Stilt village and Hotel Du Lac

\

This morning we packed lunch snacks and our bathing suits and headed out with a group to go to the stilt village. We walked to the Hotel Du Lac (which is across the bridge) and then went into a boat and headed to the village, on the way we saw fishers who gave us a demonstration pig markets and some other things. The guide said that about 30,000 people lived in the village and it was 28 kms away! so it took a while to get there, it started out where we could see both sides of the city then the river widened out so quickly that it looked like we were in the ocean! When we got to the village we had to go through these plant things that the buy and put in the river or lake or what ever it is, and it grows and turns into a net to catch fish. We went into three shops and bought some things throughout the tour. Everyone had a canoe type thing that looked like half a tree hollowed out. We saw a school a graveyard and lots of different looking houses. It was really cool to see that and it would be cool to live there for a while, but I would get tired of it quickly! We boated back to the hotel where we swam the rest of the afternoon. There was a platform diving board with two levels made out of cement. We saw alot of the Mercy Ships staff there this afternoon also! Brett probably went off that diving board at least 60 times and I am not kidding, the whole time we were there thats what he was doing, going up and off and up and off and up and off! There were these guys from Lebanon who were trying to imitate what he was doing and they were so funny to watch, they would tell him to teach them how to do these things! They were funny and they were asking Brett and Adam if the smoked or wanted to try it with these really weird smoking things! they said no thanks (thank goodness!) and then we walked back to the ship for hamburgers and fries. Tonight Mom and Dad might go to a concert and we will stay here and watch the Incredibles which is the movie they are playing tonight. We only have one more day here in Africa and somehow the time has gone so fast! We are doing laundry tonight and we will probably be pack tomorrow.
Carly

A Feeding Program

Not all of the children needing surgery can immediately come for repair. Many of the cleft lip/palate children are dramatically malnourished. Breast feeding is ineffective as a seal is frequently difficult. Mothers try to get other food to their babies but the anatomical deformity more often results in coughing and choking spells rather than effective feeding.

Children may be several months old yet less than 3 kg. A feeding program has been instituted whereby the moms and babies stay at a hospitality center where the moms are taught effective feeding techniques using high calorie feeds (often soy milk and peanut butter!) Their progress is followed closely and weeks later once they gain sufficient weight they are admitted for repair.

Not all of the problems can be addressed immediately, yet there is an deep interest in each patient and family. If the necessary care will take time, we try to make that possible. To see the excitement and joy of a mom as she admires her infant following their cleft repair is hard to describe.

Gary

Pictures from the Presidential Event

As a part of the Mercy Ships crew we were invited to a State Dinner in celebration of the completion of the outreach of the Africa Mercy in Benin. This was of the same caliber as is given for any visiting head of state. The President of Benin, his Chancellor, many government ministers and dignitaries all attended the event. 

Highlights included the presentation of Benin's highest recognition to several of the Mercy Ships leadership. 

Founder Don Stephens presented the president with a picture to mark this visit to his country. It is a picture of the Africa Mercy as seen from the Cotonou fish market. What is interesting is that it is actually a collage of the pictures of  3-4000 of the people of Benin that were seen during this visit. I hope that we might be able to eventually see the work up close.

Once the meal was served, a variety of local artists presented a very interesting cultural program. We were very honored to be a part of this evening. 

WOW.

Card towers

Yesterday we went to the Hospitality centre with my dad because he had the morning off. We got to look around and see where they keep patients, where they teach people school, the eye exam area and we went out and said hello to the cook who cooks three meals a day seven days a week for the patients there. When we got back we had to do our piano and school and dad had to go into work. After we were done, Adam and I went to go play a game of phase 10. We played all ten phases then got bored so we started to make card towers. Everyone that passed by gave us a smile or made a comment about how we were doing good despite how the ship was moving. Adam and I just laughed. Ever since we have been making card towers, card tower faces, have card tower building competitions, and almost anything to do with card towers! We have not been that busy (obviously) this week as all the mercy ministries were filled up and there was no room for us. So we have just been plugging away at school, music, card towers, reading and we have rented some movies from the library. Today it has been really foggy outside and it sorta is a weird day. Pretty soon we are going to start packing up again to head home!

Carly

Jesus Film, walk to a market, church, and President's palace!

Hi
I forgot to make a post in the last while, but anyway. Firstly, Brett and I were expecting to just play with our friends here on the ship, and then my mom called the  person going to the Jesus film and we got to go too! So we didn't know what to expect. When we got there we were on the church's property and we parked on the side of the road and started setting up. They just started setting up and hooked up the projector on the opposite side of the screen and started playing (the screen was hooked up on our truck). Suddenly they stopped the movie in the middle of the crucifixion and called people up to pray. So lots of people came up and prayed to be saved! So that was the Jesus film, now on to the next thing on my list.

 On Sat. we went to a fabric market, not what I expected at all. I thought    it was going to be like the craft market we went to last Sat., but no. We walked there (it took about 40 min. each way) and bought fabric to be taken to a tailors to be sewn up before Monday (which was supposed to be the day we were going to the President's palace) so we took it there and they said it would be done on Monday. So we went to an ice cream shop and had a banana split and then we went to the ship.

 On Sunday we went to The Redeemed Church of God, which our friend took us to. We had a Question and Answer for a little bit and then we went on to the preaching for about 15-30 min. And then we had a little worship then preaching then worship then finally preaching and final messages. It was a very good church service, although we didn't know which was the French or which was the English!!!!!

We thought we were going to the President's palace on Monday but then that morning our dad told us that it was postponed to Tuesday. We were a little disappointed because we thought we were going on Monday, but, oh well.  Then on Tuesday we went to Starbucks to leave on a bus to go to the President's palace. We got a number and left on the bus. Then we saw the HUGE grounds of the President and we had so much fun that night (they ran out of Fanta a couple of times!). They had really good food and although we couldn't understand some of it it was really cool. I think I can't take anymore excitement after this week!
Adam

An Invitation to Dine with the President

We, as members of the current crew of the Africa Mercy, were extraordinarily honored to be invited as guests of the President of the Republic of Benin to the Presidential Palace for a dinner and awards ceremony in honor of the completion of our outreach in Benin. More than 300 of us were escorted by air-conditioned coach to the palace where we were met by the military guards and gathered in a large foyer awaiting the arrival of all of the crew that could attend.

We were then directed to a large, beautifully decorated ballroom and seated at tables of 8-10 guests. The president present. The Chef of State prepared a large buffet meal featuring several national dishes while a large variety of local cultural dancers and artists presented a remarkable evening program.

Mercy Ships has been granted unusual favor in working in countries in which traditional Christian ministries have been denied. This "two hands of the Gospel approach" has been well received - to love and work to heal the poor unconditionally while motivated by the love of a God who wants to be known.

Cameras were not allowed in the palace. There were some official photos taken and we will update the blog once we receive them.

Gary

soulful singing, sunscreen, and sweating

Well since no one here wants to blog about what we have been doing, I will. On sunday we went to a local church that two of the day volunteers here on the ship invited us to. We walked down the dock and waited at the gate for our ride. Little did we know that all 5 of us plus the pastor and our day volunteer friend all had to fit into a 5 person car. It was quite the ride! I sat in the front seat with the Pastor and our friend, and the rest of the family packed into the back seat! We got there and went into the building, it was not that big, but it had nice instruments, a sound system, fans, plastic chairs for the congregation, and nice leather couches in the front for the pastors. I think we got there at 8:30 and that was "Sunday School", which is not like sunday school at home, it is for adults. One of the pastors talked in English and someone translated into french. Then at 9am, more people came and we sang lots and lots of songs, you loose count because they all just run into one another. I knew some of them because we have been singing them at some of the ministries we go to with the kids, but most of them were just a repeat of one sentence for the whole song, so once you had the sound of what you thought they were saying you were singing along too. We could also catch on to the Hallelujahs and were pretty good at singing those as well. What a charismatic church, everyone was singing like there was no tomorrow, and dancing up a storm, and then there is these 5 white people standing still with no sense of rhythem or movement, so we were the so called "black sheep" in the group, although in this case we were the white sheep. Throughout the singing we would stop and pray and just when you think they are done praying they say "in jesus name, amen....." but then they would just keep on praying and they would do that at least 7-10 times before the prayer ended! We would do some more singing, praying and more singing. Then the pastor that drove us to the church stood up to talk. But even though he was speaking english, sometimes I could figure out if there was any english being said! It was hard to understand what he was saying but all of a sudden he would get all worked up and repeat the same word over and over and over again, and the congregation would get all worked up until then he moved on. It was quite the service. All the kids had to stay outside and just play so that they would not bother the adults. By this time it was about noon when the service came to a close. The pastor drove us home to the ship again and once again I was so thankful for the wonderful air conditioning on the ship!

We had some lunch and we went up to deck 8 where they had a family potluck and talked with people for a while. We went to church on the ship then at 7pm, and by the time it was over we were BEAT! I am pretty sure we all were in bed by 9! Monday we didn't really do anything except that mom and Brett walked to the fabric market where mom had ordered that dress, but when they got there at 10:30 it was not ready so they talked with the sewers and they said to come back at three. So since Brett went that morning I went with mom to get there at three. When we were walking up the dock to the road a mercy ships vehicle passed us and jokingly my mom yelled out "hospitality centre?". Well low and behold they stopped, reversed and came and picked us up. In the end I think we went farther away from where we wanted to go than taking a short cut, but it sure beat walking in the heat and humidity at 3pm! Well guess what, when we got there......no dress, so we took a seat and asked when they said it was going to be ready. The lady at the store said soon, so we waited and waited and waited and waited until 4:30 when we said that we had to go home, and just as we were going to walk out the door, the girl came in with the dress. We paid and walked home! If the stores in Canada did things like that, there would be no stores! But this is Africa and they do things at a more flexible pace then we do in North America. That night we went to a modern worship service, then headed for bed. Today we got up and went to breakfast at 7am then headed to the community meeting at 7:45. For the rest of the day we worked on school, music, and watched "the apple dumpling gang". Nothing to exciting happened today, but I may as well tell you that or you might have thought that we were all deathly ill or something.......haha just kidding. Well we have less than a week left on the ship, and then we are going to head to Paris for a couple days then have a full day of flying home!
Carly
p.s. I never knew I could write so much in my life!
p.p.s. these pictures are just some from our walks to the market.

Maomai Dangbenon

Not all of the stories are this dramatic, not the transformation so remarkable. The impact of this unique surgical unit among the poorest of Africa cannot meet the needs of everyone that needs care, but for some the impact is truly life changing.

As the story of the young girl walking along the beach finding starfish that had washed up on shore and was throwing them one by one back into the sea. Someone asked her "Why bother? How can you make a difference? Look at all of the starfish on the beach?" 

"It makes a difference for this one" she replied and threw another back into the sea.

Gary 

It was the middle of the night, and Perlagie couldn’t sleep.  The image of Maomai, her three-month-old baby girl, flashed through her mind every time she closed her eyes.  A huge tumor the size of the baby’s head was jutting out of Maomai’s neck.  Perlagie looked over at her daughter, peacefully sleeping in her hospital bed, and began to cry.      

For over a week, Perlagie had stayed in the hospital, waiting and praying for a doctor to help Maomai – but no one came.  In the morning, they were being sent home.  Perlagie didn’t know what to do.   

When Perlagie finally fell asleep, she had a dream.

“In that dream, I saw a person, who told me I should be quiet and pray – that salvation shall come.”

The next morning, Perlagie felt confident and peaceful.  She didn’t know where help would come from, but she knew God was going to take care of her baby.

***

Maomai was born with a teratoma, which means monstrous tumor.  It started out as a small, golf-ball sized lump on her neck, but within three months, the tumor had grown to the size of her head. 

Everyone in Perlagie’s village was afraid of Maomai.  The grotesque tumor was difficult to look at, and the villagers thought they could be contaminated by it.  No one would touch or play with the small baby.        

“One time I was in the bathroom, and the baby was crying. People were around the baby, but they would not touch her because of the tumor.  They left her crying, alone.  Even the members of my family,” said Perlagie.

Perlagie was alone.  Maomai was a precious, beautiful baby girl, and she could see that, but others simply couldn’t see past the monstrous tumor. In a country where perceived physical differences mark people as outcasts, Maomai was treated like a monster instead of a baby girl. 

“I was very, very, sad.  I was not able to sleep,” said Perlagie.  “Every day, I was crying.  Also, I was not eating.  I had no appetite because of the condition of my baby.”

Perlagie and her husband wanted to get Maomia help.  They took her to a local hospital, but there was no surgeon to perform her surgery.  Perlagie didn’t become anxious or fearful.  She confidently left the hospital, trusting God to bring healing and deliverance from the tumor. 

  

When Perlagie returned to her village, her sister-in-law told her about the Africa Mercy, a hospital ship filled with doctors and nurses, which had come to Cotonou.  She had just returned from the ship after being treated for an eye problem and thought they could help Maomai. 

Perlagie brought her daughter to the Africa Mercy and was screened by the medical team.  It was obvious that she needed immediate surgery.  But the tumor had made it difficult for her to feed, and Maomai was very underweight – too underweight for surgery.  The Mercy Ships medical team placed her on a feeding program and scheduled her for surgery in one month. Mercy was on its way. The salvation Perlagie had dreamed of was becoming a reality.        

A month passed, and it was time for Maomai’s surgery. The morning of surgery, Peralgie worried it would not be successful. 

“I started crying. Some nurses and translators told me the operation was possible with God.  The doctor will be successful with surgery, the tumor will be removed, and the baby will be healed.  They gave me that hope,” said Perlagie.  

   

After six hours of surgery, Maomai’s tumor was removed.  It weighed 375 grams, 15% of her body weight.  The monstrous tumor was gone, and the beautiful baby girl remained.

Maomai spent over a month recovering in the hospital.  Still struggling to maintain her weight, she had to be fed through a surgically placed feeding tube.

The nursing staff encouraged Perlagie to use the feeding tube.  At first, she was hesitant.    Perlagie distanced herself from Maomai.  But as she grew more comfortable in the hospital, things changed.  The nursing staff taught Perlagie how to use the feeding tube.  As she took ownership of Maomai’s care, their relationship thrived.    

“Initially, we were worried about her,” said pediatric nurse Ali Chandra.  “But now she’s been here for over a month, and she’s blossomed.  Perlagie has completely bonded with Maomai in the time they’ve been here.  And it happened as we started teaching her [to use the feeding tube].  She’s doing really well,” says Chandra.       

Maomai has continued to grow stronger since her surgery.  Not only has she gained weight, she’s gained vibrancy. 

“Maomai used to be this kind of listless baby, and now she’s bright.  She’s doing more age-appropriate things than before,” says Chandra.

Psalm 13:5 says, “I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation” (NKJV).

Perlagie knows this to be true.  She trusted God to take care of her baby, and He brought her salvation.  Perlagie is rejoicing in His mercy. 

“I thank God, and I thank each of you, for all you have done for me.  God is healing and still working.  I have seen my salvation in this child,” she concluded.   

Written by Megan Petock

Edited by IOC Editing Team

Photography by Debra Bell and Megan Petock

Rebecca: From Suffering to Joy

There are usually surgeons on board to continuously offer surgery for cataracts and for facial reconstructions. Other procedures are in offered selected blocks of time and will include general surgery, orthopedic surgery and corrective surgery for VVF. This is the story of one of the VVF ladies.


Gary

“I was eighteen years old when this happened to me,” Rebecca says. She is speaking in her native dialect in front of dozens of people.  She is wearing a new dress to symbolize her new life as she shares her story of suffering.

“I was in labor for five days, and finally I went to the hospital. The baby was dead. And I was wounded in [such] a way that I thought I would never walk again.”

Rebecca, now 35 years old, traveled from neighboring Togo to the Mercy Ship in Benin. She had shouldered the burden of obstetric fistula for 17 years. This childbirth injury often occurs in areas without adequate obstetric care and leaves the mother incontinent. Often the woman is abandoned by her husband, and having more children becomes difficult or impossible.

At first Philip, the baby’s father, did abandon her. For the next few months, Rebecca’s family took care of her. Eventually, Philip returned. “It was God who brought him back,” Rebecca says. Otherwise, she feels she might have been alone forever.

Rebecca and Philip were married and now have five children, but she still carried the shame of her condition and tried to hide it from everyone around her. She did not leave the house, and the only person outside her family who knew of her condition was her neighbor, who saw her washing out soiled clothes and hanging them to dry.

“I worried for so long,” Rebecca says. “I was very discouraged, and because I didn’t have enough money, I couldn’t go to the hospital for treatment.”

When Rebecca eventually came to the Mercy Ship, a nurse sat with her and asked her the standard questions to establish her medical history – questions that were painful for Rebecca to answer. How many children have you delivered? How many are still alive? How long ago did the injury occur? Did your husband leave you? As the nurse paused in her questions and put her hand on Rebecca’s knee, Rebecca began to cry.

Then, the night before her surgery, Rebecca lay in her hospital bed and tears formed in her eyes as she remembered the long years of suffering that lay behind her.

“I just remembered [the] past,” Rebecca says. “For seventeen years, I have been like this.” Those years were long and hard as she fought to forget her problem so she could be a good mother, trying to find the right answers when her children asked why she needed to layer cloth beneath her before she went to bed at night.

Now, as Rebecca shares her story, there is no sadness, because her surgery was successful. Her smile is constant and sweet. She wants to sing, dance and give thanks. Rebecca goes home with her shame replaced by hope for the future. She is happy to be with her children, her husband, her family, and her neighbors. She is healed, in both her body and spirit.

 “I was so thirsty and I came here to the Mercy Ship and was given a drink. You have taken care of me better than a mother. You have done everything – even  clothed me,” she joyfully says as she smiles and motions to her beautiful new dress.

Story by Carmen Radley

Jesus Film and walk to the market

Last night (Friday night) we had all signed up to go out and show the Jesus film. We ate supper super quickly then headed up to our room to get bug spray on and wait for dad to get home from work. We then caught up with the rest of the people going and all 18 of us packed into 2 jeeps with all the equipment in tow. When we arrived at the church, there was benches set up and we set up the screen so it was hanging from the roof rack things on the jeep, and a projector was inside the jeep ready to go. While we were setting up, one of the people that came with us went up and down the streets with a microphone and a speaker on his shoulder, telling people about what we were doing that night. At first there was not alot of people, but by the end of the film people were standing in the street and standing with their Zimijons watching the movie. We started off by singing a whole bunch of songs with drums and cow bells making a beat that every one was dancing to! There was the cutest little boys just dancing their hearts out! We then started the movie which was the Jesus film but they had it in Fon, which is their language here. Any time it came to a miracle that Jesus did, clapping and cheering with halellujas and amens being shouted out. But when it came to the part where Jesus told the disciples to throw their nets on the other side, and when they were reeling in the net and they saw all the fish, everyone was so amazed and that miracle had the most cheering and clapping! At the end everyone got up and went to the front and they talked about accepting Jesus into their hearts, and they prayed and after their was a celebration with singing and dancing. They even got Brett and my dad up trying to dance african style! It was really funny to watch. We cleaned up the equipment and headed home. This morning Brett went with the Jacobsons to Bab's Dock again, because ever since we went two weeks ago he has been begging non-stop to go back. The rest of us, including dad, walked out and went to go find the "fabric market". Well in my opinion we got lost (sorta) and found a couple stores that had some fabric in them, because when my mom talked to the lady, the place where we went wasn't the same one she goes to.

Walking there was quite the experience.....We almost got hit by numerous motorcycles, trucks and other things on wheels, and got honked at so many times. I am pretty sure that there is constantly the sound of a car horn going. It is so different than Canada, where we only use our horn to tell people to hurry up or whatever, where as here the horn is used for what ever you want to use it for! Well my mom got some fabric and then went to a tailors and looked through a book of designs and chose one for them to make. On the way back mom and my dad went into a store and looked at some shirts for my dad. By this time Adam and I were so hot and tired from walking all that way, and we had to walk alllllllllllllllll the way back again in the heat, that we were ready to head back. On our way back we stopped at a shop and shared a banana split....YUMMMM (that was the only highlight of the trip for Adam and I). We got back and relaxed in our air conditioned cabin and Adam and I watched Incredibles while dad had a sleep and mom did who knows what. For the rest of the afternoon we read slept played games and did other random stuff. Oh, and my mom says that she did laundry............After supper we are planning to go to the movie night and then hit the hay because tomorrow we were invited to go to church with some of the day workers. So we will leave at 8am and be back at lunch or after lunch. Well I hope tomorrow is as good as today! oh yeah, and here is a picture of mom with the AWESOME vaccuum cleaner we borrowed!
Carly

Babies, and Toddlers

Hello again,
This is what was happening in the past few days...
On Tuesday we visited FRA which is a place where abandoned, and malnourished young children were kept and taken care of until adoption. At the time there was 10 babies and 10 toddlers which we played with until we had to go. Unfortunately, Carly and I got peed on by one of the babies, but it was still really fun! Then, on Wednesday we weren't sure if we were going to go to this place, thankfully we did get to go.
The place that we went to I think was called Missionaries of Charity and it was run by 3 sisters who took care of these abandoned, sick, and malnourished kids from 0-5 age. They hired some helpers and got the wonderful place started. We firstly sang with the kids, then we took out a parachute and played with the kids, and then we took out bubbles and face paint, then we helped feed the kids and unfortunately we had to leave but we had a great time and so much fun on those trips. On thursday and today we are just going to hang around on the ship and have fun!!! signing off now,
Adam        

Speech Therapy on the Africa Mercy

There is so much more than just the surgical procedures, as impressive as they are. The following describes the speech therapy that is an integral part of treating the whole person.


Gary

“Speech is power:  speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

The ability to communicate is powerful, allowing us to share ideas and engage in relationships.  There are many mediums through which we communicate, including imagery, touch, and the written word.  But our most frequent, and arguably most powerful, channel of communication is speech.  Speech allows us to quickly articulate emotions, opinions, and thoughts.  It’s a powerful ability.   

Some patients onboard the Africa Mercy are discovering this power for the first time. 

Maxillofacial operations are an integral part of the surgical schedule during Mercy Ships 2009 Field Service in Benin.  Many maxillofacial patients, particularly those with cleft lips/palates, have spent their lives communicating with impeded speech.  Facial malformations of the oral and nasal passages, in conjunction with weakened lip muscles, make it impossible to articulate normal sounds.  Impediments can range in severity from difficulty producing a few sounds to a complete inability to form understandable words.   

Living with a speech impediment is embarrassing and frustrating.  Often children are not sent to school because they can’t properly communicate.  This lack of education stagnates their mental and relational development, causing problems that will follow them into their adult years.  Restoring speech to a child can spare him or her from a lifetime of anguish.    

Surgically correcting the facial anatomy is the first step to restoring speech.  However, even after the facial anatomy is corrected, many still have difficulties speaking.  Post-operative speech therapy is needed to retrain the mouth and throat to correctly form sounds.  

“Even though the surgery is complete and successful, and they look more normal, it’s the therapy that’s going to make them sound better,” said speech therapist Sally Peet.  “Just because the anatomy is corrected doesn’t mean they are able to use it to speak properly.  Therapy is a huge part of making the surgery a success.” 

Sally Peet of the United Kingdom has been a licensed speech therapist since 1994.  Since 2004, she and her family have served with Mercy Ships.  Currently, she provides speech therapy for patients onboard the Africa Mercy. 

Peet described her work:  “I work with the maxillofacial patients, mainly the cleft lips and the cleft palates.  However, any surgery that’s interrupted the facial muscles may have a need for therapy.  For example, when a patient has a large facial tumor removed, their skin and lips become flaccid, affecting their speech and their ability to control saliva.  I work with them, as well as the cleft lip patients, to make sure their lips are strong.”

Patients with speech difficulties are referred to Peet post-operatively by the Africa Mercy nursing staff.  She works individually with each patient, evaluating their needs and providing exercises to strengthen weakened muscles.  Also, she encourages the proper usage of restored facial anatomy.   

“Many patients have found a way of ineffectively talking around huge malformations and have spoken incorrectly for years.  The initial goal is to ensure the anatomy where the surgery has taken place will now be functional,” said Peet.   

Peet works with patients throughout their time on the ward.  When they leave the hospital, they come back to the Africa Mercy for outpatient appointments – sometimes for  several months after their surgery.     

“I can achieve more with the ones who live closer, because I can see them for a longer period of time,” said Peet.

Peet describes a memorable patient she worked with for over three months during the 2008 Field Service in Liberia:  “There was a beautiful little girl with a cleft lip and palate.  She spoke without using any constants sounds, and you could not understand her when she talked.  She and her mom worked incredibly hard in therapy.  By the time we finished, she was totally intelligible and making every sound correctly.  Her mother said all her aunties in her village were dancing because now, not only does she look beautiful, she sounds beautiful.”

Providing speech therapy is just one example of Mercy Ships commitment to holistic care for patients through the partnership of various professional skills.  Sally Peet is thrilled to be partnering with the Africa Mercy’s surgical and nursing staff to provide hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor.  “I love providing speech therapy.  It’s great to be working in my profession onboard the Africa Mercy,” she concluded.

Written by Megan Petock.

Edited by Nancy Predaina

Photos by Megan Petock and Debra Bell.

Loving those Babies

Thank you everyone who has been leaving comments for us on the blog and for your emails to us.  It really does mean alot and it's easier to make entries in the blog when you think someone may actually read what you've written!
We certainly are enjoying our time visiting with others here on the ship either at meal times or over a coffee  on the deck or in the lounge.  We've enjoyed lots of laughs with others as stories and experiences are shared.  It sort of reminds us of our time at the Mission hospital in Hay River.
I think the kids wrote about our morning at the School for the Deaf last Friday.  We were so enthralled by the teachers interpretation of the Bible story that day - it was the one of the paralytic being lowered through the hole in the roof.  He was so animated and it was the best "signing" that I've ever witnessed!
That evening I went out for supper to a Thai restaurant with about 14 women.  It was a farewell supper for one of the ladies who is returning to Denmark with her young family this week.  The food was delicious!
Sat. morning, as the kids have mentioned, we went to the craft market and Sat. evening we all went to watch a movie on big screen in the lounge.
Sunday morning, I went along with two truck loads of crew mates to a church in Porto Novo.  The service was translated from Fon into French and English (practically simultaneously!)  I love their worship and offering time.  The kids sit very quietly and well mannered on wooden benches for 2 hours at least while the service is on.  If they can do it, why can't the North American kids do that??
Some of the songs were actually long bible stories being told.  I lost track of how many offerings were taken that morning.....  Hmmmm how would that go over at Elim?
Sunday afternoon, we went to a soccer game between the Crew and the Day volunteers.  The game ended in  a tie at 0-0.   So they had to do penalty kicks with the crew coming out in the lead.
Carly has mentioned about our trip to the FRA or the "Foundation of the Look of Love" as it would be translated into English.  This was the home we went to on Tues. afternoon with the babies and toddlers.
Well how sweet was that!!!  They are so adorably irresistable.  It's so much fun to just love on them as much as we wanted.  They sure gave us lots of laughs with their antics.
Today we went to the Missionaries of Charity - a Mother Therese home.  Again it was mostly toddlers that we were able to sing with, play games, do face painting and blow bubbles.  We helped feed them their lunch and then we came back to the ship.  Most of them were in the process of being adopted.  Good thing - otherwise I would want to adopt them all myself.  It's difficult not to smother their sweet little faces in kisses.   They have got to be the most beautiful children in the world!  I am  sorry that we aren't able to take pictures so you can see some of these gorgeous little ones.
Well it is soon "Community meeting" time so I should end this and thank you again for keeping up with our blog and for your words of encouragement.
Lori

Exploring Deck One

Yesterday we toured the Engine Room. They have an incredible amount of machinery and equipment to keep the ship running and all of us comfortable. While in port they do lots of the maintenance necessary to try to prevent breakdowns. Even while tied up at the dock, the ship still uses about 8000 litres of fuel a day keeping the generators running to keep the lights on, the water running and the air-conditioning blowing.

The engine room crew work in hot, noisy and tight spaces managing electrical supply, fresh water distribution, septic treatment, air conditioning, in addition to the huge marine engines and propeller systems.

Brett

Babies, Basketball, and Bon Voyage

Today was a really awesome, but busy day. We got up for an early breakfast at 7am, and then headed to the community meeting at 7:45. In the meeting we said hello and good bye to some people, and there was a couple presentations for two long term people that are going home. We worked on our school watched them unload another crate with medical supplies and practiced piano until lunch time. After lunch we headed off 45 kms away to a place for babies who have been abandonded or have been sent there because their mother died and their father can't take care of them. We had so much fun holding and playing with these babies, there were a set of twin boys who were only 4 weeks old!! they were sooooo tiny, my mom said that they probably only weighed six pounds! they we so adorable, I could have just taken them home with me, there were lots of little ones most of which could not even walk yet! For almost the whole time I held and played with Sessy and Fantu. They were the most cutest little kids you have evey seen. Little Sessy fell asleep in my arms right before we had to leave, and this little boy fell asleep on Brett. They take really good care of them there. We didn't see the usual runny noses and things that usually come with places like that. We were not allowed to take pictures here either, but these kids will always be in our minds and hearts. I wish we could go there every day. It sure beats practicing and school work! We came back for supper and then we were invited to come to the youth group tonight. They had combined their youth groups from kids in grade 6-12, so there was about 10 other kids and some adults there too. We got there and got in a circle and we had to say our name, age, and what kind of fruit you think the person on your right is (remind you of something P. Shawn and Letitia???). We had a good time laughing with that then we headed up to deck 8 to play knock out a game with basketballs, its was really fun, the first round every one was missing, then the 2nd round we played the actual game and it was super intense at the end. Now just to let you know, I pretty much stink at these sorts of games and at youth at home I am usually the one who gets out first. So we played and played and I was still in and there were fewer and fewer people in it until I was the only girl with three guys left!   so we kept going and then it was only me and this really tall guy Chris Cole. We played until I finally got my basketball in before him! It was so crazy because I am pretty much horrible at sports, and to beat out all the guys it amazing! Then we headed down to the room and did some worship songs, which were really good, and then the youth leader spoke a bit on seeds, and our faith. It was a really fun night, and we got to know most of the kids our age here on the ship. We don't see them all that much because they are in school until 3:30 and we are here doing our school and stuff all day. Overall it was a really good day, and I can't wait for the days to come. I am also really excited to get back home and go to my youth and see all my friends! It has only been 13 days since we left but it seems like alot more! Missing you all but I am sure not missing the cold weather!!! Here are some pictures of us "hiding"....

A note from Adam

Hello again,

Here's the events of the past few days according to me - Adam.
On Friday morning, with Mercy Ministries, we went to a school for the deaf in Cotonou.  It was not what I expected.  I expected a very large room with lots of children in it on little kiddie seats facing the teacher and watching his sign language.  Instead, I saw a courtyard with a big building and we went in to one of the classrooms.  There were lots of children there.  They were attentive and we had lots of fun.  One of the ladies taught them a bible story.  Then we did a coloring page with the children.  They showed me which colors to use on what people.  They were very helpful, even though we couldn't talk with them.
 On Sat. morning, we went to the craft market.  Again, it was different from the craft markets I've seen in other countries.  I found some pillow cases with the logos of all the different kings of Benin on them.  I found lots of wood sculptures of all different shapes and sizes.  I found a couple of music makers and some jewelry and bead work.
The person who drove us to the craft market, sets up "Settlers of Catan"  every weekend.  It was really fun playing that game with other people.

Alba’s Tears

Each patient comes with a story. Their journey has often been long and difficult. Mercy Ships brings a unique set of very specialized skills to people that would otherwise have little hope. Without the efforts of each member of the team the work of the most skilled surgeon would likely fail. There are teams that screen patients to determine if their needs fit the scope of services offered by the team; hospital based physicians admit and fine tune their pre-operative care; anesthesiologists guide them through their surgical experience; surgeons do their creative work; nurses care for them post-operatively; and speech therapists work to restore their communication. Their are hospitality homes to provide lodging in the community for those travelling from great distances; and many are followed up months after their original surgery before the ship leaves port. Here is just one of those stories.

Gary

Ankosua was outside carefully mixing herbs and water to create a concoction prescribed by a traditional doctor in her village.   It was mid-afternoon, and her daughter, eight-year-old Alba, was sitting alone in their home.  “She should be at school right now,” she thought.  Struggling to hold back tears, she poured boiling water over the crushed herbs and sieved the mixture into a cup.  

Two years earlier, an outgoing and vivacious Alba was attending school with her friends.  Now, she spent her days hiding in a dark room, too insecure to look people in the eyes. 

When the drink had cooled, Ankosua walked inside the home and handed Alba the cup.  Taking the cup, Alba tilted her head back, creating a small gap between her cheek and the large tumor that filled her mouth.  Slowly, she poured the liquid into the small gap and swallowed in intervals.   

While she watched her daughter struggle, Ankosua thought back to the day she first spotted the small bulge on Alba’s gum line.  Never could she have imagined the fear and discouragement it would cause her heart.   

After Alba had drunk the entire cup, she began crying. 

Ankosua couldn’t bear looking into the tear-stained eyes of her daughter.  Slowly, she wrapped her arm around Alba, who then buried her head on Ankosua’s chest.  As Alba’s tears collected on her shirt, Ankosua did her best to be strong. 

But Ankosua was depressed.  Alba had performed this routine hundreds of times, but the tumor hadn’t gone away.  In fact, it was growing.  At times, it felt like it was shooting out of her mouth, causing her great pain.  Ankosua realized the traditional herbs were not working.  There were no other options.  All she could do was keep trying and pray the herbs would begin to work. 

***********

“When the tumor first appeared, my husband and I took Alba to the hospital, but we didn’t have money to pay for it, so they wouldn’t treat her.  We had to use traditional medicine,” said Ankosua.  Alba was taken out of school so her mother could give her the traditional medicine daily. 

When asked how the community treated Alba, Ankosua stared at the floor and remained silent.  After a 10-second pause, she looked up, her eyes filled with tears, and she painfully replied, “Some people received Alba with good hands.  They prayed for her and encouraged me.  But others shunned her. They said, ‘Go away, we don’t want to see you.’”    

Whenever it was time to eat or drink, Alba hid herself from other people.  If she went out in public, she kept the tumor covered with a rag.  It served as a disguise and caught the foul-smelling and constant drainage. 

After two years of watching her daughter struggle, a woman in her village told Ankosua of a hospital in Benin that was performing free surgery.  Finally – a glimmer of hope!  They scrounged to get enough money for transportation and traveled to the hospital, which was hours away. 

However, Ankosua’s new-found hope quickly morphed into deep disappointment. 

 

“We were there for two days, and nobody attended to us.  I asked a woman who worked there why we weren’t being helped.  She said, ‘They don’t do surgery for free, you have to deposit money.’ I trembled when she told me that.  I had come with nothing,” said Ankosua sadly.

After Ankosua explained that she had no money for treatment, the woman told her about Mercy Ships.  “This woman had heard Mercy Ships was in town, helping people and healing people for free. She gave me directions to the Africa Mercy, and I immediately went,” Ankosua added.

****

Still attached to noisy monitors and IV fluids, Alba had been dozing in and out of sleep since returning to the Africa Mercy ward.  Finally, a few hours after surgery, she opened her eyes and sat up.  Seeing she was awake, Becca, her nurse, came to Alba’s bedside and handed her a small mirror.

Alba looked down, paused in a state of bewilderment, and began touching the empty space on her mouth.  The tumor was gone.  After 20 seconds of staring, a single tear rolled down her cheek.  With great determination, she tried not to cry.  But another and then another tear soon followed.  Finally, she gave up trying to hold them back and cried freely.  Alba’s tears were earned through years of heartache and rejection.  They were mature and raw – heavy tears for an eight-year-old to cry.   

Ankosua stood next to her bed the entire time, carefully observing her daughter.  When Alba began crying, she turned away.  Ankosua couldn’t bear looking into her tear-stained eyes.  After two hopeless years of discouragement and depression, healing had finally come.  The mixture of joy and pain in that moment expressed itself in tears.  

When Alba regained her composure, Ankosua returned to the bedside.   Carefully, she wrapped her arm around Alba, who then buried her head on Ankosua’s chest.  As Alba’s tears collected on her shirt, Ankosua did her best to be strong.   But her heart was too overwhelmed with joy.  Tears of relief and joy flooded her eyes as well. 

They sat and cried together, each tear serving as a testimony to the transforming power of God’s mercy.