"Too Cute..."

This little girl is just too cute...and really thirsty!

Cross-cultural communication at it's best...do what I do...

"Ice Cream..."

After almost every community meeting on Thursday nights, we are served ice cream.  People in the crew generally take turns to serve the ice cream to the community.

It was a night for the fire team to serve us...gotta love community life!

Thanks Brian and Jay for the pictures!

"Fred Had a Dream..."

When we were in Togo in 2010, I worked with a day worker by the name of Fred.  Fred would often tell me about a dream that he had-to have a farm where he would grow food and help the community.  Over the last two years, I have often thought about Fred and his farm dream.

Upon returning to Togo, I sought out Fred and one of my first questions I asked him was about his farm.  Fred shared with me how he has managed to start his farm and the new vision he has for the community.  Much to my joy and delight, we went last Saturday to go and see his farm.  What a blessing this day was to me.

Fred serving patients on the ward.

The beginning of the trip, we had to stop at all the small villages to greet the kids and give them a piece of candy.

It amazed us all, how the kids (and the adults) were thrilled to receive one piece of candy.

The first village (about 3 miles from the farm) had started a small school.  One of Fred's old teachers is helping with the school.

Mike handing out candy to the students.

The simplicity of the village classroom.

I took this picture because of the contrast of our vehicle to the village.  From this point we had to walk to Fred's farm.

The area is absolutely beautiful.  It is calm and quiet. There is no electricity or running water.

 

The first glimpse of the farm.  The neighbour's kids had to run to greet us!

 Most of the people in the local villages have to walk 2-3 miles to go to a local mill to get their maize ground.  Fred is planning to use this building as a mill so people do not have to travel the long distance to the mill.

The largest termite mound I have ever seen!!

Prior to Fred coming into the area, there was no local well water.  Fred told us he did not know where people were getting their water. 

Neighbouring kids carrying the water back to their parent's place.

The well water is not the best...it would make you and me very sick...but the the local neighbours are thankful for the fresh water.

 When Fred stays at his farm, life is simple.  This is his room where he sleeps and cooks.

The first of the banana crop growing.

His very first pineapple.

During the hot season, he has had to protect his green peppers from the hot sun.  These will be planted in about 2-3 weeks in other bedding plots.

One of the older pepper plants.  The ground is very dry and hard.  It poses a big challenge for Fred to not lose his plants to the elements.

Water is pumped to different cisterns to help water the plants in the different areas.  But the water table is very low, so it does not take long before the water in the well runs out and needs time to refill.

The neighbour lady had her third child 8 days before we came to visit.  No local hospital, just her mother-in-law to help.

Joshua and Fred taking some time to play-shooting hoops.

Two neighbour boys watching Joshua and Fred play basketball.  While they stand there with their toy-the tire.

We feel so blessed to have experience the beginning of Fred's dream.  He really wants to be able to reach out to the community and help them with the mill, water wells, and with crops.  He also brings medical and general health information when needed.  He gives God the glory for all he has accomplished.  It has not been easy, because people think he is crazy.  Young people want to move away from the villages and into town.  He wants to reach out to the neighbours-sharing Christ in the midst of voodoo beliefs.  Fred is an amazing young man.  May God bless the works of his hands!

"Celebration of Sight..."

There are no words that can capture the excitement of regained sight!

"Update...Abel..."

Abel Dalome was beaming. He and his father, Koudjo, were enjoying a quiet moment together in the Mid-Ships Café onboard the Africa Mercy hospital ship. Just over two years had passed since Abel had received free medical care from Mercy Ships to correct a severe misalignment in both of his legs. In fact, both of his legs had turned completely backward at the knees. Now, Abel was back at Mercy Ships for a routine check-up. Koudjo was thrilled. He only had good news to report about his son’s progress. He disclosed that on the journey to the ship, Abel had declared, “I will tell them that my life is sweet!”

Koudjo described the amazing transformation in his son’s life. “Before Mercy Ships, we thought that our son would only know pity. We worried that he would not have a life to do something good. And everybody told us that this would never change. But Abel’s life did change. After Abel recovered from the surgery, there was a satisfaction I cannot describe. Now, Abel will go on to do many good things.”

At that moment, Abel’s face lit up with a wide smile as he watched a very special friend appear at his side. Nurse Anna Parthun had tended to Abel during his hospital stay in 2010. When Abel suffered from an infection in one of his legs, Anna showered Abel with even more care. “My mission was to get at least one smile out of Abel every day. The funny faces I drew on inflated surgical gloves always worked best!” she said with a smile.

Now, looking at such a grown-up boy, Anna took notice of the wonderful change in Abel. “He has a new confidence, and his personality is so bright. Just like other boys his age, he is outgoing and energetic. I am so grateful to see how readily he likes to smile. No more need for surgical balloons,” she observed with satisfaction.     
  

Abel shared news with Anna about his activities since returning home after his surgery. “I am going to school, and I walk there all by myself. I am so happy for that. I go to my grandfather’s farm and to the market. I can do all of these things on my own,” he reported joyfully. Abel also confirmed that he was still active in his favorite hobby, playing soccer with his friends in the village.

Mercy Ships volunteer physiotherapist Joanne Gates then took Abel under her tender wing for his follow-up examination. “I examined Abel to determine the progress he has made since surgery. We are especially interested in assessing his strength, range of motion and quality of walking, as well as finding out if he is experiencing any problems. I was pleased that Abel had progressed so well within his limitations,” she explained.

Joanne also arranged for Abel to have x-rays taken of his legs to confirm that all had healed well internally. The x-rays were e-mailed to Dr. Frank Haydon, who had performed Abel’s surgery. Dr. Frank replied joyfully, “Abel’s x-rays look good. His protruding bone is just a product of the necessary surgery because there was such an extreme angulation in the femur. So, we have a very positive outcome here!”

Abel’s dear friend Anna was ecstatic. “Seeing Abel was the highlight of my service with Mercy Ships this time. To be here to witness how he has grown up is a blessing. And now, I know that, in every detail, Abel’s surgery is a permanent success. I thank God, in His grace, mercy and love, for these gifts,” she said.


As Abel and his father departed from the Mercy Ships HOPE Center, where they stayed for their follow-up visit, Koudjo spoke of how he has decided to show his gratitude for all that Mercy Ships has done for his son. “I bring people to Mercy Ships who need help. I brought one person with a tumor, and I will bring my sister’s baby who has a cleft lip. I do this in my own car and with no charge to them,” he explained.
Koudjo has turned his gratitude into acts of compassion. With his help, others will experience the medical care offered by Mercy Ships, and their lives – like Abel’s – will become sweet again.

Story by Joanne Thibault
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos by Debra Bell and JJ Tiziou

"School Pictures..."

Mercy Ships Academy

The dedicated teachers 

Mentor group grades 7 and 8

 Joshua

Mentor Group grade 11

Alisia

"Science Fair..."

On Wednesday night, the Academy students had the opportunity to show off their science experiments during the annual Science Fair.  It is always an interesting time to see the creativity of the students with the experiments the choose to do.

 Plant Awareness...if you talk kindly to a plant will it grow better?

 Joshua's experiment was does playing a video game help your aim on a target with a Nerf gun?

 Alisia's experiment was how does music affect your exercise.

 There was also an interactive time for the younger students.

Caleb demonstrated how an underwater volcano erupts.

Even the kindergarten and grade 1 students has an experiment about objects.

Creativity at its best...a lemon battery...does it work?

"Trip to the OR pt. 2..."

Our second part of the OR viewing session was to observe a surgery of a man who had an infection in has jaw when he was young.  The infection caused him to have ankylosis (lock jaw) for 37 years!  It was amazing watching Dr. Gary work on this man.  I never thought I would see what looked like wood chisels and saws in an operation.  Thankfully the man was sedated!!

After his surgery, he will have to work hard on stretching his jaw again and train the muscles how to move again.  Thankfully, he will be able to move his jaw again!