Back to work

I have completed my first  full week back to work on board the Africa Mercy. It has been a busy but very good week. I really love being a nurse here. It is so different than nursing in America. Here I have the opportunity to openly pray with most of my patients. I am able to see my patient as a whole person. I have been taught and fully believe that each one of us is made in the image of God. We are more than just a physical body. As a result illness can effect us in not  only the physical , but also in our emotions, our soul and our spirit. I believe healing can occur in all of these areas and illness therefore needs to be addressed in all of these areas. I am so thankful that I am in a place where we not only have to freedom to do that, but are actively encouraged to do so.

I interact with not only the crew that live on the ship, but with our day crew as well. Day crew are crew members that live in the country that is hosting us. They are hired to work on the ship for the 10 months we are here. What we do as a ship would be impossible without them. One of the benefits they receive as day workers is access to the crew clinic. They are able to come to us and seek medical care and advice. Many of them have had little access to medical care in the past. It is often not affordable or unavailable. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to serve them.

One of the other great things about working here is being with others who are passionate about the same things I am. Everyday we take time out of our schedule to spend time in devotion. We do this as a team. Taking turns to bring something to share with the team. We then spend time in prayer together. We pray for our patients, our ship mates, the country, the government, our families, our friends and anything else the Lord puts on our heart. It is rapidly becoming my favorite part of the day.

Speaking of prayer, would you pray for the screening team? Today a team left to go upcountry and find additional patients that may not have been able to make the journey to the capital city of Conakry. Their journey will be long, and they will be far from the support and safety of the ship. Please keep them in prayer these next 2 weeks.
Pray for them to find those that God wants to shower with hope and healing.
Pray for their emotional health as they encounter suffering and sorrow and will be forced to say no to many we can not help.
Pray for joy in the yes' for those we can
Pray for safety in travel, in large waiting crowds, and politically unstable areas.
Pray for no road blocks or other obstacles along the way.
Pray for unity and clarity on hearing from God. 
And please continue to pray for the missionaries living in this country who invest all of themselves to share love and light with those who are lost in darkness.

I don't have any pics of my team just yet, but I will try to post some soon.
Know I am missing you all and think of you often. You too are in my prayers.
For King and Kingdom

below are a few pics from Guinea since arriving.

The fist one is 5 o'clock traffic on a 2 lane road.

Local church during my two weeks up country

a small grocery store

Playing banana grams (speed scrabble) with some students at the youth center. Helps them practice their English.

Melons for sale at a road side market

A good view of the chaos of and intersection where 2 roads meet

a lumber yard of sorts...believe the poles are used for scaffolding. ( next to and inlet from the ocean)

Another road side stand selling house hold goods.

Guinea week 1

So we arrived safely in Guinea a week ago today. Time has flown by and there is so much to say.

My month of onboarding training in Texas went well. I was there with 10 other people who will be serving on ship long term with me, as well as about 20 more who will be serving in Texas. Together we went through 4 weeks of training to help us prepare for the days to come.

The time was a gift with much of it spent sitting at the feet of Jesus. Time was spent studying the character of God, and how we can listen for his voice. Time in prayer for ourselves, the ship, and interceding for others. Talks on how to resolve conflict in a biblical manner. More time taking personality tests and learning to understand how that effects how we relate to the world and others around us and how they might relate to us.  A great deal of time was spent on learning about other cultures and how to go and serve in them, learn from them, and be sensitive to them without compromising that which we know to be true.

Our flights here were smooth and uneventful. All our bags arrived and we had no delays and no lost baggage. Thank you so much for your prayers. God was so faithful. We all said it was the most pleasant transition through customs any of us had ever experienced.

The guest house I am staying at currently is quite nice. We are located on a mission compound and the team has two houses side by side. The single men are next door. In my house there are three single ladies and one couple. (Our family with small children went straight to the ship on arrival in country- we are missing them) We have a modest house with a kitchen and living room, three bedrooms and a dining area. We eat all of our meals together and end each night with devotion time and reflecting on what our day held.

This week we have split into two groups with the men working on construction projects, and cleaning out a workshop on property. They are also building a kitchen for one of the single missionary ladies who is moving into new housing. They have been quite busy and working in rather warm conditions. I am sure they would appreciate your prayers.

The ladies have been going to a local youth center to help with English lessons and cleaning and organizing areas for them. One of our projects was to clean out a large storage room, organize the items in it and sort through what might no longer be needed. It was a large job but I think we have it about licked now. We work on that for several hours in the morning, then we join the students in the cafe after class. There we play games like scrabble and other word games, chat in English so they can practice, and a few of us even try out a little french.

We are working on building relationships both with the students that come to the youth center and the staff that volunteer here in Guinea. The students are lovely and very hard working. They come from a variety of circumstances but all share a common goal to improve their life and  the lives of those they love.I have really been enjoying the time we spend practicing conversation.

One of the highlights this week was when we split into groups of men and women on one of the days. The men talked about what it means to be a man and when do you know you have achieved it. How is that different from the culture here and the different cultures represented in our groups. The men reported it being a good conversation and all of them said it was the high point of their week.

The ladies talked about women's health issues. We spent a fair amount of time in prayer prior the event and could not have been more pleased. Our discussion began with basic information about women's bodies and the changes they go through as they become adults. Although most of the women present are well past beyond the teenage years when this occurs many of them had never been able to have an open and honest dialogue about it. As we talked, many other topics were brought up and discussed. It seemed to open the door wide for a midwife/nurse who has been serving here for some time. The conversation switched from English to French and the women became even further engaged at that point. It was wonderful to witness them get answers to questions many of them may have carried for a long time. One of the best questions I heard was a women who wanted to know how she could be sure to conceive twins.

So this week looks to be more of the same. More time bonding as a team. More evenings spent praying and seeking God's will. More days with construction and conversation. Thank you for your prayers and support. We will be traveling  again on Friday, please keep us in prayer for that .

As I close this email night has fallen, the crickets are singing and in the distant the Muslim call to prayer echos through the night. The Iman's voice is deep and loud and haunting. It is a sound that is repeated five times a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It is very much a part of life here.  For me it is also a call to prayer. I  hope it will be for you as well.

For King and Kingdom

Basic Training

Hello from the great state of Texas!! My time at home flew by as expected and I have been in Texas for almost 2 weeks now.

My time at home was spent hopping from place to place catching up with friends, spending time with family and even squeezed in a few speaking engagements. I was happy to see as many people as I did but it just never seems like enough time to say everything that needs to be said, or just spend time together saying nothing at all.

My first week here in Texas was spent on the Mercy Ships campus participating in what they call Basic Safety training. It is a series of classes that takes an entire week. The two major highlights are the fire training and the water training.

For the fire training we spent a few days in class learning about fire and how it spreads, and how to put it out. Mostly how to prevent it in the first place. We also were taught how to put on turn out gear properly also know as bunker gear. In addition we were educated in the use of SCBA equipment which must be worn so you can breathe in a smoke filled environment. That was not too hard for me since I am already familiar with breathing through SCUBA equipment when I dive. To pass from this class to the next required one last step. We spent the good half of a day here putting out controlled fires with the skills we had learned. We were required to know what equipment we needed to use and demonstrate our ability to use it. The last and biggest was a pile of pallets on fire in a shipping container. We went in the container in full gear and put out the fire. It was intense to say the least.

Our next challenge was water safety. We learned about emergencies at sea and how to respond to them including man overboard drills and what to do in the event we would ever have to abandon ship. It was a very interesting class and I learned a lot. The height of that class came at the local college pool. Here we were required to demonstrate our ability to put on our survival suits in the allotted time, swim in them and climb aboard a life raft in the pool. This is not an easy task when you are floating better than a blow up pool toy. It was quite the challenge. After passing through that test we moved on to jumping from the diving board in life vests and swimming across the pool. The final test was demonstrating our newly learned skill of flipping over a 12 man life raft alone. I was very worried about this test as I had really struggled to get in the raft in my survival suit. However it turned out to be much easier than expected and I flipped that big old raft over with no problem.

I am happy to be learning these new skills before returning to the ship full time. I do hope with all my heart to never need them. I will try to post some pics from these events in the next few days. In the mean time, Mom you can sleep a little better knowing I am fully approved by the US Coast guard to respond to and emergency at sea.

Thanks y'all for your prayers

Montana

August is coming to a rapid end. My time with friends and family in the states is more than half over. It seems to be passing so quickly. It is such a blessing to have this time. Quiet mornings with the word in a sunny living room. Hospitality and generosity that leaves me humbled. In awe of how God is using those around me to provide for my every need, and even things I don't really need, like ice cream and meals out.
It should not surprise me. First God has shown me time and time again how I can trust him to provide. How I don't have to solve everything on my own. He has a plan. That he is trustworthy and faithful. Second I know that he has called me to this life at this time. And I believe that he will equip me for that which he call me to.
This week I was able to spend most of the week with good friends in Montana.
Montana is so beautiful, vast open spaces, amazing animals, and mountains that take your breath away. This morning as I reflect on my short time in Montana Psalms 18:19 comes to mind. "He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."He delights in me.  That is often hard to wrap my mind around. But this week he gave me visual teaching of what that looks like. A Father delighting in his children. I was blessed to spend time with my friends David and Janna and their two children Trin and Corbin. Watching these friends with their children was such a blessing.
Multiple times God used their interactions to show me how he loves me. Even when I whine, even when I start down the path of disobedience, He speaks gently and lovingly. He guides me and corrects me and directs me back to where I need to go. He does not do so in anger but gently and lovingly.
When I  am amazed and entranced by His creation, it brings Him joy. I was allowed to see the delight on the face of parents as their children discovered the joy of creation around them. Moths and grasshoppers that brought on smiles and laughter. The adventure of searching in creeks, and the wonder of how God placed so many seeds inside of cattails.
The beauty of a Father reading to his children. One snuggled safely on each side. How as his daughter he wants me to curl up next to him and soak in all he wants to teach me. To feel safe, secure and loved.
How a mother loving prepared and provided meals one moment and fun the next, and all the children had to do was trust and enjoy, and be obedient.
Lovely pictures and memorable lessons.
As I finish off my time here in the states, I hope there are more lessons to come and I am as receptive as a child.....

Shipyard

I start by apologizing for not posting for a while. We arrived in the Gran Canaries Spain for our annual maintenance and repairs. The ship is a different place when we are in shipyard. First of all the crew is much smaller. We are around 225 people on board. Most evenings the place looks like a ghost town. Everyone is either in the cabins resting, worn out from busy days of work, or out exploring this beautiful island.
     Shipyard is an interesting place. So much happening all the time. Local workers coming and going, supplies being moved on and old parts being moved off. All of ones senses are involved. There is a constant hum of machines at work, grinders, welders, hammers and drills.  The clang of metal parts being hammered on ,the ding dong of the PA system announcing the days changes,  and the sound of the new prominent language on board, Spanish floating through most conversations.
     Then there are the smells. They change as you walk from one end of the ship to the other. All the way forward in the dinning room there are the pleasant smells of fresh brewed coffee, mixed with a variety of spices in the food being served that day or fresh baked cookies at times. As you walk out into reception the odors are swept away by a fresh ocean breeze that carries the faintest aroma of salt. It is coolest place on the ship as the breeze crosses through the two open hatches on either side of the ship. It invites you to linger and soak in the refreshment.
     As you descend through the ship the cool air fades away and replaced with the smell of fresh paint and engine oil. Warm air and the smell of hard work lingers in the passage ways. The air is warm because the air conditioning is off. We have been without air conditioning almost 3 weeks now. At times we have been without running water, toilets, showers and only a small amount of back up power. The refrigeration on board has been shut down for repairs and upgrades along with one of the walk in freezers. Each one of these situations creates a need for solutions and team work and patience.
Food has to be moved from its normal location to temporary locations, usually another container on another deck somewhere. This is where I come in. I am working in supply over the shipyard and so I get to be one of the people to help move hundreds of pounds of food from point A to point B. Then a few days or weeks later, back again. I have begun and impressive bruise collection on my body as I learn that frozen food pallets do not bend and give in the same manner as a pallet of say rolled gauze.
Through it all God is teaching me little lessons. In patience, kindness, tolerance and sometimes leadership. Repetitive lessons that my way is not always the right or only way.
     I have been  impressed by how well people work together here. In spite of all the challenges, and there are many, there is very little fighting or arguing seen. In spite of difficult living arrangements brought on by the challenges of shipyard I see very little angst between the crew. Even when there are times with no fresh water, or toilets that cant flush or Internet that is down. The people here are doing an amazing job of loving each other well.
     One of the best things about shipyard this year has been Carolyn. She has been my friend for 20 years. This year she volunteered with Mercy Ships and has been here serving for the last 6 weeks. It has been such fun having her here and getting to serve with her. We have had many adventures and been able to experience many things together. She was able to see a bit of Cameroon before we left, experience the wonder of the sail, the excitement of arriving in Senegal and docking in Spain. We have worked together, worshiped together and oh yes we have played too! It has been such a blessing to be able to share such a huge part of my life with someone I love from home. I pray I will have more opportunities to do so with others from my life back home. I pray Carolyn's time here has been as much of a blessing to here as it has been to me.

     Another great thing about shipyard is SPAIN!! We are in Spain and on our days off we are free to explore the island. It is a major tourist destination for Europe and so there are many things to discover. There is good food, great gelato and of course the beach. One day some of us were able to rent a car and drive around the whole island. It was lovely.  The island has areas that are very built up and full of European tourists. But is also has small sleepy Spanish towns full of warm, welcoming people. Tiny roads barely wide enough for two compact cars wind through beautiful hills dotted with amazing architecture. Ancient cathedrals are the center of most towns with  cozy cafes lying in their shadows. Picturesque fishing villages  dot the coast where the dry, desert hills meet the azure sea. It is such a gift to be able to spend time here. I am grateful. Oh how I wish I had taken Spanish in high school when I had the opportunity.
     In just a few days I will be leaving the ship for a bit. A few weeks in the States to catch up with family and friends. To get a years worth of hugs and conversations in the span of a few weeks. I am excited to share what I have experienced in the last year and yet know that my words will not be adequate. Then it will be onto Texas for more training before returning to the Ship. I look forward to seeing as many of you as time allows.

At Sea

Not sure when I will have Internet to post this but figured I would get it down. We are once again at sea. I am in my happy place. It never ceases to amaze me how incredible it is to be at sea.
I am aware of so much around me. The gentle vibration of the deck beneath my feet as the engines hum along. How my cabin rolls from side to side with each swell of the sea that passes under the ship. That always amazes me. The power of the sea. You look our over the vast blue and watch as these small swells of only a few feet come ever so gently to the side of the ship and the pass beneath it. And yet those small swells move this enormous ship. It is constant and never stops and gently rocks you like a child in its mothers arms. I never tire of it.
     Out on the bow there is  the intense warmth of the equatorial sun shinning down on you from the bluest sky you have ever seen. And the nothing....miles and miles of nothing. No land, no traffic noise, no demands, no birds, just miles of nothing but sea and sky, the breeze in your face and peace in your heart.
On the stern in my hammock I gently swing from side to side. Behind the ship the propellers stir up a ribbon of white foam and turquoise blue. It stretches out behind of slowly dissolving into a smooth line of flat water marking where we have come from. A slight breeze, quiet conversations with friends, and a constant eye on the horizon watching for the spout from a whale or a dolphin jumping from the sea. I have not yet seen either on this trip but yesterday dolphins were seen so hope bubbles up in the heart and I wait.

My work days are filled with boxes and crates. I have moved over to general supply during the sail. So orders are made and me and my guys spend our mornings filling those orders. Supplies for the dining room, the galley and the ship shop mostly. Orders are usually similar but vary from day to day. Today there were crates of tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce and fruit. Rice and onions and cooking oil too. All of has been weighed and stored and tied down. So now it must be calculated how much is needed, untied, moved from deck 2 to deck 5 or deck 6 and then everything else retied so it will not fall over and make a mess as the ship moves.

My evenings are fun time during the sail. Some of the crew members have planned fun activities to keep us entertained so we do not get cabin fever. There has been spy vs spy, karaoke and a mocktail party with the captain. Tonight is movie night and there will be popcorn. The little things are fun and create time for the crew to bond with one another.

Soon these days will be over, but for now I will savor each one of them. They are gifts. Each one to be unwrapped and discover what it holds. Each one different than the one before. I love the gift of time, which seems to slow down here during the sail. Time to savor life. Time with friends, time for games, time to spend in the word and with the Lord. Time to listen. Time to be thankful.
And that is what I truly am. Thankful for all of it. Thankful to be here, thankful that He chose me.
My cup runneth over.

Salamatou And Mariama

Sisters Salamatou and Mariama relished the historic moment they were able to race around their village. Each has spent their lives watching others run and play as their windswept legs caused by malnutrition held them back. What could have been a lifetime on the sidelines is now the starting point for the rest of their lives. Ready, set, go! 










Pictures and text from Mercyships writers and photographers. 

Patience for a miracle

The following blog was written by my co-laborer Susy Horta. Some of you have been praying for these patients for a while now. Now you can put some faces with the stories.  Pictures by Mercy Ship photographers.

Patience for a miracle

During my time here, most of our maxillofacial patients come the day before of their surgery, go to surgery, and after a couple of days or maybe a week they are ready to go to the Hope Center and come to the ship for their follow-up appointments. A few of them may have complications after their surgery, maybe a wound that won't heal properly, maybe an infection, but thankfully those are a few exceptions to the majority.

These are the stories we like to witness and also the way we want things to happen in our own lives. We like things to happen as they "should", in the right time and in the right way.

I, personally, am not a patient person. As an ICU nurse I always want to find a way to solve problems, and keeping things under control, planned and successful is my way of thinking of a good day.

 But today I want to share about two families that have taught me what patience and endurance are. The moms share the same name, both are muslim, and speak the same native language. They both have beautiful baby girls and these babies have been our patients at the hospital and the Hope Center since before I came to Cameroon, that is, more than 5 months.

One of the babies, Mass-oudatou, has been in the infant feeding program since she

arrived to the ship, and her cleft lip was repaired after she had enough weight to go through surgery. But, she needed her cleft palate to be repaired too, but for that she had to be big enough, as it was a more risky surgery than the first one. During the months of feeding her to be ready, her suctioning ability decreased and that brought respiratory problems, so we ended up having to help her by feeding her through a nasogastric tube. 

She is funny and makes the weirdest and cutest faces all day long. Her surgery was finally done last friday; after months of waiting and struggling, she finally will breath, eat and talk normally.

The other baby is Mairamou. She is one of a kind. Sassy, smart, brave and with a mass on
her face that could not just be cut away. As tiny as she is, removing the mass would mean a huge blood loss, and her life. So she has been also through months of nutritional suplements to gain weight, medications and radio ablations to shrink the mass as much as possible. In the beginning of her treatment, the mass was so big that we also needed a tube to feed her. And finally, two weeks ago, she went to surgery (no pictures yet) and it went really well!!

As you can see, these are not fast and easy cases. These kids have won our hearts while they wait to finally go to surgery. And their moms have waited too.

I am sure that during these long months the moms have had hard days, but every time I see them, either in the hospital or at the Hope Center, they smile. They have been learning french and english at the same time. They help other mothers and patients to adjust while they stay with us. They call me "momma Susy" and "Tauntine Susy" (auntie Susy). They get tired, it is hard to stay in a hospital for weeks and weeks, but they don't complain. They let us see when they are sad, they let us comfort them and they let us help them. 

They are smarter than me, more patient, braver, they learn, they wait, they laugh, they endure. They love me. They make me laugh. These are not weak and sad souls, these are people with less opportunities than us. And that is why I’m here. To bring hope and healing through health care, but also with friendship and the gospel. I can’t feel sorry for them, they won’t let me. I admire them and want to help in any way I can to bring them closer to Jesus and the life He wants for them.

But God has used their lives to challenge me to be braver and to exercise my patience. I have been praying for months for the funds to continue serving with Mercy Ships until June/2019, and He has been taking His time to answer. I have had very hard days praying and not seeing any answers. God has been challenging my faith. How do you have faith and joy when there is a possibility of losing your dream job/ministry? 

Well, these moms have taught me to enjoy the waiting and also to believe in the one that promised me "plans for a hope and a future". These moms trust us, they trust the surgeons, they trust the dietitians, they trust our local translators. They have seen how much we care for them and their babies, so they trust that we will keep doing our best to help them. 

How much do I trust God? The one that gave His only Son to save my life? The one that has provided for my parents for more than 30 years? The one that brought me here and has sustained me for five months? The one that says "I will never fail you nor abandon you"?

Donations have started coming, quietly and full of love. And with each one of them, I cry with joy and gratefulness, and I pray harder. I pray harder to see the whole miracle happen. 

What are you waiting and praying for? Are you tired and about to give up? Don't do it, your dreams are worth the wait, God is worth the wait.

Also, what miracle are you helping to come to life? I have been part of these babies' miracles and it has been an enormous honor, that is why I chose to serve longer with Mercy Ships, to be an active witness of the miracles God wants to bring to West Africa. Would you be part of these miracles with me?

"You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you; 

I answered out of the thundercloud and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah." Psalm 81:7 NLT

March

So Here is a little update for you.
March looks a little different in Cameroon than in Virginia. There the snow is flying and folks are praying for spring and warm weather. Here the short rainy season has begun. Most days we get some amount of measurable rain. I am usually unaware as both my living quarters and working quarters are without windows. That is the price you pay to live at or below the water line. Haha. Usually when I go upstairs for meals I peek out the windows and get an idea of what the day is like. One of the nice things about rain is it washes most of the dust and pollution from the air.  So this week the air quality has been good and Mt Cameroon has been visible for the first time in a few months.  So I was sure to get some time outdoors to enjoy being able to see our volcano and enjoy the warm weather.

Other things that are happening....Surgeries continue to roll on. Some major facial surgeries occurred this week and patients are healing. As I went from ward to ward with supplies this week I watched different ones exploring their new faces in the mirrors they are given. You can see the disbelief on their faces as they try to comprehend how different they now look. It is a joy to be able to witness such moments. Another man this week was able to open his mouth for the first time in 19 years. The moment was recorded on video. I hope to be able to share it some time in the future. The first thing he did was shout for joy and raise his hands to the heavens. I cried my eyes out as I watched it unfold. May God get the glory for his transformation.
Many of you are asking about my plans to come home. I still can not answer those questions fully but hope to be able to in a week or so. It is looking very likely that I will come home for a short time and then return for another 2 years. I am very exciting about the possibility of this but it is ultimately up to God. I would love to return and continue to be a part of the amazing work that is happening here. It is so fulfilling to be even a small part of changing peoples lives. Being a tiny part of the miracles occurring in the hearts and bodies. Many ask why not do it at home? The simplistic answer is it is just different here. My hands are not tied. I am not only allowed to share my faith with my patients, co-workers and friends, I am encouraged to do so. There is nothing that can really describe the moments when you see a spark ignite in the heart of someone. When the understand that they are truly loved. That there is something more. That life and eternity can be different. That they are not excluded for being different.

There is also the joy of what God is doing in my heart and spirit. As he shows me areas in  my own life that need changing, refining and growth. New friendships  and new experiences. Learning to live with less and focus on things eternal rather than things of the world that so easily entice me. It is a daily journey and somehow seems easier for me to see or understand here. And here I am often better able to see how my gifts and talents can add to the equation. Don't get me wrong. I KNOW that all of these things are possible at home, and there are needs there too. But somehow there is a peace and a belonging that a feel here that make me know that I am where I should be for as long as God chooses me to be here.

There are hard parts to being here. Times of loneliness. Missing those I love more than I can convey. It can be challenging to witness the level of suffering we see on a daily basis. There are many we help, but so many more that we can not. Pray for them, and pray for me as it is hard to bear. There are times when I miss the freedom to jump in my car and go where ever I want. It is not easy to do that here. There are police check points, bad roads and corruption that make those things difficult. But then there is the beauty of Africa, people who are kind and generous despite having little. People who have much to share in the hearts and minds and spirits, and we are joined together by a common goal.

It is also hard to be away as I read updates from home that are hard. Things I wish I could be a part of. Things I wish I could fix. Situations that only God can take care of. Unmet needs, wandering family members and the loss of loved ones. How I wish I could be there to walk through those moments with you. To pray with you, to give generously. For now, I can only do it from here. But know that I do. I go before the throne of God, and by His spirit I pray and intercede for you. I pray that each of your needs is met. That your pain and loss is comforted. That the Fathers love for you is never doubted.

For King and kingdom,
Jennifer

Ulrich's Joy

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” someone asked 12-year-old Ulrich.
“I want to be tall like my friends,” he answered with a smile.
Even experienced nurses onboard the Africa Mercy had never seen a case quite like Ulrich’s.  He was born with dislocated knees and a condition known as Quadriceps Contracture—a condition in which the leg muscles don’t develop at the same rate as the bones, causing the legs to bend drastically backward.
His mother, Georgette, tried desperately to find Ulrich the surgery he needed. But the cost of surgery and the severity of his condition defeated her hopes. “Surgeons wouldn’t touch him,” Georgette recalls. “It was hard to see him hurting. When he hurts, I hurt.”
Despite constant stares and ridicule, Ulrich adapted to his condition. He learned to walk with sticks made from sturdy branches. He even learned to climb trees higher than any other boy in his village! “When they couldn’t reach the tallest papaya, they’d call me! I’d be able to get it,” said Ulrich.
But his determination to be like other boys took its toll. He developed pain in his hands and joints from supporting his body weight and from walking long distances. “I was worried that if I was feeling such pain now, it was only going to get worse as I got older,” he said.
It broke his heart that it was increasingly difficult for him to help his mother by helping out around the house, collecting firewood, and fetching water. “I was scared to grow up like that. I didn’t want this to be all my life was ever going to be.”
The day Ulrich arrived on the Africa Mercy for his free surgery, volunteer surgeon Dr. Frank Haydon (USA), who has volunteered with Mercy Ships for eight years, was shocked. “He moved like an insect … like a cricket. I’d never seen anything quite like it. Just when I think I’ve seen the worst case in my career, I meet the next Ulrich, and it keeps me going.”
After several complex surgeries, Ulrich woke up with two straight legs in casts. He had a hard time believing they were actually his legs. The first time he stood up, he reached up to see if he could touch the ceiling. “The first time he walked, he went straight into his mother’s embrace. It was the first time he had been able to hug her since standing tall,” said volunteer nurse Kirsten Murphy (USA).
And now, Ulrich is walking straight and tall into acceptance and into his dream of an education.
"Before, when I would walk in the street, people would stare at me. They thought I was just a handicapped person, and they treated me differently. Now, they will look again,” smiled Ulrich.
Before Ulrich left the Africa Mercy, he slowly walked up to Dr. Haydon and handed him a very special gift … his old walking sticks. He won’t need them anymore, thanks to mercy.
Written by Georgia Ainsworth
Edited by Karis Johnson and Nancy Predaina
Photographs by Saul Loubassa Bighonda, Shawn Thompson and Marina Schmid

Adama

We as a ship spent the last few days in a prayer campaign for this young women.I would ask that you help those prayers continue on into the days ahead. Her name is Adama. She had a cleft that extended from her face into her skull and brain, giving the appearance that her face was divided in two. She has already had multiple surgeries on her brain, skull and facial soft tissues and she's been an inpatient for more than 90 days due to difficult healing - longer than any other patient by far this year. She just had her 6th surgery. She has been through much to say the least. Would you please pray for her. Pray for healing. Pray for strength, endurance and courage. Pray for encouragement. Pray that the light of Christ would be seen in everyone she encounters. Pray that this 6th surgery she just endured would be successful and her healing would be complete. Pray specifically against infection or complications. Most of all pray as the Lord leads. Thank you for taking the time to go to the throne for this woman. May His name be glorified.

(A portion of this writing was taken from other writers post. authors unknown and Photo by Mercy ship photographers)

Out of the darkness

A Decade of Darkness: Lydienne's Story

• Created by Pam McElvogue on 05 Feb, 2018

For 10 years, Lydienne’s world grew darker … and darker …
lowly losing her eyesight from cataracts felt like a lifelong prison sentence for the 65-year-old seamstress. The blindness stole her independence because she was forced to rely on family members to be her eyes. Even simple walks to the market, down streets she’d known her entire life, became almost impossible to navigate on her own. All she could see were clouded shadows and pinpricks of light.
The blindness also stole her livelihood and her life’s calling. She could no longer work as a seamstress and had to depend on her younger sister for help. But the worst part was losing her ability to travel around Cameroon and evangelize, which she’d always felt called to do.
Without money to pay for cataract surgery, Lydienne almost gave up hope. But one day, her pastor told her, “The ship is coming. You will have your sight restored.” And immediately Lydienne believed with all her heart that the hospital ship would change her life.
She arrived at the Mercy Ships eye screenings, nervous and full of hope. On the scheduled day for her long-desired cataract surgery, she arrived at the ship bright and early in the morning. “God has His eye on me,” she said confidently before being led up the gangway.
Removing her cataracts was a quick surgical procedure. The very next day, Lydienne’s eye patch was removed. It was the moment of truth – had the surgery been successful?  And the answer was YES!  After a decade of darkness, she could see again!
“I went home shouting in excitement. I could see everything! Even seeing buildings again makes me so happy,” she said.
At first, her relatives couldn’t believe it, and they jokingly tested her to make sure she really could see. “They’ll ask me what they’re holding or ask me to read things to them. When I do, they all applaud. I don’t mind being treated like a child in this way – I can see it’s all in joy,” smiled Lydienne.
Now, with her eyesight and independence restored, Lydienne can resume her work as a seamstress. And she’s even more excited about being able to once again travel around the city, speaking with people about God’s love and sharing her own story with them.
“I believe my sight has been anointed. Even if my clothes are fading and getting old, I see them in the brightest colors now!”

Written by Rose TalbotPhotography by Saul Loubassa BighondaEdited by Karis Johnson and Nancy Predaina



Sixty-five-year-old Lydienne came to Mercy Ships for surgery to remove the cataracts that had clouded her vision for over 10 years.



Without money to pay for cataract surgery, Lydienne almost gave up hope. But when she arrived the Mercy Ships eye screenings, she was nervous and full of hope.  “God has His eye on me,” she said confidently.



Lydienne awaits her turn to go into the operating room. The cataract surgery took less than a half an hour, but it changed Lydienne’s life.



The day after surgery, Lydienne’s eye patch was removed. It was the moment of truth – had the surgery been successful? And the answer was YES! After a decade of darkness, she could see again! “Even seeing buildings again makes me so happy,” she said.



Six weeks after surgery, Lydienne was all smiles at her Celebration of Sight. She sang and danced with unrestrained energy as she celebrated her renewed vision alongside eye team staff and other cataract patients.



“I believe my sight has been anointed. Even if my clothes are fading and getting old, I see them in the brightest colors now.”

Little Cecilia

Stepping into a Brighter Future: Cecilia’s Story

With her fluffy pink dress and shiny shoes, three-year-old Cecilia is an undisputed princess—and no one is prouder of this ray of sunshine than her father, Emmanuel. She’s brimming with delightful energy, and Emmanuel is always one step behind her, ready to help her in the right direction. But, until recently, Cecilia needed more help than most little girls.
“She smiles all of the time,” said Emmanuel, “but she needs help to walk.”
Her legs appeared normal at birth, but as she grew, one of her knees formed abnormally. She was diagnosed with knock knees—a condition that causes the knees to angle together, and makes it nearly impossible for the legs to stay straight. Over time, it can cause serious pain and impair walking. Cecilia’s parents watched their bright-eyed child grow from baby to toddler—and her knock knee continued to worsen.
Finally, Emmanuel brought his daughter to Mercy Ships in search of a miracle. They left behind Cecilia’s mother and baby brother in hopes that when they reunited, Cecilia’s legs would be straight and her future brighter.
On the dock, father and daughter sat together on a wooden bench together while the monsoon rain poured down. Their warm smiles didn’t betray their long journey or hours of waiting.
“I’m so thankful for Mercy Ships coming to serve my people, who are in need,” said Emmanuel.
The family spent over a year waiting for a surgery that took little over an hour on the Africa Mercy. It was a simple procedure that would have enormous effects on little Cecilia’s life.
Cecilia was a source of joy in the hospital wards, and it wasn’t long after her surgery before she bravely took her first steps with her miniature walker. The only one smiling bigger than her was Emmanuel, who said her future now looks “bright and full of possibilities.”
Cecilia’s recovery time onboard the ship was filled with laughter as she played with bubbles and had her nails painted by nurses. Six weeks after surgery, it was time for her cast to come off! Her rehabilitation helped her grow comfortable walking on her straightened leg. When the time came for Cecilia and Emmanuel to go home, the volunteer team sent them home with lively singing and dancing.
Now, Cecilia can step forward into a life of limitless opportunities. She may only be three years old, but Emmanuel is already dreaming big for his little girl.
“My dream for her is to grow up and become a doctor, so she can change people's lives,” Emmanuel said. “Just like the doctors here have changed hers.”

Written by: Rose Talbot
Edited by: Karis Johnson
Photographs by: Shawn Thompson
 used with permission from Mercy Ships


Three-year-old Cecilia’s knock knee has grown painfully inward for over a year.



Cecilia’s father, Emmanuel, is always ready to offer a helping hand.



Big smiles celebrate a big moment as Cecilia takes her first steps after surgery with the help of her father!


Cecilia’s bright pink cast matches her colorful personality.



Even with the new sights and sounds of the hospital environment, Cecilia only needs to hold onto her dad’s finger to be reassured that everything is alright.



Cecilia takes careful steps to recovery with the help of Stefanie Neeb (DEU), the volunteer rehabilitation team leader.



Emmanuel stood by his little princess every step of the way.



Cecilia now stands straight and tall—ready to step confidently forward into her future!

a sweet little girl

A New Reason to Smile: Fadimatou’s Story

 

With a beaming smile and large, striking eyes, Fadimatou’s cleft lip isn’t the first thing you’d see. But, thirteen years of looking different from everyone else took its toll on her confidence and self-esteem.
Adorned in beads and colorful fabrics, Fadimatou enjoyed dressing up and ‘acting pretty’ like other girls. But, any glimpse of her smile was quickly wiped away by memories of teasing and ridicule—a reminder of the lies she’d been told too many times, that she isn’t pretty and shouldn’t smile. Her place in society, her sense of belonging among her 14 siblings and even her identity as a twin was questioned because of her cleft lip.
Filled with desperation, her journey with Mercy Ships began when she and her father made the 18-hour trek from their village to the coast of Cameroon. Ahead of them was her once-in-a-lifetime chance at transformation.
Her father had to wait 13 years to find help for his little girl, and after she was approved for surgery he proudly walked Fadimatou up the gangway. A surgery that took an hour to complete on the Africa Mercy resulted in a life changed forever.
Fresh out of surgery, her emotional transformation began. Fadimatou, who once could barely keep eye contact, was now hungry for interaction. Each day, her physical scars healed alongside her wounds of torment, shame and embarrassment.
While she once did everything she could to go unnoticed, Fadimatou now has a reason to hold her head high. Filled with pride and hope for the future, she's now shining with a newfound confidence she’d never had before.
Story by Georgia Ainsworth
Edited by Karis Johnson
Photos by Saul Loubassa Bighonda and Shawn Thompson
used with permission from Mercy Ships




We catch a rare, but stunning glimpse of Fadimatou’s smile on screening day as she awaits the chance to be seen by a surgeon.



A surgery that took an hour to complete on the Africa Mercy resulted in a life changed forever.



Fadmiatou looks into the mirror at her face for the first time since surgery.



Fadimatou continues to be one of the most colorful patients on the ward. Her cleft lip is long gone, along with her shame and embarrassment.



While she once did everything she could to go unnoticed, Fadimatou now has a reason to hold her head high.



Filled with pride and hope for the future, she's now shining with a newfound confidence she’d never had before.

A 30 year burden

Thank You for your part in changing lives. This is Christina whose tumor started growing at age 23. Today Christina is 53, and no longer lives with this burden thanks to free surgery on-board the Africa Mercy.  

Letting Go of a 30-Year Burden

You can hear Christina’s contagious laugh from across the room and instinctively know that she’s a woman who never lets circumstances rob her of joy. But, her smile is interrupted with a facial tumor that has been slowly growing for over 30 years, with no hope of being removed.
Christina first noticed the tumor, which was then just a small growth on her left cheek, when she was only 23 years old. She was a young bride, raising a family with her whole future ahead of her. The tumor was painful, but surgery to remove it was not an option. She and her husband, Emmanuel, worked as farmers—their maize, yam and beans put food on the table, but didn’t provide enough money to cover hospital expenses. All Christina could do was take medicine to ease the pain, and resign herself to the reality that this would always be a part of her life.
As Christina’s children grew, so did her tumor, eventually stretching from her ear to her jaw. But, her exuberant spirit and love for those around her never faded. When asked about her positivity she simply said, “The spirit of God is touching me, giving me peace.”
When she first heard of Mercy Ships, she couldn’t believe her ears—a ship with surgeons that would remove her tumor for free? Her children barely saw her without it in the last three decades, let alone her grandchildren. She knew she had to take the chance. Leaving her family behind, she traveled to the ship in hopes of receiving surgery on board. Even when her appointments were postponed, Christina waited patiently, peacefully, with a twinkle in her eye. Change was coming. She just had to hold on.
Finally, her surgery date came. After several hours in the operating room, the tumor was gone! “Look at me!” she said after the operation, turning her face so you could see the graceful slope of her neck, now tumor-free. “My family will not believe it.”

Her bubbly laugh and genuine interest in those around her made Christina a favorite to patients and crew alike on the Africa Mercy. And after her surgery, she returned home without the burden she’d carried for 30 years, and with a new hope for the future.

Story by: Rose Talbot
Edited by: Karis Johnson
Photographer: Shawn Thompson
used with permission from Mercy Ships

Christina’s tumor has been growing since she was 23 years old – without hope of ever having it removed.



Christina is all smiles relaxing on Deck 7 as she recovers from surgery.



Christina’s signature smile could not be more contagious as she prepares to return home to her family after surgery.


Christina beams as she shows off her neck — tumor-free for the first time in over 30 years!

Baby Paul

I remember the first day I saw him. He was in the arms of another nurse on the ward. He was so small. His small frail body slight protruding from the blanket he was wrapped in. My heart fell. I was instantly frightened for him. He was so tiny. He skin thin and papery looking. His eyes looked larger than they should as they sunk into their socket. I feared the worst for him, instantly crying out to God in my heart for this tiny little boy. How was it possible that he was even alive?
I soon heard his story. Paul came to us when he was 3-months-old and weighed just over 2 kilograms.(a little over 4 1/2 pounds) Born with a cleft lip and palate, he could not eat and grew weaker instead of bigger and stronger. He was unable to latch on to breast feed and had quickly been loosing weight since his birth. The infant feeding program onboard the Africa Mercy changed Paul's life!

Everyone that met him prayed for him to live. He desperately needed surgery to fix his lip and palate but first he had to gain some weight. He would not survive surgery in his current state.
Enter in our amazing dietitian. Paul was soon on formula, being fed through a tube that entered his stomach via his nose. Soon he moved up to a syringe and then to a bottle with  a special nipple to help him nurse better. It was still a struggle, but slowly, every so gradually, he put on weight. Eventually he qualified for his first surgery. His lip was repaired, but not his palate. He needs to be older for that surgery to be successful. However now he can latch. Now he can feed and gain weight.

"Paul wasn’t the only one being transformed. Hope bloomed in his Mother Francoise’s heart as she watched her baby slowly growing stronger. She dared to hope that this baby that people had once called “monster” would survive … this baby that was now adored by crew members and other patients. She said, ‘When I look at my baby, I can only cry – but it is tears of joy. Even I am gaining weight, now that I can eat and sleep!”
When I look at my baby, I can only cry – but it is tears of joy. Even I am gaining weight, now that I can eat and sleep!’"

 This little man has beat the odds. God has answered the prayers of many and Paul does not look like the same child any more. Gone are the sunken eyes, the darkened circles around not only his eyes but those of his mother as well. His tiny arms and spindly legs have been replaced with round fat little legs and arms. His face has filled out and he is on his was to being a healthy baby. He has a few more months to wait for his final surgery to fix his cleft palate, but we fully expect him to arrive back for that surgery hitting new milestones on his growth chart. Praise the Lord for answered prayer and sparing the life of this sweet little boy. He now weighs a whopping 6.4 kilograms.( around 14 lbs)
He will return before our time here in Cameroon is over for his second surgery to repair his palate. Please continue to keep this sweet little boy and his family in your prayers. 

(a portion of this blog written by Rose Talbot)
Photos by Mercy Ship Photographers