Four wheeling Africa style

I was going to post one more photo, but seem I have devloped a few "technical" problems. Really don't have much time. I have one more meeting, then shower and go to the airport to begin the journey home tonight at 11:05 P.M.
Today was great. Long story and photos will follow, but I laughed until my sides hurt! A much needed outlet.

Off to Paris!

(photo added) Just needed my daughter to solve my technical shortcomings!

It definately is a small world!

Well, let's see. A girl from Texas blogs from Africa (which by the way she didn't even know how to do that until two weeks ago) The blog is read by a new friend Allison's father in New Zealand. And then the girl from Texas hears about it in Africa. Be very afraid. The world is very small. Of course it never occurred to me that google alerts for Africa Mercy (there I did that one on purpose) goes to everyone! She shared that story with me tonight during a reception for our guests! Allison is the Director of the Nursing Staff aboard the ship.
A special big Texas hello to Allison's dad!!!! It certainly served as a good laugh for the evening.

Tomorrow will be a long day as the Vision Trip guests will be our guests in the Operating Room all day! See ya then Allison!

GABC Choir has some competition

While I know that back home, the GABC choir is doing thier 4th celebration, this morning we went to an African church. These people don't take worship for granted at all. It was interesting to watch the French speaking preacher translate into the local language Fon and then our translator, Franc, into English. I feel sure that we were not getting the full translations that the congregation thought were mighty funny that we didn't get at all.

They sang in English especially for our group! It was amazing. I know that I will never hear "Your All I Want" in the same way ever again.

Going to the craft market this afternoon and then going to try to rest a bit. It has really rained, so we decided not to drive an hour and a half to Ouida. Good choice I think!

Well shoot...........can't figure out how to turn the one photo! I will figure it out when we get back.

I don't even know where to start anymore! Each day just builds on itself and my eyes are just opened to an incredible world of need. But you cannot helped but be touched by the children. They are so happy and they have so very little. I met a young man named Daniel earlier this week. He has several medical conditions that have kept him from walking his entire life. He is probably nine or ten years old. He had surgery aboard the Africa Mercy a couple of weeks ago and now is recovering in our Hospitality Centre. (and no that is not a typ0 -- although I have found several in these entries, but you have to understand it is very late each night when I post!!) Long very wonderful story -- but the reader's digest version is I saw him walking on crutches today. He walked to me --- struggling for every step with the biggest grin on his face. So proud. He recognized me from several days earlier. He was one of the children that you just will never forget.

Jennifer became particularly attached to another young boy. He gave her kisses and followed her around and just loved on her. He just giggled and laughed as he and I played a stupid "give me five" game that he seemed to enjoy. I would move my hand until he hit and he just giggled and giggled. He had the most beautiful eyes you have ever seen. When we pulled away from the Centre, knowing that we would not have the opportunity to go back there again on this trip........Jennifer cried like a baby, which in turn got my weepy little eyes filled with tears.

I have also become friends with a precious 4 month old baby named, Anicette. She was born with a cleft lip and is sooo tiny. I asked her mother if I could touch her child and she couldn't believe I even wanted to. In this culture, which is voodoo based, a child with such a deformity is considered an evil spirit. All I saw was a beautiful little girl. As I touched her and actually picked her up in my arms the mother began to cry. I asked the translator if I had done something to offend her. He assured me I had not, but that she was "just very sad" that she had such an ugly baby and she couldn't believe I cared. He actually serves as like a spiritual counselor and has been working with her for a month. While he does think the mother is getting there emotionally, it is still very hard for her. Anciette surgery is not set until August......she needed to be big enough to survive the surgery. She has already been the guest of Mercy Ships for one month.

I am helping to host a VIP group for the next few days that offer to bring some much needed assets to Mercy Ships. They are a wonderful group. We took them to see the Hospital in Contonou. Definitely a third world hospital, but it is operated by a NGO. The government has nothing to do with it. While it was clean (sort of) it made me really want tell those at home that say they don't have access to health care. Think again! You could be here. We toured the ORs and inspected our instrumentation and actually have offered to design a piece of equipment specifically for Dr. Strauss that doesn't even exist! I know that doesn't make much sense.......but trust me it is a HUGE deal! The President of an OR group of nurses is with them as well as his organization is looking to help Mercy Ships recruit nurse volunteers.

Love you all...........keep sending those emails. The encouragement and the prayers mean so much. I need them to get thru this very long days.

and the Lord makes the blind see at 150 at a time.

In the middle of my work day, we had the opportunity to go and see what is called the Celbration of sight. Is like watching a VVF ceremony on steroids. Over 100 people walk into the most wonderfuly designed and CLEAN hospitality center and in an extremly orderly fashion they enter a tent and get what is called a yag! Don't know exactly what that is but they walked into the room blind.............and left with sight. The sang, they danced, and hollarded becasue they were healed. All the music was in the tribal language so of course I understood nothing. I stood next to Dr. Glen Strauss and he translated a few things for me. The were very loudly praising God that they could see! I was standing next to Roxanne who helped with the follow-up and we just cried. They were so excited, they jumped up and down singing and praising god. My favorite song was one that the said...........when the angles take me to heaven it is going to sound like this.............and then all played these finger trumpets. It was unbelievable because when they walked into the room they couldn't see--------------and shortly after they can and they praised God..........hadn't seen any stories about that! Guess what there will be! I cried like a baby and sang for joy with them. Did you know that Mercy Ships does this same ceremony every Friday. That means that no less than 100 people per week recieve thier sight back! Unbelieveable. To see their face when they first see light was amazing.

At the end of the day......

For those of you that are interested I have no idea how the time got set on this thing.... but it is almost 11:00. A bit late and I have got a full schedule tomorrow as well. Today was all over the place. I spent the morning mostly in meetings. I have a great team over here and it has been my pleasure to get to know each of them. It is funny tho.....half a world away concerns are the same concerns as we have at home. They are an interesting and most amazing group of volunteers. I can't even begin to explain! You will have to hear those stories when I get home.

The day started off learning that I have actually sailed on the Africa Mercy. Very few can say that -- but we did! We sailed 31 feet! (Actually we were asked to move the ship a little closer into port to allow for one of the busiest ports I have ever seen get another ship in.......But I did actually sail!! And that sounds really cool!) I woke up and looked out my cabin window to once again see folks line up for their scheduled surgery. (photo) Then after lunch we went with a videographer to do a follow up patient story. We traveled thru the city and to their home. The city is truly like nothing I have ever imagined. Extreme poverty is everywhere --- people are everywhere. It has all the noises and activities of a big city it would appear, but the people are so desperate. When we arrived at their home we were greeted by great smiles --- and unbelievable hugs. The hearts of the African people are so warm, so loving. I played chase with some neighbor girls and they giggled so loud and hard it was precious. They would reappear just so that I would chase them again. I got more hugs and kisses today! (Photo) We went to visit a family with twin boys who had surgery on the Africa Mercy to correct their cross-sighted condition. You would never know looking at them for sure. They were a tad shy.....but trust me I got them laughing!

Then we topped off the evening with a great dinner on the beach in West Africa. (photo) And when I arrived at the ship we were greeted at the same time as the drivers got here from the airport with our luggage....and more importantly the medical supplies we were bringing. To be honest, I found myself more concerned about the loss of thousands of dollars worth of medicine that was so desperatly needed than I was with my the loss of my luggage........I kindof wonder at this point why I needed all this stuff anyway. I was told that I would not come home the same person, I think I have just scene my first sign. At the end of the day........what really matters?

VVF Dress Ceremony

The Sun Sets on Day One

There are several of you out there that will understand this statement. In one day I feel like I have lived all the Mercy Ship videos in existence on fast forward! I toured the ship, met the Captain, visited the wards, saw the operating rooms (but I promise, I did not cross the red line), mixed with the crew, saw a VVF Dress Ceremony, went to the Hospitality Centre, I think I ate twice, took several telephone calls, walked down the pier, visited with a local official -- I think he was Port Authority folk, saw more faces that just wanted to be loved in one day that I can even begin to explain. Truly I am on sensory overload.



I have never seen so much poverty and so much joy in one day. Seems like it would be such an oxymoron.....but it is not. They are so happy because of the hope of being healed it is amazing.



You know many organizations have their vision, mission and goals --- But Mercy Ships lives them. "to provide hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor." And I am here to tell you that is what they do everyday. At the VVF ceremony I literally heard no less than 8 different languages and dialects all being spoken at the same time. Clementine, a MS volunteer, shared encouragement with them and celebrated their healing. VVF is a horrible condition and these women were literally given a second chance at life. And I was there to witness their joy. They hugged me like they knew me! They sang praises to God and if I heard Amen one time, I heard it 100 times.

For those of you reading this that are members of GABC -- you cannot imagine the impact our church has had half a world away. The love of our church, our pastor and the ones that came to visit are still the talk. Many remember you! I am so proud to say I am a member of GABC. Our church has truly made a mark on this part of the world.

More another day. I keep hoping that at any given moment they are going to knock on my door and tell me my luggage is here.

Good Morning! And who is the first person I see?

Well, my cell phone clock is off so much to my amazement I was up almost two hours before I had planned. And walking down the hall --- I saw Roxanne! What a blessing. She is enjoying her time onboard. I am looking out my window and I see the people lining up outside the ship waiting for their appointments. Fishing boats are beginning to stir..............I am so thankful. Roxanne says hello! And thanks for all her prayers. She is doing some amazing stuff down here. The folks you meet around here are amazing!

Seeing the Africa Mercy for the first time

The trip was just long...not bad, just long. Yes it has been confirmed I have no luggage. Stepping off into the airport (and honestly just getting onto the plane to Benin in Paris) was a new experience. I was white, the majority were black, I spoke English, and trust me they did not! But they were so nice. I did sleep alot of the second leg of the trip tho.

I took an amazing photo on my iphone of the sun coming up on the way to Paris.

Landing at the airport with no luggage actually made it a tad easier! No extra stuff to carry! I had already had enough of hawling all the stuff I did have with me. We were surrounded by African's in their native clothes and African men in nice suits, children with sweetest smiles! But you can rest assured none of those people will be served on the Africa Mercy. These people were obviously of some means or they wouldn't have been flying.........but then we got into the Range Rover and drove the 15 minute drive to the ship. While it was very dark, the poverty you could see everywhere (except where we passed the presidential palace!)

And driving up to that "big White Hospital Ship" was amazing! She is everybit as beautiful as the pictures. We were greated on board from every nation you can imagine. Met a darling OR nurse that flew with us from New Zealand........... Hey guys I saw Alli and the airport picking up her new husband (haven't actually met her yet!)

Guys, I am best and my day starts in six hours. Love to each of you.

Delays are growing experiences

Well to say the trip started out a bit rocky would be an understatement. The first leg of the flight was delayed which was going to make the rest of our flight a mess. We were going to miss our connection to Paris for sure! After a brief anxiety attack ---- and some major thinking out of the box on my part --- and certainly not that of American Airlines, we have been re-routed! But I got it done. After 7 hours in the DFW airport we will depart soon! But the good thing is that we will make our connection to Benin. Now -- luggage that is a horse of a different color. It will not make it. Could be several days! But we prepared for that! Panties packed! Toothpaste packed. Nothing else matters.

I think I finally get to go catch a plane! Off to Paris!

The Preparation

It is Saturday morning, and yes I do leave in the morning. I rose before the sun came up to begin the task of packing. What is necessary and what is not? What comforts of home do I leave behind? You truly need to take those things into consideration! How spoiled am I? No comments out there.

Yesterday was amazing. I work with a terrific group of people who all have not only a heart for the Lord, but a heart for Mercy Ships. Anxiety filled the air as I was preparing to leave -- trying to leave everything complete. Oh, I am sure that there is something I haven't done! But at 4:00 yesterday afternoon, my team circled up in prayer for both Jennifer, who will be accompanying me on this trip, and me. We shared a little about how far we had come as a team and how we could see evidence of the Holy Spirit each day. And then the blessings began. One by one the team began to pray for us. Tears filled my eyes and joy filled my heart. And I was thankful to be supported by such great folks!

And then I arrived at a dinner party (in my honor) almost an hour and a half late! Crystal, the hostess with the mostest didn't care! I was surrounded by my friends who have loved me and encouraged me in this journey called life. We laughed until our faces hurt! Of course that is something that happens all the time at Crystal's! And once again I was surrounded by prayer. My sweet friends didn't want me to leave, to travel half-way around this world without me knowing they were lifting me up in prayer. I am incredibly blessed.

And yes, I did just take my first malaria pill. Here's to hoping it doesn't make me sick!

About Mercy Ships

Where is Cotonou, Benin you ask?