Back Home...

What an adjustment to go from living on a ship with 400 plus people and constant activity to arriving home and having a whole house to myself. The quiet was drastic, and painfully uncomfortable. I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of an introvert – but time on the Africa Mercy rid me of that –at least for now.

I guess God gives us the grace to adapt to the environment which He places us in… Although since arriving home to my “quiet” I’ve been a bit of a non-conformist. Recently I’ve taken to calling and threatening people to spend time with me! Okay maybe not… I think really God knew just what I needed and has surrounded me with amazing family and friends this week.

I’ve felt so loved with the warm welcomes from those at church, work, my family, and even neighbors – what amazing people God has placed in my life!

During my time in Africa I learned – or began learning many things. One of those lessons was how precious people are. Life is about relationships – first and foremost with Jesus Christ and secondly with those He places in our lives. There is always a chance to enrich someone’s life. Whether it’s on the giving or receiving end and we need to keep our eyes open to opportunities placed in our path.

So this is just a shout out to all those who have showered my life with blessings over the past few days! I’m so honored to have each of you in my life – THANK YOU!

Much Love,
Katie

p.s. If I can EVER return the favor... call me! :) (I really mean that)

Beauty...

Recently a friend shared at devotions about beauty... She gave the example of gold being refined. The process takes an incredible amount of heat, but when it's complete one can see their reflection clearly in the purified gold. So too, our heavenly Father sometimes "turns the heat up" in our lives. While the process may be uncomfortable, painful, or even down right agonizing - we can be assured that He is working in our life. When He's finished - we will reflect His glory and beauty in our life.

I've struggled with the concept of beauty a lot. Honestly, my self image isn't that great. I know the verse from 1 Samuel 16:7..."The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." But, in our western society when the external is the focus - I have a hard time really living that verse.


Tani helped me with that. Mind you this is still a struggle for me, but by God's grace I'm seeing things a bit clearer each day. Take a look at these pictures:






This little girl went through the fire - literally. We reconstructed a nose for her, but still her badly burned face and body can't be overlooked. But take a second look - her smile can you see it? It's what communicates the inner beauty. Tani will give you a hug in a heart beat, say "I looove you!", and you can see a little creases forming under her one good eye as she breaks into a smile. Yes, this little girl is truly beautiful - you can't help but see it.

Lord, I thank you for refining fires. I haven't been through anything like little Tani, but I praise you for the work you are doing in my life. Let me reflect your beauty - from the inside out!

First - thank you all for your thoughts and prayers! I can’t believe I’ve been in Africa for 6 weeks already! It seems like just the other day I was eagerly anticipating my flight here.

Second – I apologize for taking such a long time in posting another update. Reason number one for this is I’ve been procrastinating (you all know I’ve very good at that). Reason number two is I keep very busy here even when I’m not working. And reason number three which seems to sound the best in my defence – the internet hasn’t been working very consistently. So, now for the really update.

This week I took my day off to go with the dental team off ship. I didn’t even know there was a dental team when I first learned about Mercy Ships, so I was excited to be educated on their “operations” first hand. We took two land rovers, which was about 16 people and headed into the nicer part of town. Part of the agreement Mercy Ships has with the government is guaranteed buildings for their dental, eye, and hospitality program. The building provided for the dental team was across the street from some government offices. It’s two stories, clean, and air conditioned! (yes, I do love the AC during 90 degree humid days!)

Their setup is pretty sweet. For three of the dentists they have two chairs. The fourth dentist, who’s here long term, has only one chair for larger more complicated cases. They also have one chair for a hygienist who works independently. (That’s a total of eight chairs if my math skills still work.)

They day I went the team worked from 9am – 2pm with 3 dentists and one hygienist. During that time they saw about 50 patients. They did cleanings, filled cavities, and pulled a lot of teeth – even the wisdom teeth of one of the translators because they finished work early!

During the time patients are waiting to receive treatment they are taught about how to care for their teeth and how to educated friends and family. After treatment a translator gives teaching about their pain medication (just ibuprofen) and reinforces the information taught earlier.

So far the dental team has seen over 3000 patients here in Togo. There goal is to try and see about 5000 patients by the beginning of August.

I continue to be blessed as I work with the patients here in the hospital. Just yesterday I took care of two young women 19 and 30, who had successful VVF repairs. (Check out my post about VVF if you haven’t already.) Both women were trying to teach me Ewe (pronounced “A way”). I’m a horrible student, but they had a tremendous amount of patience with me; and laughter, for that matter, as I muddled up the pronunciation of the words. I had to keep saying “baba ray” – I’m sorry. Their grace is so refreshing – just as God’s grace is in my life. All I can say is I’m so thankful!

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Adventures in Togo land continue… I must say that keeping busy isn’t hard to do thanks to many different “off ship” ministries that Mercy Ships has available.

This week I went to one of the local deaf schools after my shift. A group of us – about 16 - went in the land rovers, leaving at about 5:30pm. I found out that there IS rush hour traffic in Lome, Togo and that I don’t like it. Cars are bumper to bumper with zimees (motor bikes) cutting in and out. Additionally there are people in the midst of it all attempting to cross the street! Note to self, bigger is better – at least for safety. J We arrived after about an hour of travel on mostly red dirt roads with a few scattered pot holes. Just fyi – the trip home was about 25 minutes long.

A group of about 40 children greeted us immediately when our white Mercy Ships vehicles pulled through the gate that lead into the schools open court yard. All the children had huge smiles on their faces and energy oozing from their bodies as they made welcoming hand gestures. It was almost silent, but the joy from our arrival was evident - even if you couldn’t hear it in their voices.

One of the teachers for the Mercy Ships’ academy is fluent in sign – and apparently this school uses American Sign Language. So we told/acted out a story with Christina (the teacher) as she translated into sign. Painting was next on the agenda. The children were told to paint their hearts desire. My heart was touched as I looked at their creations. There were motorcycles, airplanes, and for a number of them – a painting of the whole world. The world – that was their hearts desire. For these children, for the people here in Togo - their opportunities in life are far less then mine. What a gift I have been given, and how easily I forget!

I thought I was coming on a mission trip – to do medical work, to share the love of Jesus with those I cared for. But every day I am realizing more and more that this trip isn’t just about others – it’s about me drawing near to God and growing as a person – becoming the woman He desires me to be. It’s scary and humbling - and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds!

Today was a celebration day! First is for my health being restored (almost over cold number two) and second for the gift of sight.

Cataract removal is one of the services that is offered by Mercy Ships. The restoration of sight is a major cause for celebration. Approximately 150 patients each week participate in a “Celebrate Sight” event. I attended this morning and joined in the singing, a bit of dancing - not too much - no need to worry folks, and heart felt praise to our God for giving sight back to so many here in Togo.

In addition to the surgeries performed while we are here - more will be performed even after we have left. This is a result of a new training program onboard. African ophthalmologists receive training in the specialized procedure to remove the very dense cataracts that are common in Africa. The hope and healing will continue on!

VVF screenings are today, and surgeries start tomorrow. What is VVF? Vesico—Vaginal Fistula: opening between the bladder & vagina. Causes continuous leaking/ dripping of urine in any position. The most common cause of this is prolonged labor where the babies head puts pressure on the soft tissue. If c-sections and better hospital facilities where available, many of the cases of VVF could be prevented.

VVF is not just a fistula as we learned during our training. Many of these woman suffer from shame, thoughts of suicide, continual bad odor, social rejection, inability to work, loss of their baby & may be unable to have more children, as well as difficulties walking (complete paralysis if severe neurological damage or foot drop syndrome if less severe.)

Please keep these woman in your prayers as we seek to minister to them both physically and emotionally.

Two fun facts....

I got to hang out at the Mercure SaraKawa Hotel yesterday and got my first African sunburn of the trip - yup I'm BRIGHT red! The shop here on the ship sells day passes for the hotel's "olimpio-sized" pool. (Pool size is according a website I found with my googling skills.) The hotel is about a 20minute walk from the ship. I found a picture on the internet... it's a pretty sweet place. I had a lovely time with some of my new girl friends - despite the sunburn.







The second fun fact is the French Navy is now docked behind us - this happened on Wednesday. Yesterday they gave tours of their ship, but I was working. So, all I know is 240 sailors are on board, (stat stolen from my good friend Liz) and that unfortunately I still don't speak French!

Play time on deck 7 takes place every afternoon. These pictures are from my first day of "work" here on the ship.

Aissa

The story of one of the girls I helped care for...

Aissa lives in the north of Cameroon, West Africa.

Abandoned by both her mother and father, she was living with her grandma when she got sick.
Her family brought her to the Meskine hospital, run by the Medical Centers of West Africa.

She was found sitting outside the hospital pharmacy, skeletal, her face covered with a dirty rag, surrounded by a swarm of flies.

She was diagnosed with NOMA , which is fatal in 90% of cases.

At 6 years old, she weighed 10 kilos. She was dangerously anemic, and could no longer walk or eat.

She was hospitalized, but the family wasn’t able to pay for her care. They planned to take her home after just four days. Had they returned home, she would have surely died, but Medical Centers of West Africa chose to cover the cost of her care.

This picture is two weeks after her arrival.

Slowly she came around. One day she smiled. Then she began to walk and play. Below she is pictured on her first trip back to her village.

Her photos were sent to Mercy Ships, who invited Aissa to come for a life changing surgery. A surgery that would bring her healing, restore her spirit and give glory to God. The organization Willing and Abel paid for Aissa’s travel. So this baby girl, who almost died in obscurity just one year previous, got on a plane and flew to Togo.

And our God, who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, placed her in the care of a team of specialists who gave her back her face.
Hallelujah.

Pictured with Sarah Root, PA shortly after her plastic surgery

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge… Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” -Eph 3:17-20

Thanks to Sarah for allowing this presentation to be shared.

Here's a few pics of the room... I'm finding it easier to upload on Facebook though...

Picture Post

Life on the ward.


Flim Festivle Awards in the town square



Joy the Irish girl with the 2 Katies :)


Celebrating Nurses' Day (I'm not in the pic)

Practicing IV's or cannulating as many call it.

Damaris from Germany and I after the beach

Week One In Review

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers over the last week, almost week and a half now. It just hit me last night as I was journaling that I will be in Africa for 3months... Just a little bit of home sickness setting in I guess. Thankfully they are keeping me busy, so I don't have much time to dwell on it.

Classroom training took up two days of my first week here. The mercy ships team performs a number of different surgeries and as you can imagine "nursing" is completely different in a third world country. So far I've had 3 full days of this new form a nursing. Much of my time consists of building relationships with the patients as I prep them for surgery and receive them back from the OR. This can be challenging since I don't speak their dialect, Ewe (pronounced "a-way") or French, the official language in Togo. Most of the time there are translators to help out, but there are some patients who speak other dialects (mostly from the north of Togo) and at times there is no translator to interpret. Charades is going to be my specialty at the end of these three months. :) I've started working on my French though - the translators are very helpful and eager to teach. They love to laugh at and with me as I attempt to learn.

We have had a couple of vented, ICU patients during the time I've been here - but they try to keep them few and far between. I care for 5 - 10 patients depending on the shift that I'm working. Days are from 7a-3p, evening’s 2p-10p, nights 9:30p-7:30a, and weekends are 12 shift. All of us rotate shifts, and we have off about 2 days per week depending on the number of surgeries being done and the amount of staff that is currently serving on the ship.

So about the ship... My bunk is forward, on the port side, which is front on the left hand side. There are a total of 6 girls living in the cabin - with one bathroom. The room is about 10 feet wide with three "pods." Each pod has a set of bunk beds, two vertical cabinets for clothes, a desk, and a chair. Katie Jones, from England, is on the bunk above me. I looove her accent, and try to mimic it. Last night she asked what my family would think when I came home attempting to sound like a Brit. :) Brittany and Liz are next, from Canada and New Zealand. Brittany is fluent in French and Spanish and is such a sweet heart. We've enjoyed walking together along the dock. I'm so thankful for her encouragement - what a blessing! Sarah and Melanie are at the end (furthest away from the bathroom.) They're from Switzerland and Hawaii. Anyway... It's the dorm room life I never had - plus some! We all work different shift which is challenging for sleeping, but we're making due.
Here's a picture of all of us. Katie, Sarah, Me, Liz, Brittany, and Melanie.



Meals have been plentiful! People here joke about "mercy hips" not mercy ships. :) Tuesday is African night, but other than that you can count on a wide variety of food. The water I mentioned before... well, it's getting better. I've been adding small amounts of powered flavoring that my co-workers sent to keep it palatable. Thanks guys!!! International Film Festival was Saturday night. Apparently this is an annual event done on the ship. There are about 400 people here and those creative juices were put to good use. This was ten times better then America's funniest home videos. There were "documentaries" about the ship, a detective film, and even a black mail video about the captain. Almost everyone was dressed up - almost like they were going to the Oscars! Afterward the coffee shop was open, everyone mingled, and then the winners were announced.This is a community - and with nationalities from around the world the culture is amazingly diverse. It's been challenging with language barriers of those for whom English is a second or third language, personalities, and different cultural norms. I know through all of this though, God is going to grow me into the person He wants me to be. I'm so very grateful for His faithfulness and the fact that I can have complete confidence in His loving care!

Quick bit about Sunday... I worked day shift in the hospital. From 10am-12pm there is church for the patients. This is lead by the locals and translators (some of which travel from Ghana and Benin to work with Mercy Ships.) The it was packed out in ward A, which has 20 beds in one room. 20 beds equals about 40 people. This is because there is typically a caregiver for each patient. So.... multiply that by 3 wards.... :) You could tell that the singing and dancing (with drums) and the preaching (with two translators) really encouraged the patients, and me too!

As far as pictures go, we aren't allowed to take ones of the children with our own cameras, but Mercy Ships does and I'll have access to those... I'm going to try and post more after this post, which I'm realizing is quite wordy.

Love and miss you all! Let me know what questions you have.... I'll do my best to answer!

Brittany shared this verse with me last night:

Romans 9:17 "For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed throughout the earth."

My first day here has been full, but amazingly good. Breakfast was "normal" minus the milk (that stays good even at room temp) and the hot dogs. (yes, hot dogs for breakfast) The ships tour led me to the most important area - the cafe which equals Starbucks coffee. Get this a skinny vanilla latte = $1!!!

Meeting new people is the part about this trip that I'm enjoying most thus far. From Hawaii, to Sweden, to Australia, to England - I'm learning about all different cultures! Love it!

After ship tours seven of us piled into a Land Rover and headed to Coco Beach, which is about a 5 minute drive from where the ship is docked. I know that I'm suppose to be on a mission trip, but Molly, I couldn't dissapoint your expectations that I'd be partying it up while I was here. ;)

Work does start tomorrow... 6am rise time and orientation from 8am-8pm. Following is two days of being oriented on the ward, as to what African nursing is all about, and then I start my "job." Can't wait!

I've taken pics... will attempt to post later. Love and miss you all!

My departure date is quickly approaching... this Friday, can you believe it?!?! Monday was packed full of fun thanks to Ian and Maria and the whole CSICU crew! A-team! " The girls" (Ian and Maria) started off the day with a much anticipated last shopping trip - to the outlet mall in Smithfield! I think the goal of the trip was not shopping, but making sure Katie's physical fitness level was up to par for African life... they know the answer now....

Despite my exhaustion we did have a great time! I'm so thankful for the friends God has placed in my life!

We all made it back to Fayetteville safely, practice a "wet wipe shower." Hehe... well we talked about it anyway. Dinner with the crew was at Texas Road house - way yummy! Thanks to all who helped coordinate - especially Jeanne. She not only brought a cake, but gave the animals a "bath" before they set foot on the deliciousness. Good times!

As many of you know I'm going to Togo, Africa - for three months! The goal is to keep you all up to date via this blog on the happenings while I'm there. We shall see...

My awesome co-workers filled two army duffel bags full of supplies for my trek around the globe - it was a spectacular surprise! In typical Katie fashion I turned bright red and even started to cry. The gift pictured was one of my favs... made me laugh so hard my sides started to hurt! Africa - here I come!