Port Au Prince: SUPPLIES!

In October 2010, we went to Haiti with Mercy Ships as part of a short term medical team.  We went to work in a clinic that is part of a larger organization called Mission of Hope. Since the earthquake, this ministry has been instrumental in distribution of food and medical supplies, and in providing healthcare to the Haitian people around Port-Au-Prince.
On our 2 week trip we learned more than we could have imagined.  Please enjoy the following short account of just one aspect of the work we did there.

Sierra Leone: City of Rest

The Aberdeen West Africa Fistula Centre front door in Sierra Leone where we went to an international Christian fellowship.

We walked through a metal door in a high concrete wall with a sign on the side that says "Mercy Ships Sierra Leone: Aberdeen West Africa Fistula Centre".  Years ago, Mercy Ships helped to construct and staff a women's fistula clinic in this area of Freetown, Sierra Leone.  Slowly and carefully it is being turned over to the Freedom from Fistula Foundation. We went there and made a quite expected connection.

Sierra Leone - Land of Beauty

Our first impressions of Freetown as we went up to the team house on the hill that first day were of beauty and majesty. We will never forget it.

A couple pics from Benin

We just wanted to update you with a few pictures before we depart Abomey, Benin tomorrow.

This is Mama Arlette, the Children's home leader, where we worked with the kids and on some various building projects.  The kids are awesome.  She's reading out some letters the kids wrote to us on the last day.

This is Abbalo.  He's one of the orphans at the Children's home.  We got a chance to have a full-on water balloon fight in the courtyard.  Boys vs. Girls.  Abalo was the last man standing, so we eventually snuck up and doused him with water from the balloon bucket.  He was still smiling though.  

More updates to come.  We are on the eve of our departure to Togo.  Pray for safe travels!

Up-Country Adventures in Togo: Healing in the North

I love this report.  It shows both the difficulties of practicing medicine in the poorest places of the world, but also the transformation it can bring to people's lives.  It's only 11 days till we get on the plane to Africa, and we are more than excited.  We hope you enjoy this story, written and photographed by Mercy Ships staff:


Dr. Tony Giles, maxillofacial surgeon, and his wife Ann, an OR nurse, have worked with Mercy Ships in many capacities over the past fourteen years. Recently, they conducted a 28-day screening tour in the northern areas of Togo, from Dapaong to Kpalime. It turned out to be quite an adventure!


Travelling more than 2000km through plateau, jungle, mountain pass and desert scrub, they encountered high winds, downpours, sudden electrical storms and power outages. They worked twelve-hour days – screening and performing surgeries with sub-standard equipment and local anesthetics. A power outage occurred during one surgery, but the flickering light of Dr. Tony's mobile phone allowed him to complete the procedure. And in Dapaong, Dr. Tony removed a pear-shaped growth from the forehead of a 99-year-old man under local anesthetic.




Tony and Ann were greatly encouraged by their Togolese team members. The two observers from the Minister of Health, realizing what was being done for their citizens, took an active and very helpful part in the screenings. The five volunteer translators, two of whom were drivers, helped to transport patients to and from the ship, the Hospitality Center, and testing facilities. They also organized minibus taxis to take patients home and to bring new patients to the screenings. Since they were so closely involved with the screening process, Dr. Tony trained them in pre-screening. As a result, they were able to continue the process with 95% accuracy during the week that the Tony and Ann returned to the ship to cover for Dr. Gary Parker.


Madame Adjeh Assoupi, from the Office of the Minister of Health, joined the team at Atakpame. She was instrumental in solving many of the problems encountered on the tour. Because the surrounding area consisted primarily of farming communities, there were many hernia problems – more than could be handled on the ship. Many of these people could be treated locally, but couldn't afford surgery. So, Madame Adjeh arranged for government funding for them to have hernia surgery at the hospital for a very small charge.


Shortly before leaving Atakpame, a 60-year-old man named Koffi arrived with a limpoma, a large growth on his back attached to his neck. Surgery had been completed for the day, and the team was about to move on to Kpalime. Madame Adjeh suggested transporting Koffi to Kpalime, where Dr. Tony could perform the surgery. She also made sure a diatherm ( to prevent bleeding) would be available for the surgery. She then made overnight arrangements at the local hospital for Koffi, and he went to Kpalime with the government film crew the next day. Using the hospital's instruments, Dr. Tony removed the 12-pound growth, the largest ever to be removed under local anesthetic. The entire procedure was captured by the government film crew. Madame Adjeh and the Assistant Director of the hospital even secured some badly needed clothes for the man and arranged for him to be returned to his village the next day.



Koffi Before






Koffi After


Dr. Tony and Ann told the people, through the interpreters, that goitres are caused by poor diet and a lack of iodine. The film crew interviewed them and also got the local dietician to talk about it on camera. Then the crew went to the local market and filmed the foods, like fish and shrimp, that would help with these problems. This type of adult education can go a long way toward eliminating these problems.


The screenings were advertised through churches and on government radio. The President's TV crew joined the screening team in Kara to film the proceedings, which were broadcast daily in ten-minute segments. The word definitely penetrated the area, but no one realized that such publicity might cause a security problem. By the time the team reached Kpalime, there were so many people surrounding the screening site, an open circular shelter in the ground, the team couldn't get in. The Prefect of Atakpame tried, unsuccessfully, to control the crowd. Finally, the army was called in to restore order. Dr. Tony described the incredible scene: “People just invaded. We were surrounded. We were stuck. We couldn't move. We got a megaphone, but people still didn't want to get out. They didn't want to lose their chance of seeing us. But we couldn't see anybody because we couldn't move. They swarmed everywhere – around us, behind us, in front of us… cramming in. I thought they'd crush us.”



Crowds pressing in at an up-country screening in Togo


They saw many facial tumors, cleft lips and cleft palates, VVF women, burns, hernias, and orthopedic problems – in all, over 3,000 people during the tour. They performed 31 surgeries with local anesthetic and selected 200 patients for possible surgeries. However, Dr. Tony is quick to acknowledge that their primary interest is in the individuals, rather than the numbers.




Due to the strong relationships forged during the screenings and everyone's willingness to help, the partnership between the government and Mercy Ships was played out once again with a remarkably successful result.




Dr. Tony and Ann have seen many miracles over the years, and this screening journey has added to their list. “You see all sorts of things happen. You begin to get confidence,” he explained. “It works … God does it. And these people's lives are changed!”


Story by Elaine Winn
Edited by Nancy Predaina

A Visit With Edoh

We have shared Edoh's story with some of you before.  Recently, a team went to Edoh's village and made a report.  That report is printed here.  If you haven't heard Edoh's story read on.

A sweet, gentle young woman walked forward, holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Thirty joyful family members joined her in welcoming the visitors from the Mercy Ship. This was Edoh - a life restored by mercy.

Edoh is the youngest of six children. When she was about four years old, her eye became very red and began to swell. Her mother, Afua, desperately tried to find help, going from hospital to hospital in Togo and Ghana. But no one could help her little girl.

By the time Edoh was nine, a massive facial tumor had displaced her left eye, distorted her cheek and mouth, and left her teeth protruding at odd angles from the edges of the mass. She struggled to eat and breathe. The tumor was literally stealing the breath of life from her - she was slowly suffocating.

Then Afua heard about a hospital ship, a Mercy Ship, that had arrived in her country to offer free medical care. So, she took Edoh to the screening.

A huge crowd of six thousand crushed into the stadium in Togo, almost tearing off the gate. These desperate people were living lives of misery and rejection because of their abnormalities - viewed as a curse in their culture. Unable to work, or even live in society, they saw Mercy Ships as their only chance to have a normal life. They wanted a chance for a free surgery, the chance for a miracle.

But in the midst of all that suffering and desperate longing, mercy raised its head. A little girl's gasping struggle to breathe captured the attention of the crowd. Arms of compassion - some weak and some strong - lifted Edoh and passed her to the front of the long line.

Edoh remembers that moment - the moment that changed her life forever. She recalls, "I remember being lifted over the heads of the crowd and being passed along to the gate. A nurse saw me and said, 'This is the type of surgery we need to do.'"

And that day Edoh received an appointment card for surgery ... an appointment to receive life instead of death.

The doctors warned Afua that this was a difficult, risky case. But she wisely replied, "God gives children; God can take away. We will give it all to God and go ahead with the surgery."

And her faith was rewarded. Edoh returned home to a very surprised community. "It's a miracle!" they exclaimed. And they held a big party to celebrate.

A year later, Dr. Luer Koeper, a maxillofacial surgeon, who had helped to remove the tumor, took Edoh to Germany for a second surgery on her lip. Then in 2003, she had another surgery on her lower eyelid.

And now, 15 years after her first surgery, this "walking miracle" was welcoming Mercy Ships volunteers to her village.

Edoh happily described the transformation in her life. She recalled how she used to stay away from people. She couldn't go to school. She became very shy, hiding in her home. But now she can go everywhere - including school.

In fact, Edoh is a good student. After she completes her secondary education, she wants to become a nurse to help others - just like the dedicated Mercy Ships volunteers helped her.

The celebration arranged by the family continued at the "cascade," a beautiful waterfall that roars down the mountain behind Edoh's home. There, her brothers played their native drums, and everyone sang praises to God for His mercy toward Edoh.

A smiling Edoh added, " If it wasn't for the Mercy Ship, maybe I would be dead. Mercy Ships changed that. I used to look in the mirror and feel pity for myself. But now I think about what happened to me, and it's all about God. I put everything in God's hands."

Written by Elaine B. Winn
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos by Debra Bell

DC Excitement to North Carolina Respite

Washington DC is a place of inspiration for both of us.  The city is a hub of action, and it has moved us to action in many ways.  We re-affirmed our vision to work internationally with the poor when we were there in April, 2009 while visiting friends, and we both felt at peace to quit our jobs to seek work in that capacity.  Therefore, it is appropriate we returned for a visit on our way to Texas for training with Mercy Ships. 

Our good friend, Emily invited us to stay, and she was happy to accommodate us royally in her small apartment, right in the middle of the city.  Emily works in the huge non-profit sector in DC with an organization called AED.   She introduced us to many of her friends who all have a passion for working internationally and making a difference in the world.  We were only there for a day, but it was filled with action! 

We ran in the morning, applied for our visas at the Benin Embassy, 

checked out the “wild” animals at the DC Zoo, 

and had a party at Emily’s house with friends.  We got a chance to see Ayago, our friend from Kenya who we met in Ithaca.  He’s now living  and working in DC too.  

Later that night we went Latin-dancing with Emily and her friends and danced late into the night.  We know Africans love to dance, so we see it as part of our continuing cultural training.  We left DC exhilarated yet tired.

We left early the next morning for North Carolina to visit our friends Wesley and Barbara Moses.  To contrast the action and excitement of Washington DC, our time in North Carolina can be characterized as immensely peaceful and restful. 

Wes and Barb just had a new baby, Josiah and we had fun holding him, trying to make him smile.  We played tennis, met some of their friends and went to their church in Raleigh. 

Our time with them was so restful both physically and spiritually, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to stay with them.    

Next stop:  Georgia, The Peach State! and play time with the Ashleys.

A gathering for friends, food, fun, and farewells

This Saturday, Cecilia and Nate will host a little get-together to describe some of the work we will be doing in West Africa with Mercy Ships. If you have not heard about what we will be doing, please come.  It is open to all, and we will have pizza to munch on.  Even if you have heard our story already, and are in the area, you are most welcome to come anyway.

Please RSVP by commenting on this blog post below, sending an email to nathan.tarter@mercyships.org or get on our facebook group and post a message.

When:  6:00PM, Saturday, April 24, 2010
Where: Crossroads Life Center, 604 E. Buffalo St., Ithaca. (map below)
Why: To say a farewell to our friends in Ithaca and discuss our future plans to work in West Africa with all who are interested.  We want to keep in touch, and maintain strong connections with you in the US.

Thank you!

See you at the Crossroads...


View Larger Map

Crossroads on the corner of Buffalo St. and Stuart Ave.

Announced: Mercy Ships Sierra Leone Field Service in 2011

Mercy Ships has  signed a protocol with Sierra Leone for their next full-term field service starting in February 2011.
This is exciting for us because it will be our first full-term field service with Mercy Ships.  We will be in Togo in July, then travel to Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone has a long and tragic history, and an incredibly complex and interesting culture. You can read a little bit about it here: http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Sierra-Leone.html.  We look forward to serving the people of Sierra Leone, and will be very thankful for your thoughts and prayers for the health and well-being of the people.


An excerpt from the link above:

M EDICINE AND H EALTH C ARE

The United Nations estimates that Sierra Leone has the highest death rate in the world, and the second highest infant morality rate (195 out of every 1,000 infants die within a year of birth). Life expectancy at birth in 1995 was only 34.1 years, down significantly from previously improving figures.
Even factoring in war-related violence, malaria is still the number one health threat. Schistosomiasis, bloody diarrhea, tetanus, measles, and polio are also endemic in some areas. Access to clean drinking water and adequate sanitation, especially in the rural countryside, is limited.
Medical facilities are extremely strained and are continuing to decline, especially since the 1991 conflict began. Yet even before this, the centrally organized national health service reached only an estimated 35 percent of the population, with less than 1 percent of annual government expenditures being allocated to health care. There are also an array of widely used indigenous practitioners, including midwives, broken-bone specialists, herbalists, society leaders, and Muslim-based ritual specialists.
_________________________________________________

Mercy Ships goes to Freetown, Sierra Leone to help break the cycle of poverty in this country and provide some hope for those who are forgotten and outcast.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Mercy Ministries in Benin, 2009

This story was published in 2009.  I include it in this blog because we will be a part of this type of work starting in Togo, then Sierra Leone.  Cecilia and Nate will be land-based "host receivers", as part of a team to further coordinate the work of Mercy Ships on land.  Please read to see one side of the work Mercy Ships is doing to bring hope to a world of need.

Many crew members of the Africa Mercy hold positions that involve little or no interaction with the local community.  Thus, in every field service, Mercy Ministries provides opportunities for crew members to work within the local community through partnerships with longstanding, land-based ministry projects.  "Many of the crew work eight-hour, very routine jobs onboard the Africa Mercy," said Mercy Ministries Coordinator, Ines Kronester.  "I think they appreciate the opportunity to get a feel for what is going on outside in the local community.  It's important to see how other ministries are working in Africa."  

Mercy Ships crew member visit children at the School of the Deaf in Benin.  It's one of several land-based ministry sites crew members regularly visit.

Before the Africa Mercy enters a country, a small team is sent in advance to begin forming relationships with local ministries.  Upon arrival, Ines identifies approximately ten ministry sites crew members can partner with throughout the field service.   

"Ideally we find team leaders for each site.  Crew members can then sign up to go out and minister at theses sites during their spare time.  Ideally, most opportunities occur in evenings and the weekends," said Kronester.  "It's very low-key at the beginning.  We start by doing visitations, playing with kids, and supporting long-term ministries in practical ways like painting and cleaning."

During the 2009 Field Service in Benin, ministry opportunities have included working at a home for trafficked and abused boys, alongside the Missionaries of Charity, and supporting Soeurs Salisiennes, a skills training program for market girls run by the female branch of Don Bosco.

Ines Kronester, of Germany, reads a story to children at the C.E.O. Boy's Home for abandoned and trafficked street kids. 

The skills training program has been one of Kronester's favorite ministry sites.  "It's an amazing program," she said.  Participating girls come from the harsh market, where they have a rough and stressful daily routine.  Each is given the opportunity to complete two of the six-month courses on baking, pastry-making, cooking, or soap-making.  Girls are taken in overnight for a small fee and complete the skills training in the mornings, returning to sell in the market in the afternoons.  The program is designed to enable girls to sell better items in the market or leave the harsh environment altogether.   

One of the children at the C.E.O. Boys Home works on a special art project. 

Mercy Ships crew have had the opportunity to share the message of Jesus Christ during their visitations.  "We visit the program every week.  Because it's girls who are coming from the market, it's not a place where everyone is well-behaved and quiet.  They can be really rude and competitive. But many have never really heard about Jesus.  We try to bring a piece of the Gospel message across with very simple language, visualizations, and acting out scenarios," said Kronester.   

Market girls participate in the Soeurs Salisiennes skills training program.  "We visit the program every week.  It's an amazing program," said Ines Kronester.

On average, eighty crew members visit various Mercy Ministry sites every week.  Often, crew members discover serious needs of land-based partners.  Many times, crew members have offered further assistance through financial offerings and special projects.  "It often becomes much bigger than visitations.  Crew members feel like they've left something behind, something very purposeful," said Kronester.  "We try to offer a broad range of ministry opportunities so everyone can find their place.  We've gotten a lot of feedback from exiting crew members saying these are often the most valuable times for them.  It's been well-received." 

Written by Megan Petock

Edited by Nancy Predaina

Togo History and Culture

We are headed to Togo in just a few months.  Here's a great website on the history and culture of this very small country in the West of Africa.  You can find articles on most of the countries of the world here.

http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Togo.html

Here's an excerpt:

M EDICINE AND H EALTH C ARE

Similar to other underdeveloped, tropical nations, Togo's population is challenged by numerous health problems, including parasitic, intestinal, nutritional, venereal, and respiratory diseases.

Public health problems are exacerbated by inadequate waste disposal, sewerage, drinking water, and food storage.

In the 1990s, life expectancy at birth was fifty-one years, though this is declining steeply with the onset of AIDS. Malaria, commonly referred to as palu, remains the leading cause of illness and death. Other common diseases include schistosomiasis, meningitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and HIV/AIDS.

Traditional healing methods and preparations continue to be the most widely used form of health care in Togo.

Houses like these in Tata village house a large number of Togolese citizens.

Every small town has an herbalist, and one market in Lomé specializes in the sale of medicinal herbs. Frequently medical treatments are coupled with visits to the local vodou house or fetish priest.

“Food For Life” Agriculture Training Program

This story was originally published by Mercy Ships and is re-printed here to illustrate the kind of projects we will be working on as land-based team members with Mercy Ships in Africa.

Jean Claude Mouditou has always loved agriculture.  “Agriculture is a part of my life.  It’s something that is very precious to me,” he said.  Utilizing his education and experience, Jean Claude is spreading this passion to farmers in Benin.

Every day, he leads 30 men and women, equipped with machetes and tall rubber boots, into the fields of the recently constructed Bethesada Community Development Agriculture Training Center in Hévié, Benin.  Jean Claude is running a three-month agriculture training program, “Food for Life,” which teaches farmers biblical, organic, agricultural skills in nutrition and crop production. 

“We begin the day at 8 a.m. in the morning,” said Mouditou.  “First, we learn a lesson in the classroom.  Then, we go to the farm to practically apply what we learned.  Usually we work in the fields until 5:30 p.m.”

In Benin, many farmers practice misguided agricultural techniques, which decrease crop production.  The inability to adequately produce food largely contributes to poverty and diminished health, a problem which has been specifically targeted by the government.   

“Our system is very different from the traditional practices of farmers.  Farmers think you need to burn the land and use harmful insecticides.  But with our system, we are teaching farmers to use the material and principles.  These techniques have not been seen before,” explained Mouditou. 

Both students and community members have been surprised by the efficiency of Mouditou’s agricultural principles.

“Using local seed and organic farming principles, we grew corn in six weeks.  Normally, it takes farmers 3 to 4 months to grow a crop.  The corn we grew was much larger than the local farmers.  It was a very big surprise to the community.  Never before have they seen anything like what we are doing,” said Mouditou. 

Both the “Food For Life” program and the training center are the result of a partnership between Mercy Ships and Bethesda, a Benin-based NGO (non-governmental organization).  Bethesda will oversee the continued use of the training center for agricultural development when Mercy Ships leaves Benin.    

Thirty farmers are currently enrolled.  Seven have been training with Jean Claude throughout the past six months, being educated to become agriculture trainers.   In conjunction with Bethesda, the trainers will conduct “Food For Life” after Mercy Ships leaves Benin.  Already, they have begun taking ownership of the program.

“The seven trainers are doing most of the teaching now.  At the moment, everything is going very well.  I am here to support and answer any questions they have,” said Mouditou. “I am so excited to see those I trained are able to lead the program and train others.”

Each farmer involved has made a commitment to share their newly acquired knowledge with other farmers, creating a lasting impact on Benin’s agricultural community. 

One of the students spoke for the group saying, “Thank you, Mercy Ships, for giving us the opportunity to attend this training for free.  We are determined to finish this training, no matter what difficulties we face, to help our country to reduce the problem of poverty.” 

Mouditou is excited about the progress of the students.  He considers it a great privilege to serve God with his agricultural knowledge. 

“The Bible says Apollo planted the seed and Paul watered it, but the Lord grew the seed.  We can obey and put the seed in the ground, but the Lord grows it,” said Mouditou.  “Through the program, students are discovering the Lord.  They can see the beauty of the Lord through agriculture.  I am so grateful to be a part of that.” 

 

Written by Megan Petock

Edited by Nancy Predaina

Photos by Megan Petock 

Maomai Dangbenon: Salvation Has Come

This story was originally published by Mercy Ships and is re-published here to show the kind of restorative work Mercy Ships does in the lives of people.  


It was the middle of the night, and Perlagie couldn’t sleep.  The image of Maomai, her three-month-old baby girl, flashed through her mind every time she closed her eyes.  A huge tumor the size of the baby’s head was jutting out of Maomai’s neck.  Perlagie looked over at her daughter, peacefully sleeping in her hospital bed, and began to cry.      

For over a week, Perlagie had stayed in the hospital, waiting and praying for a doctor to help Maomai – but no one came.  In the morning, they were being sent home.  Perlagie didn’t know what to do.   

When Perlagie finally fell asleep, she had a dream.

“In that dream, I saw a person, who told me I should be quiet and pray – that salvation shall come.”

The next morning, Perlagie felt confident and peaceful.  She didn’t know where help would come from, but she knew God was going to take care of her baby.

***

Maomai was born with a teratoma, which means monstrous tumor.  It started out as a small, golf-ball sized lump on her neck, but within three months, the tumor had grown to the size of her head. 

Everyone in Perlagie’s village was afraid of Maomai.  The grotesque tumor was difficult to look at, and the villagers thought they could be contaminated by it.  No one would touch or play with the small baby.        

“One time I was in the bathroom, and the baby was crying. People were around the baby, but they would not touch her because of the tumor.  They left her crying, alone.  Even the members of my family,” said Perlagie.

Perlagie was alone.  Maomai was a precious, beautiful baby girl, and she could see that, but others simply couldn’t see past the monstrous tumor. In a country where perceived physical differences mark people as outcasts, Maomai was treated like a monster instead of a baby girl. 

“I was very, very, sad.  I was not able to sleep,” said Perlagie.  “Every day, I was crying.  Also, I was not eating.  I had no appetite because of the condition of my baby.”

Perlagie and her husband wanted to get Maomia help.  They took her to a local hospital, but there was no surgeon to perform her surgery.  Perlagie didn’t become anxious or fearful.  She confidently left the hospital, trusting God to bring healing and deliverance from the tumor. 

  

When Perlagie returned to her village, her sister-in-law told her about the Africa Mercy, a hospital ship filled with doctors and nurses, which had come to Cotonou.  She had just returned from the ship after being treated for an eye problem and thought they could help Maomai. 

Perlagie brought her daughter to the Africa Mercy and was screened by the medical team.  It was obvious that she needed immediate surgery.  But the tumor had made it difficult for her to feed, and Maomai was very underweight – too underweight for surgery.  The Mercy Ships medical team placed her on a feeding program and scheduled her for surgery in one month. Mercy was on its way. The salvation Perlagie had dreamed of was becoming a reality.        

A month passed, and it was time for Maomai’s surgery. The morning of surgery, Peralgie worried it would not be successful. 

“I started crying. Some nurses and translators told me the operation was possible with God.  The doctor will be successful with surgery, the tumor will be removed, and the baby will be healed.  They gave me that hope,” said Perlagie.  

   

After six hours of surgery, Maomai’s tumor was removed.  It weighed 375 grams, 15% of her body weight.  The monstrous tumor was gone, and the beautiful baby girl remained.

Maomai spent over a month recovering in the hospital.  Still struggling to maintain her weight, she had to be fed through a surgically placed feeding tube.

The nursing staff encouraged Perlagie to use the feeding tube.  At first, she was hesitant.    Perlagie distanced herself from Maomai.  But as she grew more comfortable in the hospital, things changed.  The nursing staff taught Perlagie how to use the feeding tube.  As she took ownership of Maomai’s care, their relationship thrived.    

“Initially, we were worried about her,” said pediatric nurse Ali Chandra.  “But now she’s been here for over a month, and she’s blossomed.  Perlagie has completely bonded with Maomai in the time they’ve been here.  And it happened as we started teaching her [to use the feeding tube].  She’s doing really well,” says Chandra.       

Maomai has continued to grow stronger since her surgery.  Not only has she gained weight, she’s gained vibrancy. 

“Maomai used to be this kind of listless baby, and now she’s bright.  She’s doing more age-appropriate things than before,” says Chandra.

Psalm 13:5 says, “I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation” (NKJV).

Perlagie knows this to be true.  She trusted God to take care of her baby, and He brought her salvation.  Perlagie is rejoicing in His mercy. 

“I thank God, and I thank each of you, for all you have done for me.  God is healing and still working.  I have seen my salvation in this child,” she concluded.  

Written by Megan Petock

Edited by IOC Editing Team

Photography by Debra Bell and Megan Petock

Lunch of Mercy: Nate and Cecilia present their vision at Peter's over chili

We presented our upcoming work with Mercy Ships at some great friends' house today.  We met with many of our international friends from Cornell International Christian Fellowship and shared some of the history of how we decided to work with Mercy Ships, and some of the logistics of what we are doing.  It was a great chance to present our vision and mission to some of our closest friends here in Ithaca.  Thanks all who came!

Cecilia and Joyous discussing something important over rice and cornbread.

All together after watching some Mercy Ships videos.

It looks like Peter has found some interesting reading material.  That book, "Ships of Mercy" is a great story about this ministry called Mercy Ships.

Discussing and eating.  Peter really knows how to make some good chili.  

We had some great food, including this beautiful salad that Edith brought.  We also ate chili, cornbread, rice, stir-fried veggies, and some pie for dessert.  

We have about 3 whole months to complete our fundraising before we go.  With your help, we will be able to carry out the desire of our hearts: go to the poor of the world to learn, and provide help and mercy wherever we can.  

Thank you!

ROAD TRIP II

Here's the details: Cecilia and I just finished our basic planning for our Road trip through 19 US States on our way to Mercy Ships headquarters, Garden Valley, TX.  We'll be stopping at many houses on the way.  If you're near our route, let us know and we might be able to meet you!

Take a look, and follow the blue line from Ithaca to Garden Valley!

From Garden Valley, we'll be going directly to the field service and starting our work in Africa.  We are amazed at how fast the departure date is coming.
We leave Ithaca on May 2!  I hope the old VW makes it ok.

That's the VW after a hike up Mt Washington.  If it can make it up Mt. Washington, I'm not worried.