Strategic Health Initiatives

Our Strategic Health Initiatives Project (SHIPS) trains individuals to identify health needs in their communities and then develop a plan to address a particular need. Many of the churches represented in the SHIPS class in Ashaiman saw a need to address community cleanliness and waste removal. At the graduation ceremony, they spoke of the need to take responsibility for their communities, rather than expecting the government to do everything for them.

Also at graduation, they performed a skit that demonstrated proper hand washing technique. To us, it may be common sense to wash our hands before meals. I learned from the students that for them, washing hands follows a meal. It’s only common sense, considering they eat with their fingers and they need to clean off the oil. Do you remember that you, too, had to learn to wash your hands before eating? Mom called us to the dinner table with a reminder to wash our hands. After washing, Dad used the top end of the towel while I dried my hands on the lower end. One couple who attended the classes also brought their 2-year-old daughter along. Now Miracle reminds her parents of the need to wash their hands BEFORE eating.

Tide of Mercy

Tide of Mercy is our HIV program. Following an initial sensitization phase, churches are invited to participate in an ongoing training program. As part of the process, they develop a project that they want to implement in their communities. Many churches in Ashaiman chose to focus on raising awareness in other churches and rural communities. Please pray that the projects they’ve started will continue. Pray also for the churches here in Liberia. For years many of them chose to ignore the issue of HIV, believing that to acknowledge it was to condone an immoral lifestyle. There is hope in Christ alone and the church can bring that message to individuals and their communities.

Mercy Vision

During our time in Ghana, we implemented changes to the ophthalmic team that included a mobile field team to identify surgical candidates. Four days each week the team travels to different locations where individuals may be evaluated for surgery. If they are selected, they receive an appointment card to go to the ship. With this change, we were able to provide a steady stream of patients so that more than 1000 individuals received the gift of sight before surgery was completed in December.

When the Africa Mercy comes online, two operating rooms will be dedicated to eye surgery, allowing us to help even more patients. Here in Liberia, the four weekly clinic locations have been chosen and advertised. The field team started screening patients about a week before surgery began. Within three days they filled more than two weeks of surgery spaces.

Sabena

Can you recall what it was like to be a teen? To worry about your appearance and what others thought of you? For seven years teen Sabena endured abuse from neighbors who called her a witch and spat at her. Even when they learned of doctors on a ship who could help her, they warned her she would die.

Instead, during Sabena’s time on board, she experienced acceptance and new life. Dr Gary Parker removed the tumor that threatened her airway and sapped her energy. With a new hope and joy, she and her mother headed home. Her mother gave praise to God for the change in her daughter. She had hardly dared to believe her daughter could look so good again.

Sabena joins the many whose faces mark my memories of Mercy Ships: Malik, Cé, Justine, Hugues, Patrick…and many will follow after her because services we take for granted are unavailable to the average person in West Africa.

Liberia Arrival

On March 1, Anastasis sailed into the Free Port of Monrovia, Liberia. This is the ship’s third visit to Liberia, but my first trip with the ship. In 2004 I was part of the assessment trip that laid the groundwork for the ship’s first visit. Since then, Liberia has elected the first female president in Africa and is making incremental progress toward rebuilding the nation after a 14-year civil war.  They have a long way to go, but it is great to be here and be part of the rebuilding. We will be here until November 2007.

Africa Mercy

We are in a frustrating phase when the completion of the Africa Mercy is tantalizingly close, yet some items remain outstanding. As you see mentioned below, it does seem that the sail date is imminent. Many of the delays have been and continue to be out of our control. Please pray for wisdom and grace and completion of all that needs to be done to get the Africa Mercy to Liberia in a few months.

Dates to Remember

March 19 Operations Resume

March 19 Dental Clinic Opens

March 28-29 Sea Trials for Africa Mercy

April Jean in England to move Equipment aboard Africa Mercy

May 2 Final Operations on Anastasis

May 3-4 Screening in Monrovia

Praises and Requests

Give God Thanks for…

       Progress that HAS been made toward redelivery of Africa Mercy

       A productive time in Ghana. Our Community Development team built classrooms, a maternity center, and a youth health center.

Join us in Praying for…

       Redelivery of Africa Mercy.

       Clarity of dates so we can accurately plan for transition

       Successful completion of sea trials for Africa Mercy.

       Ability to make significant progress on construction projects before the rains grow severe in Liberia. This is the wettest West African nation.

Dear Friends,

As I prepared to write this, I glanced back at some my early newsletters, revisiting familiar friends and stories. After ten years, the stories have not grown old nor the anticipation of a field service wavered. Each story is really a life changed, a person who encountered Christ, whether through a surgeon’s scalpel or a word of healing acceptance. Thank you for YOUR part in making it possible for me to serve. These stories are your stories too.