I'm afraid that I've come down to my last week here on the Africa Mercy. Though part of me is ready to be home, another part is wanting to stay. However, God's made it clear that my time is done. Though I've enjoyed Benin, my heart is not really for Africa. God seems to be keeping me from my usual attatchments to the countries I've visited, knowing that I wouldn't want to leave if I had. He is clearly moving me into His own direction towards something new but exactly that will be is a mystery yet to be solved! Other adventures await!!! And in all of them, He is still God and He is always good!!! Praise the Lord!!!
In the mean time, I have seven days left in Africa and three of them are in the hospital. God has stressed to me in many ways that I must finish well. It's all well and good to begin something with passion and energy. It is entirely another to give so fully of yourself that there is nothing left at the end of the race. I've known all along that God has had me here for a specific purpose or reason. And though I've seen Him work through me in many different ways to affect those around me and though He's teaching me and given me answers and freedoms in issues I've been struggling with, I feel that I'm not seeing the main thing. Whatever it is, I don't want to get home and find that I've not done it. So to finish this adventure is to give myself fully to the people around me--both on the ship and in the ward and off the ship--so as not to miss whatever it is He is showing me and to finish this adventure in a manner pleasing to Him.
I've been reading the book of Nehemiah. Though Ezra had led the Jewish exiles back and rebuilt the temple, the city of Jerusalem itself remained in ruins without any protection whatsoever. Nehemiah was a cupbearer for the very powerful and pagan ruling king of the world (more or less), which means that he had the job of tasting all the food and drinks that were offered to the king. Everyone would then watch him to see if he died of poison or if the king would be safe to eat and/or drink that item. Fun job, huh? Every moment could bring life or death! On the other hand, you ate and drank only the best! Anyhow, he received word that Jerusalem was still in ruins and that the people there lived in poverty and fear of the peoples around them. He was greatly grieved at this and spent much of his time in prayer. After some days the king called him over and said, "What's wrong? You're not looking so good and you've never appeared before me like this? This is a matter of the heart not the stomach. What's wrong?" After Nehemiah told him, the king ordered supplies, soldiers, transportation, more Jewish exiles, and treasures to be sent with Nehemiah so that the city might be rebuilt. He also sent letters to the surrounding peoples that they were to assist and send supplies or monies as needed. However, shortly after organizing the inhabitants to build, several influential leaders of the surrounding peoples began to mock and try to scare them away from the building. They created lies about Nehemiah and threatened to pass these lies on to the king. But Nehemiah simply prayed with all the people and then reorganized so that there were well-armed guards at every low point in the partially finished walls and armed every worker so that if they were attacked they could fight back. He also told the liars that they could not frighten them away from what God had told them to do. And everything Ezra and Nehemiah did was bathed in lots of prayer because they had given themselves entirely to God and His will. The wall was finished in record time and it is said that the surrounding peoples "perceived that this work was done by our God." That is finishing well despite great hardship and opposition.
I don't have to fight for my life to finish the week (...not that I know of anyway!!!) but God doesn't expect me to invest any less. I pray (and hope that you will pray with me) with Nehemiah, "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."
Well, we're well into VVF and it has been a good start. Of the ten women currently post-operative, nine have had successful surgeries! No more leaking! The one who's surgery was unsuccessful the first time will be going back for further surgery. Though she was discouraged at first, Dr. Steve encouraged her to hang in there. "We are fighting a tough enemy and sometimes it takes more than one battle to gain victory. We are not done fighting yet!" These women have gone through so many trials in there lives, as I've described before. The hope of being healed becomes so very real that when the surgeries are unsuccessful at stopping the leaking completely, the discouragement is great. However, some women, because of the extent of their injury, need several operations to completely close. This can become an emotional rollercoaster for them. However, our friend seems to be doing quite well and is looking forward to her next surgery.
Despite the sad nature of the injury and the uncertain hope afterwards as they heal, the smiles on their faces when they first get out of bed and walk without leaking is so worth everything!!! They realize that it really is fixed! Their nightmare is over!!!
Some of these women were able to have other children before their injuries occurred or since if they had access to c-sections, so there are a few little bundles of cuteness to adore and hold around the ward! One such bundle is a bundle of purely little boy energy and speed and hunger! He's such a happy little man at one year old but he is perpetually-constantly moving and eating! The other morning he was so full that he was vomiting but right after vomiting he would go back to nursing!!! After 2-3 times of this, we finally had to say, "Okay, already! Your done! No more! Go play!" He's just about impossible to contain in any one area...his favorite is sitting up, scooting, using his feet to scoot himself forward and into trouble. He refuses to crawl but will hold your fingers and walk (or rather this tilted-forward-trying-to-get-the-feet-to-move-fast-enough run!) all over the place. And of course, everything belongs in the mouth--not a good thing in the land of foley catheters!!!! He's just about a full-time job by himself without taking patients but there's never a shortage of willing hands to help! He's been good for morale amongst the nurses, staff, and patients!
We also still have on-going max-fax and thyroidectomy surgeries and patients as well, but I haven't worked with them much this week or weekend. From what I hear, they have some cuteness going on, too, and their patients are doing well.
However, as we're wrapping up our outreach efforts here in Benin, everyone's feeling the exhaustion of the year's work and the stress of finishing everything before we sail on. Please especially pray for the hospital administration and doctors right now as they are having to decide who we can fit into the schedule for surgery and who will not be able to have it on this trip. There are several factors to consider in these decisions and it is never easy to see suffering and have to tell them that we can't help on this trip. For these patients, many meet the ship on screening days in other surrounding countries (some of our current cases come from Nigeria) or come back in a few years when the ship returns. National doctors and nurses are also being trained throughout the outreach to perform some of these surgeries so that they are available even after we leave. Our goal is to help those who have a life-threatening need for surgery first and then to help any others in need as much as possible afterwards while building up the country's own healthcare system through education or help in construction of needed buildings for clinics or education. We also strive to give quality care to those who do become our patients. So towards this end, decisions are being made and I know that they would greatly appreciate your prayers!!!
Thanks for all of your encouragement and prayers during my time here! I've felt it! I will tell you more next time! Talk to you soon!
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