Thank you all for your heartfelt responses to my blog yesterday! I don’t think in almost 2 years I have had such an overwhelming response. I guess when you need it most…:)
After pouring out my emotions yesterday, I thought I should keep you all abreast of what continued on from yesterday.
First of all, let me assure each of you that I AM perfectly safe and in no way am I in danger of any kind! Mercy Ships takes extreme measures to make sure the crew is always looked after in any circumstance and has contingency plans in place for things we would never even think off. Please DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ME! If you want to worry about someone – pick a name out of a hat for a Sierra Leoneon. Honestly, I have been in a lot of dire places between working with the Government in Mexico for the underprivileged, as a home country volunteer on skid road in Vancouver, and as a missionary of various 3rd world countries and I have never seen or heard a place like this, not even on tv!
The oppression is obvious, the enemy is working; rarely does one come face to face with the dark side of the spiritual world, but one would have to be in total denial not to sense it’s presence here.
The war has only been over a short time – a decade…what’s that??? Probably just enough time for them to figure out the direness of there lives. 200,000 people lived in the city of Freetown before the war, there is now over 2,000.000. The amputees are mostly ones that were tortured horrifically and given choices like “do you want a short sleeve, or a long sleeve?, or something an d a buttock? Or the freedom fighters losing their hands and then mocked with ‘the hand of freedom,’ and then left to bleed out. And then as if that’s not bad enough, there are the mines……You know what; I could go on and on with what I’m seeing, hearing and learning about the devastation here, but the truth is we’re here to expose the darkness to light. To bring hope and healing and love in action. So my next blog will start telling you about some of that…for now let me close with a few words from our Founder and President, Don Stephens:
The following is the statement being released regarding the event:
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.
He also reminds us, “This is certainly a time to pray and believe that God will work all things together for good in this tragic situation.” I agree because like I told Kadiatu, “what is it all for if we don’t have hope?” Really!
Some words from our Managing Director, Donovan Palmer who has worked for Mercy Ships many, many years, from our Chief Surgeon, Gary Parker who has been with Mercy Ships around 24 years and our Chaplain, Ans Rozema who held a briefing, or a debriefing (I’m not sure) last night to go over with the community what happened:
- …have been to many screening with Mercy Ships and 5 to Sierra Leone and nothing like this has ever happened before…
- …apologies to the crew and then this explanation for the apology, ‘people with real needs didn’t get help today…many spent all there money to get here and are sleeping who knows where and now; well, we are doing what we can to find out who those people are and how we can get to them and them to us…
- …tragically 13 were injured, including one fatality and two life threatening situations. Mercy Ships personnel on site cared for the victims and accompanied them to hospitals. No Mercy Ships personnel was injured. We are paying the hospital bills for the victims so that everyone could have medical help. we will also be arranging a special screening, so they do not have to be subject to another wait or line…
- …we are very sorry for the family and friends of the man who died today and are trying to find out who they are as we do not have any information at this time…(someone in our community recommended that we give him a burial if we can’t find any relatives)
- …there were a small group of people purposely inciting the crowd, we don’t why, we are still going over all the written observations from the crew that were close by and processing the information…
- …2 arrests have been made…
- …screenings are postponed for the safety of the crew until the senior management can figure out their options and safely organize a second screening…
- …this doesn’t lessen the fact that we are good for the poor as we seek to serve…
- …everyone processes differently and there will be a grieving process..
- …don’t get fearful – the devil will try to use this to divide us…
- …pray for strategies…
- …where there are great needs, you will encounter challenges…
- …Sierra Leone Minister of Health is very keen for us to continue our screening and help their people…
- …Thursday nights offering (our first on this outreach) will go to the help the victims and needy of the screenings…
- …there are number of issues that caused today’s event – there have been at least 12 elements identified already…
from my friend John, “I was on the security team during screening, and that was the most intense days since my time in Vietnam.”
my friend Toni, “all I can say is that I have to recall scriptures about heaven where there will be no more suffering and pain.”
Dr. Gary is reminded of the verse from Luke 22:31, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.”
Please remember to pray for us as we live and work and minister and serve and love the people of Sierra Leone for the next 10 months!
Thank you! I am blessed to have you in my life and I love you!
May God be with you, protect you and keep you safe!
xx Carol :)
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