Never too old to color

It's amazing how fast time goes by. I feel like I say this a lot. Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything, a picture would probably suffice, but some days the effort of getting the picture from my camera to computer then on my blog is just too much!

We are halfway through the second week of the fistula surgeries, and there isn't really a word to describe how it's going. Heart wrenching, difficult, and defeating are some words that immediately come to mind. These past two weeks have been a constant reminder that God is in control, and outcomes are his domain.  Sometimes I get a little focused on outcomes, and lose sight of who we are helping. God gently reminded me this past week that it’s not about the outcomes. It’s about the individual. It’s about loving these ladies that have scarcely been shown what love is.  It’s not about wet or dry, it’s not about the numbers, it’s about the individual, it's about love and acceptance.

One of the ladies told me that she’s been mistreated by the nurses in the fistula program at a local hospital.  The nurse told her that her condition is a result of God being angry at her; that she sinned and brought this on herself.
Wow.
How can someone say that!

Realizing that many of the ladies on the ward had been treated at this same facility, I figured out that many had been told this same lie.  So we sat them all down, told them how much God loves them, how it is not their fault, and we set out to explain what really happened to them.
It’s amazing how thirsty these women are for education. I pulled out a big poster of a woman about 9 months pregnant, and within a second had about 10 women surrounding me all eager to hear what I had to say.  Through a translator (thank God for her!) we explained what happened during childbirth, and why they leaked urine after.  They were in awe! They all thought it was their husband’s fault! hahaha we’ll work on that another day and time.
That’s all for now.

P.S. my favorite memory from this week...
I turned from my computer to find 3 grown women sitting very proper in bed, coloring in coloring books; they all wore the same serious, focused looks on their faces. hilarious.
you're never too old to color in a coloring book.

Tears of hope

This past week I had the most amazing opportunity to go to Kissidougou with the director of USAID, Nancy Estes; Luciana, communications assistant (there isn't a title that would be descriptive enough of all that she does!); Dr. Balde, and Dr. Balde, two of my favorite Guineans; and Diawara and Alpha...the amazing drivers that got us safely through the many potholes, and craters in the Guinean roads!

The trip started off visiting various sites that USAID supports, and culminated with the most joyous celebration for the opening of the Fistula Wing of the Regional Kissidougou hospital. I can't even begin to describe all the emotions that flooded me as I stepped out of the car to see nurses, doctors, and local Guineans lined up to greet and welcome us. The sound of African tamborines, and women serenading us in their beautiful local tongue, so loud it was reverberating my heart.  The sight of men, women, and children present to support the women, and chanting "éliminer les fistules" over and over.  Not a dry eye in the house as a woman suffering from Obstetric Fistula recounted her story, with the hope of being treated in the new Fistula Wing.  As I walked into the ward after the ceremonial ribbon cutting, I suddenly felt hands on my back, pushing me aside. As I turned around, the sight of hordes of fistula patients pushing through the crowds to get to the beds filled the room.  Tears of hope in their eyes. It was a beautiful thing.


Along the way I took some snaps of cute kids, beautiful scenery, interesting transportation and the beautiful fistula ladies...enjoy!

the sweetest kids ever!





Celebrations galore for the opening of the Fistula Wing at Kissidougou Hospital





The interesting transportation of people and animals...



 the beautiful scenery!

 

   


sunrises

 

sunsets

The team...

Dr. Balde #2 (the medical doctor one)



Dr. Balde, Mr. Jean Keita (Mayor of Kissidougou), Nancy Estes (Director of USAID), and me!

the lovely Luciana

Masked

Children, grown men, pregnant moms bearing their 9th child, nurses, and patients alike all partaking in masked delight....thought I'd start your week with some sweet pics.  My personal fave, the masked mustached patient; serious with a twist. Enjoy!

Heavy

     My heart is heavy today.  It's full of mixed emotions. On one hand I'm excited, and elated that the hospital is open, and life-saving surgeries are happening.  On the other hand, the realization that we can't help everyone is tangible. This is so hard for me to understand at times. It makes me so aware of our human condition, and the limitations of this world. It is physically impossible to help everyone and the need is overwhelming. It is beyond our control, ability, and responsibility. But with that I'm reminded that God is in control, and that is far better than me being in control.  He loves and cares for everyone in a way that I'm unable. 

     Yesterday I had to look into the tear-filled eyes of a man crying out for help, and tell him that we couldn't help him.  I'll call him "A." A had surgery with Mercy Ships just one short year ago in Freetown, Sierra Leone.  He had a mass growing in the back of his throat, and after removing the mass we found out that it was cancer.  In a set of seemingly random circumstances, "A" made it to the port gates just in time to run into one of our nurses, and crew members.  "A's" cancer had come back and was blocking his throat again.  With his voice at a forced whisper, he tells me "just take it out and I'll leave tomorrow."  Unable to eat, or even swallow his own saliva,  "A" was severely emaciated.  I wish I could say that we were able to take it out and everything was fine, but it wasn't.  Myself, our surgeon, doctor, and a counselor had to explain to him that we couldn't just remove it and everything would be fine.  It would come back, as it already had.  He went through the stages of dying right in front my very eyes, and to my surprise, ended with a thankful blessing on us and our families. I walked him to the gangway with a bag of nutritional supplements, and tears in my eyes.

    I can't accept God's blessings without also accepting hard times. Proverbs 3:5 says to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding."  I don't understand why God allowed "A" to make it all the way to the ship from Sierra Leone, to only be turned away by us. But I have to trust and know that God is good.  He will leave a multitude to find the one that is lost.  I am confident that we were able to love and care for "A" despite not doing surgery; and that is Love in action.  Pray for "A."  Pray for me.

     

Oh Africa, how I've missed thee!

       We arrived on African soil two days ago, but didn't get a chance to get off the ship until last night. I can't describe how awesome it feels to be back in Africa!! A small group of us walked around the town to get our bearings, and happened upon some things that captured my heart and some of the many reasons why I love Africa...

* "One-way" streets that change direction depending on the time of day
*  Urban soccer games being played in the middle of the streets. Metal goal posts, uniforms, and all
* Following the sound of music to the end of a street crowded with hoards of people watching a soccer game in the middle of a busy street
* One-by-one kids coming up and shaking our hands
* All the bonjours and bonsoirs
* The understanding conveyed through just a look, no words necessary
* A monkey on a leash doing tricks on a soccer ball
* A leashed cat
* Walking through the port and everyone helping direct us just based on the questioning look on our faces
* The juxtaposition of abject poverty on one side of the street, and a Mac store on the other
* Shawarma
* My last and personal favorite: walking on the street and getting peed on by a man just peeing in the middle of the road~ TIA!


On another note, we are setting up the hospital finally!!! I can't explain how exciting it is to set up the hospital, envisioning the beds filled with patients. I can literally hear the raucous already! I was a stripper yesterday, it's hard work I tell you! It's not what you think, I stripped and waxed the floors! It felt so good to do some physical, hard work. Today I get to meet the day workers that I'll be working with for the next 10 months. I am so excited to meet them and get to work alongside them. 

That's all for now. I've upped my blogging goal to at least once a week so hopefully you'll be hearing from me more! Oh and pictures to come, I didn't bring my camera out this time but I will definitely get some pics soon. 

 P.S.
I made it in the newspaper, here's the link 

  
 

Filled

Sometimes I wish I had a pen and paper with me at all times so that when things I need to process come to mind I can write them down for later. Whenever I’m sitting down to a media in which I can express myself, nothing comes. But when I’m out and about, and it’s inconvenient I always have thoughts in my mind that need a little bit more delving into. Over the past week what keeps coming to my mind is how thankful I am for my friends and family, how unworthy I am, and how great God is.  Over the past 4 weeks that I’ve been home, I have been lavished on with love and friendship.  Mars Hill and the friendships that have come from that have added so much abundance to my life, and it is solely because they continue to point me to Christ. My faith has been renewed and strengthened through their godly example. I am so thankful that when I come home we instantaneously go right back to where we left off. That is a special gift, because I’ve had the alternative and I know how hard it can be to accept friends back into your “circle” when someone has left, and the group has moved on. I am thankful it’s not this way.  God has brought me through periods of drought and plenty. You don’t realize how dry and weary the land is until you come to plush, green pastures. When I came home I realized what a state of drought my heart had been in for the past few months, and how much I continually need Jesus. Through my friends and community group Jesus has come in and watered the dry and desolate areas of my life.  I have been filled to the brim with His love, and care. I have been tenderly taken care of, gently shown areas of lacking His Spirit, and brought closer to the feet of Jesus. As I embark on the next endeavor of my life to minister to the oppressed, and brokenhearted I realize how much I need Jesus to minister to me. The only way I can love these VVF ladies is because He loved me first.  I don’t have all the answers, but I have the only one that can make a difference. And that’s Jesus. And I’m thankful for that.

Thankful

The past 6 months have gone by so fast! It feels like yesterday when God put it on my heart to leave Orange County and go to Africa. I can still remember talking to my small group at Church and having one month before I left for 6 months, which seemed like such a long time! But I blinked once and here I am. Over the past 6 months God has done huge things in my life and in the lives of the patients. I have seen physical transformations in the burn and maxillofacial patients; patients go from death to eternal life through Jesus; and VVF patients be healed from the very condition that outcasted them from society. I have cuddled more babies than I can count, laughed so hard I cried on numerous occasions, and danced with the patients to my heart's contentment. God has emptied me, only to fill me with joy to the point of spilling over.

I absolutely could not have done it without the support of my parents, friends, and amazing supporters that believed in me enough to send me off filled with love!



So, you might be wondering what's next?
I have been accepted as a Team Leader for VVF! You know, those amazing women who have suffered such terrible tragedies yet live, laugh, and love...the one's I fell in love with. I get the wonderful honor to serve and love on these ladies again, and lead a wonderful team of special nurses to care for them. Please pray for me that God would lead me and guide me in how to be Team Leader as it is a brand new position for me. Pray that God would help me lead the nurses in a loving, Christ-centered way. For the patients, please pray:
1. God would select the exact patients he wants us to help
2. Safe travels for the ladies, and that God would provide a way to transport them all from remote areas
3. 100% physical healing of their VVF
4. Emotional and spiritual healing of the emotional wounds they've endure
5. That they would feel the love of Jesus through every interaction with the nurses, doctors, and translators.

Thanks again for supporting me through this amazing time, and allowing me the opportunity to go back for round two!!