Hello from New Jersey!
So I've been home in New Jersey for over two weeks now and the time has flown by. It's been so so good to be home.
The end of our time in Liberia was really good. We spent time reflecting as a community on the progress that was made through our six month outreach - from clean water wells to new buildings for schools and clinics to argricultural teaching to women's empowerment to HIV and community health teaching...All this was in addition to our work in the hospital on the ship. Then there was all the ministering done in the local orphanages, prisons, churches and schools. And I'm sure there are things I left out. It was sad to leave my kids at the orphanage. But we did see progress as they grew throughout our time with them, and it was beautiful. Friends of mine, Ilne and Carl, will be returning in February to build a new home for the kids and live with them for awhile. I am so happy about this.
I cannot thank you enough for the way that everyone supported me throughout my time in Africa...
For those of you who read my stories, awareness is the first step in making any difference in this world. Thank you.
For those of you who wrote, you enabled me to stay connected and very often encouraged me with your words. Thank you.
For those of you who supported me financially, it would have been impossible to have spent the last three months in Africa without you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
For those of you who prayed, the fact that I have been able to maintain any form of sanity in the midst of all this transition is something I attribute to your prayers and God's faithfulness! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And for those of you who continue to welcome me back home with open arms in spite of the fact that I keep leaving you, your hospitality means the world to me. So I thank you.
Everyone has been asking me about the transition from a place as underdeveloped as Liberia to a place as commercialized as America. I am finding myself enamored with things that seemed so simple before, like yankee candles, the postal system, the ability to get in my car and drive wherever I want to go. I feel frustrated with the abundance of material things that I possess but probably don't need and don't quite know what to do with [not to mention the abundance of newer cooler things I'll probably purchase in the future]. I spent a total of about thirty minutes in the mall before Christmas and that was enough!
What next? I feel that my work with the poor has only just begun. I am thinking of doing a six month long Discipleship Training School at YWAM's (youth with a mission - an organization affiliated with Mercy Ships) medical base in Australia in January, 2009. This is an entry way into longer term missions work. From there maybe I'll go back with Mercy Ships, maybe back to Liberia, or maybe somewhere altogether different...I'm not sure yet. So that leaves me with one year inbetween to save money and begin fundraising, to spend time with my family and friends, and to see more of our own beautiful country. Your continued prayers are appreciated as I make decisions regarding the near future (JOB:) and the next few years.
I hope that you had a very merry Christmas and that tomorrow will be the start of an amazing 2008! Please continue to let me know if there is any way I can pray for you.
"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" [Luke 2:14, the Bible]
Much Love,
Lindsay
12.23.2007
11.30.2007
Africa...I lost count :)
Hello again from Liberia!
The Sail & Such...
We are sailing today, in two hours!!! I just realized that if I didn't write you now the rocking of the boat may prevent me from looking at the computer for the next week, so here goes...
So, yes, I will be back in the old US of A December 13th! It will be so good. It's amazing to see no places but there is still no place like home. My plans as of today are to spend the holidays with my family and then hopefully take a travel nursing contract somewhere in the US, (preferably somewhere where the compensation is best & not having to shovel snow this winter would definitely be a plus:) for a couple of months to prepare to do more charity work in the future. I am prayerfully considering coming back to Liberia but am not certain yet.
Today we are setting sail towards the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain where the ship will be "drydocked," and have it's annual maintenance performed through January. I prayed long and hard about exactly when to come home, and it just seemed right to stay through the sail. It allowed me to finish the entire outreach here and to spend more time with my kids at the orphanage up until the bitter end. And because Teneriffe is a much higher traffic tourist destination than Liberia (what isn't, really??), my flight home from there was much much cheaper, so it just made sense.
It’s funny, when I vacationed on a cruise ship I never saw any implications of the hard work that goes into sailing, probably for the same reasons that Mickey Mouse gets changed in an underground dressing room in the Magic Kingdom. Well I can assure you that this is no Disney World. The ship has been bustling with men in hard hats and abandoning ship drills [even one in the middle of the night!] and stowaway searches for the past few weeks. Should we end up with a stowaway, not only will we have to turn around and return him but we’ll be fined $10,000. Lots of ships, especially in Asia and India, throw stowaways overboard to get out of this! Somehow I don’t think that’s really our style on the Mercy Ship. The Africa Mercy was originally designed not to be a cruiseliner transporting people [before being converted into a hospital ship], but to be a ferry to transport cars. There are no guarantees of a smooth sail! Everybody has been working hard all week to tie down all the heavy objects in preparation. Everything from the trash cans to the soda machine to the photocopier have ropes or chains or bungees around them. Will try to keep you posted on the sail.
The Orphanage.
Thank you for the prayers you offered up about my meeting with Amelia. Our time together was better than I expected. In theory, Amelia seemed to share many of my beliefs about disciplining in love, more so than I expected. We came up with a plan of action so that discipline can be consistent between all the caretakers and children. Now we can only pray that this plan can become a reality. This place is so broken.
A few weeks ago we had an amazing Tuesday afternoon with the girls at the orphanage. Rachel asked the girls to share what they've been learning on Tuesday afternoons. There are times when I have wondered whether they can even understand what we're saying with the language barrier, much less if they are really listening or internalizing what they hear. But their responses blew us away. All ten of them said something different - and they brought up things we'd taught them months ago! They all recited, in unison, two Bible verses that we'd memorized together back in September. I was recently reminded by a dear friend to be prepared that we don't always sew and reap in the same season, and honestly, I was okay with that. I was prepared to give my all to these girls and leave without ever truly knowing whether or not I had made a difference. But God allowed us to see the fruits of our labor, and how amazing it was!
[My beautiful girls...]
Wednesday was my last visit to the orphanage. We've been preparing the orphans for our departure all along, but that doesn't mean it will be easy on them. I am praying for a smooth transition for them, and that their strength will be found in God not in looking to us. So easy for me to say, I know. They sent me off with an amazing prayer. There were a lot of tears. Somehow God gave me the grace to hold back my own until the kids were out of sight!
The good news is that there is a couple named Ilne and Carl who have been working with the orphanage for awhile also, and plan to come back to Liberia in February to live on the land with the people and to build a new home for the children at the orphanage. Their current building is structurally sound but overcrowded, and most of the yard is used as sewage. The new orphanage will be in the bush, the rural outskirts of Monrovia. There will be endless room for the kids to run and play. The kids’ eyes light up when we talk about their new home, and when some of the boys went to see the property they just laid in the grass. The plan is to build a cluster of five smaller homes around a courtyard area. The hope is to staff each home with a “parent” or set of parents, creating a family dynamic. We are praying for God to provide staff who will raise the children in love. Take a look at Carl and Ilne’s website. They are clearly faithful and brave people, and I have learned so much serving alongside them.
In the Hospital.
Gorpue was transferred to a Mercy Ships clinic in Sierra Leone, which is one country north of us, where she had another surgery done for the leaking and will hopefully have her colostomy reversed soon. She is very well!
[Marthlyn before]
[After second surgery]
[Returning to the ship for her third surgery - with a smile!]
So we closed up the hospital last week, which means all of the nurses have been promoted to full time cleaning ladies! We are breaking down the ENTIRE hospital to prepare for sailing. This means wiping down each and every peice of equipment, furniture, the walls, ceiling, and floors with soap then bleach, taking apart and stacking all 60+ beds, and locking/tying up each and every peice of equipment and supplies to prevent it from falling all over the place and breaking while we sail. I must say that I had NO idea of the hard work that went into creating our hospital until I became a part of tearing it down myself. But we all worked together. It was actually nice to be able to just relax with my co-workers, turn up the music as we cleaned, and not have to worry about translating any liberian english for a little while! Next week I will officially join the housekeeping department which is where I'll work for the rest of my time on the ship.
[Promoted!]
[All work & no play of course :0]
It was recently decided that the ship will return to Liberia next year for another outreach here rather than going to another country, which means that Marthlyn can hopefully return for more follow up as she grows and her face grows and therefore might need some tweaking. The plan is to do more work in the community this time, particularly with local hospitals, as well as continuing with our work in the hospital and many other outreach programs onboard. I don't exactly know the ins and outs of what will happen here. Still praying about that. Here is a quote about the vision for next year from the Founder of Mercy Ships, Don Stephens. "Part of Mercy Ships goal in returning again would be to strongly support momentum for Liberia's national health policy and increase capacity for medical care by using the Africa Mercy as a platform for medical education and mentoring in administration/management infrastructure."
Roadtrip!
A few weekends ago I took a trip to a hospital a couple hours inland with the ship's biomedical team, who was requested to come out for a weekend to work on their broken medical equipment. The local hospitals are understaffed, undersupplied, and undereducated. We saw some things that were appalling to westernized medical workers, but that's just where Liberia is at right now. We were hosted by John, a Lutheran Reverend from America, who works as the administrator at the hospital. John was the only non-African person in the hospital, in his community, and in his church. Wow. He seemed quite happy to be in the company of seven westerners for a little while. His life is a very humble one, and made our lives on the ship look like vacationing in a five star resort. But he seemed at peace with his situation. We all marveled at his strength, and had many questions for him about his day to day life. He told us that he feels alone but not lonely. When the work was complete, there was an amazing waterfall in his town that we had the opportunity to venture out to and climb to the top of. Of course nothing that happens in Liberia seems to go off without a hitch. Because of some unexpected car troubles, our SUV had to be pushed on almost ten occasions on the way home. We all pitched in, even the girls. I guess we weren't helping too much - after awhile the guys told us just to wait in the car while they pushed! But once again, we returned home to the ship in one piece. Exhausted, but safe and sound. [Pictures are on the link to the right...]
And one more thing, a verse from the Bible that spoke to me this week. Although we are all working hard in the here and now it keeps things in perspective to remember that there is so much more to this life than the things we see in front of us.
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no mean pass away." [Luke 21:33]
It's starting to feel bumpy...I think we'll be moving soon! I thank you again for your support, love and prayers. Your words mean so much, especially when I am so far from home.
Much love,
Lindsay
The Sail & Such...
We are sailing today, in two hours!!! I just realized that if I didn't write you now the rocking of the boat may prevent me from looking at the computer for the next week, so here goes...
So, yes, I will be back in the old US of A December 13th! It will be so good. It's amazing to see no places but there is still no place like home. My plans as of today are to spend the holidays with my family and then hopefully take a travel nursing contract somewhere in the US, (preferably somewhere where the compensation is best & not having to shovel snow this winter would definitely be a plus:) for a couple of months to prepare to do more charity work in the future. I am prayerfully considering coming back to Liberia but am not certain yet.
Today we are setting sail towards the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain where the ship will be "drydocked," and have it's annual maintenance performed through January. I prayed long and hard about exactly when to come home, and it just seemed right to stay through the sail. It allowed me to finish the entire outreach here and to spend more time with my kids at the orphanage up until the bitter end. And because Teneriffe is a much higher traffic tourist destination than Liberia (what isn't, really??), my flight home from there was much much cheaper, so it just made sense.
It’s funny, when I vacationed on a cruise ship I never saw any implications of the hard work that goes into sailing, probably for the same reasons that Mickey Mouse gets changed in an underground dressing room in the Magic Kingdom. Well I can assure you that this is no Disney World. The ship has been bustling with men in hard hats and abandoning ship drills [even one in the middle of the night!] and stowaway searches for the past few weeks. Should we end up with a stowaway, not only will we have to turn around and return him but we’ll be fined $10,000. Lots of ships, especially in Asia and India, throw stowaways overboard to get out of this! Somehow I don’t think that’s really our style on the Mercy Ship. The Africa Mercy was originally designed not to be a cruiseliner transporting people [before being converted into a hospital ship], but to be a ferry to transport cars. There are no guarantees of a smooth sail! Everybody has been working hard all week to tie down all the heavy objects in preparation. Everything from the trash cans to the soda machine to the photocopier have ropes or chains or bungees around them. Will try to keep you posted on the sail.
The Orphanage.
Thank you for the prayers you offered up about my meeting with Amelia. Our time together was better than I expected. In theory, Amelia seemed to share many of my beliefs about disciplining in love, more so than I expected. We came up with a plan of action so that discipline can be consistent between all the caretakers and children. Now we can only pray that this plan can become a reality. This place is so broken.
A few weeks ago we had an amazing Tuesday afternoon with the girls at the orphanage. Rachel asked the girls to share what they've been learning on Tuesday afternoons. There are times when I have wondered whether they can even understand what we're saying with the language barrier, much less if they are really listening or internalizing what they hear. But their responses blew us away. All ten of them said something different - and they brought up things we'd taught them months ago! They all recited, in unison, two Bible verses that we'd memorized together back in September. I was recently reminded by a dear friend to be prepared that we don't always sew and reap in the same season, and honestly, I was okay with that. I was prepared to give my all to these girls and leave without ever truly knowing whether or not I had made a difference. But God allowed us to see the fruits of our labor, and how amazing it was!
[My beautiful girls...]
Wednesday was my last visit to the orphanage. We've been preparing the orphans for our departure all along, but that doesn't mean it will be easy on them. I am praying for a smooth transition for them, and that their strength will be found in God not in looking to us. So easy for me to say, I know. They sent me off with an amazing prayer. There were a lot of tears. Somehow God gave me the grace to hold back my own until the kids were out of sight!
The good news is that there is a couple named Ilne and Carl who have been working with the orphanage for awhile also, and plan to come back to Liberia in February to live on the land with the people and to build a new home for the children at the orphanage. Their current building is structurally sound but overcrowded, and most of the yard is used as sewage. The new orphanage will be in the bush, the rural outskirts of Monrovia. There will be endless room for the kids to run and play. The kids’ eyes light up when we talk about their new home, and when some of the boys went to see the property they just laid in the grass. The plan is to build a cluster of five smaller homes around a courtyard area. The hope is to staff each home with a “parent” or set of parents, creating a family dynamic. We are praying for God to provide staff who will raise the children in love. Take a look at Carl and Ilne’s website. They are clearly faithful and brave people, and I have learned so much serving alongside them.
In the Hospital.
Gorpue was transferred to a Mercy Ships clinic in Sierra Leone, which is one country north of us, where she had another surgery done for the leaking and will hopefully have her colostomy reversed soon. She is very well!
[Good times with Gropue!]
We finished up the outreach with a lot of minor surgeries in the past few weeks. We can't do anything too major at the end because we needed to anticipate discharging all the patients before sailing. We are not able to take patients with us. So we saw a lot of patients with smaller surgical needs. Things went pretty smoothly, and it was so good to see them go home in a better condition than they came. Of course we do not see the final product, as it takes months for swelling to go down, but we do see progress in the patients' physical appearance.
Marthlyn came back in for her third and final surgery, a minor revision. She was so brave to arrive with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. Knowing what she went through in her last stay here I would've thought she'd run for the hills at the sight of the ship. "You are a strong African girl," we told her over and over, I think that's a token phrase here. It put a smile on Marthlyn's face. She still is not speaking to us, although her mom tells us that she does speak when no one is around. These things take time, and we hope for more progress as her wounds heal. Another token African phrase that we hear all the time is "take time," which can mean anything from slow down to wait a minute to it will take a while to "look out - you're about to step in that massive pothole!"
[Marthlyn before] [After second surgery]
[Returning to the ship for her third surgery - with a smile!]So we closed up the hospital last week, which means all of the nurses have been promoted to full time cleaning ladies! We are breaking down the ENTIRE hospital to prepare for sailing. This means wiping down each and every peice of equipment, furniture, the walls, ceiling, and floors with soap then bleach, taking apart and stacking all 60+ beds, and locking/tying up each and every peice of equipment and supplies to prevent it from falling all over the place and breaking while we sail. I must say that I had NO idea of the hard work that went into creating our hospital until I became a part of tearing it down myself. But we all worked together. It was actually nice to be able to just relax with my co-workers, turn up the music as we cleaned, and not have to worry about translating any liberian english for a little while! Next week I will officially join the housekeeping department which is where I'll work for the rest of my time on the ship.
[Promoted!]
[All work & no play of course :0]
It was recently decided that the ship will return to Liberia next year for another outreach here rather than going to another country, which means that Marthlyn can hopefully return for more follow up as she grows and her face grows and therefore might need some tweaking. The plan is to do more work in the community this time, particularly with local hospitals, as well as continuing with our work in the hospital and many other outreach programs onboard. I don't exactly know the ins and outs of what will happen here. Still praying about that. Here is a quote about the vision for next year from the Founder of Mercy Ships, Don Stephens. "Part of Mercy Ships goal in returning again would be to strongly support momentum for Liberia's national health policy and increase capacity for medical care by using the Africa Mercy as a platform for medical education and mentoring in administration/management infrastructure."
Roadtrip!
A few weekends ago I took a trip to a hospital a couple hours inland with the ship's biomedical team, who was requested to come out for a weekend to work on their broken medical equipment. The local hospitals are understaffed, undersupplied, and undereducated. We saw some things that were appalling to westernized medical workers, but that's just where Liberia is at right now. We were hosted by John, a Lutheran Reverend from America, who works as the administrator at the hospital. John was the only non-African person in the hospital, in his community, and in his church. Wow. He seemed quite happy to be in the company of seven westerners for a little while. His life is a very humble one, and made our lives on the ship look like vacationing in a five star resort. But he seemed at peace with his situation. We all marveled at his strength, and had many questions for him about his day to day life. He told us that he feels alone but not lonely. When the work was complete, there was an amazing waterfall in his town that we had the opportunity to venture out to and climb to the top of. Of course nothing that happens in Liberia seems to go off without a hitch. Because of some unexpected car troubles, our SUV had to be pushed on almost ten occasions on the way home. We all pitched in, even the girls. I guess we weren't helping too much - after awhile the guys told us just to wait in the car while they pushed! But once again, we returned home to the ship in one piece. Exhausted, but safe and sound. [Pictures are on the link to the right...]
And one more thing, a verse from the Bible that spoke to me this week. Although we are all working hard in the here and now it keeps things in perspective to remember that there is so much more to this life than the things we see in front of us.
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no mean pass away." [Luke 21:33]
It's starting to feel bumpy...I think we'll be moving soon! I thank you again for your support, love and prayers. Your words mean so much, especially when I am so far from home.
Much love,
Lindsay
10.26.2007
#10. [More Pics - Hooray!]
Dearest family and friends,
Hello again from lovely Liberia. I hope that this letter finds you doing well and enjoying the crisp autumn air, to those in the northeast. Thank you for continuing to be a part of my African adventure. I so enjoy knowing what's going on in your worlds, too. Keep the emails coming. Okay, about Africa...
Marthlyn...
Marthlyn's second surgery was successful, and her lips look much more like you would expect lips to look. After her trach and NG tube came out, she was able to go home last week! She was "bluffing" [Liberian term for when someone knows they look good:], peeking into her handheld mirror every few minutes at her new nose and mouth. She will return in November for one more minor surgery before her work is complete.
Roadtrip...
Last weekend a bunch of us took an overnight roadtrip to a town called Robertsport, a beachtown north of Monrovia. By day we made the most of the clear ocean water, by night we abandoned our tents to sleep on the sand beneath the starry sky. It was a peaceful and much needed getaway.
When our cab driver arrived to take us back to the ship, he was accompanied by two other men, a monkey, and three chickens. Between our backpacks and all of us, how in the world would these creatures squeeze into the taxi?? But apparently there's always room for more here. The chickens were placed in a plastic bag in the corner of the back of the station wagon surrounded by our backpacks on either side, and the two men clung onto the luggage rack that the monkey was chained to ON TOP of the car for the entire three and a half hour trek back to Monrovia. [WHAAAT?] And we weren't going slow either. No, there were points in the journey where we were going over 100km/hr [60 ish miles/hr]. We were quite relieved to find that everyone was still with us when we arrived back at the ship, safe and sound. Oh, the things that happen in Liberia...
[For more pics, see the link on the right...]
The Orphanage...
Over the past four months, my visits to the orphanage have changed from something I felt like I SHOULD do to something that I can't wait to do again. Apparently the kids look forward to it, too. They wait for us with their heads peeking out the front gate. They so crave one on one attention. And giving them that is incredibly rewarding. Every visit brings so much joy.
But like most things we do here, the joy comes with challenges. The more the kids trust us, the more they open up.
“Massa stole money from your purse last week.”
“My brothers don’t come to visit anymore.”
“The caretaker said that I’ll get beat when you leave.”
“Sometimes they beat us until we are swollen.”
“Do they beat kids in America?”
“Can you give us money?”
We are not equipped to be social workers, mothers, teachers, or psychiatrists. But God continues to lead they way and somehow gives us the words we need every time.
It is important for us to invest into the lives of the caretakers, the ones who dictate the pace of life in the orphanage day in and day out. Amelia is the one in charge. We have seen her soften up over the past months. She has become my friend. Tonight I will go out for dinner with Amelia. As the caretaker for 44 children, she deserves a night out. I want to talk to her about the discipline at the orphanage, and alternatives to beating the children. What place do I, as a single person with no children, have to tell an experienced caretaker and mother how to take care of the children? None, really. But I am sure that this is something I need to do. We have only five weeks until the ship sails away and the caretakers are all the kids have once again.
It’s confusing, the fact that the orphanage is called “God’s Home,” yet the kids are treated so poorly. Someone told me that although Christianity is wide in West Africa, it’s not deep. There are phrases about God everywhere, written on taxis and buildings. One of the common responses when you ask someone how they are doing is “I thank God.” Everyone goes to church. [Well, except for the Muslims, that is.] They worship in song so passionately. Yet corruption is epidemic. Violence is a way of life. Moral standards are appallingly low.
So what’s the problem? Perhaps Christianity is a set of rituals or a part of the culture, rather than an intentional relationship with a living God. Maybe it's the fact that all believers fall short of the Holy life God has called us to - the Liberians' shortcomings just appear more evident because they are different shortcomings than those usually displayed in my own culture. Or maybe it’s because the practices of animism, idol worship, witch craft are entangled into their beliefs. People are desperate. Often they’ll turn to anything. Considering their bleak circumstances, I can’t say that I blame them. But allowing these other beliefs in contradicts the base of Christianity – the precept that Jesus is the one and only God.
I’m certainly not claiming to have the answers to Liberia's moral problems after being here only a few months, just brainstorming really. Regardless of what the root of the problem is, it is our hope that the orphanage will meet up to it’s name, that it will truly feel like God’s home and that the kids will know that they are loved each and every day.
Your prayers for my meeting with Amelia today and the remainder of our time here at the orphanage are greatly appreciated. Please let me know if there is anything I can pray about for you.
“Wherever you are – be all there.” - Jim Elliot
Much Love,
Lindsay
Hello again from lovely Liberia. I hope that this letter finds you doing well and enjoying the crisp autumn air, to those in the northeast. Thank you for continuing to be a part of my African adventure. I so enjoy knowing what's going on in your worlds, too. Keep the emails coming. Okay, about Africa...
Marthlyn...
Marthlyn's second surgery was successful, and her lips look much more like you would expect lips to look. After her trach and NG tube came out, she was able to go home last week! She was "bluffing" [Liberian term for when someone knows they look good:], peeking into her handheld mirror every few minutes at her new nose and mouth. She will return in November for one more minor surgery before her work is complete.
Roadtrip...
Last weekend a bunch of us took an overnight roadtrip to a town called Robertsport, a beachtown north of Monrovia. By day we made the most of the clear ocean water, by night we abandoned our tents to sleep on the sand beneath the starry sky. It was a peaceful and much needed getaway.
When our cab driver arrived to take us back to the ship, he was accompanied by two other men, a monkey, and three chickens. Between our backpacks and all of us, how in the world would these creatures squeeze into the taxi?? But apparently there's always room for more here. The chickens were placed in a plastic bag in the corner of the back of the station wagon surrounded by our backpacks on either side, and the two men clung onto the luggage rack that the monkey was chained to ON TOP of the car for the entire three and a half hour trek back to Monrovia. [WHAAAT?] And we weren't going slow either. No, there were points in the journey where we were going over 100km/hr [60 ish miles/hr]. We were quite relieved to find that everyone was still with us when we arrived back at the ship, safe and sound. Oh, the things that happen in Liberia...
[For more pics, see the link on the right...]
The Orphanage...
Over the past four months, my visits to the orphanage have changed from something I felt like I SHOULD do to something that I can't wait to do again. Apparently the kids look forward to it, too. They wait for us with their heads peeking out the front gate. They so crave one on one attention. And giving them that is incredibly rewarding. Every visit brings so much joy.
But like most things we do here, the joy comes with challenges. The more the kids trust us, the more they open up.
“Massa stole money from your purse last week.”
“My brothers don’t come to visit anymore.”
“The caretaker said that I’ll get beat when you leave.”
“Sometimes they beat us until we are swollen.”
“Do they beat kids in America?”
“Can you give us money?”
We are not equipped to be social workers, mothers, teachers, or psychiatrists. But God continues to lead they way and somehow gives us the words we need every time.
It is important for us to invest into the lives of the caretakers, the ones who dictate the pace of life in the orphanage day in and day out. Amelia is the one in charge. We have seen her soften up over the past months. She has become my friend. Tonight I will go out for dinner with Amelia. As the caretaker for 44 children, she deserves a night out. I want to talk to her about the discipline at the orphanage, and alternatives to beating the children. What place do I, as a single person with no children, have to tell an experienced caretaker and mother how to take care of the children? None, really. But I am sure that this is something I need to do. We have only five weeks until the ship sails away and the caretakers are all the kids have once again.
It’s confusing, the fact that the orphanage is called “God’s Home,” yet the kids are treated so poorly. Someone told me that although Christianity is wide in West Africa, it’s not deep. There are phrases about God everywhere, written on taxis and buildings. One of the common responses when you ask someone how they are doing is “I thank God.” Everyone goes to church. [Well, except for the Muslims, that is.] They worship in song so passionately. Yet corruption is epidemic. Violence is a way of life. Moral standards are appallingly low.
So what’s the problem? Perhaps Christianity is a set of rituals or a part of the culture, rather than an intentional relationship with a living God. Maybe it's the fact that all believers fall short of the Holy life God has called us to - the Liberians' shortcomings just appear more evident because they are different shortcomings than those usually displayed in my own culture. Or maybe it’s because the practices of animism, idol worship, witch craft are entangled into their beliefs. People are desperate. Often they’ll turn to anything. Considering their bleak circumstances, I can’t say that I blame them. But allowing these other beliefs in contradicts the base of Christianity – the precept that Jesus is the one and only God.
I’m certainly not claiming to have the answers to Liberia's moral problems after being here only a few months, just brainstorming really. Regardless of what the root of the problem is, it is our hope that the orphanage will meet up to it’s name, that it will truly feel like God’s home and that the kids will know that they are loved each and every day.
Your prayers for my meeting with Amelia today and the remainder of our time here at the orphanage are greatly appreciated. Please let me know if there is anything I can pray about for you.
“Wherever you are – be all there.” - Jim Elliot
Much Love,
Lindsay
10.12.2007
#9. [With Pictures!]
Hello from Liberia :)
So you give me money and I quit writing. What's that all about? Sorry-o. [African for sorry:] I can't believe it's been a whole month. The longer I'm here the harder it is to keep the communication lines open with everyone at home. We're in...different worlds.
I set up a blog site with my old emails and the corresponding pictures so that you can have a better idea of what it's like over here. Check out the archives for some of the best pictures of Liberia. And Brussels, too.
Alright, here goes...
9.26.2007
About the birthday messages - woah. I thought I had signed into somebody else's gmail account when I saw all the unread mail! And amazing how everyone somehow knew it was my birthday! [Kidding...I know, a little birdie told you, right?] Not sure if you're interested in hearing every detail of the day, but, well, you know where to find the scroll button... I was fortunate to have the day off. It started with balloon animals hanging in my cabin, a scavenger hunt, a perfect day at the beach, and then there was a lovely dinner at a lebanese restaurant. Apparently the Lebanese entrepeneurs are taking over the Liberian economy. Well, that's a story for another day. But they make really good food. Ever try moutaball? Well, you should. It's like hummus except instead of chickpeas it's made with eggplant. And it's amazing. The night ended on the dock, eating cake and listening as my friends strummed their guitars beneath the starry sky. It seems that all of you AND everyone here made a massive effort to make my birthday away from home extra special. I felt really ridiculously loved. So, thanks. I'm twenty five and happy to be alive. :)
9.30.2007
The number of roommates who have shared this six birth cabin with since I arrived here four months ago: thirteen. The majority of volunteers just come for a few months. Sometimes the turnover is overwhelming. Sometimes I am sad to see friends go and it takes a little while to have the energy to invest in yet another new person. But for the most part, I am thankful for every person here. I have learned a thing or two that will stay with me for a long time from each one of my cabin mates – from the adorable asian girl who carried an umbrella even on sunny days to preserve her skin, to the retired southern belle who talked from the minute she walked in the door until she fell asleep [thank God for my iPod], to the dentist who brushes her teeth for at least seven minutes a pop [way to practice what you preach, sister!]. The quirks you learn about people when you live with them can be funny. We laugh a lot here. Four months. Thirteen girls. No drama. Kind of hard to believe. I guess you don't come to Africa if you're very high maintenance. This is an amazing place.
[The first bunch of roommates.]
So you give me money and I quit writing. What's that all about? Sorry-o. [African for sorry:] I can't believe it's been a whole month. The longer I'm here the harder it is to keep the communication lines open with everyone at home. We're in...different worlds.
I set up a blog site with my old emails and the corresponding pictures so that you can have a better idea of what it's like over here. Check out the archives for some of the best pictures of Liberia. And Brussels, too.
Alright, here goes...
9.26.2007
About the birthday messages - woah. I thought I had signed into somebody else's gmail account when I saw all the unread mail! And amazing how everyone somehow knew it was my birthday! [Kidding...I know, a little birdie told you, right?] Not sure if you're interested in hearing every detail of the day, but, well, you know where to find the scroll button... I was fortunate to have the day off. It started with balloon animals hanging in my cabin, a scavenger hunt, a perfect day at the beach, and then there was a lovely dinner at a lebanese restaurant. Apparently the Lebanese entrepeneurs are taking over the Liberian economy. Well, that's a story for another day. But they make really good food. Ever try moutaball? Well, you should. It's like hummus except instead of chickpeas it's made with eggplant. And it's amazing. The night ended on the dock, eating cake and listening as my friends strummed their guitars beneath the starry sky. It seems that all of you AND everyone here made a massive effort to make my birthday away from home extra special. I felt really ridiculously loved. So, thanks. I'm twenty five and happy to be alive. :)
9.30.2007
The number of roommates who have shared this six birth cabin with since I arrived here four months ago: thirteen. The majority of volunteers just come for a few months. Sometimes the turnover is overwhelming. Sometimes I am sad to see friends go and it takes a little while to have the energy to invest in yet another new person. But for the most part, I am thankful for every person here. I have learned a thing or two that will stay with me for a long time from each one of my cabin mates – from the adorable asian girl who carried an umbrella even on sunny days to preserve her skin, to the retired southern belle who talked from the minute she walked in the door until she fell asleep [thank God for my iPod], to the dentist who brushes her teeth for at least seven minutes a pop [way to practice what you preach, sister!]. The quirks you learn about people when you live with them can be funny. We laugh a lot here. Four months. Thirteen girls. No drama. Kind of hard to believe. I guess you don't come to Africa if you're very high maintenance. This is an amazing place.
[The first bunch of roommates.]
10.7.2007
Marthlyn is a twelve year old girl who we've been caring for in the hospital. She came down with an awful disease called Noma when she was two. Noma is caused by malnutrition and a poor immune system, and can eat away the bones of a child's face within days. Marthlyn came to us with a hole in her face where her top lip and nose used to be. Two weeks ago, Marthlyn underwent major reconstructive surgery in which one of her ribs was used to recreate a nose. Her new upper lip is sutured closed to her lower lip, and until the next reconstructive surgery will be done in a few more weeks she relies on the tracheostomy tube inserted through her neck into her airway to breathe. Tracheostomies are awful, especially in the beginning phases. Taking care of a trach patient usually is a challenge, but this is the worst case I've seen. Marthlyn has gotten minimal sleep for the past two weeks. Saying that she is overtired and uncomfortable is a vast understatement. We have to put a suction tube down Marthlyn's throat every couple of hours to clear her airway. [If you're thinking this sounds barbaric, I agree. Sometimes I wonder what I was thinking with this whole career in Western Medicine!] The past few shifts caring for Marthlyn have been brutal trying to provide the care she needs against her own wishes. She kicked one of the nurses. She begs us, with tears streaming down her face, to leave her alone. But a trach left alone is a pnemonia waiting to happen, or worse, the risk of an obstructed airway [ie- suffocation]. Unfortunately, this is not an easy concept for a twelve year old girl to grasp.
I was eagerly anticipating my days off at the end of six grueling shifts and the start of a sinus infection. But when Thursday night arrived, I found a note from my boss on my cabin door.
"We need you to come to work tonight. Sorry and thanks."
I thought about throwing the note into the ocean and pretending that I never saw it. But when you live on the same boat as your boss that's really not an option. :) So, I went to work.
I knew this would be a much better night when, at the beginning of my shift, I saw Marthlyn smile for the first time. Her smile doesn't look like yours or mine, but considering that weeks ago she didn't have a lip or a nose, the fact that she can smile is amazing. And her appearance will improve with more surgery. By midnight, Marthlyn was feeling better than she had in weeks. While the rest of the ward was sleeping, she got out of her bed and started dancing. Woah. This was quite a surprise to anyone who had seen Marthlyn the weeks before. We have been feeding her through a tube in her nose. Marthlyn was finally ready for something to drink. There is just enough room at the corners of her sutured lips to fit a straw. For the first time in her whole life, Marthlyn was able to drink juice through a straw. She smiled. I smiled. We hugged. Her Mom's face was glowing. We took pictures. And the dancing continued. Marthlyn taught me and another nurse some of her African moves, and we taught her the chicken dance. When the dancing came to an end and the juice was gone, Marthlyn crawled into bed and slept like a baby through the whole night. Finally.
Yes, there will still be rough times for Marthlyn, and there will still be tears I'm sure. But to share with her such a remarkable night, when she was able to see a ray of hope in her dark situation, it was just amazing. These are the moments that keep us all going. I never thought I'd be happy to work voluntary overtime...
10.12.2007
UPDATES
Finances...
I remain in awe of the financial support I received last month. Thank you, thank you, thank you again. The budget that I presented to all of you was about half of my actual budget when you include bills at home. I knew I was cutting it really close which meant the possibility of going into the red and also that I would probably need to start working again as soon as my feet hit American soil, which meant missing the holidays with my family. But, there was one donor who sent the entire $1500 (What???) even after I told him my goal was just about met, to be used for any needs - bills at home, donating here, whatever it may be. What a huuuuge blessing. I thank God for anticipating all of my needs yet again. Some down time to catch up with family and friends and attempt to reintegrate into American culture will be so good before moving onto the next thing. And when I have an idea what the next thing is, I'll be sure to let you know. Right now it changes about every ten minutes. There's so much to do out there...
At the Orphanage...
It's really ironic, public speaking is so not my thing, but I could not ask for a more graceful audience than the kids at the orphanage. They are just happy that someone is speaking to them. So as they get to learn new things I get to iron out my public speaking, and we all benefit in the long run. This month I have had opportunities to speak to the girls on two of our tuesday afternoons and to the whole group last Saturday morning.
We talked about Heaven: how to get there and what we think it will be like. Considering their bleak circumstances, I think it is really good for them to focus on hope beyond this life. They drew pictures of things they hope will be in Heaven. The colored pencils and paper we bring are a luxury to them. They get so excited. One of the older girls, Naomi, was afraid to draw. It's not something they are used to doing. We encouraged her and eventually she had a couple of flowers on her paper. They don't get much encouragement here. We dote all over them hoping to compensate.
More recently I went into depth about their bodies and about the birds and the bees. Add that to the list of things I never thought I'd do in life! Thier eyes grew huge as we showed them a diagram of the female anatomy. The most basic educational material that we grew tired of learning from in our school years is like gold to them.
Last saturday I talked to all the kids about the passage in the book of Matthew that tells us that if we are Christians we are the light of the world. I used a flashlight and a box and gave them examples of what it means to let our light shine (sharing, comforting each other) and what it means to hide our light (fighting, stealing, lying). I can remember some visual demonstrations like this from Bible school when I was young that have stayed with me all these years. If just one of our lessons makes a difference in the heart of one of these children, it will all be worthwhile.
In the Hospital...
[Hooray for good news this time:]
I received good news about Baby's situation. Turns out the woman who kicked her out last time was just a friend she was staying with in Liberia between visits to the Ship. Her actual home is hours away. She felt pretty sure that she'd be welcome there and was happy to go home. She was discharged a couple of weeks ago and has not been back, so that's a good sign that things are probably going alright!
Gorpue took a major turn for the best. Days after I sent out my last email, I was stunned to turn around and see her out of bed, walking down the hall! The wound that many of us feared she would not recover from is actually healing up with no further intervention. She is getting healthier every day. I don't doubt that the prayers have been a major factor in all of this.
Last Tuesday one of our cleft lip repair babies stopped breathing. I never saw a code on a baby before. It was awful. The good news is that six month old Joanna was resuscitated, came off of the ventolator in only a couple of days, and is doing much better. It looks like she might have a defect in her heart from birth. This may cause her more trouble later in life, and it is not something that we have the resources to diagnose or treat. But right now she is very well.
To all of you who are praying, I thank you. I don't doubt that God hears your prayers. You can continue to pray for all of our patients: for successful surgeries, healthy recoveries, acceptance back into their communities, and an understanding of God's love for them through their time here. Also, please pray for growth in Liberia in general, and that the work we are doing in local hospitals, churches, orphanages, businesses and the community would not create a dependence on relief, but empower Liberia long after the ship sets sail in November.
"Go to the people,
Live among them,
Learn from them.
Start with what they know.
Build on what they have:
But of the best of leaders;
When their task is accomplished,
Their work is done,
The people all remark,
'We have done it ourselves.' "
[Old Chinese Poem]
May you be blessed wherever you are today.
Much Love,
Lindsay
9.11.2007
#8. And the verdict is...
Hello Friends,
I am happy to tell you that my fundraising goal has been exceeded! It looks like I'll be staying in Liberia through November. I feel ultra blessed.
I so appreciate your prayers as I continue to find my place in all of this...whether it is a "for now" thing or something more long term...
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." [Luke 11:9]
Much Love,
Lindsay
I am happy to tell you that my fundraising goal has been exceeded! It looks like I'll be staying in Liberia through November. I feel ultra blessed.
I so appreciate your prayers as I continue to find my place in all of this...whether it is a "for now" thing or something more long term...
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." [Luke 11:9]
Much Love,
Lindsay
9.10.2007
#7. The one where I ask for help.
Hello again, from Liberia :) Today is one week until my flight out of Africa departs.
Friday afternoon my boss approached me to ask if I'd consider staying longer. A nurse just left early because of a family emergency, leaving the ward one nurse short through November.
I am feeling more comfortable and therefore more effective here with each passing day. I love Liberia. (Most days.) There is so much joy in giving back. I finally know all the girls at the orphanage by name, even when they change their braids. Rainy season is fiiiiinally coming to an end and the sun is shining bright. I am learning about so many things here. Poverty. Music. Ethical Dilemnas. People. Global Medicine. Culture. Serving. Liberian English. Faith. Community. Resourcefulness. Why wouldn't I stay longer?
Oh wait. I miss home. I can almost taste a home cooked meal just thinking about it. I was pretty stoked about the thought of heading to the jersey shore with my girlfriends only two weekends from now. My sister has a book signing at the end of the month. [Sidebar: Danielle was published! http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=9780738550497] And I could really use a trip to the clearance rack at Urban Outfitters. But these are things I can look past a while longer. The clincher is the thing that unfortunately dictates way too many of our decisions all the time. Money. Mine is running out. And it's not exactly free to be here. Plus, there are bills at home.
[I hate this part.] I am wondering if anyone would be interested in financially supporting my work here, or knows of any other possible resources I could look into. Please know that I will not think you love me any less if you are not interested in giving or if you are not in a place to give. I know making ends meet is not always easy. Life is expensive. But I looked at the numbers and determined that extending my commitment in Liberia will only be possible with some assistance. [Did I mention that I hate this part?] As much as I feel really awkward about asking, something tells me I might be doing you an injustice if I didn't give you an opportunity to be a part of this mission.
Here is a breakdown of my expenses for an extra two months:
Crew Fees (room & board) $1050
Health Insurance $150 ish
Flight Changing Fee $100 ish
Random Spending Money (Transportation, Food, Toiletries, etc.) $200 ish
So the grand total is about $1500. And that's a lot of money. I am putting the need out there and trusting that if I am meant to stay it will somehow be provided for. And if it is not, coming home as planned is fine, too.
Contributions can be made at https://secure.mercyships.org/webinfo/US/staffgiving?staff_data=2266~Lindsay~Marie~Burrows
I am sorry to tell you that the IRS does not consider donations tax deductible for crew who are here less than two years. Also, donations don't become available to me until a couple weeks after they are made. So, if you are making a donation, could you just drop me an email and let me know so that I can plan accordingly? I must decide by Wednesday whether or not I can stay, and this decision will be based on funding.
In other news...We took the older girls from the orphanage to the beach on Saturday for a picnic and a swim. They had NEVER been to the beach before. An amazing time was had by all. I am trying to attach a picture so that you can appreciate their adorable-ness with me. Our tuesday afternoons with them are going so well. Two weeks ago I talked to them about purity. They were receptive, and it went better than I expected.
Things are going pretty well in the hospital. Most of our patients who are now in the ward are recovering from eye surgeries, plastic surgeries on old burn injuries and maxillofacial surgeries for facial deformities and tumors. People who look different here for any reason are often outcasted from society. So we are not only healing their deformities but also giving them a chance to be accepted again.
The majority of our VVF ladies have been discharged from the ward. Before they leave we have a "dress ceremony" where they are given a new dress and we celebrate the healing of their bodies together in song. They thank God for what He has done for them. They thank us for being a part of it. It has been so amazing to rejoice with them! We only have six ladies here still recovering from their VVF surgeries. Can I ask you to pray for them? Gorpue is sixty years old, and her surgery did not go so well. She ended up with a colostomy and an awful wound. She has an infection. Not only is she is still leaking, but her prognosis does not look hopeful. I am sad that she came to the Mercy Ship expecting healing and ended up worse off than when she arrived. Unfortunately this is always a risk with surgery. Also, Baby is a patient who came in for her second VVF surgery. Her body is very damaged, and when the first surgery failed in June she was sent back to us. The woman who she was supposed to be staying with kicked her out. "Baby can only live here if her problem is fixed," she said. Unfortunately, she still has some leakage after her second surgery. Baby is 22 years old and has so much life inside of her. There is not much more we can do for her. She is healthy aside from her leaking. All of these ladies' desire is to return to their families. We pray that this will be an option for them. And if it is not, that God will make another way for them and provide them with the grace to cope along the way.
Yesterday we had a church service in the ward. The African workers lead us in worship, to the beat of the African drum, "I am an overcomer. I will never give up." I remain in awe of the hope in these broken people.
Much Love,
Lindsay
8.17.2007
Africa....#6?
Hello again from Liberia,
I hope you are enjoying the august sunshine wherever you are today. So it's been awhile. But I'm hoping to make up for it now. You might want to get cozy if you have a few minutes to spare. It's a long one. Here goes...
In the Hospital.
The hospital is bustling with recovering post-op patients. We are on our third round of VVF patients, and are also still doing orthopedics as well. In the next few weeks our maxillofacial surgeon will arrive, and we will be fixing cleft lip and palates and removing facial tumors from a horrible condition called Noma, which is caused by malnutrition. But for now, clubbed feet are being turned forward, lingering bullets are being removed, unhealed fractures are being repaired, and chronic leaking is being stopped. I spend most of my days at work caring for the VVF ladies, but occasionally am assigned to the orthopedic unit, which is filled primarily with children. This means that I get to hold adorable babies with casts on their legs - for my job! I can't complain.
Two of our VVF patients surprised us when they arrived a few weeks ago, ready to be admitted for surgery, with their babies on their backs. Baby James and Baby Junior were born just a few days apart in January of this year, but looking at them you would never know it. Baby James was a solid, healthy African boy, while baby Junior looked underfed and much younger than his age of seven months. He lacked the ability to hold up his head, and his eyes wandered in different directions. Both of the boys' prolonged deliveries were the cause of their mother's incontinence. Baby Junior's mom, twenty one year old Amelia, was very sick for the month after his birth, making her unable to breastfeed. Her body never caught up in milk production, so she was forced to supplement. But formula was out of the budget. Baby Junior was raised on a powdered product similar to coffee creamer with very little nutritional value.
I first cared for these two beautiful babies last Friday night. Baby James' mom cuddled him in her bed through the night and nursed him when he cried. Baby Junior's mom turned her back to him through the night and pretended not to hear when he cried. He laid in his dirty diapers until someone else intervened. A crying baby is not exactly ideal in a ward filled with twenty women recovering from surgery who are trying to sleep.
We brainstormed at the nurses' station. Why wouldn't Amelia care for her baby? Baby Junior is the reason Amelia leaks, the reason she was shunned from her society, the reason she nearly died. Is it possible that she resented him? Also, African mothers tend to keep more distance between themselves and their babies than western women do. They must protect their hearts. Infant mortality rates are horrendous in underdeveloped countries. Baby Junior was not well. And as a mother of three, Amelia knew it.
So we, the nursing staff, were forced to intervene. We asked Amelia to feed her baby. She would nod her head in agreement as she accepted the warm bottle, then put it down and go back to sleep the moment we walked away. She sighed and moaned and looked inconvenienced when we would hand her a diaper upon noticing that the junior's was soaked. "You take him," she would say. Finally, we told Amelia she must feed her baby. She was far enough out of surgery to look after for his needs. And we weren't going to be there to take care of Junior when they went home. The charge nurse created a feeding schedule. We picked up the crying baby and placed him in his mother's arms again and again until it became natural. We talked to Amelia about the importance of loving her baby in order for him to grow healthy. Eventually, something clicked.
Today has been a week since the first frustrating shift that I listened to baby Junior cry throughout the night. His formerly frail limbs are getting meaty, and he grown has a double chin! His eyes seem to focus perfectly now. And he is gradually holding up his own neck a little more each day. Apparently these abnormalities were symptoms of malnutrition.
Amelia smiles now, with good reason. She is no longer leaking and her son is becoming healthy. She asks for diapers when Junior's is dirty. She feeds him when it's time. She looks him in the eye. She kisses him. She holds her baby with no prompting at all.
I am awed at the difference one week made. I thank God that Junior has a mother who loves him and a body that is growing strong.
We pity our patients when we hear that many have three and four children before reaching the age of twenty. The irony? They pity us when they hear that we are in our twenties and don't have any babies! A couple of the ladies have told us they will pray that we can start having babies soon. I hope not too soon! It seems that bearing many children here is a sign of success for a woman, of pride for a man, and a promise of prosperity for the future of both parents, because with no social security checks coming to the elderly their descendants become their only source of income.
[This is baby James. You can see by the size of him that he is the one who was clearly well fed from the start. And, yes, I did intervene before he strangled himself with my stethoscope.]
I hope you are enjoying the august sunshine wherever you are today. So it's been awhile. But I'm hoping to make up for it now. You might want to get cozy if you have a few minutes to spare. It's a long one. Here goes...
In the Hospital.
The hospital is bustling with recovering post-op patients. We are on our third round of VVF patients, and are also still doing orthopedics as well. In the next few weeks our maxillofacial surgeon will arrive, and we will be fixing cleft lip and palates and removing facial tumors from a horrible condition called Noma, which is caused by malnutrition. But for now, clubbed feet are being turned forward, lingering bullets are being removed, unhealed fractures are being repaired, and chronic leaking is being stopped. I spend most of my days at work caring for the VVF ladies, but occasionally am assigned to the orthopedic unit, which is filled primarily with children. This means that I get to hold adorable babies with casts on their legs - for my job! I can't complain.
Two of our VVF patients surprised us when they arrived a few weeks ago, ready to be admitted for surgery, with their babies on their backs. Baby James and Baby Junior were born just a few days apart in January of this year, but looking at them you would never know it. Baby James was a solid, healthy African boy, while baby Junior looked underfed and much younger than his age of seven months. He lacked the ability to hold up his head, and his eyes wandered in different directions. Both of the boys' prolonged deliveries were the cause of their mother's incontinence. Baby Junior's mom, twenty one year old Amelia, was very sick for the month after his birth, making her unable to breastfeed. Her body never caught up in milk production, so she was forced to supplement. But formula was out of the budget. Baby Junior was raised on a powdered product similar to coffee creamer with very little nutritional value.
I first cared for these two beautiful babies last Friday night. Baby James' mom cuddled him in her bed through the night and nursed him when he cried. Baby Junior's mom turned her back to him through the night and pretended not to hear when he cried. He laid in his dirty diapers until someone else intervened. A crying baby is not exactly ideal in a ward filled with twenty women recovering from surgery who are trying to sleep.
We brainstormed at the nurses' station. Why wouldn't Amelia care for her baby? Baby Junior is the reason Amelia leaks, the reason she was shunned from her society, the reason she nearly died. Is it possible that she resented him? Also, African mothers tend to keep more distance between themselves and their babies than western women do. They must protect their hearts. Infant mortality rates are horrendous in underdeveloped countries. Baby Junior was not well. And as a mother of three, Amelia knew it.
So we, the nursing staff, were forced to intervene. We asked Amelia to feed her baby. She would nod her head in agreement as she accepted the warm bottle, then put it down and go back to sleep the moment we walked away. She sighed and moaned and looked inconvenienced when we would hand her a diaper upon noticing that the junior's was soaked. "You take him," she would say. Finally, we told Amelia she must feed her baby. She was far enough out of surgery to look after for his needs. And we weren't going to be there to take care of Junior when they went home. The charge nurse created a feeding schedule. We picked up the crying baby and placed him in his mother's arms again and again until it became natural. We talked to Amelia about the importance of loving her baby in order for him to grow healthy. Eventually, something clicked.
Today has been a week since the first frustrating shift that I listened to baby Junior cry throughout the night. His formerly frail limbs are getting meaty, and he grown has a double chin! His eyes seem to focus perfectly now. And he is gradually holding up his own neck a little more each day. Apparently these abnormalities were symptoms of malnutrition.
Amelia smiles now, with good reason. She is no longer leaking and her son is becoming healthy. She asks for diapers when Junior's is dirty. She feeds him when it's time. She looks him in the eye. She kisses him. She holds her baby with no prompting at all.
I am awed at the difference one week made. I thank God that Junior has a mother who loves him and a body that is growing strong.
We pity our patients when we hear that many have three and four children before reaching the age of twenty. The irony? They pity us when they hear that we are in our twenties and don't have any babies! A couple of the ladies have told us they will pray that we can start having babies soon. I hope not too soon! It seems that bearing many children here is a sign of success for a woman, of pride for a man, and a promise of prosperity for the future of both parents, because with no social security checks coming to the elderly their descendants become their only source of income.
[This is baby James. You can see by the size of him that he is the one who was clearly well fed from the start. And, yes, I did intervene before he strangled himself with my stethoscope.]
[Adorable orthopedic patients]
[Bird's eye view of the pediatric ward]
Monrovia, Liberia.
This city is like nothing I have experienced before. I will share with you some of my the crazy details about going into town.
Hailing a cab means racing ahead of the herd of people around you to whichever cab pulls up, then piling in like sardines with complete strangers. The cabs are small cars – usually four door Nissan Sentra's or Toyota Corolla's, and they are older. There is no guarantee of handles on the doors or fabric on the seats, much less an intact exterior. By law, a cab can hold up to seven people. Seven people! That means two in the passenger seat and four in the back. Personal space is an irrelevant concept.
Going for a ride anywhere around here is pretty much synonymous for going off-roading. I remember feeling nervous in the beginning, but it's become just another part of the adventure. The dirt roads are plagued with enormous potholes which grow into ditches and overflow with mud this time of year. Mercy Ships has SUV's that we take into town, but the cabs are only cars. I have been pleasantly surprised that we've made it out of many massive puddles when in my head I was thinking that there was just no way. Only one time on the way to the beach did we get stuck in one. In less than a minute a few local men had run over to push and we were out of the water in no time.
Going out to eat means taking a risk of course, and waiting and waiting and waiting for your food. Time is a relative concept here, like in most warm climated cultures. At one restaurant the waiter said that our food would be five minutes and it actually took another hour! And I've heard much worse horror stories. There are a few restaurants that serve food for internationals rather than the typical Liberian cuisine. Some are on the beach, with palm trees! Again, I really can't complain. It is refreshing to get off the ship and of course to eat food that is a little bit closer to normal.
Going to the market means making your way through massive crowds until you find the item you are after, running from the vendors that harass you to buy their products if you should even glance at them too long, bartering like your life depends on it if you hope to get a reasonable price in spite of the fact that you are white, and doing your best to ignore the overly zealous local men all the while. It doesn't matter what your age or how long it's been since you've showered, if you are a white woman, you will be proposed to in the market. The way men approach women is a little different here. Last week I heard my favorite quote so far, "I am talking to you white woman. You speak to me now." Something tells me this kind of behavior wouldn't go over so well back home!
Sounds crazy here, I know. But it's amazing at the same time. I wouldn't trade my time in this place for the whole world if I could.
[A market downtown]Life onboard the Africa Mercy.
Neighbors are co-workers. Co-workers are friends. Friends become family as we eat, sleep, and live under one roof (deck?). I am thankful to be a part of this community.
People come from all corners of the world to be here. English is not everyone's first language, but is the official language of the ship. This means I get to hear phrases like "I am plenty running in a hurry" and "that is rubbish!" on a regular basis. The Africans like to add the letter "o" to the end of any word, so terms like "sorry-o", "hi-o," and "thank you-o," are common as well. This boat is an incredible collision of languages, of cultures, of values, of passions. It is both entertaining and educational.
[Dutchies. Minus that one on the right.]
Everything we need is here on our air conditioned vessel: a laundromat, a dining hall, a library, a post office, a bank, a hospital, a hair salon, a convenient store with the bare ssentials, a modified Starbucks café, and a second hand "boutique" where one crewmember's trash becomes another crewmember's treasure. We are limited to one load of laundry a week and two minutes in the shower each day. The plumbing system works on good days. The internet connection is turtle speed. We watch movies gathered around the largest screened laptop computer we can find.
This might not sound too luxurious in comparison to American standards, but in comparison to what lies beyond the gates of our port we are actually living in a palace. So much so that I think our lofty accommodations create a barrier between us and the African people, as if there weren't enough differences already. They see us as being filthy rich. And in comparison, we are. It hinders relationships between us and the community.
There are days when I long to live outside the comforts of this boat. I want to sleep in a grass hut and carry buckets of water on my head. I want to connect with the Liberian people. But how much does a white girl from the South Jersey 'burbs reallly have to offer in such a place? Maybe one day...Who knows.
Collin Carroll.
I appreciate the many apologies I received about Collin's death. I should've clarified in my last email that although I was sad, I was holding up okay. There are over three hundred people living on board, and Collin was really an acquaintance to me. A few days before he passed away Collin overheard me say that I had never tried a mango before at lunch. Next thing I knew, a piece of his was lying on my plate. We were friendly but I don't remember ever having a full conversation with him.
There was a memorial service held for Collin on board two weeks ago. His co-worker shared about his dedication to the dental team here, and how Collin would arrive to work early to ensure the team was equipped to treat as many patients as possible. His friend Hilary spoke about how Collin shared with her his passion for spending Saturday mornings at a local orphanage. This was something she never thought she would do, but found herself hooked after going with Collin just one time. Collin's supervisor shared about how Collin had completed a five year pre-med degree in just three and a half years, not wasting any time or money. Because of his dedication to his studies, his father offered to send him anywhere in the world. Collin chose Africa.
I pray for God's grace for Collin's parents and two sisters, to uphold them through this tragic loss. I would be grateful if you would try to lift them up in your prayers as well.
Billy Joel had a valid point when he declared that "only the good die young." I wonder if people whose lives will end early somehow intrinsically know this fact deep inside of them. They usually seem to be the ones that live the hardest and love the most in their time here. I am sad to see another beautiful soul leave the earth so early. But there is peace to be found in knowing that Collin will live forever in Heaven. Not because he was in Liberia to serve, and not because he did more good deeds than bad over the span of his short life. The Bible tells us that no one of us could ever do enough good things to earn our way to heaven, because we are all sinful by nature. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is the only payment worthy enough to get us there. Collin professed to believe that, and did his best to live accordingly. And that is why we can rest assured that he is in a better place now.
The Orphanage.
I would estimate that there are between thirty and forty kids at God's home orphanage down the road. The beauty in their faces outweighs the sight of their worn clothes and skinny bodies a million times. Their home leaves much to be desired. We do what we can to shed some light into their world for a couple of hours on Saturday mornings. We sing songs with them: fun songs, and songs about God. Someone tells a story from the Bible. We play games, color and read books. They like to touch our hair, which is a little different from theirs, and "plaid" (braid) it. We hug them, and hold the little ones. There are three toddlers who all jump into our laps the minute we arrive, and never fail to fall asleep there, regardless of how long its been since they slept last. They don't wear diapers, and often leave little puddles behind!
We have a club for the older girls on Tuesday afternoons. There are about ten of them: Maima, Jenne, Martha, Korlu, Marie, Bendu, Naomi and Patricia are the names I can remember. The captain's wife, Rachel, is our leader. Her goal is to reach the older kids in the orphanage, because whether or not they realize it, they are the role models that set the standards for all the kids. Rachel is a former teacher with a wealth of knowledge on relating to these kids. She comes up with activities that not only entertain them for a while, but also teach them how to take initiative and be productive using the little resources they have. Rachel, in all of her smoothness, somehow convinced the tailor down the road to save his scraps of fabric to give to the girls for free. She taught the girls to cut the fabric into very thin strands which they use to crochet into purses. The idea was brilliant and the bags are coming along so nicely. "Fine," is what the Africans would call them. They look at us like we're speaking Greek when we use the words "pretty," or "cute." Everything is "fine." If the bags look fine enough when they are complete, we are going to sell them on the ship to help the girls earn some money.
The orphanage is dark and dreary, especially in the girls' room. The walls are lined with triple decker bunk beds with bare mattresses - no pillows, no linens. There are small windows only at the tops of the walls, which allow enough sunlight in to keep the room dimly lit. The closet was filled with one large mound of clothes, which each girl rummages through to choose clothes from daily. There is no sense of personal ownership – everything belongs to everybody. On one hand it is captivating to see the sense of community cultivated amongst the girls. But on the other hand, experiencing ownership and individuality could be empowering for them.
Last week we gave the girls money to go to the market to buy hangers and told them we'd all clean out the closet together this week. When we arrived Tuesday we found the girls gathered around a closet which was already cleaned out with clothes hanging up. They had also hung the mosquito nets that Rachel had gotten them over each of their bunks. Although these are intended to be merely functional nets, they created a canopy effect over the beds, and they look pretty. We were proud of them for taking the initiative on their own and glad that they are learning to value the possessions that they do have.
At Church.
I hesitate to write this paragraph because it's another not so happy one. But I know it's only fair share the negative as well as the positive parts of my experience with you. Some people from the ship have been donating large amounts of money to Jamaica Road Church to be put towards basic upgrades on the building. We have money; they need money. Why not share it? In theory, this seems only logical. However, most mission organizations ban their volunteers from donating money to local organizations because of the issues that usually arise. Mercy Ships does not. Apparently it's acceptable in African culture to ask for something if you have a need, and know someone who could fill that need. Now they are posting new large financial burdens in the bulletin. The last Sunday that I attended church, I was asked for money twice. I told them I am a volunteer and I am here to give back to their country by working. It was awkward. This made me feel kind of crappy about something that had previously seemed so beautiful. I questioned their motives for welcoming us so warmly in the first place. My mom assured me that I can not write off their kindness as a whole, and that I must remember that there no perfect church exists simply because perfect people do not exist. She's usually right. I hope this time is no exception. I pray that we are able to really connect with the people at Jamaica Road Church in spite of our diverse backgrounds and financial situations, and that God will give us discretion about how and when and how much to give.
About Me.
Things are going really well for me. After two months I am feeling settled on the ship and getting more comfortable in the community as well. One month to go. I hope to make the most out of it.
It was easy to make the decision to come to Africa. What is harder for me? Abiding in love. Making a choice to do live selflessly on a day by day, minute by minute basis. Putting the needs of others before my own, and doing it gladly. It is not where we are at or what we are doing that is most significant, but how much love we do it with.
I had hoped being in Africa would change me into a selfless being. Au contraire, my friends. I remain far from perfect, just like always. In spite of the massive needs around me, my own miniscule needs continue to rank first in my head all day long. There are times when I am caring for my patients while the true first thought on my mind is when I will have a chance to take a coffee break. I still become irritated by my own conditions of hunger and fatigue while I live alongside a community of people who do not have meals to eat or beds to sleep in. I still desire to have new things while I am surrounded by people who have never owned a fraction of my possessions. I guess these are consequences of our human condition.
So I do my best to seek God each day, to turn my selfish desires over to Him, to ask Him to fill me with His desires for each situation that I encounter. It is only because of God's love inside of me that I am motivated me to do any good thing.
"And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." [I John 4:16, The Bible]
I'd like to thank you again for your continued love, prayers, and encouraging words while I am far from home. They mean so much.
Much Love,
Lindsay
8.01.2007
Sad News. From Africa.
Hello,
It's been a sad week here. Because you guys have been walking this journey with me every step of the way, it is only fair to keep you informed. One of our crew members, Collin Carroll, lost his life on Sunday in a terrible drowning accident at a local beach. The currents here can be really rough, and there are no life guards. We know Collin is in a better place, but still cannot imagine the heartache his family is enduring. The community within the ship has come together beautifully to support those who were closest to him and pray for those suffering at home. Three of his closest friends here, who were with him on Sunday, are flying out today to join with his family and friends for services in his hometown in Texas. We are sending with them a book of our apologies to his family. Today would have been Collin's twenty second birthday.
Enclosed is an article from the newspaper in Collin's hometown.
Much Love,
Lindsay
Article published Jul 31, 2007
Rusk Man Dies On Mercy Ships Trip
By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor
A volunteer from East Texas with Mercy Ships of Garden Valley died in Monrovia, Liberia, after he was pulled under water by severe ocean currents.
Collin Carroll, 21, of Rusk, had been swimming with friends Saturday and "apparently drowned" after rescue efforts to revive him failed, Mercy Ships officials said on Monday.
Carroll had been with Mercy Ships since June 8 and was working as a dental program coordinator aboard the Africa Mercy, a 500-foot, nine-deck hospital ship currently docked in
Monrovia.
Carroll was a 2006 Texas A&M graduate with a degree in biomedical sciences. He would have been 22 on Wednesday.
"Our entire organization is in mourning following this tragedy," said Sam Smith, a vice president with Mercy Ships. "We notified Collin's family on Sunday and offered any help we could and all the services at our disposal."
Carroll had been out having a day of fun, Smith said.
"Collin was on his day off," he said. "Our information is that he had gone to a popular beach outside of Monrovia with three other crew members. After lunch, they all ran into the water and the two men (Carroll and his roommate) went in further than the women."
The men soon encountered strong currents, Smith said.
"They were attempting to swim sideways out of 'riptide' as you do when caught in ocean currents," he said, "when a big wave came and dragged Collin underwater. He didn't come up."
Finally finding him in shallow water, the Mercy Ship crew members swimming with Carroll administered CPR, Smith said.
"It was sadly unsuccessful," he said.
COMMITTED
Carroll was a "committed, caring and concerned" Christian, active in his church and looking forward to his medical mission at Mercy Ships, said Carroll's pastor, the Rev. Lee Welch of First Baptist Church of Rusk.
"He was interested in the medical side of things," Welch said. "He even got a driver license in Liberia so he could pick up patients and get them to the ship for medical attention."
Carroll's parents, Jeff and Sandy Carroll, had offered to send Collin "anywhere in the world after graduating from Texas A&M," Smith said. "He chose Liberia."
On his 2007 application to Mercy Ships, Carroll wrote, "I have two options. I can start a meaningless job that I would soon have to leave to continue my education, or I can do something that will have a profound and meaningful effect on my life while glorifying God and helping those in need. I choose the latter."
The health care manager aboard the Africa Mercy, Jean Campbell, said, "Collin was a real strong person on our dental team helping coordinate operations and others who worked with him. He was a great encourager, a hard worker and a tremendous asset to our team. He will really be missed."
Solfrid Quist, executive director of the Africa Mercy, said, "Collin was always thinking about other people and put others first. He was caring and very concerned about others."
Welch said he was notified of the tragedy just before the 11 a.m. service at First Baptist on Sunday.
"Don Stephens, (founder of Mercy Ships) came down personally on Sunday to speak with Jeff and Sandy and give them the news," Welch said. "It was heartbreaking."
In a prepared statement to the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Stephens said, "Collin wrote the following words in his Mercy Ships application, 'Jesus is truly my outlook on each day. Jesus is my source of strength, my inspiration, and my ever-present friend. Without Him, I would be nothing."
"Collin chose Mercy Ships because we combine the doing of the good news with speaking the good news among the worlds poorest. Collin was feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger and visiting the sick - precisely the actions commended by our Lord in Matthew chapter 25. Jesus said those who do what Collin did would inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world."
It was an honor to serve with Collin Carroll, Stephens said.
"I speak for the entire Mercy Ships family when I say we were honored to have such a fine young man as a member of our Mercy Ships Crew. I pray his example in life would help to encourage all who knew him, to follow his lead."
Welch said, "Collin's parents just got the news no parent ever wants to hear. I don't know why this happened. I don't have any answers. I don't try to give explanations, because I don't have any. Our hearts are grieving for them and we're here for them."
It's been a sad week here. Because you guys have been walking this journey with me every step of the way, it is only fair to keep you informed. One of our crew members, Collin Carroll, lost his life on Sunday in a terrible drowning accident at a local beach. The currents here can be really rough, and there are no life guards. We know Collin is in a better place, but still cannot imagine the heartache his family is enduring. The community within the ship has come together beautifully to support those who were closest to him and pray for those suffering at home. Three of his closest friends here, who were with him on Sunday, are flying out today to join with his family and friends for services in his hometown in Texas. We are sending with them a book of our apologies to his family. Today would have been Collin's twenty second birthday.
Enclosed is an article from the newspaper in Collin's hometown.
Much Love,
Lindsay
Article published Jul 31, 2007
Rusk Man Dies On Mercy Ships Trip
By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor
A volunteer from East Texas with Mercy Ships of Garden Valley died in Monrovia, Liberia, after he was pulled under water by severe ocean currents.
Collin Carroll, 21, of Rusk, had been swimming with friends Saturday and "apparently drowned" after rescue efforts to revive him failed, Mercy Ships officials said on Monday.
Carroll had been with Mercy Ships since June 8 and was working as a dental program coordinator aboard the Africa Mercy, a 500-foot, nine-deck hospital ship currently docked in
Monrovia.
Carroll was a 2006 Texas A&M graduate with a degree in biomedical sciences. He would have been 22 on Wednesday.
"Our entire organization is in mourning following this tragedy," said Sam Smith, a vice president with Mercy Ships. "We notified Collin's family on Sunday and offered any help we could and all the services at our disposal."
Carroll had been out having a day of fun, Smith said.
"Collin was on his day off," he said. "Our information is that he had gone to a popular beach outside of Monrovia with three other crew members. After lunch, they all ran into the water and the two men (Carroll and his roommate) went in further than the women."
The men soon encountered strong currents, Smith said.
"They were attempting to swim sideways out of 'riptide' as you do when caught in ocean currents," he said, "when a big wave came and dragged Collin underwater. He didn't come up."
Finally finding him in shallow water, the Mercy Ship crew members swimming with Carroll administered CPR, Smith said.
"It was sadly unsuccessful," he said.
COMMITTED
Carroll was a "committed, caring and concerned" Christian, active in his church and looking forward to his medical mission at Mercy Ships, said Carroll's pastor, the Rev. Lee Welch of First Baptist Church of Rusk.
"He was interested in the medical side of things," Welch said. "He even got a driver license in Liberia so he could pick up patients and get them to the ship for medical attention."
Carroll's parents, Jeff and Sandy Carroll, had offered to send Collin "anywhere in the world after graduating from Texas A&M," Smith said. "He chose Liberia."
On his 2007 application to Mercy Ships, Carroll wrote, "I have two options. I can start a meaningless job that I would soon have to leave to continue my education, or I can do something that will have a profound and meaningful effect on my life while glorifying God and helping those in need. I choose the latter."
The health care manager aboard the Africa Mercy, Jean Campbell, said, "Collin was a real strong person on our dental team helping coordinate operations and others who worked with him. He was a great encourager, a hard worker and a tremendous asset to our team. He will really be missed."
Solfrid Quist, executive director of the Africa Mercy, said, "Collin was always thinking about other people and put others first. He was caring and very concerned about others."
Welch said he was notified of the tragedy just before the 11 a.m. service at First Baptist on Sunday.
"Don Stephens, (founder of Mercy Ships) came down personally on Sunday to speak with Jeff and Sandy and give them the news," Welch said. "It was heartbreaking."
In a prepared statement to the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Stephens said, "Collin wrote the following words in his Mercy Ships application, 'Jesus is truly my outlook on each day. Jesus is my source of strength, my inspiration, and my ever-present friend. Without Him, I would be nothing."
"Collin chose Mercy Ships because we combine the doing of the good news with speaking the good news among the worlds poorest. Collin was feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger and visiting the sick - precisely the actions commended by our Lord in Matthew chapter 25. Jesus said those who do what Collin did would inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world."
It was an honor to serve with Collin Carroll, Stephens said.
"I speak for the entire Mercy Ships family when I say we were honored to have such a fine young man as a member of our Mercy Ships Crew. I pray his example in life would help to encourage all who knew him, to follow his lead."
Welch said, "Collin's parents just got the news no parent ever wants to hear. I don't know why this happened. I don't have any answers. I don't try to give explanations, because I don't have any. Our hearts are grieving for them and we're here for them."
7.24.2007
Africa. Take Four.
Hello again from Liberia :)
Walking to church on Sunday, my feet and ankles became completely covered in mud which was impossible to avoid in the swampy road which, in parts, has become one large puddle. One of the women at church, an usher, asked to take me out back to clean my feet. She refused to take "no" for an answer and she scrubbed my grubby feet until they were clean.
I came here to serve, yet I am being served.
Church started and the choir announced a special selection - an acapello song about called "Mama Liberia." I hope to somehow get a recording of this incredible song to bring home, because I have not heard anything like it before. Their voices were strong beautiful, and my eyes welled up as they sang so optimistically about their broken country, which they continued to thank God for.
I came here to bless, yet I am being blessed.
Isn't it ironic how the times when we are most willing to give are often the times when we actually receive the most? It does not take traveling across the world to learn this principle, as I'm sure most of you have experienced it on many levels in your own lives.
"He who finds his life will lose it, and He who loses his life for My sake will find it." --- Jesus [Matthew 10:39]
Enclosed are the first two ship reports for this Liberian outreach, incase you desire to know the details of what is being accomplished here. You will notice talk of eye surgeries, which I did not previously mention because I have not been caring for this patient population, whose care is done on an outpatient basis. The eye department, however, is doing amazing things for many Liberians through short, minimally invasive eye surgeries. They hosted a "Celebrate Sight" day last week, in which 185 of their patients came back for a post-op visit, a meal in our cafeteria, and a celebration of the restoration of many of their sight.
Thank you again for all of your prayers. I am safe and happy and healthy, and our patients are doing quite well overall - so I guess that means they are working. Thank you, also, for your encouraging responses to my emails. They are refreshing. I apologize to those who I have not had the chance to respond to yet, and will do my best in the days ahead.
Much Love,
Lindsay
Monrovia, Liberia July 2, 2007 -- The sacrificial labor of hundreds of volunteers, and the generous gifts of thousands of contributors, came together this past week to produce an historic moment in Mercy Ships history. On Monday, June 25, the first surgery was successfully completed onboard the charity's newest floating hospital, the Africa Mercy.
Ophthalmic surgeon and Mercy Ships Vice President for International Programs, Dr. Glenn Strauss, says the ship's very first patient, a 90-year-old woman with blinding cataracts, reported being able to see again before she even left his operating table. Patient Suah Paye was so overjoyed she literally danced around the surgical suite, singing and praising God for her restored sight.
Suah lived her entire life in a small village called Oil Town in West-Central Liberia. Along with her large family, Suah is a subsistence farmer; raising their own food along with a bit left over to sell in the market.
Three years ago, cataracts stole the last of Suah's sight. The loss was devastating for such a proud, active woman. She missed being able to work on her farm and missed fishing in the nearby river. She hated not being able to dress herself or even to use the toilet without assistance.
Suah thanked the doctors and nurses for her renewed vision, saying, "When I get home I will gather my people and tell them what you have done for me. I can't pay you, but God will pay you. He will bless you and your children and your children's children."
As Suah's onboard eye surgery got underway, obstetric screening began in the dockside tents for women suffering from birth injuries. Forty-nine women attended the screening. Most were scheduled for surgery over the coming weeks.
The first birth injury repair surgeries were conducted onboard the next day. Thirty-five year old Mamie Paye of North-Central Liberia was one of the patients selected to undergo the procedure on the new ship. Mamie has leaked urine constantly since she suffered a birth injury in 1995. She was abandoned by her husband as a result of the incontinence, a tragically common occurrence.
"Everyday I cry," Mamie says. "When you have this problem you don't have friends. You don't have nobody. People gossip the whole day about you. People abandon you. But God doesn't ever abandon nobody."
Suah and Mamie represent the first of hundreds of patients to be treated onboard the Africa Mercy during the remaining months of the Liberian field service, as well as the tens of thousands to be cared for without charge in the years to come.
As additional volunteers arrive and are trained, the Health Care team will ramp up their activities. The dental team is already seeing patients. Orthopaedic surgery will commence onboard on July 9. Plastic surgery will begin for burn patients in early September with maxillofacial operations being offered later the same month. Ear, nose and throat procedures are slated for October and November.
Mercy Ships is still seeking volunteers to fill positions for the balance of the Liberia field service. Some medical and community development projects are still in need of funding. To learn more write to info@mercyships.org.
Monrovia, Liberia 16 July 2007 -- The Mercy Ships Orthopaedic Surgical Team launched a ten-week program of operations onboard the Africa Mercy this past week. Patients have already been scheduled for more than half of the 100 free surgical slots reserved for orthopaedics. The first operation was conducted on Tuesday, July 10.
After several days spent screening potential patients, volunteer Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Brian Sims commented, "I think the thing that impresses me most is just how hardy the African people are; what they're able to put up with and continue to work and function in life in spite of what would normally be a completely disabling injury.
"There was a woman I saw yesterday, I think she was in her seventies, and she had a non-union fracture of her femur. So basically the center of her femur moved whenever she walked. Yet she walked in to the screening and she walked out again. When we told her we were going to schedule her for surgery, she just got the biggest smile and she put her hands in the air and she was praising God," Sims recalled.
The orthopaedic team has encountered a variety of injuries and physical defects; everything from polio deformities to old grenade and gunshot wounds sustained during the 14-year Liberian Civil War. However, more than half the surgeries scheduled to date are to correct club feet. Treating patients in their teens and even older with the deformity is not something Dr. Sims sees in his stateside practice.
He says, "The true, neglected club foot; the foot that's never had any treatment whatsoever is just really unheard of [in developed countries]. It's usually diagnosed within the first day of life. Here it's common to see people who've had a club foot all their lives."
Two children with club feet underwent free corrective surgeries during the first week of operations on the Africa Mercy. Two-year-old Cynthia Cooper and nine-year-old Benedict Menkoah had their feet straightened by Dr. Sims during operations that took several hours each. Both children have endured tremendous ridicule and persecution because of their deformities. Both were abandoned by their fathers.
Orthopaedic team member Dawn Crowther reported, "We especially enjoy being able to schedule the children. We've talked to teens and adults who've had the clubfeet or some other deformity. Many times they tell us they've never been to school because of the handicap. Maybe by helping them at such a young age we'll be able to impact the course of their lives, to give them a future they wouldn't otherwise have."
The orthopaedic team is partnering with medical professionals both on and off the ship to ensure adequate care continues even after the surgical team departs. Orthopaedic Care Coordinator Annie McFarland will see each patient every two weeks through September. Physical and occupational therapists volunteering with Mercy Ships will provide rehabilitation services. A Liberian prosthetics lab has generously offered to build and maintain any prosthetics the patients might need without charge.
Eight surgeons from the U.S. and the U.K. have agreed to fly into Liberia at their own expense to conduct the surgeries in the coming weeks. Volunteer surgeons are still needed for an even longer orthopaedic program planned for the ship's next port of call. Six full months of orthopaedic surgery are being scheduled for the field service to Sierra Leone in 2008.
For more information on this and other programs offered by Mercy Ships, write info@mercyships.org.
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