Retrospective

I looked up to my calendar and noticed it was still on the month of June! I can't believe the first week of July flew by (and June also), but time flies when you're having fun. I thought in honor of not doing my blog for most of June, I would write a retrospective list of my exciting life in Benin. I encourage you to endure to the end reading the list of 30 things, because most are very unique to the life I have on the Africa Mercy... and some exciting news at the end! Don't peek. 

1. Had a bunk bed to myself for 2 weeks after Ashley left. 

2. Made pancakes for the 400 crew members.

3. Sang, played, and shared Jesus with orphans.

4. Pool birthday party on deck 8 for Zaden, who's now 3. 

5. My first movie, Turn, debut at the 2nd annual film festival.

6. Stayed up late to phone home in the morning.

7. Taught water aerobics on deck 8.

8. Had a massage (and tickled) for $10.

9. Went on my first African camping trip to Grand Popo.

10. Slept under a mosquito net and on top of a wet sleeping bag.

11. Laid on the beach- stars & smores. Perfect.

12. Danced, clapped, and cried during a VVF dress ceremony.

13. Made homemade tortillas for fajita night.

14. Attempted to learn French with Rosetta Stone.

15. Made and introduced rueben sandwiches to Sarah & Pamela.

16. Made homemade Hawaiian pizza with Lebanese flat bread. 

17. Help Rachel make french toast & other amazing food for brunch.

18. Did VVF screening, heartbroken we could only help a few.

19. Prayed for healing in each patient that crossed my path in surgery.

20. Witnessed God's healing in people of Benin. 

21. Played catch phrase with friends and laughed until I cried. 

22. Moved to the "spacious" area in the back of cabin 3437 w/Sarah.

23. Went for walks in town just for fan milk.

24. Met the president of AORN & interviewed for an OR magazine. 

25.  Learned how to say "Thank You" in 5 languages.

26. Watched 24 with friends weekly.

27.  Doing Esther Bible study by Beth Moore.

28. Had dinner at a German Biergarten on the beach.

29. Said goodbye to dear friends leaving the ship. Made new friends.

30. Signed on to serve with Mercy Ships in Togo in 2010! :)

A Weekend to Remember

Sounds like a Nicholas Sparks novel... warning I might type a novel, but read on! So, following the last day off VVF surgery, we had a ship holiday on Friday. I was sad that most of my friends left on a trip to Ghana, but now I know why I was here. 

So one of my new adventurous friends from the OR, Missy, wanted to plan a trip up north to Possotome'. A group of nurses and one carpenter visited the fishing village for day.  We all piled in a small wooden boat and made our way into Lake Aheme' for a couple hours. Our ecologist guide showed us how Africans fish with nets- one of their main sources of income. He threw the net many times and caught fish and crabs that floated at the bottom of our boat- while I helped one guide bail out water! We all had a chance to throw a smaller net and then jump in a dig in the mud for the daily catch. None of us caught anything, but it was more about experiencing African culture with friends. Perfect trip, complete with a fresh coconut drink! 

Arriving back on the ship, my friend Jane invited me to hang out with her and the youth girls for a slumber party that night. So much fun and it reminded me how much I miss working with the youth at home! Played some silly games, watched movies, baked brownies, and stayed up until 4am! Got a couple hours of sleep before breakfast and clean-up duties in the youth room. Later in the day, all the Americans in Benin were invited to the U.S. Ambassador's house for a potluck complete with Michael Jackson music. It was a great time with food, friends, and fellowship! Independence day ended with a bowl of popcorn and M&Ms watching 24 with friends.

 Sunday, I woke up to the air con not working in my cabin. So what better, to go outside in Africa in the middle of the day? There is at least a ocean breeze! My friend Hannah and I went on a mission to find fan milk to cool us off, but found ourselves at the hospitality center. This is where our patients stay in needing physical therapy between surgeries or live too far away. There is one little boy, Daniel, who has a smile that could brighten anybody's day! In the beginning of the outreach, he came walking on his knees to the ship. Over the past couple months, I've seen him with casts on both of his legs enjoying life from a mattress on the floor. We play memory and color together when I visit the hospitality center. Today, he was outside sitting on a chair! He now has braces and a walker to help him to get around. I went into the sleeping quarters to greet my VVF ladies staying there and Daniel followed me in! He took my hands and we walked around the whole place- a huge smile on his face and tears in my eyes! Hannah and I arrived back on the ship, no fan milk, but a great afternoon off the ship. Dinner was served and then I enjoyed family church on the ship- complete with kids fighting over who wanted to be the apple tree (going over the fruit of the spirit)! Afterwards, I worked the snack bar and the line is always long because I talk with everyone! I caught up with friends that came back from Ghana and heard many stories, but after typing about my weekend- I am so glad I stayed here and thank God for these precious memories. 

Healed

I apologize it has been so long since I posted anything on here... The past six weeks have been the most long and grueling days, but most amazing and rewarding on this outreach. The first week, I was taught everything (thank you Ashley!) I needed to know to teach countless OR nurses and surgeons that would come to work in OR 3 to assist in vesico-vaginal fistula surgery. We do about 2-3 cases a day and majority of the surgeries last at least a couple hours based on how traumatic the childbirth. While in these surgeries, I think about these young women in labor for days and my nine hour work day is in no comparison. The ladies eventually give birth to a stillborn baby, constantly leak urine, their husbands leave, villages shun them, and are left for dead.  I am so honored to be here on the ship that can provide them hope for a better tomorrow. After a couple weeks of recovery, we have a ceremony to celebrate their healing and a new dress is given to each lady. I not only see then the physical healing of the fistula, but the emotional & spiritual healing as they now have a smile on their face and are on their feet dancing.  I hear their songs of praise and testimonies of being healed. No matter their past, I know God loves each one and sees them as a beautiful daughter that is healed in more than one way.  

"O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me." Psalm 30:2

Vie

Translation: life

Today started at 5:3o this morning when my cabin-mate Sarah woke me up. I had volunteered her to help our friend, Bill, make pancakes for the crew, so I felt like I should join in for fun. The two hours went by fast flipping pancakes and taking them downstairs from the galley to the dining room. Its a fun way to serve the crew- I even learned how to make smiling pancakes to brighten people's day! Morning report in the OR starts about 8am- by this time, I was wide awake and ready to go! This week I have been working with nurses, Ase and Margreta from Sweden. I have some swedish blood so I learned "Tack sa mycket" which means "Thank you very much." I love the international community! I have been working in VVF surgery for a couple weeks now (vesico-vaginal fistula). I will have to blog more about this surgery another time, but what a honor it is to assist in something so life changing for these women. I waited on the pre-op bench for my first patient to arrive- and what a smile she on her face when I greeted her! Even with no teeth, her whole face was smiling and her hands waving in the air! No translation needed- I knew how thankful and happy she was to be on the ship. We prayed with a translator for healing and I brought her to the OR. She smiled even through the spinal anesthetic and even moving her to the stretcher at the end- I could still see the joy in her face! Second VVF case I scrubbed to assist the surgeons and it went couple hours over lunch. It was so close to dinner, I grabbed a frappuccino and some trail mix for a snack. I had a nice break in the library reading a magazine. I returned back to the OR for the third VVF surgery to circulate until dinner.  I can spend hours at dinner, not eating, but just endless conversations with friends. Afterwards, I had an interview for an OR magazine so it was neat to share my stories from the past 5 months. By my 15th hour I was still going and needed to use up some energy and went for a walk with my friend, Karen, on the dock- good talks while dodging the motorbikes passing us. Now, I find myself in the dining room again with friends catching up on emails drinking hot tea (and milk)- its European style, but so good! A couple hours has passed and not much accomplished on my computer, but I thank God for the time I had talking with friends like Emily, Jane, Margreet, and Tim about life. Today was good, life is good. 

"... I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." John 10:10

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

"It's all about You, Jesus

And all this is for You

For Your glory and Your fame

It's not about me

As if You should do things my way

You alone are God and I surrender

To Your ways

Jesus, lover of my soul

All consuming fire is in Your gaze

Jesus, I want You to know

I will follow You all my days

For no one else in history is like You

And history itself belongs to You

Alpha and Omega, You have loved me

And I will spend eternity with You"

At community meeting we sang this song and it struck a note (no pun intended) in me. I have had a lot on my mind with big changes going on in my life. Friends leaving and new people coming to the ship. More responsibilities in the operating room. I need to be reminded why I am here. It really is for Jesus. For His fame and it is not about me.  My “way” does not matter and I’m praying what God has next for me in life. I love what I am doing here and I cannot see myself anywhere else. I know God has given me this desire to use my nursing skills for something far greater than making an income. I have learned more in the 5 months I've been here than 3 years out of school. The teamwork in the OR, the “thank yous” from the doctors, the smiles and hugs from our patients, and seeing healing prayers answered- outweigh anything on this earth.