This is a very sad/strange/exciting time for the crew of the Africa Mercy. We have completed the 2009 Field Service in Benin...and the people helped and ministered to, since the middle of February, is overwhelming.

*Mercy Visions (Eye team) performed over 4 000 surgeries, the main portion of the surgeries was cataract removal...Sight restored. They also did over 33 ooo eye evaluations and treatments.
*The Outlook of Hope team (Maxillofacial surgery/Plastic surgery/and Cleft lip-palette surgeries) was able to help over 2 200 people...Life restored.
*Our Hope Reborn program (for the VVF Women - see earlier blog) restored hope to 154 women...Life returned
*Benin Smile (Dental program) did over 21 000 procedures-helping just over 10 000 patients...Health restored

As I look at these numbers I am stunned. Each number represents a person...a life changed...given hope...given some kind of healing...it overwhelms me. But at the same time for each person helped there is one out there who still needs help....who still need hope....who still needs healing. This is why we do what we do...to bring hope and healing to the forgotten poor of West Africa.

But now as I walk around the ship...it is strangely quiet at times. The cargo hold, that once had our eye patients and outpatients waiting is now void of people and being loaded with shipping containers to prepare for the sail to Tenerife.
The room we use for Admissions is now being emptied and cleaned.

The wards that once held our patients now become areas for storage. Everything has been cleaned and sterilized and packed away.

The recovery room which is normally full of patients is empty. It too will be cleaned out, washed down, and sterilized. All the instruments used to help patients has to be secured for the sail. It is a lot of work for the remaining crew. As I said at the beginning of the blog it is a sad/strange/exciting time for us here. We are sad our time here in Benin has come to an end...because we say good-bye to some crew members...because we say good-bye to the Day Volunteers that have become friends. It is strange because our normal routine of helping patients has ended, and exciting because we are heading to a much needed Christmas break in the Canary Islands. It is also exciting because we know the next field service is not far off where we, once again, can bring hope and healing to the forgotten poor.