garden Valley TX 75771-2020 USA

Email is the best way to communicate but old fashion letter writing is also an option:)

The ship has a satellite phone system which has a US-Florida #. That number is 954-538-4258. There may be limited line access and time restrictions so Dara is going to have to give up her HOURS of cell phone use! Pray for me in this regard:) I will miss SO many people. I will email, call, write as often as time allows. Please send me your encouragement as regularly as you can. I am sure the Spiritual warfare will be strong and that satan is quivering at the hearts that are eager to serve and save. I will need your words and prayers!