60 Minutes and the Africa Mercy

     Last year in Togo the 60 Minutes film crew came onboard the Africa Mercy and filmed the daily life on the floating hospital.  They ended up with about 33 hours of footage from normal meal times in the dining room, the hospital, interviews with Don Stevens, work in the Galley and Dining Room, Reception, and along the streets of Lome.  A couple weeks ago they finally released their special on Mercy Ships!


     


If you are unable to view the video, here is a link:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50141230n

     I am not in the video.  But I do know a lot of people featured.  I know Carys Parker fairly well, I was helping her and another girl study Biology last spring, she is a sweet mature girl.  Ali and Phil Chandra came back to the ship this fall with their adorable baby.  I am so honored to have known these people!

Last Week in Africa - In Photos

Sinterclaas (Dutch version of Santa Claus) arrived on the ship Dec 5th 

Saying goodbye to Dennis and Bronte.  I first met them when I arrived on the ship almost a year ago.  I flew in with Dennis and became friends with Bronte.

Trip down to the Big Fridge on Deck 2 for supplies

The Galley would go through all this fresh produce in about 4 days.

You know you've been on the ship too long when the oranges and cucumbers look the same!! Lizzie and I had to feel them to figure out which was which...the cucumber is in her left hand.

Perfect example of how the ship can unite people even with the most major differences...a Barcalona fan and a Real Madrid fan became buddies!

Day in the Pharmacy! I was placed in charge of counting pills.

After my last football (soccer) practice, I needed a shower.

James became the Tuna Salad Wizard

Crazy last days in the Galley

I was blessed to work with some amazing women.
Naomi, Florence, Edwina, Lorinda and I had so much fun.

Moving bunks in the 8 berth at midnight is highly entertaining.

School for the Deaf.  Papanie, on the left, is a good friend of mine.

School for the Deaf.

To get out of the port we would walk through this, its fairly traffic-free in this picture.  You can see the  Africa Mercy  straight ahead.

More amazing people I worked with from the Galley and the Dining Room.

13 people in the van...always room for one more! 

Roxanna, Brandon, and James.  Three of my best friends.

The ever helpful Storemen, Morlaye, Edward, and Daniel.  These guys are awesome.

Observing Surgery

*Cataract Surgeries

*Maxillofacial Surgeries:

-Neck tumor

-Fibrous Dysplasia on the face

-Facial tumor

Dinner on the Dock

Last Thursday was Dinner on the Dock.  Basically it just means that everybody, crew and dayworkers and patients, all get to eat and hang out on the dock followed by worship and dancing. Its a fun night, yet it means extra work for all the Galley and Dining Room teams.  So, all the hotdogs, buns, baked beans, coleslaw, and condiments was transported down the tiny gangway and set up on folding tables on the dock.  As per usual, we had fun grilling the hotdogs.  After dinner we all enjoyed the dancing and fellowship.

Dental Clinic - Guinea

Mama Grace

    Dental Clinic round two! No, I didn't get to pull any teeth this time, it was sad.  I was actually working in the sterilization room.  The team was short their sterilizer as she was sick so I stepped in to help.  Mama Grace was a dayworker that was a very patient and good teacher.  First step in the process is to collect all of the dirty instruments from the procedure room.  There were 4 dentists and 8 chairs so the dirty things would pile up rather quickly.  Then, back in the sterilizing room, the instruments would be scrubbed to remove any blood or tissue and then placed into a small machine.  I have no idea what the machines did, I think it was an ultrasonic deal, but the instruments were in there for 15 minutes.  Then they were dumped onto the table, dried, sorted, and packed into the sterile pouches.  Once we had 4 trays full of packaged instruments, we placed them in one of the 3 big steam sterilizers.  Once the 40 minute cycle was finished, they were set onto a table to finish drying and then finally to the instrument room to be used again.

    About 11 or 11:30 the power went out.  This Is Africa after all.  The generator kicked in to run the necessary machines but fans are less of a priority.  The power did not come back for the rest of the day.  So we began sweating.  It was worse in the sterilizing room because it was back in a corner and didn't get much of a breeze.  

    I was unable to really be in the procedure room, other than walking through to collect dirty instruments.  So I did not get to pull any more teeth. Sad day.  But since I was able to have so much fun and so many stories at the Dental Clinic in Togo, it seemed fair that they put me to work.  By the end of the day I was getting the whole sterilization process down.  Except for sorting the sterilized instruments into their homes.  They look a lot alike, color coordination was helpful, but it was confusing!  All in all it was a fantastic day.

Eye Screening

     Working security at an eye screening sounded like an adventure.  Getting up at 3 AM?  OK.  So by 3:30 AM I've rolled out of bed, filled my water bottle, and made PB&J sandwiches.  Fox News is giving minute by minute updates of the Election results on the TVs in Reception.  Ken and the 2 nurses show up by a quarter to 4 and we clomp down the Gangway down to the Land Rover.  Bangura jumps into the Land Rover with us and we're off.  Driving in the dark is completely different than day time.  At night there are no people, chickens, dogs, goats, babies, or carts to run over.  However, the headlights fail to pick out the potholes so the road can look deceptively smooth.  On the hour plus ride to the screening site I'd be jolted out of sleep by my head slamming into the roof or window or my arm.  When we turn down the alley to the screening building, the line is already 50 people in either direction.  There were 2 lines: the women's and the men's line.

      Running security at a screening is far from what it sounds like.  The security is not necessarily to protect the nurses and other medical staff, it is more to keep an orderly line, prevent line-cutters, prevent bribes, having to shatter the hopes of people who are beyond our help, and to make sure that no one gets past the pre-screening who was given a "no".  We arrived about an hour a half before the Eye Team so we started out by walking up and down the line in either direction making sure that everything was quiet.  When it started getting light, Bangura, a Guinean, would walk up and down talking through the megaphone saying that this was only an eye screening.  Only those with double cataracts could be helped.  Club feet, tumors, and other medical issues would have to listen to the radio or the TV to see when those kinds of screening would be held.  Either Ken or I would have to walk with Bangura because the people waiting wouldn't believe what he was saying unless a white person was seen to be saying the same thing.  I couldn't speak the local language but my confirmation of what Bangura was saying was enough.  Telling the mother with the 2 year old with club feet, the woman with a neck tumor, the crippled man, and the boy with a lazy eye that we were unable to help them right now was heart breaking.  Hope and Healing yes, but not for all.  The patients who did receive the yellow follow-up appointment cards were so joyful.

      The stark contrast between the despair and joy within meters of each other is such a part and parcel of Africa.  Walking along the streets and seeing children running around, laughing, playing football (or soccer for the Americans), and yelling "Fote! Fote!" at the white people makes you smile.  Yet when you think about the ship that you will return to, the AC, the safe food and water, and the medical care available 2 decks away, the ache returns to your heart.  Yet for the lives we can and do change, their joy is contagious.  The patient who had the cantaloupe-sized tumor removed from his cheek is starting to speak again.  His life has been altered dramatically.  Who can frown or be sad when faced with a smile so joyful?

Galley Update

     The past month has flown by.  So much has happened and is still changing.  So, starting in the Galley... I now co-lead a Galley team.  The previous team lead decided to switch departments and so another girl and I are leading our team.  Its a strange feeling.  I am in charge of Cold Side (again), the dish room, and making sure that overall the Galley runs smoothly and the food gets done on time.  Cold Side will prep the fresh fruits and vegetables, tuna/chicken/pasta/potato salads, desserts, specialty breads, dressings, and salad bar toppings.  Hot Side is being run by Martine.  She just graduated cooking school and is fantastic to work with.  There were some bumps throughout the whole process but now everything seems to be smoothed out.  The latest nicknames for Martine and I are: The Dynamic Duo, Trouble Twins, and Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.  That last one is from an African who works with us and thinks its hilarious.

Making banana pudding in the Galley

     I've been able to see more of the medical side of things recently.  Next week I will be helping run security at a screening.  I love being out and about in Conakry and experiencing Africa.  I realize that I don't have as many pictures of Africa itself or of patients and such.  However, I would really rather not have my camera stolen in the market and we as crew members are restricted from taking pictures with patients.  I will do my best to take pictures!

                           

   

Here We Go Again!

      I'm back! Its been so much fun to see all of my friends again and catch up.  Its a little strange to be back, I know the ship yet so many faces have been replaced.  This time around I am in the 8 berth, with 6 roommates.  My bunkmate is my best friend from last field service, Sandy.  I am also back to work in the Galley, on cold side again.  Yes, the baking has begun again.  So far Pumpkin Pie and Cream Puffs.  I just injected and dipped the puffs into the chocolate, but it was fun and yummy! My roommates are already starting to develop a love-hate relationship with my baking: its good but we can't get those Mercy Hips!

     Last Saturday I joined the trip to the Baby Rescue Center here in Conakry.  The center is operated by a Canadian woman who has lived in Conakry for over a decade.  Unwanted babies are left in a market or other busy area and when the crowd realizes they have been abandoned arguments ensue over who should get the baby.  However, the reason for wanting the baby is not to have them join the family, by the time the child is 3, they have become household slaves.  They are not allowed to go to school or have "normal" lives. At the Baby Rescue Center there are currently 10 babies.  They are the cutest, sweetest things.  When the Mercy Ships crew visit they are shyer, quieter, and more inclined to snuggle.  When we first arrived, most of them were sleeping.  Eventually all of them woke up and stared.  3 of the babies are being adopted out of the country.  2 of them are ending up in the U.S. and 1 will move to Canada.  They steal and break your heart all at the same time.

Getting Closer All The Time

     One week till I'm on the ship again! I am so blessed to have this amazing opportunity.  I have learned so much throughout my Mercy Ships journey.  God has been faithful in providing the funds for these trips, providing in amazing ways.  I was able to receive the exact amount of funds that I needed just this past week.  Thank you so much to everyone who has been supporting me on this adventure through prayer, donations, and encouragement! Hopefully in about a week I can update ya'll on Guinea!

37 Days and Packing

     I have just over a month until I leave for Guinea to serve in the Galley.  I'm so excited to see friends and my Mercy Ships family again!  The turnover on the ship is extremely high but there will still be a few familiar faces.  The best part about returning is that I know more of what to expect, where things are located on the ship, and what my job is.  There will be a few people in the Galley I still know, my favorite Canadian will be just down the hall, and hundreds of new people to meet!

     Its been great to be home.  It can be a struggle from time to time.  The hardest part about coming back is that while I've changed, everyone back home has continued on same as before.  That comfy little niche, with all of its problems, isn't as comfy anymore.  I'm still me, but a different me.  The hardest part is knowing how to blend the new you and the you that others expect to meet again.  Realizing that cross-culture jokes won't have quite the same vibe, recognizing the blank look on other's faces when you reply in another language, figuring out when you should stop talking about your trip because the other person is starting to zone out, and laughing at yourself when you accidentally call out for a friend...and realize they are literally on the other side of the globe.  I feel like I've matured, I can handle responsibility, take charge if needed, take the blame if necessary, and my sarcasm is getting less prevalent (well, depends on the people I'm with).  My cooking and baking skills have improved, and I'm realizing that I'm no longer that shy, awkward, homeschooled wallflower in the corner.  :)

     Traveling is always an adventure, especially in my family.  Growing up with my parents and learning to expect the completely unexpected was amazing training for international travel and Africa.  Things may not go as planned, flights can be canceled, signs may be in a different (undecipherable) language, travel companions are either helpful or nonexistent, bags hopefully arrive at your destination, and you're hoping you have a ride when you finally reach your destination.  I did a bit of traveling in Europe before returning home and lugging my heavy suitcases full of Africa memories was interesting and probably very amusing to watch. Knowing what to pack and where to stuff it is a skill only gained by doing the wrong way.

The Adventure Continues!

     When I first started hearing about Mercy Ships and began thinking about joining the organization, I started to get the idea that this was almost addictive.  Both Rachel and Anna not only extended the first time they joined the ship but they also went back.  So, not wanting to break the mold I am going back to join the Africa Mercy this fall.  I enjoyed my time there so much.  I learned a lot: not only about cooking but also about myself.  I made so many good friends on and off ship.  Not everyone that I knew on board will still be there, but some of the best are still there.

     I started considering going back to the ship about a month before I left.  So, to see if there was any availability in the Galley I emailed the IOC in Texas.  When the reply told me that there was no spaces until next year, I figured that this wasn't God's plan.  Or not.  I talked to my boss Ken and told him I had tried but there was no spot, he said to wait and that someone on the other team was switching departments earlier than expected and there was a vacancy in the Galley.  So, Ken pulled strings and I requested those specific dates and everything fell into place.  I purchased my plane ticket and I will be in Conakry, Guinea from October 3rd to December 15th (ish) this fall!

     While raising support for my previous trip To Togo this spring I was blessed to receive more than I needed to go.  Those funds can and will now carry over for this fall!  I currently have 76% of the funds that I need to go back.  I am so thankful to everyone who supported me with prayer, well wishes, emails, and financially.  I invite you to join me in yet another adventure!

This is a video that one of the Academy Students on board made for her work experience week in the Galley.  Gives ya'll a glimpse of what happens on board!  

Au Revoir

You're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days 

Hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this

     Goodbye Africa Mercy.  Goodbye Lome.  I don't want to leave, but I can't stay.  I'll miss you.  But I have the friendships and stories to last a lifetime.  Thanks for the memories.  Au revoir mon ami.

Almost Done

     Its crazy to think that five months have passed.  Time passes differently here in Africa.  Some days will drag on, but most fly by.  The part that makes the days all blur together is that each day is full of so many different things that they can seem to be shorter.  There is always something to do, places to go, and people to see on board.  I will miss my friends on board and off-ship.  Especially my African friends.  There can be such a cultural difference and misunderstandings and laughter.  My favorite thing that they will tell me is to "shake your body for the Lord!" at the dance parties.  African accents are now much easier for me to understand, though there can be difficulties sometimes...

     The markets are bustling with people everywhere and it is easy to get irritated when they grab you or thrust whatever they are selling into your face and hissing at you to come over here.  Yet I've learned to play the game.  It is a complete game to them, to see how bad they can rip you off, how little they think you know.  So when I start playing by their rules and "become Togolese", they know you know.  One of the highest compliments that I have gotten is when a lady selling dresses at the market was arguing with me about the price and started laughing, saying, "you are Togolese, you are too stubborn!"

     One of the things that I will miss the most are the marriage proposals that come randomly and frequently everywhere you go.  From the taxi drivers, zemidjan (pronounced zimmi john) drivers, passersby, etc.  Walking along the street the conversations can go something like this:

African man - "Bon soir!  Ca va?"

Me - "Ca va"

African man - "(something in French or Ewe)...marry me?"

Me - "NO"

African man - "porquoi? porqoui?"

Me - "Goodbye!"

     I want to thank all of my supporters who made it possible for me to experience all of this.  It literally would not have been possible without all of your prayers and support.  The people who send are doing just as much as we who are sent.  I have enjoyed and learned so much while I have been here.

Ken, Carmen, and I with all the Galley Dayworkers

     

60 Minutes

      60 Minutes was filming on board the Africa Mercy!  The crew was told about a month and half ago that the filming crew would be coming, and filming wrapped up last week.  The crew was banned from discussing it with anyone or on anything until just recently.  60 Minutes filmed quite a bit - roughly 1,800 minutes of footage.  They focused on the hospital, but also got a lot of footage of daily life.  When the camera was rolling around the dining room, it was the cue for me and some friends to get out of there.  But,  I was in the Galley when Ken gave the tour to Don Stephens and then I was on the dock when they were filming during fire the drill.  So that means I've got about 1/18th of a chance to make it into the 12 minute program that will air this fall.  It will be so cool to watch it and point out the people I know!!

Dental Clinic

Mawu

     On Wednesday I had the opportunity to visit the Dental Clinic, my first day and its' last day.  My friend Ben was also there for his minor job as assistant Dental Sterilizer.  I was able to come because the Dental Team Coordinator, Sieh, had promised me that he would work out a day that I could come.  So at 7:30am sharp I met the Dental Team in Midships for their devotions and met the people I did not know.  Around 8:15 or so we headed out to the Land Rovers and left for the clinic.  Once there, we met the nine dayworkers and had devotions with the entire team.  Then Ben started sterilizing with Rosemary, and everyone headed down to the 2nd floor to start work.  Joyce and Abdulai worked admissions and the two dentists, dental hygienist, dental assistants, and dayworkers prepped for the patients.  I was told that they did not have a job for me, but that I was free to observe.  Which after about 3-4 hours of observing and lunch, turned into assisting.  Joan, one of the dentists, asked if I wanted to take over Devo's job of assisting. Why not?  So I took charge of the suction tube and was able to see even better. 

Pulling Teeth!

     Most of the work was pulling teeth.  Some teeth (the more rotten ones) came out really easily, but there were the stubborn few that had to be sectioned.  Once the tooth came out and the hole was cleaned, cow tendon was packed inside, the gum was sutured if necessary, the patient was given pain meds, explanations on how to take care of their mouth and sent on their way.  A patient came in who had serious infection in both jaws and needed to have a lot of teeth removed.  I pulled out 5 of his teeth.  It was like pulling a nail out of wood, but the pus that came out after the tooth was gross.  I was so thankful for the dental care that I have received back home.  

     After the last patient, the clinic was partially dismantled and packed up.  The rest of the packing will be completed next week.  I had fun while helping with Devo, Mawu, and Dodji.  Devo had taught them a hand slapping game and paper, rock, scissors so we were playing that off and on.  We had a lot of fun!

Rosemary is the Dental Team Sterilizer, basically she works in the hot and sweaty part of the clinic

Abdulai

Devo, Mawu, and Joan