"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Cor 15-58

Thursday, September 15, 2011

I’m back in Sierra Leone…

Dear friends, family and supporters (of every kind) Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am so grateful to God for you, for each of you in my life. You are why I can do what I am doing (apart from God of course ). I feel so loved and encouraged and thoroughly enjoy all the amazing encounters we share. I am blessed to know you and to be a part of you lives and have you a part of mine – my cup overfloweth.

I’m back on board now and very busy. 3 months away is long-time and there is lots to catch up on; not to mention the addition of a new job. My job as Office Supplies Manager for the ship has been amalgamated with the Post-office position, so I am very busy learning a new position and trying to catch up with my old one;  nothing that wasn’t expected. I’m still not sure if I will be able to keep my minor job (1 afternoon a week) at the Hope Center working with the patients that don’t need nursing care but still need wound care? I hope so…I’ll let you know.

Just for those of you whom I haven’t talked yet about the results of my “suspicious mammogram”… all is well! The second mammogram came back completely clear and there is nothing to be concerned about. Thank you for you concern and also to those of you who prayed.

Please know that this blog is my priority to staying in touch with you and bringing news, stats and stories of what Mercy Ships is doing in West Africa and my part and feelings about those things along with tidbits of my life here. I simply have too much to do for the next couple of weeks to catch-up on for the lengthy time I was away, so I don’t think I will be blogging until the end of the month. The good news is I have a ton of ideas to blog and only hope you think they are good ideas too once you read them. ha, ha, ha :) My goal is to blog once every two weeks. I am always interested in your feedback, so please feel free to leave me comments if you would like to suggest, encourage, give advice (such as, every two weeks is to often,. hehe) , or just to say hello.

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you!

Love, hugs and prayers,

CT :)

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Off-Ship

Hi there,

I will be returning to the ship (from time home in June/July) later than planned and will be taking a bit of time to catch up when I get back, so I don't expect to blog again until mid-Septemberish....

Boy, do I have a bunch of good ideas to blog you. I look forward to sharing my/our future with Mercy Ships with you.

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace!”

Talk to you in Septmeber!

Love,

Carol :)

P.S. If you would like to visit past blogs you can keep scrolling down from this one straight down to the bottom and click on "older blogs," or you can go to the end of the side bar on the right and chose a past blog by: year, month and title! Please feel free to pass on your feedback at any time. Enjoy!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

My Ministry vs. Mercy Ships Ministry - Are They Different?

I don’t think sooooo, as described in 1 Corinthians 12; One Body, Many Parts….

My Missions Pastor Asked Me for a Story He Could Present to the Season’s Ministry (my church’s seniors ministry).… I decided to share with you what I shared with him as it summarizes a lot of what you have been reading about over the last 3 months and how God is being faithful…

The infrastructure in Sierra Leone is fragile to say the least: the port we are docked at in Freetown became privatized shortly after arriving here. With the turnover from government to private our containers which come from Holland and the US have been taking an inordinate amount of time to clear customs. Our containers are filled with hospital supplies, food (frozen and regular), maintenance supplies, IS equipment etc. etc.  Being without these supplies affects the entire ship from the galley to the hospital, and thereby, the care of the patients and crew alike. As you know we have been in a South Africa shipyard for 5 months replacing 4 of our generators. We use 2 generators at all times to supply electricity, vacuum system for our plumbing, air conditioning (it sounds like a luxury, but it is not when you have the humidity and heat of Africa onboard a 499 foot ship with around 700 people moving about it on a daily basis). I’m sure you can imagine how much the air conditioning is needed for the doctors providing surgeries and the patients recovering. Not to mention, that an air conditioned environment controls mosquitoes which in Africa are Malaria carriers (yes, this has a personal bent as I was very ill last year with Malaria if you remember?). Air conditioning is not just a luxury! Our divers have to dive daily to try and keep the intake valves from being plugged up from the incredible amount of garbage carried down the river. The intake valves get plugged up with plastics and debris and the generators are being stretched to their maximum capacity running with continuous blocked power that is impossible to keep clear. One of our generators is not working at all leaving us with only one back up at present. The hospital only runs if the generators run! The river is dangerous and has fast monivig currents that pull the divers away from the ship consequently making it so they can only dive at low or high tide. The water is extremely polluted and the divers are all a little unwell. One that I know of has an infection in his calf from diving and is now on anti-biotics and can’t dive for at least 5 days. In addition, there was a major rupture to the entire water system in Freetown today which ‘coincidentally’  occurred on the day we are supposed to be topping our tanks, so as a result, our reserves are low and once again (as this is not the first time since we’ve been here we are on water rations) we are in a water crisis and have closed the laundry room, have converted to paper plates and plastic cups (very expensive), turned off the hot water and are in a situation of severe water rationing to conserve water – all the while, singing the limerick if it’s yellow, let It mellow; if it’s brown flush it down. This is not just affecting us, but everyone in this part of Freetown known as Kissy. I cannot even tell you what that means in terms of the filth in the streets…the pollution in the city and the garbage in the river! To make matters worse rainy season is upon us (I am glad I brought my rubber boots :))Furthermore, once they get the rupture fixed (????), we still will have several days before we can get water and then several more days before we can use it because it has to be treated. This brings me to my final point; there has been an unusually large amount of crew ill on the ship from sinus infections to stomach cramps and stomach infections etc.. Is it because of the water, the fruits and vegetables (often watered with sewage water), or some other  by-product of something coming onto the ship??? We don’t know!

In the grand scheme of things this is just a small amount of general information that I am giving you about the difficulties we are facing here in Sierra Leone. To paraphrase what the Captain said to me this morning, the entire process of being here is challenging and difficult on every level. But in spite of all I have mentioned, let me tell you what God is doing here that we have to be thankful for in the midst of so much strife….First and foremost, people are being helped. People that wouldn’t be able to have a hope and a future if Mercy Ships wasn’t here are finding their way to us. And as an additional bonus employment is being created for upwards of 200 people for such a time as this…God provided a building for us to be able to care for up to 100 recovering patients that require only wound care(or to prepare patients for surgery) and their caregivers, so we do not have to use the 70 beds we have onboard for patients that are recovering. (Unfortunately, however, with rainy season upon us the entire building known as the Hope Centre floods.) This building is only a 10 minute walk from the ship. We are able to have a dental clinic in the same building because it is large enough to house 2 different ministries and we had volunteers here that were able to build a series of partitions inside the building. Our dental team just went up north with 3 dentists and saw over 200 patients in one day extracting over 550 teeth between them to people who have never even seen a dentist. They were able to work for 3 days, in addition to one day of travel each way. We had a Mercy Team come and build a module on the same property with toilets and plumbing for decent sanitary conditions. The Lord has also provided an air conditioned module on the dock for the eye team to be able to see an exorbitant amount of patients, again with plumbing that a team from the states was able to come and construct. He has provided a team house within the compound of the Swiss Embassy for our off-ship crew to live in safely and within an hour of the ship (on a good day). He has provided enough volunteers who also have diving licenses so the team leader can rotate the divers, so it’s not only the same 2 or 3 who are diving in addition to their regular jobs. We were also able to raise enough money from an offering to buy them proper diving gear to better protect them. For the first part of this outreach we have had enough surgeons available to perform the projected orthopaedic surgeries (stats to follow) up to this point and now with our with our plastic surgeon on board are able to address other types of reconstructive surgeries as well. He has provided a full-time crew physician during this time of unusually large numbers of crew getting ill. He has provided an amazing engineering and deck department who work tirelessly without complaint to keep everything running while everything and everyone is being stressed to capacity….

I could go on and on, but I would like to end now and just remind you that our God is providing even while we are being stretched and while we are being stretched we are trusting Him, and in my opinion exemplifying what it means to love God and love others whilst having the love of God in our hearts. I am humbled and honoured (most days :)) to work and live with so many brothers and sisters who keep cheerful, caring and goldy attitudes throughout some of the most difficult and challenging of times. 

My prayer request is for the patients that are selected for a life changing surgery, the ones who are not, me, the crew, the senior management team and the mission of Mercy Ships to be in the will of God and not our own…

Darcy, as I finish this email with your request I feel that it is enough. I know that I haven’t written a personal story of my own personal ministry, but on the other hand, I have, because what involves the ship on a whole is also my ministry as we are a community and each part works to the good of the whole which is the ministry offered by Mercy Ships to “be love in action;” thereby glorifying God! You, the church, my family and my peer group, are too, a part of this community and that is not merely words because without the encouragement, finances and prayers of you all I could not be here doing my part which happens to be the tactile ‘sent out’ part.

It is midnight now and I’m off to sleep. 9 more sleeps and I am home for a visit. See you soon!

I pray that Darcy (missions pastor) and his assistant Jeri-Leanne are blessed in abundance by every story that is sent to them in response to Darcy’s email. May the Season’s ministry be blessed deeply by the stories they decide to share and may each of the ministries they pray over on Friday feel a renewed presence of the Holy Spirit living and working in their/my life.

In Christ’s Service,

Carol :)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Can you find me?

Crew Photo – Togo, August 2010

Crew Photo by Tom Bradley Aug. 2010 (1) 

a  lA little help perhaps – mIddle bottom…:)

Crew Photo by Tom Bradley Aug. 2010b (1)

Sunday, May 22, 2011

When I was home last year do you remember me telling you the story about Tani???

Tani touched and found a way into my heart; there is no doubt about it, and now she’s coming back…

We have the funds allocated to bring Tani, a caregiver and transportation back to the ship from Togo for Tani. Our plastic surgeon, Dr. Tertius, a plastic surgeon who regularly volunteers his time  is back on the ship and Tani can come back for some more reconstructive surgery of her badly burnt face. Praise the Lord!!! However, she has not been able to obtain a passport as yet and Dr. Tertius is only here for 4 weeks and has already been here for 1. He does come back at the end of the outreach though, so if Tani can not be seen this time there will be a next time as long as she can get a passport…please pray to that end for her!

You might remember me saying this young girl has more joy in her one eye than all of our eyes put together – I still stand by that and am thrilled that I will be able to see her again. I will still be able to spend some time with her and I feel blessed to be able to see this girl that inspires the best of me; sometime while we are here in SL!!!! :):):)

Tani - May 2010 (1) Playing with Tani Nakabe (30406) down in the ward. TANI NAKABE

By Elaine B. Winn

In one of the northern most villages in Togo, W. Africa, food is cooked over an outdoor wood fire that is kept burning for warmth in cooler weather. When little Tani was a year old, she awoke from her nap and toddled outside to find her mother. Drawn to the fire, she put her foot on a protruding log. It flipped up and hit her in the head, knocking her over. The burning log quickly enflamed her hair, burning her head and face before her screams of pain brought help from family members.

She was taken to a small local hospital, butTGD30406B-TANI_NAKABE2_LO no burn specialist was available. Not knowing how to properly treat the burns, they applied alcohol, further drying the badly damaged skin. The fire destroyed her right eye, her nose, and all but a trace of her right ear. When the skin above her mouth burned, it pulled up and constricted the right side of her upper lip. She has only her left eye and ear to help her function.

Nevertheless, Tani is a very bright child and is in the second level in school, where her classmates taunt and insult her. Still, she has a joyful spirit. She attends her village church and loves to sing there. Her parents were not moved to bring her to Mercy Ships, but her church family was. The church leadership elected a deacon to escort her to Mercy Ships for surgery without charge. The deacon left his wife and three children for a month to bring her to Lome because he felt it was his duty to afford this opportunity for Tani. After a month, the deacon got word that a wind storm had blown the roof of his house off. He had to return home. So, the pastor’s son, who was just completing exams at a school nearby, came to stay with Tani in the hospital.

I first saw Tani sitting by herself on a bench at the Hospitality Center about 6 weeks ago. Her frail little body and horribly disfigured face I didn’t find repugnant at all. In fact, I was drawn to her partly because she sat so straight on the bench, and partly because she didn’t present herself as a figure to be pitied. My translator and I found her escort and interviewed him about her life. Surely, I would have to write this courageous child’s story.

Tani will need another suTGD30406M-TANI_NAKABE19_LOrgery and maybe a third to rebuild her nose and possibly provide a socket for a glass eye. Funding is being sought to allow her to travel to Sierra Leone where she can receive her surgery in the next field service early next year.

It’s now early next year and she will be here soon whether it be now or later. Please keep her in your prayers and I will keep you posted on her progress.

God go bless you! (Krio)  xx

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Stats for the 2010 Outreach in Togo and the Republic of South Africa…

For consistency purposes, I am basically copying and pasting the report I sent to my church for their the missionary booklet that they update once a year. For those of you that read my blog and the Northview Missionary Booklet, you will find some differences as the page in the booklet doesn’t have room for many pictures, they had to edit some of the information I provided because of space and I edited requests for support because I didn’t feel that for this particular blog it was appropriate… here goes:

New outreach, new cabin, new job, new season…

There is so much to share with you in this yearly update on what was accomplished in 2010. How, then, do I decide what I will include? I guess the obvious is I have prayed about what to write, and I thank God in advance for the wisdom and discernment of what I am going to include in this blog…

So much has happened since I was home last June and July. As our past CEO (even he has changed) said, “We have had volcanoes disrupt our travel and supply lines, political uprisings block our paths, and a little detour to the ship yard make 2010 a very unique year indeed. We had to shorten our Field Service in Togo to allow the Africa Mercy to be retrofitted with new more efficient equipment. 

5 Month Dry Dock in South Africa

DumaZulu Village, Zulu Dancing and Lunch, Sept. 24, 2010 (62)

 

Me with some Zulu children in the province of Kwa Zulu Natal where some of the the crew stayed in a community called at Appelsbosch.

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Paterson, Senior VP of International Operations commented, “As an organization, we have just completed one of our largest undertakings in the generator refit project in the Durban shipyard.” Here are some of the things we accomplished during this time:

Replacement of 6 old, noisy, unreliable and dirty generators with And more of Chuck's Shipyard Pics - Nov. 2010.jpg (1)4 super efficient, more economical and environmentally friendly brand new MAN generators; Replacement of 2 old and unreliable air conditioning SABRO units with 2 shiny new and reliable Carrier units;  New engine room piping for cooling salt water, fire mains, heavy fuel, diesel fuel, fresh water, etc;  rewiringg bridge for the new MAN engine control system Replacement of engine controls in engine room and bridge;  7km of new cables between engines and bridge; Modification of electrical switchboard; New shelving in Deck 6 and Deck 2 food stores; All lifeboats, life-rafts, and lifeboat davits serviced and all cables renewed; All fire-fighting and SCUBA equipment They found where the majority of pipes went and some just simply didn't work anymore - we have an awesome deck departmentrepaired/serviced (Scuba equipment needs further attention); New Mercy Ships logo on funnel and along side; Pool modified with installation of wave catchers;  More sprinklers installed in cargo hold; Damaged windows replaced with new ones; Main engines overhauled; Tons and tons of provisions loaded; All Land Rovers and Nissans repaired and serviced; Elevator converted from manual to electronic, with fancy new controls. The estimated costs to get these repairs done is approx. 8 million USD. It is not exact because they are still working on the final dollar amount.

Whew, there was a lot of work done and as you can read, our time in South Africa was very necessary and very busy! We are still working out some of the glitches and details in making all the new machinery work and in some instances still waiting for parts towards that effort, but as the Captain said, our sail here was without the usual generator problems and the new ones have already proved worthwhile.

 AFM Leaving Durban 2011.jpg

Leaving Durban Dry Dock in the Republic of South Africa

One of the Mercy Ships VP’s announced, “There was discussion that we would not be able to perform many services while in South RSA Dry Dock Crew (1)   RSA Dry Dock CrewAbove & to the right: Dry Dock Crew. Below: Appelsbosch Crew wearing “ I survived the Bosch t-shirtsWe Survived the Bosch 1

Africa, but yet our Crew took the challenge and not only provided services, they have helped us to make 2010 a new record for the number of people impacted with Togo and South Africa combined.”

We have just released our 2010 Field Service numbers and we were able to impact over 480,000 people this year!  Praise God!” Again for you statistical minded, we were able to perform over 77,000 procedures with over 59,000 direct beneficiaries. Some further statistics include 30,265 eye consultations, 1,150 reconstructive surgeries, 15,702 dental interventions and 12,215 students trained in village health. These statistics don’t include of course the volunteers trained to do lay work, doctors trained in specialized areas of surgery, relationships made, a multitude of programs and ministries offered, and God being represented and glorified in all we do! I have shared previously some of those stats that were performed in South Africa which you can find under ‘old posts’ on the sidebar.  Below are a few pictures of just a few of the people those stats made a difference to in Togo.Bill Martin (Hospital Director) gives the two ex-orthopaedic patients footballs as gifts for coming to the ceremony. Country Briefings Information on the Sail - 15 - 18 Feb, 2011 (36)Country Briefings Information on the Sail - 15 - 18 Feb, 2011 (35)

 

Patrick after Maxillo Facial Tumour surgery.

 

 

Loveless below is 4 years old. Unfortunately, her tumour is malignant and we could not help her. The truth is the doctors were quite surprised that she had made it thus far….5028654622_52e0c3fb01[1]  pre op taken in 2009 during her stay at the hospital in Cameroon.  First day of arrival at the hospital approx may 2009.   she was brought to the medical Clinic in Cameroon and cared for by Sarah Root a volunteer nurse from the USA.  Antibiotics, proper wound care, good nutrition and hygiene were administered during the year before she arrived on the AFM in Togo in April. Pictured here May 2009.

TGD30166M-AICHA_WALDATALA201_LO

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aissa - NOMA

  LID1139B-ALIMOU_CAMARA04 LID1139A-ALIMOU_CAMARA015

 

Alimou – Maxillo Facial Tumour

 

 

 

 LIC0468B-MARTHLYN_SMITH01                              Marthlynn – Cleft PalateLIC0468A-MARTHLYN_SMITH06

TGD30205B-AKUAVI_ADOTE28_LO 

Look at the beauty, the peace in her right eye…

How, when carrying this around???TGD30205B-AKUAVI_ADOTE23_LOTGD30205M-AKUVAVI_ADOTE2_LO

Wow! Isn’t she unbelievably beautiful? 

What is it they say, “The eyes are the mirror to our soul.” I’d say with eyes like hers and a such a smile to match that Akuavi is one special treasure …

 

 

And how about Kossi (below). As a mother, his situation pulls at my heart, and without a doubt reminds me why I sacrifice being at home with my own son!Kossi on his bed. Abel – Orthopaedics: unbelievable aye?

 WOMEN GETTING READY FOR THE CELEBRATIONVVF (Vesicovaginal fistula) ‘Coming out Celebraton!’ (I hope you remember my stories from last year of what this terrible affliction is about and what all these women in West Africa have to suffer – unnecessarily!)

  Although, empowering VVF patients is one of our passions, we won’t be doing these surgeries while we are in Sierra Leone (SL)as they have a VVF Clinic that was established our last time in SL and is still up and running. We will come alongside them, but we don’t usually do surgeries that can already be done in the country we help.

Of course I can’t share about all of the 480,000 beneficiaries Mercy Ships, you and I have impacted, but I did want to share a few of the above statistics of the incredible life-changing surgeries that are done on board the ship with you. 

As of 27 February 2011 we have docked in Freetown, Sierra Leone for a ten month long Field Service bringing hope and healing to a country rebuilding itself after years of civil war, conflict and instability. Country Briefings Information on the Sail - 15 - 18 Feb, 2011 (13) Country Briefings Information on the Sail - 15 - 18 Feb, 2011 (11) Country Briefings Information on the Sail - 15 - 18 Feb, 2011 (12)

I have to admit, it is a little scary to be here where human devastation and poverty is at the bottom of the World’s Human Index Scale. However, I am challenged to serve God in a way that is totally outside of my comfort zone and humbly look forward to how He plans to use me in this new season…This last sentence reminds me of a couple of quotes, “To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.” And, “The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you”

Country Briefings Information on the Sail - 15 - 18 Feb, 2011 (8)

The Anastasis was Mercy Ships predecessor to the M/V Africa Mercy and was retired in 2007 when the M/V Africa Mercy was put to sea.Walk to Town_013

 

 

The picture on the right is painted on the wall outside the port in SL (Thank you Murray for the pic)

Before we started our mass screenings in the Capital of Freetown…,Carol's Pics of the IMATT - Prince Williams & Kate's Wedding Celebration - 29 Apr 11 036 (146)

The line outside the screening area.…some of our approx. 60 person advance team (inclclip_image002uding 2 doctors) had gone to 5 rural areas, and had already screened 4948 people from crowds of over 7600; clip_image002

clip_image002[10]scheduled 368 surgeries, 139 surgeon screenings, referred 503 people to other departments, clip_image002[12] 

 

 

 

clip_image002[16]

 

created a waiting list of 708 and were able to perform 26 minor surgeries clip_image002[18]

 

 

 

 

This list does not begin to include what the advance team prepared for our arrival Photographerincluding hiring, giving orientation and TB…

 

Sailing into SL

 

 

Some more members of the advance team below:

Below: Managing Director and his wife (Donovan & Mae Palmer) with Captain Tim Tretheway; the raising of the country flag, and the pilot boarding to bring us in.

 

There was a lot of fanfare: Above: Marching Band & Some of the land-based media team – Below: Welcome Banners & Minister of Health with the Head of our Advance Team and the boy (past patient) I speak about on the sidebar; his story yet to come.

Okay, the below pictures having nothing to do with anything other than coming into port. I just thought you might want to see a few pictures of me now… LOL :) The port coming into view behind me; Penny (my South African friend) and I holding up the sunrise which actually looked more like a sunset, and Alice Maude & I (my Sierra Leoneon friend)

Above: I am just posing for this momentous occasion. (yes Tracey, I will be printing the above pictures, so you can see them close-up :):):):))

… testing and immunization shots clip_image002[21]of more than 150 day workers to work with us once our ship arrived and an abundance of other factors I couldn’t begin to list here. I look forward to providing more details to you through my blog and my next visit home in June and July 2011!

 

Freetown

 Carol's Pics - 5 March 2011 - 1st trip to the Big Market 280 (103) 

Congested City of vehicles, people & vendors all fighting for a spot on the same narrow street….

 

It can take 2 hours to move 6 Km.

 

 

 

 

Freetown has national clean up day once a month.Carole's pics Jan - Apr. 2011 (140)

But….

National Cleanup Day

and now with the rainy season it’s couples with mud etc. and is quite a mess! (Thank God I brought my rubber boots!)

Please pray for me about all the things in my opening sentence; each one presents a challenge of it’s own kind and I could not be here doing this work without your faithful prayers, encouragement and financial support.

Okay, okay, this blog ended up being quite a bit different than the original sent to the church for the booklet; a little more embellished should we say…I’m blaming it on prayer…lol 

imageimageimage

“Around the world today, billions of people live in fear and desperation, with impure water, inadequate food, and little or no access to health care. Behind every statistic is a person waiting for hope and healing. Utilizing hospital ships, Mercy Ships delivers medical excellence with integrity and compassion to the world's forgotten poor by mobilizing people and resources worldwide. Mercy Ships serves all people without regard for race, gender, or religion.” -                                                      -Marianne Huurman, HR Manager

Carol's pics of Pietermeritzburg & Butterflies for Africa - 6 November, 2010 (179)

I have no medical training, but I have the love of God and love for others that I can share along with some administrative skills and an open heart and mind to learn and participate in whatever I can do, to help make a difference here in West Africa; where living one day at a time is harder than anything I’ve ever had to do – ever… !

Come, let us bow down in worship,                                            ; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;                                     ; For He is our God and we are the people of his pasture,            The flock under His care. – Amen! 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for whatever your part was in bringing hope and healing in 2010 to the 480,0000 and to the successful implementation of our new generators plus, plus, plus….

Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance!

Love and hugs,

clip_image001Carol  XX 

P.S. More to follow on the new job and new cabin image