Mercy Ship Humour

This made me smile!

These shots are from the youth retreat in Kpalime. Some of the ship adults work with the youth in the school, and took them on a weekend away. What a blessing!

 

.

 

This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

African wildlife?

Lookee what the girls took out of a pool on a trip up north in Togo!!

 

 

This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

Komi's New Dream

Not many children growing up in Togo have big plans for the future. Some want to be a farmer like their parents. Some want to become a builder or a seamstress. But it is pretty rare that a Togolese child aspires to be a doctor.

Twelve-year-old Komi appreciates the medical care he received from Mercy Ships. "Because of the way that they took care of me here," he says, "I want to take care of others in that way. I am the lucky one. I want to be a doctor like them."

Komi had a large growth on his neck – a thyroid tumor that had been growing in size for five years. His mother, Maulowé, says, "When I first noticed it, I wondered what it was. I did everything in my power to stop it, but I had no money to go to the hospital."

Life was extremely difficult for Maulowé, a widow, as she did her best to take care of her four children. She cooked and sold food on the side of the road to provide shelter and clothing for her family.

One day Maulowé received a call from her brother who lived in Lomé. He told her about a hospital ship that was docked at the port, and he believed that they could help Komi. Maulowé was sick with malaria, so Komi's uncle took him to the patient screening. Komi was approved for surgery and given a date to return to the ship.

In the meantime, Maulowé recovered from malaria and was able to come with her son to the Africa Mercy for a brief, but life-changing, stay. Dr. Gary Parker performed the surgery to remove Komi's thyroid tumor.

Afterward, a beaming Maulowé sat next to her son. She had been forced to take Komi out of school because the other children were afraid of him. They thought the devil was inside him, and that is why he looked so different. Now her son could have a normal life. She said simply, "I am so grateful for the nurses and doctors at Mercy Ships. May God bless you all."

Komi informed his nurse that he is looking forward to going back to school. "I want to play soccer with my friends," he said. "They will no longer be scared of me."

With smiles on their faces, Maulowé and Komi walked hand-in-hand out of the port and into the city. Mercy Ships touched a life, giving a young boy a new dream for the future.

Story by Claire Bufe
Edited by Nancy Predaina

 

 

This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

Troubles of Togo

This has been a difficult time for the people of Togo. The gas prices have suddenly risen, and the taxi drivers and others feel they cannot support the new prices. They are barely surviving as it is. So the taxi drivers went on strike, and all over the city people have put rocks blocking the intersections to stop traffic. The first day a gas station was ignited, and yesterday a lot of tires were burnt in protest and some explosions went off near our Hospitality Center. Finally we felt that we should recall and ground all our workers from the Center (pictured--where we have long-distance incoming patients and longer-term outgoing patients housed, as well as our eye clinic). No eye, dental or mental health teams were able to go out yesterday or today. Please pray for the people and government of Togo. Frustration can make people do things they will later regret. Please pray for the safety of our dedicated day workers.

This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

Diversions #2

Of course, these days there is another diversion. We often see people with a painting of their flag on their cheek. You might recognize the symptoms... World Cup fever! Here are shots of our folk from Ghana cheering on their team amidst the French, British and Americans!

This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

Diversions #1 more photos

On a naval ship there are separated eating and recreational areas according to one's rank. The cabins seemed snug, but pleasing. They were not all that much different from ours.

This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

Diversions #1

Sometimes there is an interesting diversion in port. Recently a French naval ship came in and allowed us to tour it. It had a small hospital unit, being a delivery and rescue boat. It had come to Togo as part of the treaty between Togo and France to help guard Togo's coastline. There was a deck that opened out on the sea. That deck could hold 4 boats that carry supplies or men and deliver them to the beaches. It was interesting because the deck was also a volleyball and sport court with various lines and circles on it! We enjoyed our tour immensely.

This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

Pomp and Circumstance

We held a lovely graduation ceremony for Kim Anna Wednesday evening, June 9.

 

 

Graduation dinner for Kim Anna Kronester

Tuesday evening, June 8, the Academy held a graduation dinner for Kim Anna. All the students from 6th grade and up attended, along with the Kronsester family and the teachers.

 

The Kronester family has served with Mercy Ships for many years, from Central America to West Africa. They originate from Germany. Kim Anna is an excellent student and was a joy to teach. She will do an internship with the nurses on the ship's hospital ward, and then work for a while in Switzerland. After a gap year she plans to continue her studies to become a nurse.

 

 

Photos of Jen Childs at work

Story of my cabinmate

Jenn Childs - Crew Story

Jenn Childs served as Hospital Care Provider on the Africa Mercy for a total of three months. She graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in New York with a degree in Allied Health Science. She worked as a physician's assistant for five and a half years in an outpatient family practice and is currently on a leave of absence from the Guthrie Clinic in Gang Mills, New York.

Jenn was raised in New York in a Christian family. She serves in her church, the Central Assembly of God, as the mission director, which gives her the opportunity to communicate with missionaries and coordinate their visits to her church.

This interest in missions drew Jenn to Mercy Ships. She participated in two Mercy Teams - one in Honduras and one in Benin. Mercy Teams are short-term trips offering various kinds of experiences. Medical Mercy Teams often host an outpatient clinic, treating patients for general ailments and dispensing vitamins and medications.

While in Benin, Jenn had an opportunity to visit the Africa Mercy . She describes the impact of that visit: "As soon as I stepped foot on the ship, I knew I had to come back. There was something so special about it, and I could feel the spirit moving and telling me that I had to come back here."

And Jenn did come back. She worked in the admissions tent onboard the Africa Mercy . Every surgical patient has to be screened for problems that could affect surgery, such as high blood pressure. Jenn also got the opportunity to hear every patient's story as she guided them through the admission process. She described her days as emotional, yet uplifting. She saw deformed and heartbroken patients, but she also saw them transformed by the medical care provided on the hospital ship.

Jenn says, "My experience has been wonderful. I've loved it here. To see the transformation in people's lives is amazing. To see their physical problem healed is touching and wonderful. But to see the transformation that is taking place in their hearts and their spirit s is what is more beautiful to me because these people have a story beyond the obvious defect."

Jenn credits her experience with Mercy Teams as the reason for joining the Africa Mercy crew. She feels the teams were not only a great missions experience but also preparation for life on the Africa Mercy .

Written By Joy Clary
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos By Liz Cantu:


Jenn Childs, Hospital Care Provider, checks a patients vitals in the Africa Mercy admissions tent.


Jenn Childs, Hospital Care Provider, poses with Africa Mercy patient, Lawson.


Jenn Childs examines an Africa Mercy child patient, Souleman Konde, during the admissions process