april newsletter

April 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, we arrived safely to Benin in February just a day behind schedule and then the insanity began. It must have seemed insanity from the outside looking in (and well, from the inside looking out at times too!). First, we had to set up the hospital area. This sounds easy enough but it started with some serious cleaning--scrubbing the walls and down on hands and knees to scrub the floors. After the cleaning came unpacking and setting up the wards. We were still desperately working on set-up when our first tour of the hospital by the Benin Minister of Health occurred. Several tours and days later and it was on to the second phase of getting the hospital going--finding patients!

The process of finding patients actually started several months before we left Liberia. A team of four came as advance to Benin to begin the paperwork and work with the local media and churches to prepare for the arrival of the Africa Mercy. One of the preparations that the Advance Team did was to have the media and churches announce the screening days the ship would be holding in mid-February to find patients. Screening day...thousands of people lined up beginning the day before hoping to be seen by the crew of the Africa Mercy. They waited in the hot sun and through the muggy night and again in the hot sun on the day of screening. There was a pre-screen area outside the auditorium where patients with eye problems were pulled out for a separate screening and where others were turned away with problems that were not surgical or not any of the surgical specialties on board. After the pre-screening, the hopeful patients moved into the auditorium and waited more as they were seen by general crew obtaining logistical information (name, tribe, language, age, etc) and then on to one of the many nurses who obtained a health history and vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure). After this, they waited to see the surgeons and anesthetists. At this point, again, some were sent away as there was nothing we could do. Other crew members prayed with them and counseled them. But, if the surgeon assessed them and agreed they were a candidate for surgery, then they were sent to be worked into the ten month surgery schedule. After this, they waited to have lab work done or be scheduled to have x-rays done and received vitamins and iron tablets. Some of them went home to wait months until they will return for their procedure. Some have already been to the ship, had their surgeries and returned home.

Screening days were fun and tiring and heartbreaking. Most of the crew was involved, even those who are not in the medical field. They served as security or handing out water and bread or playing with the children. The day started at 3am for some and ended at 10pm for others. But everyone was working together and serving as our Father has called us to. There were times it was heartbreaking as some could not be helped and were turned away. But this, too, is in the hands of God, so no despair.

Now we are almost two full months into the surgery outreach. The touch of insanity remained even at the start of surgeries as people settled back into familiar roles or new crew learned the ropes. We started with all six operating rooms open this year so we "hit the ground running!" But things have settled a bit and now we are more in just a day to day routine. It has been good even with the craziness to start. I have been primarily working with the children so far and had the cutest little guy the other day. He had just woken up from having a cleft lip repaired. He made the most adorable faces as he tried to see what it was that felt so different and when he couldn't, settled for running his tongue over and over the new full lip.

Benin seems quite different than Liberia. The streets don't have yawning potholes waiting to swallow cars whole. The buildings are not shells or riddled with bullets. There doesn't seem to be the same level of despair or unease when walking on the streets. Even the dock is different in that it is much busier. (The port we are in is one of the busiest in West Africa!) The language is different--French based and of course the local dialects. It makes for some interesting "discussions" with the people...my very small French and lots of pantomime! We are called yovos by the people of Benin and it is not uncommon to be walking down the street and hearing the children call out "yovo, yovo."

This work is just as much yours as it is mine and it is all for His glory. I could not be here serving if it weren't for my gracious financial and prayer supporters. For that I thank you. And I pray that this work will bless you as well. I know I say this in each of my letters but it is true. Each of the people pictured above and the many who aren't pictured are people who your support has helped to change their lives. I am only the hands. Thank you, for myself and those who cannot say thank you.