Estelle Smiles

Say Cheese!

2011-05-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

It was picture day in the academy a few weeks ago.

My busy bees. Love them so much!

What is the collective noun for a group of teachers?

A pride of teachers?

Mercy Ships Academy (Nursery - Grade 10)

Work Experience

2011-05-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

Last month the junior high and high school students completed a work experience assigment on the ship. Each year the students apply for a position that they would like on the ship. This year students worked in the post office, the academy, in sales, at reception, in the hospital, in the dental clinic, as photographers and writers and even as officers.

On the ward, nursing the patients

Dental sterilizer

On the bridge with the officers

Keeping the crew happy with crepes in the snack bar

A friendly face at reception

Working in the lab as a phlebotomist

Teaching young minds in nursery and preschool

Emmanuel Konteh

2011-05-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

Five-year-old Emmanuel loves football, Ninja turtles, playing games with his buddies and all the other things little boys like to do. He is also a member of the children's choir at his church. "He's a boy who likes to sing," said his father, Daniel, with obvious pride.

Three years ago, Emmanuel's face suddenly swelled. He was taken to Children's Hospital, but after three weeks they still had no idea what his problem was. The doctor prescribed several kinds of medicine, but Daniel had no money to pay for them.

Emmanuel's pre-op photo of the neck growth

One day, Daniel heard that Mercy Ships was on its way to Sierra Leone. He decided to do everything he could to take his son to the medical screening. When they arrived, they sat on bench in front of the containers on the dock, waiting patiently for Emmanuel's turn to be screened. The little boy's beautiful face was marred by the growth on his left cheek that extended down to his neck. But when he smiled, his dimpled cheeks glowed and his big brown eyes sparkled.

Their patience was rewarded when Emmanuel received the coveted appointment card for a surgery.

When the anxiously awaited day arrived, Emmanuel was admitted to the onboard hospital. Even though he was scared, he was very brave as he was wheeled into the operating room. His father was also nervious. He waited in tears outside the operating room's door, with a nurse holding his hand. "I have never experienced anything like that," he confessed. "I prayed all night. I thought my son would never come out of the surgery."

But Emmanuel did come out - with a bandage on his head and a smile on his face. Daniel heaved a sigh of relief.

Both father and son were delighted with the results of the surgery. "There will be no more taunting now," Daniel said. Emmanuel's friends would no longer be able to laugh at him because of the growth. The little boy could start school with all the confidence a five-year-old should have.

In a few days, the dressing was removed and replaced by thin adhesive strips. "I'm glad they took off the bandage," said Emmanuel. But he wanted to stay on the ship because he was enjoying all the attention from the nurses.

Nurses in the ward taught Emmanuel to wink. He calls it his little trick.

But when Emmanuel was discharged, he left with a brilliant smile. "I thank God to have the operation!" said Emmanuel with an impish grin. "Now, I can play ball!"

Story by Elaine B. Winn

Edited by Nancy Predaina

Photos by Liz Cantu and Tom Bradley

Mercy Ships Connections

2011-03-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Watch this Mercy Ships Connections video to see more of what has been happening over the last few weeks.

Our Arrival in Pictures

2011-03-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we have been here for almost a month already. Click here to see our arrival in pictures. Thanks to the Mercy Ships Marketing Team for creating this video!

More about screening day

2011-03-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

There are so many emotions attached to the Monday's events. I was there but not really. Those of us assisting potential patients inside were unaware of what was taking place outside the gate. We kept hearing that the crowd outside was massive. We had no idea. Please read the events that transpired on Monday from Deb, a nurse and friend who experienced it first hand.

Screening Day

2011-03-11T13:01:00.000-08:00

The statement released by Mercy Ships explains the events at screening day on Monday, 7 March. This day usually filled with hope ended sadly.

Mercy Ships is deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred today during medical screening at the Freetown National Stadium when a crowd stormed the gate resulting in several injuries and one life lost.

Mercy Ships personnel working at the site attended the injured and accompanied them to local hospitals.

"Our hearts and prayers are with the individuals and families of those affected by today's events. The occurrence of this incident in the course of activities intended to restore lives is tragic. We move forward with tremendous sadness, but great determination, to assist as many people as possible in the next ten months," stated Mercy Ships Founder, Don Stephens.

Mercy Ships exists to serve the forgotten poor and has served Sierra Leone five times over the past two decades, also helping establish two land-based health care facilities. For the next ten months, Mercy Ships will be providing surgeries for qualified patients while working alongside the Sierra Leonean Government to support its five-year healthcare plan and strengthen the functions of the national health system.

Revisiting Joseph Fofanah

2011-03-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

Looking very sharp in his Boy Scout uniform, nine-year-old Joseph Fofanah stepped up to accept his country's flag. Then he marched crisply to place it in the stand, saluted, and retreated smartly. It was appropriate that this young man participated in the ceremony to welcome the arrival of the Africa Mercy in Sierra Leone.

Former patient Joseph Fofanah presents the flag at arrival ceremonies in Sierra Leone.

Mercy Ships played a very important role in Joseph's life. He was born with a cleft palate and cleft lip. “He was having a problem,” said his mother, Isatu. “Any liquid we fed him would come back out his nose.”

This serious birth defect negatively impacts the lives of many African children. Fortunately, Isatu realized that her son needed a medical procedure to repair the cleft. However, the cost of the surgery was more than she and her husband could afford. “But the pastor and the doctor who delivered Joseph told me not to worry,” said Isatu. “A Mercy Ship is just on the way.”

Joseph had his first surgery in 2002, when he was almost four month s old, and he received a second surgery the following year. He has no memory of his problem or of his Mercy Ships experiences, but the success of these procedures is evident in his brilliant smile.

Dr. Gary Parker greets Joseph Fofanah, one of his former patients, when he returned to participate in arrival ceremonies at Sierra Leone.

Today, Joseph is a happy, active fourth-grader. His favorite subject is mathematics, which may have something to do with his ambition to be a banker one day. An avid football (soccer) enthusiast, he is the goalie on his school team, and enjoys playing w ith his younger brother, Joshua.

Scouting is very popular in Sierra Leone, and Joseph is a five-year member of Boy Scout Team 3. “I really love to march,”he says, and he's looking forward to camping with his troop.

When asked what he thought about being onboard the Africa Mercy , he grinned and exclaimed, “I'm excited, and I really want to stay here!”

Story by Elaine B. Winn
Edited by Nancy Predaina

Power

2010-11-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Last week we experienced a thunderstorm of note. It started during lunch and continued through the rest of the afternoon. This was a conversation in my class:

Student: Miss Estelle, can you please put some music on?

Me: I can't because the power is off.

Student: Is the power off because of the storm?

Me: Yes, it is.

Student: Woah! God is powerful!

How do you respond to that? I just smiled.

Natal Sharks Board

2010-10-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago the elementary school visited the Natal Sharks Board for the day.

A skeleton of a great white

'Don't eat us!'

We watched a shark dissection.

Welcome to Appelsbosch...

2010-10-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

One of the housing blocks.

We look down into this valley from our rooms.

The amphitheatre. This is where the academy students have their breaktime.

The outside area surrounding the amphitheatre.

The laundry room

The dining room.

My classroom...

...again...

...and again...

...and one more time.

I hope you enjoyed the tour!

Blog Alert

2010-10-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

I have a new favourite blog. Perhaps I am not the most objective reader but I think it is pretty A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Read MSA Grade One's very first post here. Be sure to become a follower and leave a comment. You will make their day!

Thank you to Miss Elizabeth, the Grade One IT teacher, for your hard work to put this blog together.

Mercy Ships Needs You...yes, YOU!

2010-10-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know. It has been a while. Much to catch up on and I will. I promise. But first a little housekeeping...

The Mercy Ships Academy is recruiting teachers for the next school year (August 2011 - June 2012). If you are interested or think you know anybody who could be interested have a look here.

This afternoon...

2010-08-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

... the captain announced that we had sailed passed the mouth of the Orange River and are now sailing off the coast of South Africa. Sweet.

Sailing Update

2010-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is one rocking ship. Literally.

We have felt the swells and huge waves over the last two or three days. Fortunately the next few days promise to be more calm.

Huge waves hitting the bow.

It's been a fun week of sailing despite the rocking and rolling. There has been a lot of laughter. Just getting our meals has been an adventure; not to mention trying to balance a cup of tea as you fly across the dining room.

On Sunday we participated in the Sailing Olympics. We made up teams of four and played 16 games. We named our team North and South - two members from South Africa and two from North America.

Team North and South.

Visit Murray's Mercy Ship Adventure for more pictures and information about the sailing olympics.

Pictures taken by Murray Crawford

From Pollywog to Shellback

2010-08-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true.

We crossed the Equator early on Tuesday morning and are in the Southern hemisphere now. (It's good to be back by the way.)

This recent development means that our entire crew are now what the more experienced seafarers among us call shellbacks. Up until Monday those of us who had never crossed the Equator by ship were slimy pollywogs.

All of this maritime madness can be traced back to seagoing practices from earlier years. Sailors who had never crossed the Equator by ship were not considered well-travelled and labelled pollywogs - a horrible stigma for any sailor.

After an initiation and shellback ceremony, the sailors received certificates to verify their new status. This usually involved some form of celebration ... which is the perfect excuse for a chocolate!

Time To-go...

2010-08-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

We left Togo over the weekend and are on our way to my homeland...SOUTH AFRICA!

The Africa Mercy departs the port of Lome, Togo (thanks Murray for the picture)

I am yet to spot whales or dolphins although some people have already seen some. I'll keep you posted...

So far the sail has been good to us. This evening we watched Titanic out on Deck 8. A little bit of irony. A lot of fun.

July Newsletter

2010-07-31T16:57:00.001-07:00

It's on time. I surprise myself sometimes. Read the latest news here.

Welcome to Grade One

2010-07-31T16:09:00.000-07:00

We had our Open House this evening for families and students to view their new classrooms and meet their teachers. Here are some pictures of my new classroom on Deck 6.

The door to my classroom. We are busy Grade One bees this year.

Visit The Farrell Family in Africa for some more pictures.

Romeo Touloulou and the Infant Feeding Program

2010-07-31T15:03:00.000-07:00

Baby Romeo Touloulou was born on February 25 th , 2010. He came into this world with a cleft lip and palate, a condition seen more often in West Africa than in the developed world.

Romeo's mother, Badokideou, wanted to know why his lip looked the way it did and how she could fix it. She was told to go to the hospital in Lomé. A kind stranger at the hospital told her about Mercy Ships. This was a place – a ship – where she could go to receive free medical treatment, including cleft lip and palate surgeries.

Romeo arrived on the Africa Mercy when he was one week old.

It was determined that surgery could correct Romeo's condition, but he had to gain weight first. He was enrolled in Mercy Ship's Infant Feeding Program. Because of the cleft lip and palate, it was difficult for Romeo to get the breast milk he needed to grow. The milk went into the hole in the roof of his mouth, causing him to spit up. Thus, he was not getting the nutrition he needed, and he weighed only 2.61kg (5.75 lbs).

Romeo's before picture. When he arrived at Mercy Ships he weighed 2.61kg.

Infant Feeding Program Nurse, Melissa Davey, worked with Badokideou, teaching her an alternative method of feeding. The cup method worked best for Romeo. Mercy Ships provided the formula that Badokideou fed to Romeo through a small plastic cup. Since he was not sucking to get his food, there was less spitting up, and more of the formula went into his stomach.

Time passed and sure enough, Romeo gained weight. He began to look healthy and strong. Romeo and Badokideou came to the ship once a week, and Romeo weighed-in and got measured. Then, they were given enough formula to last them the week, until they came back to the ship. He made steady progress, and Nurse Melissa Davey was confident he would be able to have surgery.

Romeo has gained enough weight to have cleft lip surgery!

She was absolutely right! Romeo reached his goal weight, and a Mercy Ships volunteer surgeon performed surgery, repairing the cleft lip.

Even after the surgery, Badokideou continued feeding Romeo via the cup method, yielding great results. Happily, Romeo has grown to 6.13 kg (13.5 lbs). Romeo still has a cleft palate that will have to be repaired at another time, but the Infant Feeding Program at Mercy Ships has given him a healthy start to life. If Badokideou had not been taught an alternate method of feeding Romeo, he would have suffered from malnutrition, and his health would have declined drastically.

Romeo Touloulou after he has been a part of the Infant Feeding Program at Mercy Ships.

Romeo sitting with his mother, Badokideou, in the Infant Feeding room.

Thanks to Melissa and the rest of the Infant Feeding Program team, Romeo will have a chance at a healthy life. He was lucky to have been born at a time when the Africa Mercy was in port in Lomé, Togo. He had perfect timing, and now he is a healthy and happy five-month-old boy.

Romeo with Infant Feeding Program Nurse, Melissa Davey.

Cute hat, Romeo!

Story by Claire Bufe
Photos by Melissa Davey

Crew Picture

2010-07-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

Our Communications Department arranged for a crew photo to be taken on Thursday afternoon after the firedrill. It went surprisingly quickly. A reward for anyone who can spot me!

Exile International

2010-07-29T15:21:00.000-07:00

This evening at dinner I met a remarkable lady. Bethany is here as a guest of the mental health team. Along with six other women she is leading a trauma care workshop for abused children and children wounded by political violence in Togo.

Bethany started a non-profit called eXile International after a trip to Congo in June 2008. Her experiences there spoke so deeply to her that she started this organisation to provide counseling and healing to former child soldiers.

The stories that she shared sent shivers down my spine. Please visit her blog .The Heart of Exile. or read more about eXile international here.

City of Israel Church

2010-07-22T08:51:00.001-07:00

A couple of Sundays ago myself and two friends were invited to attend a church service at City of Israel Church. Emmanuel, a translator on the ward, had a taxi waiting for us outside the port gates and took us to his church in Togo.

The City of Israel church building looks like many of the churches that I have seen since being in West Africa. There is a high wall to seperate it from the street and a high ceiling supported by posts along the sides. The congregation sit on wooden benches or plastic chairs and there is a platform in front.

City of Israel Church from the street

The pastor preaches while Emmanuel (on the left) translates for us

The worship band

The congregation

Sunday School at the entrance to the church

Cuteness

More cuteness

Pastor Israel invited Kelly, Alainie and I to introduce ourselves and share some words of encouragement. Then we found ourselves in a photo shoot! Several pictures were taken with different people. Here we are with the leaders of the church.

When It Rains, It Pours!

2010-07-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday our sweet friend Harriet agreed to drive us around to do some errands. Despite the rain, we braved the roads of Lome. It's rainy season right now, which is great because it is so much cooler outside. But oh dear! When it rains, it really pours! Hooray for Landrovers!

Allison captured some of the flooded roads on camera...

What happens downstairs?

2010-07-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

Living on a hospital ship provides some unique opportunities.

On Thursday afternoon I had the opportunity to see what happens downstairs, with my own eyes. I made sure I ate a good lunch, put on some scrubs, a hat and some covers for my shoes and reported to the OR office on Deck 3. I was going to observe surgeries!

I observed a hydrocelectomy (also known as a hydrocele repair) and then about an hour later a hernia repair. Dr Frank, from Uganda, performed both these surgeries.

Dr Frank and Allison hard at work

Not only did I observe surgeries on this day, I also had the chance to observe my cabinmate, Allison, in action. Allison did a wonderful job assisting on the hernia repair surgery. You can read more about her experiences in the operating room at Nurse Missionary.

Allison and I

Then I headed into OR 4. There I observed Dr Leo removing a sinus tumour. The young lady had a tumour that grew from the base of her skull and up the back of her throat into her sinuses and through her nose. I was speechless as I watched Dr Leo, assisted by Mel and Ali, remove this tumour.

I left the operating rooms with a greater understanding of what happens downstairs and with a greater appreciation for our doctors and nurses. And a good reminder of why we are all here.

I did not just observe three surgeries on Thursday. I witnessed three lives being changed by God's love in action.

Awesome.

June Newsletter

2010-07-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

Another month, another newsletter. Click here to read June's news.

Christian Akapovi , a Crystal Clear Future

2010-07-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

Christian is nine years old, but he is not like other children his age.

They can read. He cannot. They can play football. He cannot.

Christian cannot do these things because he has cataracts. His father, Adado, explains,“I noticed when he was three years old that Christian had a problem . We would ask him to pick things up , and he would feel around on the table or the floor until eventually identifying the item.”

Christian has attended school for only one year. He is unable to read the chalkboard, and it is hard for him to focus and to learn. But his father felt it was important that he attend school. Adado says, “He is struggling to learn things , and he is slow, but I wanted him to be around others his age. I didn't want him to miss out on an education . ”

Adado spent an incredible amount of time and money taking Christian to hospitals all over Togo and even to Ghana. But none of the doctors knew how to fix the problem. Hope turned to desperation. And desperation turned to despair.

Then, a light shone through the darkness. A man who lived near Adado in Lomé had just received eye surgery for free. The man told Adado and Christian about Mercy Ships and where to go for screening.

“Free surgery ?” Adado thought. “Could this be true?”

Adado and Christian went to the patient screening site and saw an eye specialist. They were then sent to the Mercy Ships Hospitality Center. An eye tech team performed an external and internal eye examination to determine the appropriateness of surgery. They confirmed that Christian had cataracts in both eyes … and he was a candidate for surgery! He was given a priceless, bright yellow appointment card with a date for surgery.

Christian Akakpovi doing crafts in the ward before his cataract surgery.

Christian with fellow patient Gafar Alassani (center) as the kids play around in D ward. Gafar had a large tumor removed on the right side of his face. Mercy Yovo, left, was having cataract surgery on her right eye.

Adado says, “I couldn't believe it. For so long we had spent all the money we had to find help for Christian. I didn't work for days on end while in hospitals waiting with him. Now, he will get help , and I am so thankful.”

Cataracts in West Africa tend to be very dense due to the intense sunlight and the lack of adequate eye care. Dr. Glenn Strauss is an expert on African cataracts and has been working with Mercy Ships for 13 years. He has developed a team onboard the Africa Mercy that is able to perform, on average, 20 surgeries per day!

Christian is rolled out of surgery and begins recovery.

Christian's father, Adado, waits patiently for Christian to recover from cataract surgery.

Just one day after surgery, Christian was feeling upbeat. He was coloring a picture with his father and playing with other kids in the ward. Adado looked at his son and said, “Christian, can you see? What is the nurse wearing?”

Adado and Christian color together in the ward.

Big smiles now that Christian can see clearly!

Christian looked up at Mercy Ships Charge Nurse, Ali Chandra, and said, “Yes. I can see. She has a blue band on her head and a blue top.”

Ali stood in her bright blue scrubs and blue headband, nodding her head and smiling. “Yep , h e can see!” she said. “Dr. Glenn has done it again.”

Now Christian will return home and start school again in the fall. Now he will be able to read the chalkboard and won't have trouble picking up items. He fully appreciates the gift of sight that so many people take for granted.

Thanks to Mercy Ships, Christian's future is crystal clear!

Mercy Yovo with her mother and Christian Akakpovi with his father.

Mercy (left) and Christian (right) get ready to leave the ward on discharge day. They have both received successful cataract surgeries on the Africa Mercy !

Story by Claire Bufe Edited by Nancy Predaina

ITV Tyne Series: Part 5

2010-06-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the last clip of the five part series filmed by ITV last year when the ship was docked in Benin.

Yovo African

2010-06-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

I worked with the eye team again today. I kind of love it. Today Cyrille, one of the day volunteers on the eye team and I had a conversation that made me smile. It went like this:

"Estelle, please where are you from?"

"South Africa"

"No, please where are you from?"

"South Africa."

"Really? But you are a *yovo."

"Yes, I am."

"South Africa and ...?"

"Just South Africa."

"Oh! I did not know that there were yovo's in South Africa! You are a yovo African! Congratulations!"

Apparently this is quite an achievement. Or at least a novelity here in Togo. :)

*Yovo is the term locals here use to refer to a white person.

ITV Tyne Series: Part 4

2010-06-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

I posted a link to this episode in a previous post entitled Don't Worry. Be happy. If you did not have a look at the video then you can check it out here. This episode features the dental clinic in Benin, amongst other things. Click here to view part 4.

ITV Tyne Series: Part 3

2010-06-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

This episode features another family from England and Dr Tony Giles, a surgeon who regulary serves with Mercy Ships. Click here to view part 3.

ITV Tyne Series: Part 2

2010-06-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

Check out part 2 of the ITV series. This episode features a family from England who have served with Mercy Ships for many years now.

ITV Tyne Series: Part 1

2010-06-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

Take a look at part 1 of a five part series filmed by ITV in Benin last year.

Eye team

2010-06-21T12:21:00.001-07:00

So I got myself a minor job for the summer. I will be working with the eye team on Mondays and Wednesdays for the next few weeks. Today was my first day on the job.

We start the morning at 6:45 am when we head to the hospitality centre. During the morning the patients are seen by the opthalmic and eye tech specialists. If we are able to help them they are given a date for surgery. After lunch the patients who are seen do not necessarily need surgery; many of these patients need glasses to improve their vision. They are given an eye exam and then the appropriate glasses.

Here are some pictures of the eye team taken by our Communications Department earlier this year.

Hundreds of people stand in line on the eye screening day in February

At the hospitality centre where patients are given a date for surgery

Waiting in the hospital on the day of surgery

In the operating room

A successful operation!

To see what a day at the eye clinic looked like in Benin click here.

Don't worry. Be happy.

2010-06-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

It's the summer break. The kids are having fun...and so is their teacher! But even though there is no school, Miss Estelle is still learning.

Lesson #1:

My life is comfortable. It is easy. I have a family who love me. I have good friends. I have everything I need and more. But I still want more. Somehow I think it will make my life more comfortable. More easy. And then I worry when I don't get it. And then I get impatient. Last night I started reading Francis Chan's Crazy Love. His words spoke to me:

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives.

Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.

Basically, these two behaviours communicate that the it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. They declare our tendency to forget that we've been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won't be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and in the context of God's strength, our problems are small, indeed."

Lesson #2:

I found this five-minute clip filmed by ITV Tyne Tees last year when the AFM was docked in Benin. I look at the patients and their families who come to our ship. Their lives are a complete contrast to mine. Their life is not comfortable. It is not easy. Some of them have been abandoned by their family and friends. Many of them have very little. But they smile through the struggle. And they are grateful for what they have.

Lesson #3:

This afternoon I was having a chat with my friend Kelly who visited a local church. She was telling me how the pastor was sharing that God had called him to live in this place (a village we call the fishing village). Sometimes he wishes for rain in the desert but he is at peace because this is where God has placed him. Kelly told me about some shocking realities of his life. It was humbling to hear. And convicting.

This is what I have learnt from the weekends lessons. In the words of Francis Chan:

"Frankly, you need to get over yourself. It might sound harsh, but that's seriously what it means.

Maybe life's pretty good for you right now. God has given you this good stuff so that you can show the world a person who enjoys blessings, but who is still totally obsessed with God.

Or maybe life is tough right now, and everything feels like a struggle. God has allowed hard things in your life so you can show the world that your God is great and that knowing Him brings peace and joy, even when life is hard...It is easy to become disillusioned with the circumstances of our lives compared to others'. But in the presence of God, He gives us a deeper peace and joy that transcends it all."

In a nutshell: Don't worry. Be happy. :)

Connections: Mercy Ships Updates

2010-06-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

Check out the Mercy Ships Update for May here and for June here.

May Newsletter

2010-06-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

Read the newsletter for May here. Better late than never, I suppose :)

Bleh

2010-06-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been feeling bleh.

A part of me knows why and another part of me really doesn't. I find myself continually wrestling with God about life. About stuff.

I think part of my frustration stems from the fact that just when I think I have closed the door on a chapter, it creaks open again. And like an inquisitive child I stick my head into the narrow opening to take another look inside. And for just a brief moment it is enjoyable. But then bleh sets in. And it lingers.

Bleh.

Why can't I find a lock and bolt for the door and make sure that it is shut for good? While I was cleaning my classroom today, Britt Nicole's song Have Your Way was playing. She sums up things better than I ever could.

Feels like i`ve been here forever,

Why can`t you just intervene?

Do you see the tears keep falling?

And i`m falling apart at the seams.

But you never said the road would be easy,

But you said that you would never leave.

And you never promised that this life wasn`t hard,

But you promised you`d take care of me.

So I`ll stop searching for the answers,

I`ll stop praying for an escape,

And I`ll trust you,God, with where i am,

And believe that you will have your way.

Just have your way.

When my friends and my family have left me,

And I feel so ashamed and so cold.

Remind me that you take broken things

And turn them into beautiful.

So I`ll stop searching for the answers,

I`ll stop praying for an escape,

And i`ll trust you, God, with where i am,

And believe that you`ll have your way.

Just have your way.

Even if my dreams have died,

And even if i don`t survive,

I`ll still worship you with all my life.

My life.

Whoa-oh..

And I`ll stop searching for the answers,

I`ll stop praying for an escape,

And i`ll trust you, God, with where i am,

And believe that you will have your way.

Just have your way.

I know you will.

I won`t forget.

Whoa-oh

You love me.

Have your way.

Yeah

Abel Dalome

2010-06-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

Abel is a very happy eleven-year-old, who loves to make new friends. His attitude is surprising when one considers the physical problem he has been living with for most of his life … and the reaction of most people to that problem.

Abel had a normal childhood until a problem arose following an injection. His parents noticed he was having difficulty learning to crawl. His muscles had stopped growing, but his bones had not. As a result, his legs were not growing correctly because there was so little musculature to direct them. They began to bend backward at the knee, forcing his upper thighs out behind him. His parents took him to three different doctors, but none of them knew what to do for him.

Despite this condition, the resolute Abel learned to lean forward, correcting his balance enough to walk, climb and do just about anything any other active boy can do. He even became the goalkeeper on his football (soccer) team. The only thing he couldn't do was ride a bicycle, since it requires sitting straight on the seat and pushing down on the pedals.

Abel's physical deformity made him the target of ridicule from other children. But he remained optimistic thanks to his joyful spirit and his wonderfully supportive parents.

One day, there was an announcement on the radio that a Mercy Ship was coming to Togo, offering free surgeries. Abel's hopeful father took his son to an orthopedic screening in Lomè.

Abel as he appeared at the orthopedic screening

In the admissions tent, Abel demonstrates how he was able to sit before surgery.

Before surgery, Abel climbs into the Mercy Ships vehicle on hisway to the Hospitality Centre.

A few days later, a wonderful surprise awaited Abel when he awoke after his first surgery onboard the Africa Mercy . His left leg was straight out in front of him, wrapped in a cast! As he admired his newly straightened leg, he asked his dad if his right leg would also be straight after the next surgery. His father assured him that it would. Abel jubilantly declared, “If the other leg is going to be like this one, I am going to give a big thanks to the Lord. ” And a second surgery did straighten his right leg. He also had a third procedure – plastic surgery on his knees.

After two surgeries, a happy Abel and his father relax in the ward.

Through the round of surgeries and post-operative care, Abel's sparkling personality and brilliant smile earned him many new friends among the crew and among the other children recovering at the Hospitality Centre.

Abel enjoys sharing his picture books with roommates at the Hospitality Centre

A happy Abel tests his straight legs and crutches at the Hospitality Centre

A smiling Abel gets used to walking on straight legs with crutches on the dock beside the ship, as his dad looks on in the background

With the World Cup approaching, Abel is intensely interested in watching his favorite sport … and especially his favorite player, Chelsea's Didier Drogba. After so many weeks of recuperation, he is eagerly looking forward to getting out on the field himself.

But Abel's long-term goal is not to become a famous soccer player. He is determined to become a surgeon, like those on the Mercy Ship, “ because of the things they have done for me ,” he said.

Abel and his dad happily show off the casts in post op. after their removal.

Story by Elaine B. WinnEdited by Nancy PredainaPhotos by Debra Bell and Liz Cantu

Kindergarten Play: The Great Big Enormous Turnip

2010-05-17T00:15:00.000-07:00

On Friday my students and I performed a play based on the story of The Great Big Enormous Turnip by Alexei Tolstoy. The students invited their families and some friends to watch our show.

Visit The Farrell Family in Africa at the link below to read a review and view some pictures: http://thefarrellfamilyinafrica.blogspot.com/2010/05/great-big-enormous-turnip.html

Aissa

2010-05-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

Aissa lives in the north of Cameroon, West Africa.

Abandoned by both her mother and father, she was living with her grandma when she got sick. Her family brought her to the Meskine hospital, run by the Medical Centers of West Africa. She was found sitting outside the hospital pharmacy, skeletal, her face covered with a dirty rag, surrounded by a swarm of flies.

At 6 years old, she weighed 10 kilos. She was dangerously anemic, and could no longer walk or eat. She was diagnosed with NOMA , which is fatal in 90% of cases. She was hospitalized, but the family wasn’t able to pay for her care. They planned to take her home after just four days. Had they returned home, she would have surely died. The Medical Centers of West Africa chose to cover the cost of her care.

Slowly she came around. One day she smiled. Then she began to walk and play. Her photos were sent to Mercy Ships, who invited Aissa to come for a life changing surgery. A surgery that would bring her healing, restore her spirit and give glory to God. The organization Willing and Abel paid for Aissa’s travel. So this baby girl, who almost died in obscurity just one year previous, got on a plane and flew to Togo.

Aissa and Sarah after receiving care at the Meskine hospital

And our God, who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, placed her in the care of a team of specialists who gave her back her face. Hallelujah.

After surgery on the Africa Mercy

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge… Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” -Eph 3:17-20

Written by Sarah Root. Sarah is a physician assistant at Meskine Hospital. She travelled to the ship with Aissa and has been acting as her caregiver and translator.

Before and After

2010-05-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Lawson before surgery

Lawson after surgery.

The tumour that had been growing in Lawson's mouth for four years made it difficult for him to eat, breathe and speak properly. He was ostracised from his community. Now he is able to smile again.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

2010-05-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Is washing your hair becoming a chore? Are you tired of having to brush it EVERY SINGLE day? In just five easy steps you can simplify your life and your hair routine:

1. Auction yourself off at a Mercy Ships Academy fundraiser.

2. Ask the hairdresser Paul to 'work his magic'.

3. Be sure to do this in front of the entire crew.

4. Wear a pink bow. It adds a touch of spunk.

5. Console yourself with some ice-cream.

Thank you Murray and Shelly for the pictures.

Surrender

2010-05-04T05:50:00.000-07:00

I'm giving You my heart, all that is within
I lay it all down, for the sake of You my King

I'm giving You my dreams, laying down my rights
I'm giving up my pride, for the promise of new life

And I surrender all to You, all to You
And I surrender all to You, all to You

I'm singing You this song, I'm waiting at the cross
All the world holds dear, I count it all as loss

For the sake of knowing You, for the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy, even sharing in Your pain

And I surrender it all to you, all to You

by Lincoln Brewster

Kossin Delou

2010-05-03T23:59:00.000-07:00

Sixteen-year-old, Kossin Delou, spent four years of his life sheltered by his family and kept out of the public eye due to an enormous tumor that dominated the left side of his face. When the tumor first appeared, Kossin visited local hospitals in Lomé, Togo. But his family could not afford the necessary surgery.

So, the tumor, which started from Kossin's upper jaw, continued to grow. It soon covered his eye, hindering his vision.

As the insidious growth enlarged, Kossin's life became more difficult. Kossin's father is a local pastor, and the church is an important part of his family life. But people viewed the tumor as a curse, so Kossin's shame prevented him from attending church.

In fact, the children who were once his friends now ridiculed him on the streets and at school. He even felt like an outsider among his own siblings.

His emotional turmoil intensified as his dream for his future began to fade away. Kossin wanted to study at a university to become a teacher. He wanted to enrich the lives of children with knowledge and love. His grotesque facial deformity would prevent him from pursuing his education.

Then Kossin came to our hospital ship, the Africa Mercy . After many hours of surgery, he emerged with a newly constructed face.

Kossin Delou waits in line to be examined by volunteer surgeons to be scheduled for surgery

Kossin Delou is examined by Dr. Gary Parker in order to schedule an appointment for surgery.

Joy radiated from Kossin and his family. His father, Pastor Delou, says, "In this life each one of us need s help in some moments of our life. I can say that through Mercy S hips, we have found that help. Y ou can have a bad story - but, before the end of your life , God will open a door and smile deep into your heart. I know that God is working through Mercy Ships for the best in my life and in Kossi n 's life ."

Kossin Delou three weeks after surgery.

Kossin is ecstatic about his new life. He can go to church with his family and friends. He's no longer an object of ridicule. And - best of all - in September of 2010, Kossin will be able to start school to fulfil his resurrected dream of becoming a teacher.

Written by Joy Clary Edited by Nancy Predaina Photos by Debra Bell and Liz Cantu

Miracle

2010-04-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

The medical staff have had a difficult few weeks. They care for the patients with such love and it affects them greatly when a life is lost. Close friends suffered through the loss of a young patient about two weeks ago. And earlier this week another young patient passed away.

But today there is hope. Today we are reminded of our powerful God. Today we are reminded that He is with us and that He hears our prayers. Ali, a nurse, shares the story at http://alirae.net/blog/archives/376-sparrow-baby.html .

Blood Bank

2010-04-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of having a hospital on the AFM is that it has a living, breathing blood bank at its disposal...in the form of the crew.

Today in the middle of the school day, I got the call. The hospital needed blood. You know you live on the Africa Mercy when you get pulled out of work to donate blood! Better yet, you know you live on the Africa Mercy when a former room-mate is the one drawing it and your current room-mate is the nurse in the operating room (I love you Maggie and Allison)!

Poor Maggie. She took my blood sample about a month ago. I think I may have traumatised her. Usually I am okay with needles but that all changed when someone I shared a bunk bed with was sticking a needle in my arm! I don't think I was much better today. Despite my lack of bravery, Maggie did an excellent job. My arm is not even bruised!

Maggie looking on as I moan about having to squeeze the ball to keep the blood flowing.

Success!

Living the Dream...

2010-04-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

Kenya's beauty is breathtaking. After arriving in Nairobi in the early hours of Thursday morning, I dozed off to sleep while Francis, our friendly driver took us to Rift Valley Academy (the school that hosted the ICEC Conference). On the bus I woke up to my colleagues gasps of delight as we passed the Great Rift Valley.

Francis stopped the bus and we all got off to admire the scene. I can't really describe it. Pictures do not do it justice. It was one of the most incredible sights I have ever seen.

Pictures taken from a viewing point along the road

We arrived at Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe and did some exploring of the school grounds. We enjoyed breathing in the fresh air and seeing greenery wherever we turned. We were content.

Several inspirational speakers addressed the conference delegates over the course of the weekend. One of my highlights was hearing Mr Wes Stafford (president of Compassion International) share his story and passion for children with us. We also met teachers from Christian schools in Egypt, Ethiopia and the Cameroon to name just a few. My eyes were opened. I had no idea that there were so many missionary teachers across Africa.

One of my favourtie workshops was entitled School Culture: Rule-dominated or grace-dominated. I enjoyed it because this is something that I have been struggling with as a teacher. How do I model Christ's example of extending grace while still mainting discipline and boundaries within the classroom? Truth be told, I still don't really know how but one thing I know is that I need to trust God. I need to ask Him for wisdom in making decisions in the classroom. I have trusted God in this regard more than before but the conference encouraged me to keep trusting Him. All the time.

I was also reminded of what a privilege it is to work with a team who are all on 'the same page'. We are all here to serve the children and families on the ship. And ultimately to bring God glory.

The Mercy Ship Academy staff. A great team.

Read all about it!

2010-03-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

Our Grade 3's have joined the trend! Most of the teacher's have one, the high schooler's have one and now the Grade 3's have a blog too.

Visit Mercy Ships Academy Grade 3 Blog at http://www.msagrade3.blogspot.com to see life on the ship through the eyes of a child.

What's in a name?

2010-03-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months I have been challenged to pray using the names of God. The more I study the names of God and call out to Him by these names the more I see how BIG and MAGNIFICENT He is. The more I learn about His character.

My journey with Mercy Ships has helped me to learn about God as a provider in ways I could never have imagined. This past week I received another lesson in faith.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the Auction of Dreams that the Mercy Ships Academy had on the ship to raise funds to attend a teacher's conference in Kenya. We arranged the auction without knowing how much we should or could expect to raise. The auction surpassed all our expectations. We still needed to raise between $2 000 and $3 000. Before we knew it, the money had come in. Thanks to the generosity of the crew and our supporters.

In one week, we needed to raise $7, 500. And in one week our Jehovah Jireh provided!

Dreaming Big

2010-03-15T00:13:00.000-07:00

The Academy staff have a dream to attend a Christian Schools International conference in Kenya over the Easter weekend. Attending this conference will allow us to meet up with other educators from schools who have or who are going through an accreditation process like our Academy is. We will also receive valuable training in teaching in a Christian school. For this dream to become a reality, we need to raise $7, 500 for our flights to Kenya.

On Saturday we had a fundraising event on the ship. An Auction of Dreams. We auctioned off several services and products including freshly baked bagels and brownies, a one hour photo shoot, an Italian dinner, a chauffer service; and even a holiday in South Africa. Miss Danae (the 2nd Grade teacher) and myself offered our services as 'maids for a day'. We may or may not have included a little musical number to add some flair to our presentation....

The highlight of the night was definitely when Mr Farrell (Academy Math and I.T. teacher) and Mr Calvert (Academy P.E. teacher) were auctioned off to a group of about ten people for $1000! Of course the pink ribbon that they will soon be wearing to compliment their shaved heads and legs has nothing to do with this event. Nothing at all...

This event just highlighted the generosity of the crew who helped us to raise a whopping $4, 500!

Click on the image below to read more about our dream

Our 'Auction of Dreams'

'Just whistle while you work...'

Country dancing

2010-03-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

On Friday night the crew got together on the dock for a country dance. It was such fun and incredibly hot!

Running Club

2010-03-05T09:11:00.000-08:00

Thursday is Running Club day!

The Academy students have been so excited about this event for weeks now. Some have even been training.

So last night at six o' clock the children on the ship headed to the dock for some fun. They start with some warm up games and then run (or walk) up and down the dock for a while.

Visit The Farrell Family in Africa (http://www.thefarrells.org.uk/) for some pictures.

Surgeries

2010-03-05T08:47:00.001-08:00

The first surgeries began on the 25th of February.

These pictures of a recent surgery were taken by our Communications department.

Please keep our medical staff in your prayers.

Joy

2010-03-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

Tough Day at the Office

2010-02-26T07:58:00.000-08:00

This is the view from my classroom.

It's a tough life, isn't it?

Word Definition Day

2010-02-26T07:48:00.000-08:00

We had another spirit day in the Academy. Today's theme was word definition day. Can you guess what I was?

Okay, so you might need a bit of 'out of the box' thinking for this one. I'm Starbucks. My tribute to the Starbucks on our ship. :)

Box Ship News

2010-02-25T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Academy high school students have developed an online newspaper. Read the latest news here:

http://boxshipnews.blogspot.com/

Arrival in Togo

2010-02-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday, the M/V Africa Mercy arrived in Lome, Togo.

Approaching the port of Lome

The crew is excited to see land after a ten day sail

The elementary students had a series of lessons about Togo during the sail. Here one of my students is waving the Togolese flag that he made during one of the lessons.

A warm welcome from the Togolese people

Screening Day

2010-02-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

Today was the first screening day of the new field service in Togo. This year, Mercy Ships decided to do things a a little differently. Instead of arranging one large screening at the start of the outreach, several smaller screenings were arranged.

Potential patients arrive at the screening and wait in line for several hours to find out if the hospital can help them. Doctors, nurses and surgeons assess each hopeful arrivals need and whether they can be helped.

Today just under 200 patients arrived to be screened. Tomorrow and Thursday hundreds more will wait in the line that could change their life forever.

'A' is for acid bug

2009-12-05T05:17:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week my Kindergarteners started making their own alphabet book. When we discussed words that started with an 'A' one of them said, 'I know! 'A' is for acid bug!'

Due to weather patterns and seasonal changes, these bugs have been prominent on the outdoor decks over the last month or two. My students often see them at break time and this causes excitement for some and a little bit of fear for others...

According to experts, " acid bugs contain a toxic chemical that causes contact dermatitis in humans as a result of crushing or slapping the beetle on exposed skin. The affected area becomes red, swollen and itchy causing the skin to peel when scratched. The adult bugs are attracted to artificial light. "

Acid bug

That answer from my student has inspired me to create an ABC of Mercy Ships. Here goes...

A is for acid bug.

B is for blackouts.

C is for community meetings.

D is for drills.

E is for fire extinguishers everywhere you look.

F is for fan-ice.

G is for goodbyes to good friends.

H is for hospital.

I is for cabin inspections.

J is for the joy that patients have after surgery.

K is for Kindergarten.

L is for life boats and life vests.

M is for medical staff.

N is for nurses.

O is for operations.

P is for pancakes on Wednesdays.

Q is for 'Quiet in reception, please!'

R is for roommates.

S is for sailing.

T is for Tenerife.

U is for unexpected experiences like dinner with the president.

V is for visas.

W is for ward church.

X is for X-ray room.

Y is for 'yovo'.

Z is for zimmis.

Exodus Orphanage

2009-12-05T03:50:00.000-08:00

Exodus Orphanage houses about 50 orphans ranging in age from babies to teenagers. Last weekend some friends and I went to visit these kids for the last time before the end of the outreach.

We arrived just as the kids were going to church and attended the service with them. The service was in a classroom - the pastor sat at the desk in the front of the class and we squashed into the desks with the children. After the kids lead us in worship the pastor invited us to the front to share a testimony or a word of encouragement.

During the church service

One of the crew who visited the orphanage earlier this year was led to raise funds to provide beds, mattresses and other essentials for them . Her ministry was able to continue when she left Benin thanks to a friend and crew member who continued to arrange visits to the orphanage regularly. Karl built beds for the kids while the other crew members played with the orphans during the visits.

After church our friends invited us to lunch as a way to thank us. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing and laughing with them.

The lunch line. We were impressed with how they lined up from shortest to tallest.

Our lunch

Some of the children. These boys love the camera!

Sher with her new friends.

Kelly treated the girls to a manicure.

Karl arm wrestling with the boys.

This little boy stole my heart.

Showing off their beds with Ben.

These are a few of my favourite things

2009-11-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

Recently I have developed a new favourite past time. It is related to my existing favourite past time (i.e. drinking tea) but brings it to a completely new level.

I have started taking a cup of tea up to deck 8 after dinner to watch the sunset. I love it. It just speaks to me of God's beauty.

Spirit Day

2009-11-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday was Spirit Day in the Academy. The theme this month was formal wear. It was also Crazy Scrub Day in the operating room. My cabin mate, Allison, and I found each other in the dining room and this was the result:

Jaquot Psychiatric Facility

2009-10-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

Jaquot Psychiatric Facility is about a twenty minute drive from where the ship is docked. Some crew visit this clinic faithfully each Saturday morning and sometimes I join them.

When we arrive we are greeted by some of the patients as we get out of the car. They usually join us as we walk around the property and greet everyone. During this time we find out how their week has been and are introduced to new patients or discover who has left.

After this we all head to a large room in the centre of the property where we do some singing and dancing. This is followed by a Bible lesson and a craft.

It has been such a joy to get to know some of these men and women who have spent the majority of the year in this facility.

Proudly South African

2009-10-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

The South African Ambassador to Benin is so good to us. Last week we were invited to numerous events to celebrate Heritage Day in South Africa.

Many Mercy Ship Crew went to an exhibit hosted by our Ambassador on Saturday. Items exhibited ranged from South African fruit juices and wines to jewellery.

On Sunday evening we attended a concert to celebrate South African culture. Two groups perfomed on this occasion - a local musical group from Benin and then an acepella group from Soweto, South Africa called 'The Lions'. It was such a comforting feeling listening to this group of talented men singing songs like 'Meadowlands' (a South African classic) and then our national anthem.

The South African crew was treated to a private performance by this group the next evening when we attended a buffet dinner at the Ambassador's residence.

Bitter Sweet

2009-09-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

The field service is drawing to a close and many crew, including some of my closest friends, are returning home.

And that is why it has been a bit of a struggle for me these last two weeks. When you share most meals with these friends, exercise with these friends, and laugh and cry with these friends for most of the year, the line between friendship and family becomes blurred. So while those of us who remain on the ship are happy for our friends to be re-united with the ones they love, we are also sad because we lose a part of our ship family.

Even while I have been experiencing this rather selfish sense of loss, God has been blessing new friendships. And reminding me of the blessings that exist in old friendships.

Some friends that have returned home...

Hospitality Centre

2009-09-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

The Mercy Ship hospital treats patients from all over Benin. Many of these patients travel long distances to come to the city of Cotonou, where the Africa Mercy is docked. Often these patients need somewhere to stay in the days leading up to their admission into the hospital. Most of the time, the patients need to visit the hospital for post-op care. They cannot stay in the hospital though, as the bed space is needed for new patients.

The hospitality centre is Mercy Ships solution to this logistical problem. This centre is a large warehouse that is about a fifteen minute walk from the ship and it houses all those patients that need to remain close to the hospital for post-op care. While the patients and their families stay there, they receive meals and have a warm bed. The adults also receive basic education (reading, spelling, etc.) from one of the crew who has been assigned to develop a daily programme for them. Crew are free to visit the centre any time to play with kids or provide comfort to the families.

The hospitality centre from outside

The patients' beds

Last week a few of us went to visit the children at the hospitality centre. We took tattoo's, balloons, colouring books, etc. along for entertainment.

Worship

2009-09-03T14:54:00.001-07:00

Here are some more pictures of the International Evening of Worship.

The crew singing and dancing

The South Africans

The Beninoise worship team

International Evening of Worship

2009-08-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

There are so many nationalities on this ship. So many differences. But there is one common thread that unites all of us. We all love Jesus.

So tonight we celebrated our differences and similarities in the form of an international evening of worship. There were eight nations that took part this evening.

The Welsh sang a song in Welsh. The only Polish crew member shared an Easter worship song with us. The German speaking nations (Germany and Switzerland) shared some of their songs too. A crew member from the Dominican Republic sang a song from one of his nations worship artists. And the African nations sang too.

The Ghanaian's and Liberians had the entire crew on their feet singing and dancing. It was something quite spectacular.

The South Africans sang Bayete Inkosi and I'm Walking in the Light of God, including the Afrikaans and Zulu verses.

Bayete Inkosi:
Bayete, Bayete, Inkosi
Bayete, King of Kings
Bayete, Bayete Inkosi
Bayete Inkosi is King
King of Kings

Who can match Your greatness
Who can know Your power
Who can search Your richness
Who can deny You are crowned
Lord of all

You are crowned King of Africa
You are crowned Lord of all
You are crowned King of Africa
Who can deny you are crowned
Lord of all

Walking in the Light of God:
I'm walking in the light of God
I'm walking in the light of God
I'm walking in the light
I'm walking in the light
I'm walking in the light of God

Ek wandel in die lig van God
Ek wandel in die lig van God
Ek wandel in die lig
Ek wandel in die lig
Ek wandel in die lig van God

Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahmaba lapha khosi

A Taste Of Home

2009-08-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, just for a while, I felt like I was in South Africa.

The worship band from my home church, LinkWay, appeared on Gospel One (a local television station that we are able to receive on the ship) to promote their latest (and first) CD 'Reign in me'.

LinkWay Worship Band

I was glad to be able to share a piece of where I come from, with my friends from different parts of the world.

Watching the worship band from church, on a ship!

LinkWays promotional video is available on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lgmrp5gC2g

My First Week in Kindergarten

2009-08-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

I have survived my first week in Kindergarten!

It has been a challenging and good week. And one filled with many lessons -I have learnt that Kindergarten students need help putting on their shoes and getting out their stationery. And they certainly don't have the same attention span as an eight year old!

And I have learnt that I really enjoy spending the day with them. They make me smile. A lot.

Here are some pictures of my classroom:

The entrance to my classroom:

My class library:

From the back of my classroom:

From the front of my classroom:

Another angle from the back of my classroom:

Teacher Handbook

2009-08-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

Teacher Handbooks are not known for their gripping content.

Teachers are requested to read the handbook at the start of each academic year. Many teachers (including myself) reluctantly read the handbook to brush up on certain school policies like homework and familiarise themselves with procedures for class excursions, assessments, etc.

This year, I found myself smiling while looking through the Mercy Ships Academy Teacher's Handbook. How many schools have a policy for teachers to follow about 'hair appointments' or 'seasickness'?

Most days when I look outside the window and sea fishing boats sailing past, I don't blink an eye. It has become my normal. Sometimes it takes something as minor as a heading in a handbook to make realise that my life has changed drastically!

A month in Texas

2009-07-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

I spent the month of July in Texas attending the Gateway course mentioned in previous posts.

The month was dedicated to discovering more of God's character and to prepare for the next couple of years that I will serve with Mercy Ships. Many people have asked me if it was worth attending Gateway even after having been on the ship already. I believe that the content taught during those weeks can be applied in life at any time. Not only on the ship. So, yes, it was worthwhile!

Part of this preparation involved basic safety training. And basic safety training involved first aid, CPR and even firefighting.

Of course, we had some free time too. We tried to get the full 'Texas' experience while we were there....

We went dancing y'all!

We also spent a day canoeing on Caddo Lake which has a beautiful Cypress Swamp.

Rain, Rain, Go Away! Come back another day!

2009-06-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

I have discovered that Benin has only two seasons: rainy season and dry season. Over the last two weeks, I have experienced rainy season like never before.

Encounter one:
Last Wednesday, I left the ship at about 7:40 am to collect my Schengen visa from the French Consulate. The French Consulate is about a five minute walk from the port, if that. The walk from the ship to outside the port is about five minutes as well.

As I was getting ready to leave, I looked out the windows and noticed that the ground was really wet. Being the eternal optimist, I fooled myself into thinking that it must have rained extremely hard during the night and that I had better go before it starts raining again.

So, I slipped on my red shoes (these, I have now discovered are not colour-fast) and threw my beautiful African print handbag over my shoulder, making sure that it contained all the documentation needed to collect the visa. I put on my rain jacket just in case. But walk past the umbrella because I surely won't need that.

As I sign out at the gangway, I notice the drops of rain starting to fall. So I tuck my handbag under my rain jacket (keeping my documents safe from the rain) and make a run for it. About two minutes into my journey, the rain starts falling fiercely. I carry on walking. I am a woman with a mission, after all.

Now drenched, I am finally outside the port. To my horror, I had to walk through a river of water that reached beyond my ankles. As I sludged through the water, I saw some people laugh at me. I don't blame them. The more friendly ones offered me a ride on a zimi. I declined as the Consulate was 500 metres away.

When I finally arrived at the Consulate I was drenched. My shoes had turned my feet pink and my handbag had a similiar effect on my hands and rain jacket. Thirty minutes later, I had to repeat this exercise to get back to the ship. But this time, I had a visa in my bag and I was happy.

Encounter two:
This evening I joined a group of friends for dinner at a local restaurant. As we left the ship, it started raining. At least this time I had an umbrella.

But this rain shower turned into a full blown storm. Thunder. Lightning. Icy winds. It had it all.
Our brave driver had to navigate his way through the water and the traffic and the windscreen that kept on fogging up untile we reached our destination.

When we entered the restaurant, we were seated in the outdoor area - it had a roof but no walls. While we were chatting we could feel the raindrops against our skin. We laughed. Some more nervously than others.

As the evening went on, the rain fell even harder and the electricity went out twice. The second time, we got such a fright. Somebody knocked over her drink and we heard the glass break in the dark followed by a gentle squeal for help. The lady opposite her jumped up, and now had a drink on her lap and rain falling on her head. Water was coming from every direction!

Eventually once we had light again, some of the more intelligent members of the party, created a wall with the umbrellas. It was something to behold. It is a dinner that I will remember for a long time.

Surrender

2009-05-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post. But honestly, I haven't had much to say.

Until today.

When I set out on this adventure I was excited and scared but felt that this is what God wanted me to do. So I did it. The journey taught me that I need to surrender my life to God. That He is much better at planning my life than I could ever be.

So when my principal offered me a position as a Kindergarten teacher for the next academic year (August 2009 - June 2010), I had to think carefully and prayerfully about it. If God wanted me here, then He would make it clear. I accepted the position but there were still a few formalities that needed to be sorted out - I hadn't attended the Gateway course in Texas (mandatory for all crew serving 9 months or more). To stay an extra year, I would need to be formally excused from Gateway. I remember sitting in the meeting saying: I do not have the means to go to Texas but I know that anything is possible.

I should also mention that the thought of Gateway stressed me out. It involves a week of basic safety training (read: firefighting) that I just DID NOT see myself doing. In the weeks leading up to this, my feeling towards Gateway changed. I felt like this was something I could possibly do. To be honest, I felt like God had given me a peace about the fact that I would attend Gateway at some point, so I had to surrender to it.

Then at the start of this week I was given the opportunity to stay with Mercy Ships for two more years (until August 2010) and have the cost of the flight to Texas paid for.

Was this God opening doors? I know it was.

While I was praying and thinking about whether or not to accept this offer, I came across Luke 14:25 - 33. I heard it again the next morning in a devotion. This passage of Scripture is entitled 'The Cost of Being a Disciple'. It says:

25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' 31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

This passage spoke directly to me. It reminded me of how faithful God was initially and how He will always be.

I have learnt that surrendering to God is a conscious and daily decision. My life has changed drastically since I starting surrendering to God. And I love it.

Things that make me smile

2009-03-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

I love my job.

As a teacher, I have the opportunity to participate in many 'unusual' events. Sometimes these events involve dressing up. Sometimes they are just an excuse to have a party. Although every day and every 'unusual' event is different, they all have a common thread - they usually make me smile.

An event that never fails to bring laughter into the academy is Spirit Day. This is a monthly academy event that is used to encourage unity and a sense of team spirit. These days require all teachers and students to dress according to a theme. In February we had to dress up in something that would represent our home country. I wore a South African rugby jersey, of course.

Last Friday it was time for spirit day again. The theme was 'Time Periods'. I was inspired to dress as a cavewoman - it was liberating (in a weird sort of way).

On Friday we had a poetry party for the elementary school. I don't think I have laughed like that in a long time. It just so happened that all the classes wrote poems over the last few weeks and a poetry party was a perfect opportunity for students to read their poems. And of course, it isn't a poetry party without cookies and hot chocolate.

My favourite poem was presented by one of the students in a lower grade. His couplet was surprising.

The number eight

has a plate

Needless to say, it made me smile. I just had to share it with you.

Chances are...

2009-03-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

Children make me laugh. I have heard some real gems in my class. This week, I was witness to another.

In the Grade Four Mathematics class we were discussing what the term 'probability' means. We also spoke about the terms certain, likely, equally likely, unlikely and impossible'.

I was struggling to find an example that the pupils in my class could relate to. Until one of the boys in my class intervened. He didn't seem to struggle...

'The probability of you becoming pregnant is impossible," he said confidently.

I was slightly shocked but covered it well. At least, I think I did.

'However,' he says 'The probability of you becoming engaged is very likely."

Evidently Mathematics is on my side.

Pride's nemesis

2009-03-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

Since my last post a lot has happened.

God has been stretching me and revealing things to me in unexpected ways. Sometimes good. Sometimes not so good.

One of the prayers that I had since my time on the ship was that God would humble me. When people hear that you are on the Africa Mercy they shower you with words of admiration and tell you how brave you are. I am sure that many people on the ship are brave and have sacrificied a lot to be obedient to God. I don't dispute that.

But the truth is that I don't feel brave. I feel blessed. My basic needs are met. And then some.

More recently though I have felt humbled.

I am ashamed to admit that being on this ship has at times given me a false sense of 'I'm good with God. Nothing can touch me.' Perhaps that was the first indication that God was preparing to show me something (I really should be able to read the signs by now).

Through interactions with others, God has shown me that I need Him as much as the people we are serving need Him. I am worth no more and no less than anyone else on or off the ship. I am His child and He loves me. Warts and all. I am humbled that God can use me, a sinner. Even though I judge; even though I have moments of pride, He trusts and loves me enough to allow me to be an ambassador for His Kingdom.

Last week one of the patients in the hospital experienced complications after surgery. She was fighting for her life downstairs in the ICU while I was complaining about the fact that my mango hadn't ripened. The start of another humbling experience...

We prayed for her healing; for complete restoration. We sang worship songs to her by her bedside. We held her hand. We prayed for a miracle. We had invested in this woman's life. At about 19:30 on Tuesday evening, while we were praying for her, she passed.

I didn't understand. How could God let her die when she came to the ship in search of an opportunity to improve her life? Why didn't God seize this moment to perform a miracle? Was it a lack of faith on my part? Was there something in my life that stopped God from not answering our prayers for healing?

Then it hit me.

God does not make mistakes. I am in no position to argue with our Maker. He knows what to do and when to do it. While I fixated on what I was doing wrong, God's plan was falling into place. He didn't need me to fulfil His plan but He was gracious enough to allow me to be a part of it.

I thank and praise God that He God continues to answers my prayers for humility daily.

'Therefore, as God's chosen people, Holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.' Colossians 3:12

God has a sense of humour

2009-02-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

So, if you had told me this time last year that I would be teaching on a hospital ship I probably would of laughed at you.

But God has a sense of humour, I suppose.

After hearing about Mercy Ships early last year, I decided to trade-in my job as a Grade Three teacher at a school in Cape Town, for a teaching post on the Africa Mercy.

Just the fact that I am on the ship is a testimony to God's power and faithfulness. I faced various financial and medical obstacles before leaving but God used these to reveal more of Himself to me.

I arrived in Tenerife in January and started teaching the Grade Three and Four class (a grand total of six students) three days later. These kids are amazing. They have a faith unlike any that I have seen in kids who lead 'normal' lives. They are so grateful for what they have and are so willing to give to those in need. Yet, they remain children - laughing at silly jokes and finding creative ways to avoid work.

I have created this blog to share my experience of Mercy Ships and God. I promise to keep you posted.