African Mercy

Waiting line at a Mercy Ships screening day.

The MV Africa Mercy was docked in a port city in West Africa. The medical needs were so great that people came by the thousands. The doctors would screen hundreds of patients to qualify them for surgery or treatment. Mercy Ships founder, Don Stephens remarks that screening days, while hectic and exhausting, go on with very little uproar. Africans have an uncanny inner peace that becomes apparent as they gather and wait in virtually endless lines for a chance to see a doctor.

Don Stephens and medical personnel at a screening day

This day saw a much larger crowd than usual, and the crowd pressed against the temporary fencing, risking the safety of the people at the front of the line. The crew saw they would need to shut down the medical screenings and disperse the crowd for the day. They closed the chain-link gates at the port. A man way in the back, without a hope of being seen that day held his infant daughter who had a large tumor growing on her neck that pushed against her wind-pipe. She might be suffocated before they could come back. In desperation, the man lifted his daughter up over the crowd and put her in the hands of someone who was a little closer to the fence. One by one, people passed her toward the closed gate. On the other side, the Mercy Ships crew could see what was happening, and eventually could hear the small child wheasing and gasping for breath. Africans in line, suffering horrible pain and diseases themselves, saw that this little child was in more desperate need. They passed her one by one to the fence and then up and over the fence into the arms of a Mercy Ships crew member. The child was taken into surgery soon after, and the tumor was removed from her neck. The doctor who performed the operation said it was a very close call. The benign tumor that pressed against her esophagus could have stopped her breathing within weeks.


Later, she was re-united with her overjoyed father. This is a story that makes me weep for Africa. In a land with rich natural resources, the people live in poverty. The death toll is high. Wars continue to scar the landscapes. There is so much suffering that doesn't need to happen. The people of Africa are strong and courageous. They are able to govern themselves. Most importantly, they share mercy with each other. We go to Africa to encourage and share that mercy.

Would you support us? Click Here

-Thank you.

Locals in Togo working together to deal with flooding in the capital, Lome.

A Musing Post

Whoa Andy, You look like a rockstar in the Riviera. Where were you, anyway? The columns in the background and the reflection in your sunglasses look like it's pretty ecuatorial... hint hint

The Calling, Chapter IV "TODAY"

What we're doing:
 Our task is to live and work in Togo near a huge hospital ship called the "Africa Mercy".  For at least 2 years, we will be hosts to the entire world by facilitating the work of volunteers who come to Africa to help make a difference in a world of need.  We will focus on building capacity and infrastructure in different countries' fragile health care systems.  We have facilitated short term work like this before in Quito, Ecuador.  We brought a group for 1 week to help a local church build a new facility and to work with kids at Vacation Bible School.  The challenges and cost of organizing and bringing a group of volunteers to an unknown environment are high, but the reward is SO MUCH HIGHER! 

Our Ecuador team leading songs for the kids at Vacation Bible School was hilarious.  Those kids just don't want to stop singing praises to God!

How we get there:

We will get to Africa only with the support and financial commitment of people who share in our vision to see lives changed for the better.  Our parent organization, Mercy Ships, is a global, non-profit organization, and will provide tax-deductible receipts to US donors.  We must be fully funded before we leave in June, 2010 with consistent monthly support.  Would you consider joining our support team at home?  If so, please CLICK HERE

Why we do it:
We were in Quito, Ecuador and despite some awkward moments of mis-understanding and language trouble, we were un-phased and started working with the children.  Outside on the playground, the scene that unfolded before me tugged at my heart:  Andrew was out playing soccer with some of the boys.  Nick had a new best friend perched upon his shoulders, walking proudly through the playground, taking photos with his big camera.  Tess was playing basketball with some of the girls, exemplifying good character in sports.  Heather, who speaks quite a bit of Spanish, was virtually buried in a pile of young girls who asked all sorts of questions about everything faster than she could work out the answers in Spanish.  The others in our group were doing likewise, loving the children they came to help.  This is a work of love, and imparting hope in individuals.  I was moved by the scene.  The week came to an end, and there were many mixed emotions and stories: 


"There is so much more to do, and no more time!"
"I'm exhausted, but it is totally worth it."
"I want to come back."
"This has definitely broadened my perspective on life."

These comments fuel the fire which burns in Cecilia and I.  We want to see people come outside themselves and see a bigger world.  A world where God works in miraculous ways, and love is expressed not just with words, but with action.  We know that every mission trip or volunteer service is a two-way street, blessing both the giver and receiver.  We have committed to facilitate the work of volunteers from all over the world in Africa, and to be a catalyst for change where it is needed most:  In the heart.

Thank you.

Ecuador team: Cecilia and Nate organizing games

Ecuador team: Heather, in her "pile" of inquisitive girls with the boys playing soccer in the background.

Instructions for Giving through Mercy Ships

You can join us in the mission to bring Hope and Healing to the world's forgotten poor!  You can donate two ways:

1. To donate online through Mercy Ships, it's easy!  Just CLICK HERE and click on the "Contribute Now" button.  follow the steps on the website.

2. To make a contribution by mail, please send a check written out to "Mercy Ships".  Write a separate note that says "Contribution to the account of Nathan Tarter".  Send your check and note to:

Mercy Ships
Crewmates
P.O. Box 2020

Garden Valley, TX 

75771

The Calling, Chapter III

Rewind, January, 2009

Ecuador in Winter is like Springtime, and we're here. Thank God, because the cold winter months in Upstate New York are pretty tough to bear for a Southern girl like Cecilia.  Before we left, I went in to my Boss' office to tell him we had bought plane tickets to Ecuador and we'd be there for the whole month of January.  Amazingly, my boss was sympathetic, and told me I could come back to work when I got back to the US.  I'm just glad I wasn't fired on the spot.
We spent Christmas with my folks in Massachusetts, and now in January it's Cecilia's turn to be home. She's been away for so long that you can't help but see it on her face. She doesn't always show it, but I can see it. Relaxation.

This time it's only me and Ceci. We don't have any special itinerary, no important things to do, just spend time with the family, travel a little, and really introduce me to Quito.  It is here that I begin to really understand a different way of life.  It is here that I get a chance to loosen my grip on my own life.  Jesus once said "If you want to gain your own life you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you will find it."  That saying resonates with me here in Quito because there's no way to get by without a guide.  As a foreigner who doesn't know the language or the customs, I must constantly put my life in someone else's hands.  Jesus tells us to do just that.  "Lose your life.  Give it to me. Trust me."  Some foreigners who are afraid of getting hurt or dying might not ever leave the house in Quito, and it's a pretty modern city.  Cecilia grew up with a very clear understanding that she had nothing but God to take her through life's difficult struggles, and that she's at His mercy.  That was true when she went to Zamorano University in Honduras with no money.  It was true when she transferred to the University of Arkansas and arrived in the US with $40 in her pocket and spent the first $20 on cab fare.  It remains true even when we got married, we started with no money in the bank, and had to rely on God to help us pay our first month's rent.  God has provided, and given all that was needed.  I believe people who tend to desire security and financial independence, like myself, can learn a few things about faith from our brothers and sisters who grow up in poor countries.  It was not the first step, but a very important one on my road toward missions.  I am continuing to become more able and willing to lose it all for the sake of Christ.

It was a work of faith to even come here to Ecuador for a whole month.  When we came back I was encouraged that it was right.  My boss said after our return, "Nate, we missed you for the month you were away, but you picked the perfect time to go.  We might have had to lay off someone during the Winter if you hadn't taken your trip that month."
Now fastforward to January 2010.
We are looking forward to our next trip to Ecuador from January 4-28.  The tickets are bought, and we are ready to go.  I have been to Ecuador many times now, and it is not as new and dangerous to me anymore.  I believe it is almost a home away from home now.  I look to the horizon though, and prepare for our next big step of faith. We are going to Africa to work with Mercy Ships.  Our faith will grow and we will gain experience working with the poorest of the poor in the World.  I am excited how God will use our willingness to go, and I am excited for you too!  God will use you if you call upon him to take your life and make it His.  He is a truly Awesome God, and believing is seeing.

Please comment on this post if you have a great story of faith to share!  

Last "Andy" Post... The Man Speaks for Himself.

December has come with a thin, crispy coating of snow on the ground.  The snow flies often and the wind blows strong in Dryden.  Cecilia and I have come back from Massachusetts to re-enter our normal lives of travelling, writing, fundraising, and working.  Thanks for all your support of Andy, my brother.  He is doing well physically, mentally, and is "on the mend".  You can call him yourself!  It turns out his cell phone was with the police the whole time, and he got it back again last week.  So all of you who offered a phone,  thanks.

Andy, when you read this, I'm hope you start writing some comments to these posts.  Give it the personal touch that only you can give and let the world know what's really up!

Andy telling Mom, Cecilia, and Gramma Patsy what's really up. June 2009

Andy - Out of the Hospital, into the Home

As of Tuesday at 6:30 PM Andy came home to the house in Rehoboth.  We are overjoyed with the progress he is making and look forward to his recovery.
Thanks very much for your prayers and support.

Andy at home, Christmas 2008

Morning update: We're back in Ithaca

The last we saw Andrew was Sunday afternoon at 4:00PM when we said goodbye and took the car ride back to Ithaca.  He was doing well, still in pain with his broken arm, and still not remembering everything.  His memory is stronger now, but only time will tell when he gets all his short term memory back.  Now we are in Ithaca, and communicating to the family by phone and email only.  You can still visit Andy at the hospital as of today, Tuesday.  They will probably discharge him later today, and then you can visit at the house in Rehoboth if you get the chance.  Just call ahead.

I look forward to the day when Andy and I can look back on this time and remember all that it has brought to this family.  This experience, I believe, can only make us stronger.

Blessings.

Saturday Morning Update: Andy Tarter on the mend

Andrew Tarter, age 27, resident of Rehoboth MA, USA is now well on his way to having logged the most time in a hospital bed of anyone in his immediate family. This is day 8 in the hospital and he probably won't be out of there till late on Monday, November 30 at the earliest.
He was transferred out of the ICU and into the Co-Op building on the other side of the hospital.  His room is smaller and visiting hours are from 1 PM to 8 PM.  If you want to see him, that would be fine.  Please keep visits short because he is still on the mend and gets very tired very quickly.  Thanks!

When he wakes up from sleep he gets very disoriented.  He doesn't know where he is, and probably gets a little freaked out.  The nurse is there to help him stay calm and not try to make a break for it.  His arm is on the mend, his shoulder will heal fine, the bruises in his upper body will subside, and I am confident he will regain his short-term memory.  You see, he doesn't capture the things that are going on in his long-term memory, so right now it's clear that he doesn't remember what happened just a couple hours previously.  I also feel bad asking too.  If someone asks him "what did you have for breakfast" he'll look, and in a split second I can tell he doesn't really remember, and he glances around in confusion.  After that split second of confusion, he makes something up.  I bet he's trying to be normal, and act cool because it must be horrible to know that you should remember something but you just don't.

Like I said, I'm confident he will recover his short-term memory but it will take a little time and patience from us all.  The pain medication and anesthesia probably doesn't help matters either.  Please pray that God would fully heal him.

Andy in the yard, Summer 2009

A Happy Thanksgiving

Cecilia and I spent the day re-arranging the house so Andy can stay on the first floor.  The living room is now Andy's room, and he's lucky because now his room has the TV and stereo system.  We went to Grandma's to make cinnamon buns, chat, and eat soup for lunch.  Then we zipped over to the hospital to spend some time with Andy, Mom, and Dad.  He was up and watching the football game when we got in, and had just been served dinner.  Steak and potatoes.  I guess the turkey was for lunch.  I think turkey is a little over-rated for thanksgiving.  I mean, who really cares about eating a big old chicken once a year anyway?  That is, unless it is deep fried outside in a big pot of oil.  Now that is delicious and greasy and really sticks to the ribs.  Andy went to sleep at around 6:30 PM and that's when we left.

I hope he comes home soon.  Cecilia and I are going back to Ithaca after the weekend and we are wondering what will happen with Andy.  Then I think of where God has taken him and how many great friends Andy has and I am at peace to know he will be alright.  This entire ordeal has been a major test of faith for all of us, and I am hoping that we will learn all that we are meant to through the storm.  Some say that's what life is like:  The test comes first, then the lessons.

Thank you all for your support of Andy in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanksgiving Eve at the Hospital

We all have a lot to be thankful for.  Andy is still a little disoriented but is doing very well.  All the nurses are taking good care of him and he even has someone stationed to sit with him to make sure he doesn't try to get out of bed on his own because he's still a little unsure of what's really going on.  He still doesn't remember what happened to him.  We're thankful that he walked around once today and he's taking nourishment.  He was complaining, saying: "It seems all I do is EAT around here.  They feed you like a hundred times in this place."  Please pray that God would grant him his memory back and that he would be able to come out of the ICU soon.

Andy has a roommate in his ICU room too.  I don't know about patient confidentiality so I won't say his name, but he got here the same night Andy arrived.  He was involved in a car accident too, but his injuries are very different.  He's having a great deal of trouble breathing and he's coughing up fluid in his lungs.  We have gotten to know his family a little bit while we've been here for the past 5 days, and they are great people.  It also turns out that he knows one of my cousins.  They're both from the same town and went to school together. What a small world!  We're praying for him and his whole family too.  He's in a really tough spot and in need of lots of surgery very soon.  Please pray with us that he and Andy would be completely healed and guarded against all infections.


We'll let you know when Andy can take visitors and maybe you could swing by.  Thanks again for your support in this trial.

Surgery went well

The surgery lasted a little over three hours. The surgeon said it went well. He is back in his room at the ICU trying to wake up (still under the effects of anesthesia). He will stay in the hospital for a least two more days.

Andy is in the OR

Andy is having surgery on his left arm as I write this. Please pray for wisdom and skill for the doctors and nurses. Our faith is in God. We are amazed at how quickly he has recovered. Yesterday he ate two good meals, got up for a little walk, and sounded much better when he spoke with us. He's short-term memory is still not recovered. Pray that he will be healed completely.

Update on Andy

I've got news about my brother.


When we walked in to see Andy this morning he had breakfast sitting before him, uneaten.  He was sitting up in an easy chair and cracking jokes with Karen, the nurse!  Andy is in alot of pain, his arm is still broken, waiting for surgery, but I can tell his spirits are high despite the pain and disorientation he is having.  He hit his head pretty hard somehow and doesn't remember that he was in an accident.  He's also lost his short-term memory too.  I pray that will go away soon, and we can have some nice long conversations.

We are starting to put together all the details of his accident, which makes the sight of Andy even sitting up in a chair all the more miraculous.  Dad went to go get the truck from the impound.  We figured we'd get it towed back to a mechanic to maybe fix it.  Those hopes were dashed when he saw the truck for the first time.  It's a big, twisted ball of metal.

Every day for the past 3 days I'm surprised by God's grace.  He's really got Andy in the palm of His hand.

Andy, Summer 2009

Please Pray for my Brother

Andy is in a tough spot.  He has suffered from a car accident and was taken to the hospital in Rhode Island tonight.  It was just a couple hours ago that he was in critical condition, and has now since stabalized. 

Please pray for him.  He is on the edge and he might not even know it yet.  He's got a long way to go before recovering from this, so we are praying that God would care divinely for him and heal him miraculously.  He might never completely heal from the wounds he sustained tonight, but I pray that it would be a catalyst for change in his life, and that God would grant him life to the fullest!

Thank you.

Quito on a shoestring

This is Quito, city in the sky.  At 9000 feet above sea level, it's a bit hard to breathe when you first step off the plane.  A little acclimatization and you're off and running.  (Just don't play too much "ecuavolley" or you'll tire yourself right out).  

Cecilia and I are gearing up for our next big excursion down south. The dates are still flexible, but we are going sometime in January. I can't wait to see all our old friends and family again as we go to be with them, pray with them, and work with them in any way we can. If you are one of those people who we have already asked to join us, these pics are meant to entice you further. You know who you are...(O'hara, Jaxon, Maya, Andy....) By the way, our budget is about zero, so we'll be working hard to stay for a few weeks on an income of little to nothing. It'll be fun, and we'll blog about all the great things you can do in a big South American metropolis for about $5/day.

The Joys of Living on the Edge

I heard once by an old cousin of mine, "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space." I don't know exactly what he meant by saying that, but I know that we're living it, and loving it.  God has granted us a chance to work with a fabulous organization called Mercy Ships. Before we go, we have many preparations to make.  We will start learning French.  We will learn about the cultures of the peoples of West Africa where we will be going.  We will pray.  There is no greater power, no greater comfort, no greater joy than coming to the Father in prayer. Please pray with us as we go to work with an organization who's very mission is to "bring hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor"

ROAD TRIP!

Right now, everything we are doing is somehow linked with our preparation for Africa.  These next 8 months will sneak up fast, and our departure date is completely dependent on God to provide our finances.  So, in keeping with our current mission of building relationships with our good friends and acquaintances all over the country,  We are travelling through some mid-western and southern states in search of those who impacted Cecilia's life during her time at the University of Arkansas.  I am meeting many amazing people for the first time, and loving the southern culture of Oklahoma and Arkansas.  When we return, I believe I will retain a bit of the accent that I picked up here.  Y'all enjoy the road sign photos!

Here's a little montage of the states we've visited!

 That first one is Pennsylvania.  Fireworks, Karate Supplies, Swords and knives, pepper spray, and stun guns...  You'd think it was a dangerous place, but we didn't have too much trouble. Just to be safe, I picked up a little speed in PA and didn't stop for nobody.

Took a little tour of Cleveland, and somehow found ourselves in the mall in downtown.  It was closed on Saturday for some reason.  It was the first time someone approached me and shouted "May I help you?!"  in a mall.

That's missouri.  We've got a few more places to go, but not many till we head back to sunny Ithaca.  I do hope the snow isn't too heavy yet!

The Calling, Chapter II

By Nate...
Sometime in October, 2006
I'm sitting in an arm chair on Lake street. It's dark, it's late, I'm exhausted after a long day, there's nothing left to do but go to sleep, but I can't. I'm sitting there on the verge of sleep and awake, in that state where nothing is totally real, nor is anything truly dream-like. Another fellow was lying on a couch on the other side of this old living room in this old house on the hilly street which climbs towards the campus. I am awake enough to see that he is in the same state as I am, with nothing really left to do but sleep, but something kept us from it, and I can't speak for him, but for me it was that sense of being in a friend's presence, and just belonging. Being totally understood and totally accepted for who you are. That's the atmosphere into which I voiced these words,

"This time next year I could be married." To which my friend who, until that moment, was slipping off into sleep himself, declared, flabbergasted,

"What?"

"Yeah, I just have a feeling."

Well, it was more than a year.  It was 14 whirlwind months to befriend, fall in love with, pursue, court, propose to, and marry Cecilia. This is the start of our journey.  The very beginning.
December 8, 2007

The Calling, Chapter I

By Nate...
I think this is a good opportunity to write a little history.  Right now we just got back from the Mercy Ships US headquarters, and are getting ready to begin raising support to get "on board" with them, but where did that come from?  What brought that on?  Just last June Cecilia and I were successful in our careers; saving, working, spending time with our friends, and enjoying all that the summer has to offer in our little town in upstate New York.  Now we're virtually homeless, jobless, and our close friends are all hundreds of miles away.  This is all self-inflicted punishment.  We signed on for all this.
So what happened? 
Well, simply put, God called.  I trust you will stick with me on this journey, because there are a few parts that I want to write.  It won't all come at once, but in chapters.  I hope you enjoy this little story, because I have loved the living of it, and also the writing.

"Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts

as you did in the rebellion."

Hebrews 3:15

In Texas

It's Nate...
I'm here in Texas.  Everything's bigger in Texas, so they say.  I've found that all is just about normal.  The oversized people, bugs, and animals must be in a different part of the state, because here the biggest creature I've found was an orange cat that came out to cheer for us when we were playing frisbee in a field.  We fittingly named it Garfield. He was huge.

We came to check out an organization called Mercy Ships. It's home base is here in Garden Valley in the tall trees and near the deep lakes of this Eastern part of the lone star state.  We're here to pray and seek God. We're here to find our specific calling, and we're here to find out if this organization has a place for us.  If you are a praying person, please join us.  It turns out we found many answers to our questions, and other questions still remain.  All I know is that we have taken the next step of faith to seek our life in ministry.  What I know now is that we are not alone.  So many people have taken the week out of their schedule to come and find out about this ministry too.  There's about 40 of us. I'm in the presence of many who are in the same boat, paddling through an ocean, riding the waves, and wondering if the little leaks that appear are anything to worry about, or all part of the fun.  Faith has a scary way of making a reasonable man do unreasonable things in obedience to a wonderful Lord.