Silence and Art

One of the many ministries that the ship is doing here in Congo is giving art classes at the local deaf school. Most schools teach only the basic courses, and for the children in this school the art lessons are a real treat. These children are some of the lucky ones who are able to go to school, despite their disability.

I am caring for a deaf girl in the hospital right now who is being treated for burn contractures. She cannot read or write, and communicates as best she can by miming. She follows me around the ward, copying me on her own clipboard as I take notes on my patients and write in charts. Her "writing" looks like that of a three year old, just a line of loops and circles. I weep for her and wish that she could have the education she seems to desire so much. She wants to say so much, but cannot communicate beyond basic ideas. I gave her a laminated copy of a photo taken of the two of us in the ward, and she treasures it. She will show it to anyone and everyone who comes along, then if I am on the ward, she will come put her arm around me in an imitation of the photo.

My Deaf Patient

Seeing these children in the school who can read and write and communicate with sign language gives me hope for the future of those in Congo with disabilities. These children are so eager to learn and they love that I can communicate a little with them in their own sign language. So far we have covered pencil sketches, watercolors, and right now we are working with chalk. One young boy at the school was a patient in the hospital earlier in the field service, and has become a celebrity amongst the other deaf children as the only one who has been on the ship.

These children are so precious. May we leave them with the knowledge that they are precious, valuable, and dearly loved.

Old Friends at the Deaf School

All about the ship the anticipation of the upcoming sail is growing. While I am excited to sail for the first time in my life, I am also sad to know that I must leave the people I have grown close to here in Guinea. I have missed seeing my friends at the deaf school everyday as I did when we were on field service, and I have taken every opportunity to go back to visit and help them with their sign language book project. This week I also had the opportunity to organize a group to go back and begin a new mural in the one classroom that we did not paint before. For this project we are painting a mural of the Microscopic World, complete with atoms, molecules, DNA, bacteria, viruses, and cells. The children and teachers are so excited to see the mural going up, and I love knowing that our murals will stay behind for years to come, even after the Mercy Ships has gone. We leave so very soon now. I will miss these people so much. But I take my memories with me, and perhaps someday when Mercy Ships returns to Guinea, I will see them again.

Aichat and Her Cousin "Helping"

My Wonderful Painting Team

The Completed Mural

The Children Saying Goodbye 

My Special Friends

Field Service Complete

I was so excited to learn over the weekend that one of the young men from the deaf school works at the hotel we are staying in. I have been able to practice my sign language with him, and develop a new friendship. It has been exciting for me to come back to the hotel in the evening and go to say "Hello" to him. I wish that my sign language were more fluent, but somehow, we seem to understand each other despite my limited sign language.
We have been eating our dinner outside this week, once at a local park, and now at the local beach.

Waiting for Our Dinner in the Park

Sunset at Chaka Waka Beach

Collecting Seashells

We have completed all five murals at last, and our field service is completed. I have determined that I will go back to the deaf school as often as I can while we are here in Guinea and continue to build and develop the friendships that I have begun with the teachers and children at the school. I have found my place in Guinea. Perhaps the best part of this week was seeing one of the teachers using our mural to teach teachers who had never heard of the solar system before. So encouraging to know that our paintings are going to help to further the education in this school.

The Completed Undersea Mural





Painting the Maps of Africa

The Completed Mural

Painting the Map of the World

Completed Map of the World

Finishing Painting the Sign Language Alphabet

The Team That Finished the Alphabet Mural

The Completed Solar System Mural

One of the Teachers, Teaching the Other Teachers About the Solar System

We have successfully completed our field service, and now it is time for a new assignment. Now I become a nurse aboard the Africa Mercy. I cannot wait to see what the Lord is going to do.

Enjoying Our Last Dinner on the Beach Before Boarding the Ship

Collecting Seashells on the Beach with a Local Girl



 

The Whole Group with Completion Certificates