Yes or No

We, as the Mercy Ships crew, had our Congo field service patient selection yesterday. This is a time where we choose the patients that we receive surgeries. We are told that approximately seven thousand people came to the patient selection, five thousand of those seeking surgical care. I was a part of the pre-screening team, which means we were the first people the prospective patient came to as they walked through the gate. We made the initial decision of "yes" or "no" to thin out the crowd seeing the surgeons. Though we will be able to help a lot of people, we cannot help them all. 

I'm not really sure what to name this post or even how to explain what I'm trying to say here. Now that I have experienced my first patient selection, there are so many conflicting emotions I am processing. Exuberant joy for the patients that we will be able to provide hope and healing for versus sadness and a prayerful burden for the patients we turned away. One of my fellow crew mates and friends loves to use a certain system to learn about another's day. It involves highs (the good) and lows (the bad). I feel like this is the easiest way to communicate my day. Let's start with the lows so we end on a happy note!

Low

By the end of the day we had filled up most of our surgery spots. We only have a set of number  of available patient spots that surgeons can perform operations on. With those spots filled we had the very hard task of telling patients "No, we cannot help you." Some were quite understanding and surprisingly peaceful about it, but others you could see the shock on their faces. To be offered hope and then find out they were too late. I can only imagine the hurt and confusion they felt and continue to feel now.

There were a large number of people who came that we just don't do that particular surgery or provide that medical need. Examples would be cerebral palsy, shoulder dystocia, arthritis and abdominal pain.

High

Having someone walk up to me and automatically knowing just by seeing them that they get one of the special laminated cards that allows them one step closer to their healing. For example a healthy cleft lip child or a child with bowed legs.

Seeing crew that do not normally work in the hospital rise to the occasion to help people by going the extra mile. The event that touched my heart the most was this ... There was a momma who brought her child to us. I estimate she was preteen perhaps. I knew the moment I looked at her what was going on. Once you've been a nurse for a while, you can just look into someone's eyes and know that something isn't quite right. I saw her deep brown eyes and the blank stare, the contracted and rigid limbs. I was told she had grown weaker and weaker and had never walked or talked. Her daughter has severe cerebral palsy. I think she knew that there was nothing we could do but as a mother held that hope deep down inside that maybe, just maybe we could help. I told her as a surgical hospital we could not help. I offered to have someone prayer for her and her daughter. She gracefully accepted this, gathered her daughter up and walked away. Along the way I saw something that touched my heart. Along the way one of my fellow crew mates, a dentist took her from her mother's arms and carried the daughter. A while later another one, a finance worker took over and carried her to the prayer station. Just for those  ten minutes she was not under the weight of her daughter. I'm sure that from the time her daughter was a tiny baby she has carried her on her back in traditional African fashion. Every year she would grow bigger but her mother just carried her along. Caring and loving her every step of the way. But for that ten minutes she could walk freely and have a small, small rest. 

These are just a few if the things I witnessed or felt in the thirteen hours I stood behind that gate speaking with potential patients. I am so excited for all the "yes" patients. I'm sure that I will have many stories our their time with us and the amazing people that they are. Through feeling the pain and sadness in every "no" it reminded me to continually pray and believe that God can work miracles in their lives. He is the great healer and who am I to limit his power? Will you pray with me that they will come to know his love and be healed by it. 

If you would like to see some my awesome friend's perspective of the day follow the links below. They really touched my heart. Believe me you need to read their blogs, they are amazing!

Ali - http://alirae.net/blog/archives/731-today-and-tomorrow-and-forever.html

Deb - http://debsheartinafrica.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-one.html?spref=fb

Selection Day

Selection day ... The day we either make people's hope and dreams come true or give them sad news. There's no way to tell how many people will come, but we are expecting hundreds. We have already heard that they are lining up in preparation to be seen. As this day quickly approaches it has got me thinking ... How can I best serve these people? I've been assigned the task of screening the patients. I will be one of the first people they come in contact with. Essentially I am the first yes or no. "Yes you can see the surgeon for his opinion" or "Sorry, but we cannot help you." I'm a little wary of the day. My biggest hope is that even in the sad times, when I can't give them the opportunity to have surgical healing, I can at least look them in the eyes and smile. Maybe share a little of my joy with them and lead them to a group of designated people who can ask God, the ultimate healer to step into their lives. I'm asking that all of you that read this blog just stop right now and just say a little prayer for my team and the African people we come in contact with. I've seen God work miracles on the ship before. I am believing that he can do it again! Thanks and I will update you on the day soon!

Gotta be flexible

Some of you may have been wondering what I have been up to since we arrived in Pointe Noir, Congo. Since the hospital does not open for another week and half we have had multiple small tasks or jobs. As a ward nurse on the Africa Mercy you have to be flexible. I have a new respect for so many of the different jobs on the ship now!

• For two weeks I worked in the galley, this included chopping vegetables, baking cookies and washing alot of dishes. Thank you so much galley team for feeding nearly 400 crew members! It is most definitely not an easy job.
• I scrubbed the floor, ceiling, walls and almost all of the equipment in the hospital. Thank you housekeeping for keeping us clean!
• I cleaned deck railings on the outside of the ship. Thanks deck crew for keeping up in tip-top shape!
• I made cards for the nurses. Just a little encouragement or a farewell. (I actually really enjoyed this!)

Just a small, small update on my current day to day life. A week from today we will have a patient selection day. On this day there is the potential of thousands of people coming to see us seeking surgery. Please keep the crew and all of the potential patients in your prayers. Also pray that the day goes smoothly for us. Merci boku!!

I'm getting excited

Over the past few days I have been thinking about what I am most excited for during my time in Congo. I am most excited about the love. I have been given the opportunity to love on people that are social outcasts. It is a complete healing, not only restoring physical beauty but also emotionally. One of Mercy Ships' mottos is Hope and Healing. But those three words mean so much more than just that.

Hope - to restore the longing that they can be loved and accepted again. They will not be known as "the outcast" or "the cursed", but known by their name and who they truly are. 
Healing - to heal not only the physical deformity or wound, but also to heal the broken spirit. 

I am to blessed to bare witness to these transformations. I've told you a few stories before, but here's a little recap. So many times they come in the day before surgery looking at the ground not making eye contact because they know none of their peers will look their way. Their communities have engrained into them that they bring shame to the family and are not worthy of other's attentions. All we do is spend time with them, whether simply by talking to them, playing games or just holding their hand. Over time it's like they become a new person. Once downcast and trodden and then joyful and dancing.
I could be proud and say that I had a part in that metamorphosis, but I am the one that is receiving healing as well. The courage and strength that they show is inspiring. To be cast out by everyone you know and love is unimaginable, but to have the courage to put one foot in front of the other and carry on. I don't know if I could do the same. So you see they teach and give love to me just as much if not more than I could ever give them. I am blessed to be a part of their journey.