Happy Goodbyes

Life on the ship is full of goodbyes. But those goodbyes are not always sad and sorrowful events.

Plastic surgery finished a few weeks ago. The surgeon who had been operating on our patients with burn contractures, extra fingers or toes, gigantism of various limbs, etc., returned home. But many of his patients remained in the hospital, their surgeries were complete but their wounds still requiring daily dressing changes and special care.

The Plastics Team

For some, struggling with infection, or slow wound healing, it seems as if they would never go home. This week we celebrated with two patients who had been in the hospital for over two months. Finally their wounds were healed and they were ready to leave the ship. They will still return to us several times a week,for physical therapy so this is not yet a final goodbye, but we will no longer see their faces on the ward.

Saying Goodbye

One of the patients that left this week was young Benjamine. Benjamine came to us with severe burn contractures to her neck and both arms. She had been burned when her clothing caught fire. But she still had a beautiful smile.

Benjamine at screening

Benjamine was with us for so long that she knew almost everyone in the hospital and believe me when I say she was loved by all. On the day she was discharged, we had a surprise goodbye party for her on Deck 7. Many of the nurses who had cared for Benjamine came to wish her goodbye. It was a time of smiles, hugs, and laughter. And perhaps also a few tears.


Goodbye Hugs and Smiles

She still returns to the ship for physical therapy, and always stops by the wards to say "Hello" to the nurses, with bright smiles and hugs for all.

A Trip to Dolisie

This weekend I had the opportunity to take a train ride up to Dolisie with a few friends. It was a wonderful day. The four hour ride was delightful, and I took photo after photo out the window. I even had an omelette in the dining car.
Once in Dolisie we spent a short time walking about the market and stopped at the local bakery for some delicious pastries.
Then came the best part of the trip (for me at least).
We rode back to Pointe-Noire in one of the local buses, packed to the brim with people. I learned a lot about long-distance travel in Congo.
For instance, when in Congo and those riding a bus need to use the toilet, the driver pulls to the side of the road and all passengers who need to relieve themselves (men and women alike) go in the long grass on the side of the road.
When water bottles are empty and need refilling, the driver once again pulls to the side of the road, and those who have need of water refill their bottles from any small spring that comes down the mountain.
And when the people are hungry and need a snack for the road, or fixings to make dinner later, the driver will pull to the side at the nearest roadside market.
By the time we made it to our first "scheduled" stop, we had made at least four other stops for the above mentioned reasons. Though a bit cramped, it was a wonderful educational experience to see how the local people live and travel on a day to day basis. My only regret is that I did not have a window seat on the bus, and thus did not get many pictures on our return journey. Oh well, there is always next time.......

Worship on the Beach

Some of my favorite evenings since I joined Mercy Ships have been spent in praise and worship. And one evening this week we had just such a night. A group of us went down to the beach after dinner and together we watched a beautiful sunset. Then we built a bonfire out of driftwood and some old pallets that we had hauled down from dock, and gathered around to worship and praise our Lord together. It was truly a beautiful night, and as our songs rose toward heaven with the smoke of the bonfire I am sure that our Lord listened with delight.

 

My Children

I have spoken often of the Baby Creche, and of the children there who I love so dearly. Though some of the children there are only there for a few weeks or months before some member of their family comes to claim them, many have no hope of family ever coming to get them. They will live in an orphanage until they are adults, or if they are lucky, until they are adopted.
I wanted to take some time today to introduce you to some of these precious and beautiful children.

 
 
Madeline

Madeline is an active and precocious 5 year old. She is the oldest child at the Baby Creche. Madeline suffers from cerebral palsy. Hers is a mild case, but she struggles with her balance and still walks like a toddler. Her muscle tone is poor and she is very thin. She also appears to have learning disabilities, and does not attend school like other children her age. Schools here in Congo seem to have little to no facilities or inclination to teach children with disabilities, and it is unlikely that she will ever attend school. She can be bossy, even though she does no speak, and is somewhat of a big sister to the younger children, giving kisses and hugs when she is in a good mood. She craves attention and loves piggy back rides and blowing bubbles.


 
Dastan

Dastan is one of the older boys. He is a cheerful, strong willed boy with a cheeky grin. He loves to play in the sand, digging holes in the ground. He also loves snack time, and will begin picking up the toys when he sees us getting out the snacks (We do not give out snack until all of the toys have been picked up and put away).


 
Owen

Owen is a happy little boy with a beautiful smile. He is similar to Dastan in appearance, age, and temperament, though perhaps a bit more shy. He follows Dastan's lead and the two frequently get into trouble together.


 
Fabio

Fabio is quieter and more sober than Dastan and Owen. He prefers to play on his own, or sit quietly while you read to him from a book.



Berenger

Berenger is thought to be somewhere between two and three years old, but he is small and underweight due to malnourishment. Despite the efforts of the people on the infant feeding program, he is failing to put on weight, mostly due to the fact that he refuses to eat anything unfamiliar to him, including the snacks that we bring when we visit. His legs are stick thin and very weak, so that he cannot walk or crawl. Berenger is a very sober and withdrawn child. Despite our best efforts, it is very difficult to get him to smile. Once you have picked him up, you have committed yourself, because he is desperate for physical contact and will cry and scream if you make any attempt to put him down.

 
Sebastian

Sebastian is similar in age to Berenger and is also malnourished. Like Berenger he has failed to put on weight and frequently refuses food. He is not strong enough to crawl on his hands and knees, and has developed his own sort of floppy army-crawl style to get around. He is fiercely independent and will fight the older boys if they try to take his toy. His hips are double-jointed and he is often seen lying or sitting with his legs in the split position. He is easily distinguished by the discolored patches of skin on either side of his nose. 

Alexandre

In appearance, Alexandre could be Sebastian's twin brother, though they are not related. He is also malnourished and unable to walk. He can crawl, and uses that to his full advantage. He loves to eat, and will hopefully continue to gain weight over the next few months.

 
Demetri

Demetri is one of the younger boys at the Baby Creche. He is thought to be somewhere around a year old. He is not walking yet, but it will not take him much longer to master that skill. He is such a happy little boy and loves to clap his hands and do motions when you sing his favorite nursery song. He badly burned his face one day when he grabbed a bowl of boiling hot porridge from the table, splattering it all over himself, and now his face is permanently scarred.


Malkiat

My precious Malkiat. When we first arrived in Congo, Malkiat was fourteen months old and weighed only six pounds! He was placed on the infant feeding program, and recently has begun putting on weight. At twenty months old, he now weighs nearly ten pounds and looks almost chubby compared to when I first saw him. He could not roll over or even lift his head when we first arrived, but now he can sit up on his own, and hopefully he will soon be crawling. Malkiat is a people watcher, and likes to be held in such a way that he can watch what is going on around him.

These are the children who have such a tight hold on my heart. These are the children that I pray for every night. I hope that you will join me in praying for hopeful and bright futures for each and every one of them.