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.