The blessing

Despite a limited scope of surgical procedures and fewer than usual patients in Congo, how come some will have the opportunity to freely receive surgery while others miss theirs? Today is quiet. We had to cancel 2 children for cleft surgery because they were developing symptoms of influenza. After waiting so long, and now so close to changing their futures, we had to send them away. We tried to fill the OR time with a young woman with a facial tumor that was to require surgery tomorrow only to find she was now pregnant.

Yesterday we had a young woman booked for a tonsillectomy. This seemed like an unusual choice for a hospital ship able to offer care for much more complex problems. She has struggled for years with recurrent tonsillitis and is looking forward to finally being free of this problem. When she arrived in our room this beautiful, well-spoken, gentle African woman was settled into the OR theatre. A Canadian nurse fluent in French asked her if we could pray before her surgery. Our patient offered to pray and proceeded to offer eloquent thanks to God for the presence of Mercy Ships in her country and asking for His guidance and blessing upon all members of the team. Her heartfelt prayer had our nurse in tears. As she shared this with the rest of our team we all felt that God had really encouraged and blessed us through one of those we had come to help.

Just before she finished praying our patient asked hat she would awaken from surgery with a "smile on her face". It was a special reminder of His care for each of us as she emerged from her anesthetic smiling and contented.

There is not one group "giving" and another "receiving". We all contribute our part, medical staff, crew, and patients, and each of us senses blessing in being here.