Hello friends and family,
The more time I spend away from here the uglier New Jersey seems every time I get home. The sky is grey and dull more often than not this time of year, and this winter weather is far too cold for me. But in spite of these things, the longer I'm away the more amazing I realize these people are each time I return home. And that's something that scenery and weather can't touch. Looks like I'm going to hang around home for awhile. A couple months at least.
Still hoping to enter into medical missions/charity work long term starting next year...Don't think I've ever felt so certain about any future plans in my twenty five years. The pastor and his wife from my family's church, Bob and Julie, have been so kind to offer to help me discerning these plans. I am blown away by their enthusiasm - they seem just as excited as I do!
My goals for this year are to somehow give back locally, to work & replenish my depleted savings account, to spend time with my incredible family and friends and maybe do some more traveling within the US. Will keep you posted as all of these plans unravel.
The past two weeks I've been working on becoming registered with a local nursing agency. The last of these details was complete on Friday afternoon, and they will now place me in a temporary position at a local hospital for a few months. So it's like travel nursing, minus the travel part. I guess that makes me a freelancer. That word sounds really grown up...And considering that I didn't even know what it meant until last year I'm surprised they're letting me do it. :) I hope to be working by the beginning of February.
In the meantime, I had a couple plane ticket vouchers that were about to expire. I think most of you would agree that it would be a crying shame to let such a thing happen... So, this morning I flew to West Palm Beach, Florida to stay with my dear friend Becky. Becky asked me to be in her wedding this June, and I've met her fiancee a total of two times, so I think it's about time I stop in for a while. And anyway, the beaches down there aren't so bad. ;) Thursday I will leave West Palm for Phoenix, Arizona, where I will also be visiting with friends and my old roommates for about a week. That Sunday, the 27th, I will be presenting my Africa experience at two churches in Phoenix: in the morning to my friend Ashley's 3rd to 8th grade Sunday school class, and in the evening to the church I attended last Spring when I was living in Phoenix on a travel assignment. [Insert shoutout to the the friends who provided me with the airline vouchers in the first place and made this trip possible here:]
My DVD presentation of Africa is now complete. [Insert shout out to Ben Canales, the master of DVD creation here:] Although I've done some speaking engagements a few times recently, this will be my first time sharing my comprehensive Africa experience. It should be the first of a few, as I hope to share at Hope Chapel, Elevate, Circle of Hope and maybe a few other churches in the next few months.
If you are someone who prays, can I ask you to pray for me as I begin to formally share Africa with America? My six months was such a multi-faceted experience that I sometimes don't know where to begin when explaining it. & I the idea of public speaking makes me squirm a little. But bringing all of this home is a very important part of the process...It must be done. So yeah, if you could just pray for my presentation, that God would give me the words to share with people the things that He is doing and allowed me to be a part of in Africa, that would be amazing. Other things I'm praying about are direction for next year and this year, too. I am not sure whether to sell my car right away or wait until just before I'm leaving...Either plan has its own set of potential risks and benefits. So, in summary, the things I need prayer for are presenting my trip, direction in future planning and also for selling my car.
Please continue to let me know of any way that I can be praying for you.
Sooooo, friends/family in Jersey/PA, I'll see you again in a couple of weeks. Friends in Arizona, I'll be around this Thursday to Wednesday-ish, and I hope to see each of you.
Much Love,
Lindsay
1.20.2008
12.23.2007
The journey comes to an end...
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
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
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
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