Closing the Ward

(Escorting our last patients home)

Soon after screening, our last patients were discharged or transferred and the ward on the Anastasis closed for forever. It was a great day as we were able to rejoice over all that the Lord has done these many years... but also sad as it was the last time a patient would grace these halls.

During the last couple weeks of the ward, two of our patients had some post op complications and were transferred to nearby hospitals. Yet, praise our Heavenly Father that they had stabilized and just needed a couple more days of hospital supervision.

Little Victoria had a large tumor that was removed and she has since gone home and is doing very well. Solomon required further surgery during our time here and was a patient we were very concerned for during his time here. Our Lord decided to take little Solomon to be with Him, as Solomon died about a week after leaving Mercy Ships. A hard time for our medical staff... Many of us were able to go to little Solomon's funeral in his home village. Please keep his family in your prayers during this dark time...

(Here is our crazy and amazing medical team. To God be the glory for all the great things He has done...)

Screening Day

*Thank you all who have been so patient with waiting for new updates. But I hope you enjoy these reflections on events during the month of May...*

SCREENING DAY

Late at night on May 4th, a group of Mercy Shippers trekked out to Harriet- Tubman Stadium in Monrovia, Liberia. Already, hundreds had gathered waiting in line to see our physicians the next morning. This late night team had the unlikeable task of beginning to turn away those we could not help. The rains came that night, but no one went for shelter. All stayed and waited for the morning light....

Potential patients were escorted into the stadium and waited for registration. But boy did they enjoy the wait!! Drums, guitars and African music were heard throughout the stadium all day. One of our guys made animal shaped balloons for the young and the young at heart. Stickers, face painting, silly songs... all apart of the waiting process. From registration, they came to my history team where we documented their chief complaint and reviewed their health history. Next was assessment by our physicians... lab... pharmacy.... prayer station. By lunch, the YWAM team had come and helped us distribute small lunches and drinks to everyone.

It had rained in the morning, and so we were lucky regarding the heat- honestly, it was only hot around lunch time- then cooled back down. God cares about the little things. After I was done with reviewing health histories I worked at the prayer station. This offered prayer and counseling for those who were denied and for those who wanted someone to talk to. I really appreciated the relaxed atmosphere and getting to hear the hearts of those who had come. It was a long day and we were all very tired by the end :) But not too tired to miss out on going downtown for ice cream. ;)

So thank you to all of you at home that held us in prayer. God is to be praised.

Fishing with the Boys

(Two of my favorite boys- Garrett from Canada and Tom from Holland. The fish is Liberian.)

Tuesday evening- after working my four night shifts- I was ready for a non-nursing, relaxing evening. So at dinner I asked Garret, "so Garret, what's going on tonight?"

His reply: "Wanna go fishing?"

Sure! :) I was interested to see where and with what...

Off the side of the dock it was with some makeshift fishing line and lures. Bait used? Lamb and bread from dinner. Hey whatever works, you know?

So enjoy pictures from our little adventure. It's random moments like this that I will truly miss...

Here is one of many fish that Garret caught. He has some weird magical touch. It took him approximately 3 seconds to catch a fish- in total he probably caught about 15. Here he is proudly displaying one of his catches.

(The picture below shows how we were really putting our backsides into our work.)

There was quite a crowd that formed on the decks above as cheers went up as a fish was caught. We are easily entertained.

And just for the record, I caught two little fishies :)

Sunset that very evening. This is the first sunset I've seen here where the sun set on the water. Beautiful...

"Follow me and I will make you fishers of men" - Matthew 4:19

20 Days and Counting...

This is an email that was sent last evening to my prayer supporters, but I think it is good to share with everyone...

Hey everyone!

I hope you all are having a great week. You all are on my mind and in my prayers. It is so hard to believe that I only have 6 weeks left here in Liberia- the feeling is bitter sweet. As I am writing this, our dear Dr. Parker, is walking around B deck this evening in his scrubs with camera in hand. Tomorrow will be the last day of surgeries on board the Anastasis. After tomorrow, the doors to the OR will be closed forever. Dr. Parker melts my heart. For 25 years, he and his family have faithfully served here. I can't even believe the thousands of people who have crossed through that OR door- the many stories that have been told- the lives that have changed. I'm sure it's with a heavy heart that he is taking his last few pictures of the B deck OR corridor.... So I'd ask that you all would keep the crew in your prayers tomorrow. For all the excitement of the Africa Mercy, there's also a lot of sadness among the long term crew.

In saying that, the Africa Mercy is coming in 20 days. We have a count down in the dining hall- it's a picture of one of our port holes with the Africa Mercy seen in the distance- each day getting closer- as we count down the days. The crew in Blyth is very tired and over worked. Although the ship is ready to sail- there are a lot of things on board that still need to be finished... below are just a couple of the specific prayer needs:

- papers certifying the AFM as a passenger vessel
- finishing the vacuum style toilet system ( huge prayer request definitely!! :) )
- stocking all donations on board
- currently the ship keeps having to move back and forth from dock to dock to allow other ships to come in to port. This is no easy task and is taking a toll on getting everything done on time
- the crew and their relationships with one another and their own families

And lastly, our major screening day will be on Thursday, May 3rd. Thousands of people will be lined up waiting at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia waiting to be seen by the Mercy Ships team. Please pray for:
- security (first time the UN has allowed such a large public meeting since the war)
- safety
- clarity with translators
- grace, wisdom and energy for the physicians
- organization as we move people from waiting, to get labs, history.... etc.
- enough water, and protection from the African heat for so many that will be waiting

I will be with the team taking patients' histories. I am so looking forward to this- please pray for sensitivity and understanding as we talk with patients and their families.

Transition time is upon us and we're getting ready to shortly welcome the Africa Mercy as it will be side by side the Anastasis till the end of June. Thank you all so much for your thoughts, prayers and wonderful words of encouragement on the blog, email, by phone etc.

- security (first time the UN has allowed such a large public meeting since the war)
- safety
- clarity with translators
- grace, wisdom and energy for the physicians
- organization as we move people from waiting, to get labs, history.... etc.
- enough water, and protection from the African heat for so many that will be waiting

I will be with the team taking patients' histories. I am so looking forward to this- please pray for sensitivity and understanding as we talk with patients and their families.

Transition time is upon us and we're getting ready to shortly welcome the Africa Mercy as it will be side by side the Anastasis till the end of June. Thank you all so much for your thoughts, prayers and wonderful words of encouragement on the blog, email, by phone etc.

Love you guys!!

~Kristen

Dear Friends... Precious Memories

This week has been busy as we are preparing to close the OR and ward. But before we say a final goodbye to our patients on the Anastasis- as always- I wanted to introduce you to a few more :)

Below is baby Victorya. She was born with a teratome... if you are not familiar with what this is, it's worth Googling, trust me. This is her beautiful mama holding her. Victorya is in need of your prayers as she has quite a ways to go before she is healed. Pray that the Lord gives our doctors wisdom in knowing how to care for her before she is discharged home.

We have also had quite a few patients from Sierra Leone- below are a couple of the cleft lip and palate babies and their precious mamas. They are all traveling home today and many have a long journey ahead.


Ahh!! Hey Marissa and Eleni!! These are two very special buds of mine. Marissa (on the left) is from Idaho and served here for nearly 8 months doing many many jobs. OR sterilization was her final job before she went home. Oh how we miss her and the amazing lattes she would make at the Sala Victoria! Eleni is to the right- my Yale grad that is on her way to med school. Eleni is such a blast and a great sister in Christ. She played soccer in the Olympics and is now playing for the Liberian national team during her time here. Go Eleni go!!

Eleni- hard at work :)

During this outreach, the Red Cross has been a huge help flying patients from the interior into Monrovia for treatment with Mercy Ships. This is one of the photos of some of our patients on their way home.

Below is little Fomba and his mother with a ward translator. He is my little Bible scholar and loves to quote Bible verses... while I am doing his wound care. His other favorite thing is to make fish faces!

Here is Chris (right) and James (left). Two of our burn contracture release patients that have been on the ward for a number of weeks. These are my two favorite UNO players- and boy they get very competitive. Little James was my UNO partner until he understood the game... then he didn't want any bit of my help. He was completely self-sufficient. I was astonished as he looked at his cards one time, placed the stack under his thigh bandage and would pull out precisely the card he needed at the proper time. He was crazy! "Ooh!!!"s would go up as the boys would discover the meaning of "skip" or "draw four". I've never played such a heated game of UNO in my life- and probably never will again. (smile)

Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ~ Ephesians 5:1-2

David

A couple weeks ago, John David came to Mercy Ships as a patient. We did not know at that time that he had been separated from his daughter for 18 years due to the civil war. One evening on the ward there was a flutter of excitement as we noticed something unique about a particular visitor at his bedside...

His daughter had just recently moved back to Monrovia, but this time as a wife and mother of 4. During a conversation with a distant relative, she learned that her father had just been admitted to Mercy Ships for surgery... and to our ship she came!!

That evening was amazing, as father and daughter, separated for most of her life, were reunited.... God is good...

The next morning he was able to meet his grandchildren for the first time.

The pictures below are of his homecoming from Mercy Ships. To God be the glory and all praise...

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. ~ Psalm 68:5