Snapshots of the Heart...

They are here! Pictures from the Mercy Ships photographers! Join me in the journey through the pieces of my heart the past 3 weeks.
Here she is... the Africa Mercy. As shot of her sailing into the port of Freetown, Sierra Leone the day before I arrived, Feb. 27th. The fishing boat in the picture (L) is a daily sight from onboard the ship as fishermen and tradesmen carry their wares to the seaside markets. If you are ever out on deck, they will often wave to you.

My little friend to the right is one of our first orthopedic patients on the ward. After the madness of our first admission day, “Abu” (not his actual name), one of our 38 patients new admissions, settled into bed, freshly showered and in his patient gown. I LOVE this captured moment.






Another precious photo (above), is of one of the patients I have head-over-heels, fallen in love with. “Christophe” (not his actual name) is one of our club foot patients who is receiving the Ponseti casting treatment for his bilateral club feet. The Ponseti method is a non-surgical approach to treat club feet through a series of castings- gradually stretching the feet and tendons back into their normal position. Some of you may remember this from my Togo visit in 2010. Well, “Christophe”, (who, by the way just fell asleep in my arms 25 minutes ago while I was holding him in the ward) was a part of the 30 plus group of patients on the first admission day. They took a picture of his little frightened face as he stood in the doorway to the ward. Remember, this was most likely, most of the patients’ first time to see the ocean, be on a ship, and experience air conditioning. After about a week on the ward, this quiet, frightened child blossomed into the little boy you now see in the photo above. His priceless smile now comes every day along with a little giggle as I pick him up for my daily Christophe hug.

The following pictures are from the first admission day. Due to the fact that we were admitting 38 patients in one day, the admissions department called in the reinforcements (a.k.a. myself and another ward nurse) to help with the process! It was the first day of the hospital being open and we were getting our first patients, thus, PR (public relations) was ALL over the event snapping pictures left and right! The end result (fortunately for me) was many Mercy Ships photos with me in them! Here are a few of my favorites. (Below, right), I had one of our patients listening to my heart sounds. It’s one of my favorite things to do with patients on the ward; let them “play nurse”. This activity was met with a big grin, both from the patient and her mom when I placed the stethoscope in their ears.


(Below) Taking patients from the ward and to admissions!









(Below) All of our patients arriving from the north! All of my bow-legged and club-footed children!







Going through the admission process (below pictures). Weighing my patients and putting in vital signs. I personally love the left below picture. It was taken while I was doing all the information gathering in the admissions process. Yaaayy paperwork!


*SCREENING NOTE*
As a quick report of screening- it went VERY well today! We had a night security group who pre-screened patients in line the night before to be sure those waiting in line were waiting for health problems that Mercy Ships could treat. By the time we arrived (the pre-pre-screeners, that is), we only had the newly forming line that morning to pre-pre screen. While it was extremely difficult (I’ll share more stories later), overall, it was SAFE, calm, and fast. We were finished pre-pre-screening by 1100 and most of the team returned by 2pm. Thank you for your prayers!!! And my understanding that we scheduled around 200 people for surgery! More detailed information to come as well, so stay tuned! I praise God for his answers to prayer in so many ways- even down to the detail of putting up cloud cover over the U.N. compound to block the sun and keep things cool. We serve a pretty amazing God, Amen? May we all know even more of him today.

Screening Day...

Hello Everyone!

A quick update that screening day has been re-scheduled!!! This Saturday, March 26, we will have our second screening day starting at 0400 for security workers at an old UN facility in Freetown.

I am SO excited that we finally have a date set up, but would ask that everyone BATHE this day in PRAYER. We are all still praying that those who traveled for the first screening who are still in Freetown and will hear about the screening day.

I found out that I will be a "pre-pre-screener"; a.k.a. one of the staff who will be going through the lines, sorting out the symptoms/needs of those waiting in line. I had this same job at a screening day in Lome, Togo last year, and it was honestly one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do in my whole life. Essentially, I will be one of the people who will have to say "no" to those who are waiting in line for health conditions that Mercy Ships cannot not treat.

Top prayer requests would be:

1) That those who are waiting in Freetown would hear about the screening and come to the screening site Saturday.
2) That any evil powers/people would be bound from coming and stirring up the crowds.
3) That God would bring to the screening day each and every person He desires and that Mercy Ships can serve.
4) That hope & grace would abound and God's love shown amidst all of the "no's" we will need to tell hundreds of desperate people.
5) Safety for the Mercy Ships staff and Sierra Leoneans.

Thank you SO much! Just to let you know as well, I intend to catch up on my blogging in the next few days. :) So look forward to new pictures and stories! :)

P.S. Just as an update, today was my 3rd day on my own as charge nurse. I have felt constantly overwhelmed and pulled in 120 directions- pretty much behind and late in all my assignments, etc. It has left me needing to apply the words I often tell new nurses; "Be sure that, in the midst of all the adjustments, you first have grace for others and then grace for yourself." Ahh... yes. To, actually take my own advice. Thank you so much for all of those who have kept me in prayer. Please continue! :) Blessings to you all today!

The Patients are Coming! The Patients are Coming!

Hooray! Despite the tragedy of our screening day efforts, God, in His infinite wisdom, already had prepared for us a number of patients pre-screened from the north of Sierra Leone. During the 6 months that the Africa Mercy was dry-docked in South Africa, an advance team was at work in Sierra Leone connecting with local businesses, churches, hospitals, “scoping out the land”, so to speak, to prepare for the ship’s arrival in February. As part of that advance team, one of our surgeon’s went to the northern parts of Sierra Leone to more remote villages to screen for surgical candidates prior to the ship’s arrival. Because of his efforts, we now have 40 patients arriving today on the ship, most of with are orthopedic pediatrics!!! YAAAYYYYY!!!! You have NO idea how excited I was to hear that!!! After such a long 2 weeks of cleaning, bleaching, sorting, scrubbing, hauling, sweating, and setting up, the time for getting our first patients is finally here! Here are some of the pictures before and after our Mission “Ward Attack”!

(Below) Because of the dry-dock repairs, everything from wards had to be emptied out- so we were unloading everything from scratch to be cleaned (double bleached) BEFORE placing in clean wards (whose walls and ceilings and cupboards had also been double bleached).



(Below) Our international bleaching team; Timo (Holland), Ursina (Switzerland), and MeKenzie (U.S.)



After two weeks of cleaning and bleaching and stripping and waxing, here is the finished product!



Today, A Ward, C Ward, D Ward and ICU were set up awaiting out new patients! In celebration of our progress, the hospital hosted a ship-wide open house where we had games, activities, and open rooms in all the wards and OR rooms- everything from starting IV’s, to learning to place sutures, to removing a “cataract” from an enormous eyeball. SO much fun and enjoyed by the entire crew!

I was on the cookie-making committee where we got to use the industrial-sized mixers and measuring cups to make over 600 cookies for the open house. It was a huge success, needless to say! (It was the cookies)





I think ALL chocolate should be measured by the liter/quart (right). It was a new and fantastic experience for me!



As things have been moving along, I found out that my charge nurse position will be on A Ward (orthopedic), and I am PUMPED!!! I have charge nurse orientation tomorrow, then 2 days of on the ward orientation to get the hang of things (just like travel nursing-2 shifts and you’re on the go!). My first day on my own is this Thursday, so if you think of praying for me, I’d greatly appreciate it!

Today, we got our very first patients! Over 25 patients arrived today from the north and 8 from Freetown to be admitted for surgery tomorrow! I was SO excited! All 25 patients from the north were orthopedic pediatrics! As I saw them walk/waddle down the hallway toward the admissions room, I was so excited, I started grinning and jumping! As they walked by to find their bed in the wards, I called out “hello!” and “welcome” and was met with many shy grins and smiles. For the next 8 hours, I assisted the admission nurses getting vital signs, gathering information and moving patients to and from the ward to x-ray and lab. By 9pm most of the admissions were completed and tucked in for the night.

In addition to all of the business of ward preparation, God has really been challenging my heart in regards to the whole idea of serving and loving others. While, according to certain perspectives, my simply being here on the ship may be labeled as “serving” or “loving” to some, but my Father, the God who searches hearts, has a little different view, I think. As I have been here I have realized how much I prefer to serve or give according to my own preferences, desires, or personal convenience. I usually never admit that to myself at the time, but if I really stop and look within, it’s not always (or even usually) the loving, giving, selfless spirit I think I have.

II Corinthians 4:7 says, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

While this verse has been encouraging me to continue to seek God to fill me with His strength and love, I think that some of the time I don’t even give Him the opportunity to do so because I don’t even ask. Praise God that He is continuing to do a work in my heart here- filling me up and stretching me here and there to be more like Him. But that’s the key… HE is the one doing the changing, growing, and loving- I am simply that “jar of clay” He is filling. The “treasure” is what’s inside.

The Unexpected Screening Day

Imagine it. It’s the night before the release of the tickets to the movie you have been WAITING to come out for over a year and a half! You’ve gotten together with your best friends, roommates, and an assortment of other random people to camp outside of the theater overnight to be the first in line the next day when they open the doors to sell the tickets. You huddle together, perhaps with a tent or simply a sleeping bag on the sidewalk, chattering, laughing, and gradually dozing off into the night, eagerly anticipating the glory of your persistent wait of tickets the next morning!

Now, imagine this same nighttime scene outside of a similar wall. You are in line alongside 10, 50, or 100 other people sitting or lying down, huddled on blankets and makeshift beds. You’re eager for morning in this line as well, only instead of giggles and light-hearted chatter, worry and fear leave a tense silence among the gathering crowd. Instead of waiting for the tickets to your sought-after movie, you await the opportunity to see a medical doctor you or your loved one has been unable to afford these past 1, 3, or even 15 years. You’ve heard a mercy ship was coming into the port of Freetown, a ray of hope in your desperate and destitute situation. Perhaps now the tumor that has been growing on the side of your neck, encapsulating the left side of your face can be removed. Perhaps now your child’s bowed legs can be restored and they can walk to school without ridicule and isolation. Perhaps now your baby that has been unable to eat well because of their cleft lip can gain weight and fully smile at you for the first time. Perhaps… perhaps… perhaps…


All these were the hopes of the people who lined up outside of the national stadium in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the night before the mass screening on March 7th. I was told by one of the first patients I saw that morning, that he had slept in line all night long to secure his place in the line. Desperation converging with hope. Hope that relief might come. Hope that someone might take notice and be able to help. It was that hope that drove individuals and families to wait in line, not only all night for some, but for hours upon hours the next day in the 90+ degree F heat beneath the unforgiving rays of the African sun. Many people who came to us outside of the stadium walls had used a majority of their precious resources to pay to travel however far, to reach the stadium early that morning. Most did not even have food or water. The only thing that kept them in line, waiting for a chance to been seen, was hope.

Yesterday, March 7th, the mass screening day for Mercy Ships took place. I was a part of the mid-morning team (which meant I only had to leave at 5:30am rather than 4am like the security crew) that arrived around 6am to begin setting up chairs, tables, and signs to transform the Freetown national sports stadium into a fully functioning screening/triage center. By the light of headlamps and flashlights we set up and dispersed the furniture and medical supplies; excitement and anticipation building for this long-awaited day. Eager Mercy Ships volunteers from throughout the ship numerous areas (the galley, public relations, housekeeping, hospitality, and reception) as well as the medical teams (The eye team, dental team, doctors, surgeons, OR staff, and ward nurses) hummed with nervous expectation until the first of our patients began arriving with the first hour of light, and we began our screening day outreach. None of us knew the tragedy that was to come.

All morning I was working with one of our doctor’s and an OR nurse, screening for general surgery patients. With the help of two fantastic translators, our team of five began to evaluate all of the potential general surgical patients- mainly hernia repairs and goiters. We slowly gained momentum as the morning went on, getting into an efficient “groove” of seeing and assessing patients for surgical candidacy. Suddenly, around 11am, I got word from another staff member that there was trouble down at the gate of the stadium. Alison, the OR nurse working with us, left to assist other crew at the gate and I continued looking after patients with the doctor.

What happened in the next hour and a half – maybe 2 hours, was a blur. Through pieces of information here and there, I slowly heard that the “trouble” at the gate was, in fact, a storming of the awaiting crowd into the gate, trampling or injuring 13 people- one of which died, and two other left with life-threatening injuries. Our emergency response team, and the majority of our medical team was there triaging and caring for the injured patients. Before I knew it, non-medical staff were being escorted out and driven back to the ship. I tried to reassure patients as I waited for things to smooth back over into a flow of patients once again- only it didn’t. Within 30 minutes, we all evacuated the site leaving half-screened and unscreened patients behind. The entire Mercy Ships staff was heartbroken to have to leave SO many in need not only at the gate, but waiting in the buildings, unseen and unscheduled for surgery. It will take time for all of us to process through the terrible events of that day, but plans are being made as we speak to re-organize and continue screening. If you could please lift up the Sierra Leonean people, the victims of the gate storming, and the Mercy Ships staff in prayer, that would be greatly appreciated.

I would like to leave you with the words of Don Stephens, the Mercy Ships founder, regarding the events of screening day:

“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.”

Thank you for your continual (and previous) prayers. We all look forward to a new course and plan for future screening efforts and pray for comfort and God’s provision for those who were left unseen and untreated in the wake of what happened March 7th.

I Arrived!!!

Freetown, Sierra Leone: 4 March, 2011.



Hello everyone! Yes, I have arrived safely! I apologize for the delayed message. Because the ship got into port so late (on the 27th- the day before I arrived), the hospital preparations on deck 3 have been maddeningly intense! The morning after I arrived (or you could say the morning I arrived, since it was at 1am), I started working with our team of ward nurses double bleaching/deep cleaning every inch of the wards (floors, ceilings, cupboards, pipes-you name it). Needless to say, tonight, after a week of that cleaning, all I can smell is pool and my yellow nails are cracking as I type this message. However, the good news is we have 2 wards set up that actually look like wards! Yaaayyy!!!! We had to unload all of the beds, equipment, and supplies out of shipyard containers, store them, clean them, and then sort them to their appropriate locations. We have about 30 ward nurses here already, and we all have been busy all week bleaching, bleaching, and bleaching. The challenges of pulling out equipment and supplies from 6 month storage on a ship meant things like locating all of your suction canister pieces from 3 separate locations, finding and replacing broken items, and even finding an entire container flooded and full of 6-month old moldy supplies. Very unique challenges to say the least!




Once again, I am blessed by the variety of cultures on the ship- nurses and staff from Switzerland, Holland, Germany, England, U.S., Canada, Benin, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Japan, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand to name a few. SO fantastic and fun getting to know so many people. I will admit I’ve felt a bit burned out from the craziness of this past year as I’m coming into this outreach, but I know that it puts me in a place of deep need before God, realizing that it needs to be His strength working through me, or I’m not going to make it. For those of you who don’t know as well, I’ve accepted a position here as a charge nurse, something I would never do at home, but felt God leading me to step into this outreach. To be honest, I’m scared to death and feel so inadequate for the position, but I know, once again, that God will be my strength and wisdom.



Different from the Togo Outreach of 2010, we will be doing one mass screening day to attempt to go through everyone in Sierra Leone and assess and schedule those in who will receive surgery during this outreach. We had multiple small screening days last year that I helped with once, but this outreach it will be an all-or-nothing event! All crew members are involved, and we are planning to see thousands of people that day! I’m not sure what to expect, but will for sure be bringing plenty of water and sunscreen. Screening day is March 7th (this coming Monday), so prayers for God’s provision and direction in bringing the right patients to us, would be fantastic.

Praise God, I had a safe flight and arrival to the ship with all of my luggage and belongings (minus a couple items I randomly left in the UK during my trip. I had a FABUOLOUS time during my interim trip to the UK seeing beautiful sights, cities, and people. A few of my favorite pics from the trip:


A shot of me in Manchester, England.


The 2010 Harriman Lodge UK staff reunion.


The Roman baths in Bath, England.


Edinburgh Castle, Scotland (my favorite city in all of the UK). :)

I was incredibly blessed to be able to spend the time in the UK I did visiting friends and experiencing wonderful hospitality of so many people. THANK YOU!!! It was a great way to get over jet-lag and have a bit of a break before arriving for my 4-6 month outreach in Sierra Leone. I’m hoping to get out and see a bit of Freetown tomorrow with a group of friends, and am SO excited to get out into the culture! Blessings to you all in your snow-filled days! (Not sure if you’d be wishing for the 90+ F temperatures and humidity here). Lots of love and HUGS.