Last Days in Ghana

The past week has been a blur. Time is going so fast and I can't seem to do anything about it. At the beginning of this week, we were sailing on the open seas from Sierra Leone to Ghana. This was quite an adventure because I have never sailed before. Walking down the hallway in a straight line was nearly impossible. There were a few meals where we had to hold onto our plates because they would slide off the table if we didn't! And at night you would hear odd sounds from things in the cabin that were rolling around. Someone described sailing as "being on a roller coaster you can't get off of" and I agree! Thankfully it only lasted for 5 days. In the middle of the sail, we spent almost a whole day stopped because we received fuel from an oil tanker. This was the first time this method has been used for the Africa Mercy, so our captain was quite nervous.  However, the fueling went well, even though it lasted 15 hours. The sea life was spectacular - we saw many flying fish, whales, hundreds of dolphins, and jellyfish. I did not sea a shark, and that was fine with me. :)

Whale sighting!!! haha...that's me near the middle in a lime green shirt. We spent hours every day hanging out on the bow of the ship. 

We arrived in Tema, Ghana, which is beside the capital, Accra, on Thursday around noon. The captain notified us via the intercom that we were getting close to the "pilot station" where we would pick up the pilot to bring us safely into port. We quickly went out to top deck where we had a good view. After a few minutes, the Tema coastline appeared out of the morning haze. Even from a distance, I could see that this port was MUCH larger and developed than the one in Freetown. I was expecting to see beautiful rolling mountains like the ones in Freetown, but instead saw only flat land. We slowly drifted into the port, and saw a small group that was waiting to welcome us!

The sign said "Akwaaba" which means welcome!

It was so cool to arrive in the port and be welcomed by locals and the Advance Team that went before the ship. As we waved from the deck, I recognized Erica, a previous roommate of mine, and several other friends. The group began to sing praise songs and dance. It was a wonderful day! As normal activity resumed on the ship, it was amazing to feel the morale boost from arriving in a more developed port.
On Saturday, I ventured into Accra with Maree and Dorike. We took a tro-tro (they were called poda-podas in Freetown) into the city. This was our first time seeing Accra, so we had no idea what to expect. I had heard that Ghana is one of the most developed countries in Africa, so coming to Freetown here was a bit of a shock. I am so thankful that I was able to be here for a week before going home. Maree and I felt so ridiculous in the tro-tro because we were constantly pointing at things like traffic lights, hotels, and luxurious homes in amazement, which was the opposite of what usually happens when foreigners come to Africa. If I had come to Ghana before Freetown, I would've been shocked by the poverty that is here, but instead I am so amazed by the wealth. In Freetown, there were VERY few displays of wealth (such as homes or cars). Here I've seen brand new cars (BMW's and Mercedes) and huge, sprawling subdivisions of homes. There is still poverty here, but it isn't as obvious as in Freetown. I'm so glad I was able to visit Ghana for a short time. I realize that if I had gone directly home from Freetown, that would be my only experience and view of Africa. While I loved Freetown in many ways, at times I felt hopeless because there is SO much work to be done there. So it was nice to come to Accra and see that not all of Africa is like Sierra Leone.

Independance Arch in downtown Accra.

There is nothing as refreshing as coconut water on a hot day. It is so amazing to watch how quickly he cuts the top off with his machete. Then after you have drunk it all, you hand it back to him to chop open and scoop out the meat.

First coconuts.

 A few hours later...second coconuts!

 A vendor selling street meat. Yum!

We bought a mango from this woman, who cut it up and bagged it for us. It was so juicy and delicious.

As you can tell, instead of eating a proper meal at a restaurant, we chose to eat random items from the market. I am so glad we did - the experience was more fun, and I learned much about the local culture. It was interesting to note the similarities and differences between here and Sierra Leone. Although there's  a lot of poverty here, it doesn't come close to Freetown. Also, Ghana has never had a civil war, while Sierra Leone has. I have even noticed a difference in the people's attitudes. While walking through the market here, people didn't yell at us to come buy from them, and I nobody asked for money. Also, since Accra is a slightly touristy place, the locals are used to seeing foreigners. It was nice to not be the center of attention while walking down the road, and not have people yelling "opatu!" at you. Well, in Ghana they say "obruni" but they would just say it to us, not yell it.

On Sunday, one hundred crew members were invited to visit a church in Accra. As we pulled up to it, I couldn't believe my eyes. After going to many churches in Sierra Leone that had dirt floors, wooden benches, and no AC, this was a shock. Having a building that is so expensive just strikes me as entirely unnecessary now. The best worship services I attended were at churches that had nothing, yet they chose to praise God anyway.

Joyce and Comfort on the left are good friends of mine, then us five on the right are roomies! Love these ladies.

 
After church we were invited to the home of a woman from the church. Lunch was catered and she told us to relax and enjoy our time off the ship. We really appreciated her hospitality.

Well, flight for tonight was postponed until tomorrow morning. I will be flying directly to DC, then going home by train the next day. I will write again soon about leaving the ship.
God bless!

So Long Sierra Leone

We are finally sailing! Yesterday we left the port in Freetown around noon. Leaving Sierra Leone was hard. It caught me by surprise actually. After we mustered one last time to make sure that everyone was onboard, we prepared to leave. All of the crew members stood on decks 7 and 8 facing the dock to wave farewell to those standing on the dock. We hadn't publicized the date we were leaving for security reasons, so there was no large crowd to see us off. I think it was easier that way. The ship's engines became louder and louder as we prepared to leave. Our captain, Tim, came over the intercom, which could be heard by us and all those gathered on the dock. He prayed for Sierra Leone, and for continued peace and reconciliation there. That was when I lost control. I cried because of the wonderful people I have met that I may never see again. Children like Osman made such an impression on me that I will never forget. I cried because there were so many people we were not able to help due to to time, ability, or resources. And Sierra Leone has been home for 4 1/2 months. I have so many fond memories of Salone that I will never forget. 

As we pulled away from the dock, the Africa Mercy blew her horn (a tradition) and everyone clapped. Then to our surprise, a ship that was docked in front of us blew her horn, and many of the crew members waved to us. Pulling away from the dock felt so surreal. It was like your house suddenly moving away from where it's always been. There's just something special about that dirty, dusty dock where I've seen hundreds of new patients come onto the ship, and hundreds leave the ship in a much better condition. It's really an experience that's hard to put into words.

Now we're out on the open ocean, and all I can say is wow!!! All of the verses in the Bible that speak about God having control over the ocean make sense now. It's just so big and never ending. That sounds like common sense, but I could never grasp it before. I love being able to look for miles in every direction and see nothing but water. The sailing is pretty smooth so far. Sometimes walking a straight line is difficult, but all you can do is laugh at yourself! At night I feel like a baby being rocked to sleep. Many crew members are suffering from seasickness, but thankfully I am not. Today after dinner, our security officer came over the intercom and announced that whales had been spotted from the bow of the ship. So several friends and I literally ran to the bow and made it in time! They weren't very close, but we could see them spewing water over and over, and I saw the huge, smooth back of one. Besides that, we've seen plenty of flying fish...they're so cool! Next I really want to see dolphins. :)

I believe we're off the coast of Liberia at the moment, and we plan to arrive in Tema, Ghana by Thursday. Arriving in Ghana will be an adjustment, because Ghana is much wealthier than Sierra Leone. There is a shopping mall, a movie theatre, nice markets and restaurants...the list goes on. It will be nice to have several days there before I fly home. I WILL be home for Christmas! :D

Preparing to Sail!

This week we will sail to Ghana. We don't know which day for sure...but very soon. This is creating a flurry of activity onboard the ship, because EVERYTHING has to be secured for sailing. On previous voyages, this ship has been know to tilt at a 45 degree angle, causing lots of damage to items that weren't properly fastened down. So part of our job in hospitality is to go around to empty cabins and secure everything using zip-ties, pillows, sheets, towels, and whatever else is necessary. In preparation for sailing, we have also had multiple "at sea" fire drills. This is quite fun because it's a break from the normal routine of "in port" fire drills. We get to go up to deck 7, put on our life jackets, and prepare to get in the lifeboats in the case of a real emergency. We have already had two of these, and I've heard we'll have one more on the morning that we set sail!

This week is a bit sad for me because I'm not ready to leave Sierra Leone. This country and especially it's people have found their way into my heart. I have to admit that my first month or so here was hard because of the culture shock. I am SO glad that I came for a longer stay, because this has given me such a different perspective. If I had left after the first month, I would have said this was a good experience, but wouldn't have wanted to come back to Africa. It seemed too scary, smelly, hot and humid. I had no idea of how to interact with the local people. I didn't know how to react to the intense poverty that is everywhere. However, the more that I made an effort to get to know locals, visit the Hope Center, and see more of the country, my perspective began to change. I have gotten used to the heat, and the gross amount of sweat that it produces. ;) I love the way that the people here are so friendly, and time never seems to be an issue. After being in Sierra Leone for over 4 months, I can say that I have only scratched the surface of understanding the culture here. It is so complex, and many things just seem bizarre to me and my Western worldview. I think it would take actually living in the country for a while to have a better grasp of its culture. A woman on the ship said to me "Don't set your heart on one country until you've seen more of Africa." I definitely want to see more, but I know this place will always be special to me.

I was able to give blood this week! On Monday, a team came to the ship from the Aberdeen Women's Center to take as many pints of blood as we could give them. This center performs many free surgeries for women who have fistulas as a result of a prolonged birth. This blood will be used to save many lives. I heard around 65 people signed up to donate. I was really nervous, because the only time I had donated blood was several years ago, and I nearly passed out twice from it. I went in the afternoon instead of the morning this time, which I think made a big difference. It went very quickly and painlessly, and I left without feeling lightheaded at all! I was so happy I could've danced...well I ended up doing aerobics class that night because I felt so good! :)

This is the Ola During Children's Hospital.

Today was bittersweet because it might have been my last time off the ship in Sierra Leone. We won't find out until tomorrow if we are allowed to leave the ship. Yesterday and today I visited the Ola During Children's Hospital with two friends, and it was such an eye-opening experience. I was not prepared for what I saw. When I have visited the Hope Center or the wards on the ship, it was always a very positive experience because you know that all of the patients are doing well, and you can literally watch their conditions improve. This was not the case at the local hospital. Sierra Leone has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world. This became so obvious when I visited the hospital. Many of the children seem to be thriving, but there were several who barely seemed to be alive. I've never seen children that are so skinny, yet have such bloated tummies from malnutrition. The children that I have seen out in villages don't compare to many of these in the hospital. Still, the attitudes of the mothers is astonishing. Most of them seem at-peace with what is happening. Tonight we sat with several mothers, and pretty soon we were all singing praise songs and dancing! I am amazed by these women. Despite all they have been through, they do not seem bitter or angry.

 Yesterday we took nail polish so we could pamper the mothers there. And they loved it! None of these women had any signs of polish on their nails. For some I know it was their first time because they only wanted me to paint one hand. They told me that they didn't want it on the other hand, because they had to eat with that hand! I explained that the polish dries and becomes hard, so they can still eat. Pretty soon I was painting lots of toenails also. Today we took a sack of clothes to hand out because several women yesterday asked if we could bring anything. They were very grateful for whatever we chose to give them.

 "Pikin" is Krio for child. :)

There is a 10 year old girl named Isata who was the first child I met. She is in a wheel chair, and it is obvious that her condition is chronic. My guess is that she has AIDS. She is all skin and bones, her face is sunken in, and you can hardly tell that she has legs underneath the blanket draped over her. I talked to her mother, who explained that they are from a village in Kono, and had never been to Freetown before now. They have been at the hospital for several months, and Isata's condition is only becoming worse. Her and Isata's grandmother have been staying there because they have nowhere else to go, so they usually sleep one on the bed and one on the floor. That is what most of the mothers do.

It is so hot and humid on the ward, and I saw a few cockroaches and even a rat scurrying around. Isata's mother read to me from a bible story book and said she is teaching it to her daughter. She read the story of the angel appearing to Mary to say that Jesus was coming. She ended with the scripture that says "All things are possible with God." It was amazing to hear this from a woman who may soon lose her only daughter. She told me that she trusts in Jesus, and that she is teaching Isata all that she can. As we handed out various things, Isata's grandmother came over to me and proudly showed off a brown towel that she was given - my old towel! She had it wrapped around her waist like a skirt, and told me how happy she was to have it. "Tenki Tenki!" Seeing my old things being put to use by these women was such a blessing. We blew bubbles for some of the kids, and Isata loved it. Anytime the bubbles headed her way, she would let out a frail giggle. Seeing her smile for the first time was priceless.

After we left the hospital, we went for one last (crazy) motorcycle ride thru town to the market to buy a few things. Then we hailed a taxi back to the ship since it was dark. Today has been so memorable, and a great way to end my time in Sierra Leone. 

A Visit to the Minister of Health

Several weeks ago, an announcement was made to the crew that the Minister of Health of Sierra Leone had invited a group of us to come to her village for a Saturday. We had absolutely no idea what we were signing up for - which made it more fun! We left bright and early at 8 AM in a UN bus that the Minister of Health sent to pick us up. However it was quite packed with people. I believe it was meant to hold about 24 people, and we fit over 30! We traveled about 3 1/2 hours to her village of Yoni Bana. The drive was beautiful as we left the smog and crowds of Freetown and headed out to the provinces. Many small villages are situated along that main road that we took. I saw women spreading rice out on the side of the road to dry because rice is in season. In front of their homes I saw many women pounding fufu, cooking over a fire, preparing food for the day. We drove down a dirt road for about half an hour...what a bumpy ride. I had forgotten that most of the roads here are dirt roads. Since we are mostly in the city, the roads there are paved. At one point we hit a bump so big it threw us up off our seats. We were so relieved once we finally arrived at her home.

Thanks to Jeff Quick for taking most of these pictures.

The current President of Sierra Leone, Earnest Koroma.

The preferred method of fixing a car is in the middle of the road. Why not?

One of the many villages that we drove through...

Apparently this event was such a big deal that we needed a "film crew." This man, from Sierra Leone Broadcasting, filmed almost out entire day! Who knows...maybe we were on the news.

 As we pulled up to the home of the Minister of Health, she lead the children in singing songs of welcome for us. I was told that she takes care of these 50+ children and feeds them often. 

We got into the singing...before long we were clapping, dancing, and praising God along with the kids. :)

A short video clip so you can hear them!

The Minister of Health then introduced herself to us, and proceeded to thank us on behalf of Sierra Leone and President Koroma for the work of Mercy Ships. It was quite emotional to realize what a huge task she has because of the nearly non-existent healthcare in Sierra Leone. She was so grateful for all that Mercy Ships has done. 

After that, she led us around her village so that we could see firsthand what it is like. The people were all so friendly, and didn't mind us unexpectedly walking in front of their homes.

:D

Panorama of everyone enjoying a VERY African lunch. I say very because it was by far the spiciest food I've ever tasted!

The Mercy Ships delegation. 

That's me - right in the middle! The ride home was a bit harder. We were all squished together and tired from the long day. I can take being squished, but after 3 hours it becomes quite unpleasant. I must admit though that this bus had air conditioning, which is almost unheard of here!

We made a stop on the way home. Apparently this is where any travelers stop for food/ fuel. As soon as we pulled over, a large crowd of people selling goods came running over to us. They sell anything from fresh bananas, oranges, coconut (love it), to plantain chips and sesame bars (which I bought)! I am REALLY going to miss this once I get home. 

What 2 things are wrong with this photo?? We watched this truck as it hit a large bump and - you guessed it - the goat went flying in the air! Thankfully he was tied so he couldn't go too far. This is Africa.

And this is Africa! You catch a ride however you can here. These guys were grinning as we drove by and they saw us taking pictures of them.

Thanks for reading. There is so much more to say...but I hope that the pictures speak for themselves. It always seems like such a challenge to put what I've experienced into words. My next post will be about a royal visit to the Africa Mercy!

Winding Down

The ship is now in a state of transition as we prepare to sail to Ghana in a few weeks. All of the surgeries are finished. The wards are slowly emptying, and the Hope Center has closed down. I am really missing the Hope Center - I usually visited the patients there several times a week, so I won't know what to do in the evenings now. Last week I was able to visit on the last few nights before the patients left. There is one little girl in particular, Kadiatu, who became my little buddy. That is her on the left. She looks very serious, but all it took was a little tickling to get her giggling. The woman on the right is Kadie. She doesn't speak English or even Krio, so it is hard for us to communicate. The night after I took this photo, I printed it out and took it to her. She was SO thankful for the picture! You would have thought I had given her 100 dollars. She kept thanking me and hugged me several times. Patients like Kadie who weren't quite ready to go home have been transferred back to the ship for a few more days. This has been great because I've been able to see her several times in the ward.

Out of everything that I have been able to do with Mercy Ships, visiting the Hope Center has been the most life-changing. Getting to know the patients, paint their nails, and play games with them has really impacted me. I still remember the first few times I went. I felt so uncomfortable because I didn't know how to act around people/children who are severely deformed in one way or another. Since then, I've learned to look them in the eye instead of looking at their tumor, cleft lip, burns, etc. I also didn't know how to react to the children who are so needy for love that they cling to you. You can tell that a child has been neglected and/or abused by the way that they are desperate for attention. One little boy, Isheika, was an example of this. He had no left ear, and an infection had disfigured his face so that he had no nose. I always went out of my way to play with him and pick him up. In the moments that he wasn't receiving attention, he would hit or pinch until he was noticed.

Lately, I have also been getting to know the patients who are down in the wards of the hospital. A wonderful lady, Rosie, who worked in the Hospital Laundry room told me how she would go down to the ward several times a week and rub lotion on the patients hands and feet to share God's love with them. I thought this was a great idea, and my friend Phebe and I kept this going once Rosie left a month ago. Like many experiences here, this has been equally challenging and rewarding. The first time that I  gave a woman a foot massage, I have to admit I was a bit uncomfortable. I have never seen feet in such a  bad condition before. These women have never been pampered with lotion or nail polish before. The tops of their feet are very wrinkled, and the bottom is SO hard and dry. The only shoes that they wear are cheap flip flops that offer no support. So most of them have no arch in their foot, and their feet are spread out wide. Occasionally someone will be very ticklish, so while I am rubbing their feet they start laughing, which makes me laugh too. Sometimes they will ask for extra lotion on their hands, and will then rub it up their arms and all over their face! One woman turned with her back to me, lifted up her shirt, and pointed to her back. She wanted a back rub! This has been such a humbling experience, and the men and women are always so thankful. They say "Tenki Tenki!" with a great big smile.

Some of my friends in the ward (they were SO happy when I gave them these pictures)!

My roommate, Dorike, who has been down to the ward with me.

 I cannot believe that I have less than 4 weeks left on the ship! Time is flying by so fast, and I'm enjoying every day. My next post about this weekend will be coming soon. God bless.

Meet Wata

This is my new friend Wata.  The way that I met her is quite unique. About 6 weeks ago, I had the opportunity to observe four different surgeries in the OR of the hospital. The order was: hernia repair, cataract removal, syndactyly release (separating fingers) and a facial reconstruction. Three of them were small, minor surgeries, then the last one was a major surgery. I believe it lasted 5 hours, but I was only allowed to stay for the first 2 hours. The woman in the surgery was Wata, but I didn't know her at the time.

I wish that I could show you the before picture so that you could see the transformation that has taken place. Wata is only around 40 years old, even though she appears much older. As a child, she contracted a flesh-eating infection called NOMA. This infection severely disfigured her mouth so that she had no upper lip, her few bottom teeth jutted out of her mouth, and her jaw was locked into place. Wata could not chew food, so she could only squeeze bits of mushed food through her teeth in order to stay alive. Wata is a complete miracle to be alive. Why? Because 9 out of 10 children who have NOMA die from it. She was most likely 6 years old or younger when she was infected, which means she has lived 35 years without the ability to talk or eat real food. 

The surgery was fascinating to watch. I must admit that I couldn't watch all of it...but I tried! At one point the surgeons pulled out what looked like a chisel and hammer and used them to break her jaw. They then used part of a bone from her hip to replace what was missing from her jaw. She now has partial movement of her jaw so that she can chew! They then cut part of her bottom lip and used it to create an upper lip. Watching the surgery felt very surreal. 

Then, this past week, I went for a regular visit to the Hope Center. I had looked for Wata when I visited the Ward, but had not seen her. I had given up and figured that she had already gone home. At the Hope Center, I was walking around greeting all the adults and learning their names when I came to her. We shook hands, and I didn't recognize her at first. When I asked her "How da body?" Her response came out garbled and hard to understand due to the fact that she has no teeth. That's when I looked at her mouth and recognized her. I felt so excited when I realized that I had seen this life-changing surgery, and now was able to meet her! I could only imagine what it must feel like for the doctors and nurses who are the ones performing the surgeries - I was only watching! I have been planning to return to college for nursing when I get home, but now I am REALLY interested in working in the OR. Anyway, Wata asked me if I had any "pekins" or children, to which I replied no, I'm not even married. Her and several other ladies just thought that was hilarious! I asked Wata if she had any pekins, and she said she has 4. I asked if they were all grown, and she said that they range from little to grown. So this woman who could barely feed and care for herself is still raising children! I was blown away when she told me that. I am planning to visit her again tomorrow, and she really wants that photo of me and her. She'll be angry if I don't bring it, so I'm going to print it off tonight! :)

This is a new buddy of mine, Foday. He's such a cutie. He is here to have a surgery on his legs which are slightly deformed.

My friend, Sheika, and I. Just last week he had a tumor removed from the back of his head. A nurse described it to me as "another head." eek! He is so relieved it's gone. I wish you could see his joyful smile!

My roommate, Dorike, and I with the little munchkins. These kids are all getting ready to have orthopedic surgery for bowed legs or similar problems. 

I wish you all could have the chance to visit the Hope Center for a day. Spending time with these patients has been such a blessing to me. I return to the ship sweaty and very dirty, but it never seems to matter. Thanks for reading, and God bless!