Thurston Ave. Love

Sunday, March 14, 2010 was a cold, cloudy, rainy day on Cornell campus.  The past week has been tragic for the student body here.  A number of students took their lives by jumping from some of the bridges that span the gorges on campus. Why do I mention this on our blog?  Because some friends chose to stand at this bridge, the Thurston Ave bridge, and try to impact people for the better.  They went with chalk, and a pleasant disposition to try to brighten the mood and let students know that someone really does care.

It was a somber atmosphere, with a security guard in a red jacket posted at the bridge too.

People wrote things like  "Thurston Ave Love" and "be the change" on the concrete in bright letters.

We bowed in prayer for the whole campus, then left.  It's a small thing to do, but I KNOW that if we reach out to others, it is well worth the investment in time, money, and whatever else it could be.  When you reach out to someone who need a little hope in their life, you are changing the world.

Those are hard words to really follow.  I have a few ideas though:  

1. Play positive music from loud speakers in the Arts quad while classes are changing.  For that matter, when you drive on campus, roll down the windows and play loud, good, positive music from your car.  Of course some people will look at you strange, but others will start walking to the beat and smile at you.  

2. Set up random "free tea and coffee" stations, staffed by positive people who are willing to smile, and chat for a while. 

3. When you talk to your friends and acquaintances, REALLY REALLY LISTEN.

Learning French

I am psyched about learning French.  
It is a wonderful language, especially when spoken by our tutor, Germain.  He is a wonderfully strong-willed man, originally from Congo.  He came from a rural village to study in France and has been back and forth many times.  He has been in the US for about 6 years now, and has been teaching at Syracuse University, and tutoring high school students French here in Ithaca.  He has a heart for teaching, and we have a great time when we get together.  We don't just have a French lesson, but we talk about Africa, about world issues, about history and the problems of the day.  He is African, and he has an African perspective.  He is also schooled in Europe and has a very unique viewpoint from there as well.  He can see things from both sides.  He knows what it's like to be both African and European.  We have a great time talking and I always look forward to his arrival at our home.  God has brought many people into our lives to prepare us for this adventure in Africa with Mercy Ships.  Germain is one of those people, and we thank God for his presence in our lives. 

Je suis heureux!

Rusty old boats in the Congo river, Brazzaville.

Useful boats in the Congo River, Brazzaville.

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.

Back from Ecuador

We returned from Ecuador on January 28th to the warm greetings of friends in the cold city of New York. Here are some photos of our time in Ecuador.

My daily literature for the trip. This book is AWESOME! and it has some history about how Mercy Ships got started.

Quito in the morning, fog hovering over the city.

I never thought I would have been ice skating in Ecuador. This is me and John, Cecilia's high school track coach.

We went to visit for lunch, and we ended up ice skating, going to their house, and staying for his son's birthday party. We sang karaoke, ate dinner, and had cake, but we never ended up eating lunch. That was the way our trip went. We made plans, and changed them on the fly constantly.

Truck full o' meat. Looks yummy!

Walking the streets of the "old town" in Quito with Cecilia and Edwin.

Some of the family at the church. It was Jordhy's baptism that day. he's the kid with the icecream cone to his face and the gray suit on. Cecilia and I are his godparents and we are happy to do our best to provide a good influence in his life and to teach him English. He's very interested in learning.

I can't tell if Mauricio is laughing with me or at me. It's probably something I said wrong in Spanish.

The "hermanos" of the church. These are the young leaders who keep the place fun and interesting. It's an honor to know each one of them.

Nate is teaching math! How did that happen?!

Now Cecilia's teaching math!? Edwin invited us to teach his math classes for a day. We taught a basic lesson in arithmetic progressions in English. I think the students understood most of what we said, but I have no idea what they were saying!

Cecilia and Abuelita at Ceci's birthday party. The cake in the foreground was made by Cecilia's mother. It's a Raisin Orange cake, and it was deeeelicious!

I hope you have enjoyed this photo tour of our latest trip.

We had a wonderful time and we will be back someday in a year or two.

We now look forward to our next adventure with Mercy Ships and will be fundraising full time. If you would like to donate to our work, please just click on the donate button at the top of this webpage and follow the links. You can set up a one-time tax deductible gift or make a monthly contribution to keep us going while we are in Africa for our 2-year commitment. We will keep you updated on all our stories and travels. Thank you for your partnership in this work of mercy.

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