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…we completed:
We mean it when we say you have been a part of this. We could not do this work without you, whether you support Mercy Ships as a whole or individual crew members through your prayers, encouragement, finances, or in a multitude of other ways. We need you and are so thankful for your part in this incredible work.
Containers are critical to the operation of the Africa Mercy. They bring us food (we have a negative impact on local economies by purchasing food for 1000 people and then leaving after 10 months). They supply the hospital pharmacy, lab, and other areas. They provide office supplies – copy paper and post-it notes, as well as computers and printer toner. Containers are sometimes delayed because of major storms, customs issues, and other reasons. But this year, a delay almost caused major problems for starting our operations in Guinea.
Each year, we send one container (the Advance container) from a country as we leave in June to the next country before we arrive in August (in between, we have our maintenance period where we upgrade and do maintenance on the ship). This container contains many essential items that we don’t need during our maintenance period. One of the things it contains are the four tents we setup on the dock each year. These are used by our Admissions, Screening, Outpatients, and Rehab departments, as well as a waiting area for patients, so those patients don’t need to enter the ship for these services. Every year, the tents and other equipment in this container arrive in plenty of time before the new field service begins.
The larger container is the size of the Advance container
This year, however, the Advance container was still in Cameroon when we docked in Guinea. This has never happened before, so our leadership scrambled to make other plans. Thankfully, one new tent was purchased and air-shipped to Guinea because the Eye Team will be located on the dock this year instead of at a local clinic.
The tents for Admissions, Screening, Outpatients, Rehab, Eye, and for waiting patients (the long narrow one). Also pictured is another waiting area and the hand-washing station.
Screening is the first medical department on the ship to be setup, so they used the new tent for the Eye Team with makeshift furniture to begin the year. The Advance container finally arrived on September 5 and was unpacked in record time. Despite the rain (it rains every day this time of year), the remaining tents were put up within 24 hours. God’s hand was evident in the situation as the patient-waiting tent collapsed just as that tent was being assembled.
The shipping issue with the Advance container didn’t delay any of our operations starting up. Only by the hand of God.
This was written by one of our former crew members about how crazy the Mercy Ships model is:
Someone said “Let’s buy a ferry boat that has never been more than 50 miles from land. A ferry boat for trains would be even better. We will get all of the trains off, then weld the front closed and take out the train tracks. In the place that used to carry the trains, we will build a HOSPITAL!!!! We will put in Operating Rooms and Hospital wards and a lab and a Pharmacy — everything needed to run a Hospital and then, we will sail it to AFRICA!!!
But then, it gets even CRAZIER!!! We will need to ask people to leave their families, friends and jobs and come PAY US to work on the Ferry boat. Because some won’t be able to stay very long, we will have to find over a thousand people from all over the world to work on our Ferry boat hospital. When we take our ship (“ship” sounds so much better than “ferry boat”, don’t you agree????) to Benin, people will come from over 45 different countries and all live in a very, very close community which is a really nice way to say that they will have VERY little personal space or privacy….
Stop and think about that — that REALLY is CRAZY!!! Why, it would take a MIRACLE for something as crazy as that to work….we would need Engineers and deck hands to run the ship, and a Galley team to cook for everyone and a Supply department to get us all the stuff we would need and a Dining Room crew to feed everyone and a full-time team just to keep things clean and a Finance group and some sort of Bank and we would definitely need a Starbucks on-board and a school to teach all of the kids and we would want to have a Capacity Building program to build into the future and of course we would need a Transport and Maintenance department and that’s not even mentioning the doctors, dentists, nurses and everyone else needed to take care of our patients — IT WOULD TAKE A MIRACLE FOR THAT TO WORK!!!!
Four years ago, Ann-Marie and I were waiting for Mercy Ships to find us jobs here. It took quite a while for that to happen because I had nearly forty years of experience operating nuclear power plants and I think everyone at Mercy Ships had a hard time seeing anything on my resume’ but the word “NUCLEAR”. I think the word “NUCLEAR” showed up on my application as a flashing neon red sign with an audible alarm…
While we were waiting, we chose Matthew 15:31 as our theme verse. It reads “The multitude marveled as they saw the dumb speaking” — the dumb speaking — did you know we all, each one of us, had a part in repairing over 45 cleft lips and palates this field service??? — “the crippled restored” — the crippled restored — did you also know we all had a part in over 900 other surgeries to remove facial tumors, release burn contractures, repair hernias and other general surgeries including repairing 19 obstetric fistulas — all of which were crippling our patients??? — “and the lame walking” — the lame walking — 78 orthopedic surgeries have been done this field service and 20 other patients had their club feet fixed as part of the Ponseti program — “and the blind seeing” — the blind seeing — again, we all had a part in this — there have been 648 cataracts removed and sight was restored to the blind — “and they glorified the God of Israel.”
Thanks for the part each of you has played in helping to make this miracle happen.
-Tom Waechter, 2017 Benin Field Service speech
Our Advance Team is responsible for preparing for the ship to arrive in a new country. They build relationships with government officials, purchase SIM cards, prepare the dock space, hire 200+ day crew (locals that we hire to help run the ship), organize internet providers for the ship and off-site locations, organize water, fuel, and trash services, and many other critical tasks.
They are a team of 19 people and they need lots of technology to do their jobs. This year, they require 15 laptops, 15 smart phones, 9 tablets, 4 basic phones, and two satellite phones, 4 mobile printers/scanners, 2 scanners, portable projectors, webcams, and power strips with multiple plug types. The IT team has been very busy preparing all of their equipment!
Here is a picture of Maurice and I preparing the laptops, printers, and scanners, but the entire team has helped to prepare, test, and gather the equipment.
I love love love how Mercy Ships changes lives by surgeries. These not only change the life of the patient, but also of their family and community.
But how much better to impact even more people? How about surgical teams of all the regional hospitals in a nation? Well, that’s what the WHO Surgery Checklist team does. Here are the words of Sophie Corset, the Medical Capacity Building Checklist Project Manager:
“Already 28 hospitals have benefited from the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist training, as part of the Medical Capacity Building (MCB) projects of Mercy Ships in Cameroon. The team has traveled in 7 out of 10 regions of Cameroon to teach how to make surgery safer, with simple means. Basically a sheet of A4 [similar size to letter] paper with a few points to verify.
“Brice Fabo, one of the Cameroonian doctors working with us in the Checklist team, says the following to the participants: “if a pharmaceutical company would develop a medication that guarantees 50% less of usual complications (due to allergy or infection) and death, would you want to get it for your patients?” Obviously the response is yes (at least I don’t know of anyone who said no… ;-)) Well, Brice says, “this medication exists and it is the Checklist!”
Adapted Checklist for the Regional Hospital of Limbe, in the South West region.
“I love this way of describing the value, the meaning and the power of the Checklist! Because it is true. And once you know about it, you don’t wish yourself or anyone you know, getting surgery without the use of the Checklist!
“The team has gone through tough times in some of the small district hospitals, seeing and experiencing the lack of equipment and unfortunately the lack of competencies of local medical staff. One of my team members probably saved the life of a mother and her baby during a C-section. Dramatic and traumatic experience. On the other side, there are many great encouragements. Many eyes have been opened. Many minds have been shaken. Many doors have been pushed to reality checks in surgery. Hope is tangible.
“Here is some of feedback which the team has received over the past months:
Debrief with team after the first use of the Checklist in Limbe.
“Training is currently being facilitated in Yaoundé [Cameroon’s capital city] until the middle of March. Then we will start with follow-up visits to all hospitals. These visits are meant to check where the OR staff stand, to answer any questions they may have on the Checklist and to encourage them and in some cases to donate much needed equipment! Sometimes we see real changes in OR routine years after the training has been given, so there is no giving up or discouragement allowed 😉
“Carys Parker, chaplain on board, went alongside the team to the military hospital of Douala, to capture their work. She presented a video to the community on board in order for crew members to understand what sort of projects MCB does. The WHO Checklist training is a major part of MCB and its team is hardly to be seen on board as they are always on the road! This video is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtBV-ia7brQ. Thank you Carys for doing such a great job!”
Here is one of the patients you impacted by supporting me or any other crew member with Mercy Ships:
With her fluffy pink dress and shiny shoes, three-year-old Cecilia is an undisputed princess—and no one is prouder of this ray of sunshine than her father, Emmanuel. She’s brimming with delightful energy, and Emmanuel is always one step behind her, ready to help her in the right direction. But, until recently, Cecilia needed more help than most little girls.
“She smiles all of the time,” said Emmanuel, “but she needs help to walk.”
Her legs appeared normal at birth, but as she grew, one of her knees formed abnormally. She was diagnosed with knock knees— a condition that causes the knees to angle together, and makes it nearly impossible for the legs to stay straight. Over time, it can cause serious pain and impair walking. Cecilia’s parents watched their bright-eyed child grow from baby to toddler—and her knock knee continued to worsen. Finally, Emmanuel brought his daughter to Mercy Ships in search of a miracle.
The family spent over a year waiting for a surgery that took little over an hour on the Africa Mercy. It was a simple procedure that would have enormous effects on little Cecilia’s life.
Cecilia was a source of joy in the hospital wards, and it wasn’t long after her surgery before she bravely took her first steps with her miniature walker. The only one smiling bigger than her was Emmanuel, who said her future now looks “bright and full of possibilities.”
Now, Cecilia can step forward into a life of limitless opportunities. She may only be three years old, but Emmanuel is already dreaming big for his little girl.
“My dream for her is to grow up and become a doctor, so she can change people’s lives,” Emmanuel said. “Just like the doctors here have changed hers.”
The crew who have cell phones change numbers twice each year – once during the field service and once during shipyard.
For personal phones, this is as simple as purchasing a SIM card from our ship shop (or in town) and adding credit. For business phones, someone has to test, add contacts, add SIM PIN numbers, and hand out each phone. For this field service (and two other times) that person was me.
Before the field service began, the Operations Director and the IS (IT) Manager decided which positions should receive cell phones. For the Cameroon field service, we purchased 162 SIM cards.
Before the ship arrived, the Operations Liaison on our Advance Team purchased the SIM cards, numbered them, and noted information about each one on a spreadsheet. Then the IS Manager added which position will receive which number/SIM card and also which type of device needed to be prepared for the SIM. (Many crew members put their SIMs in their personal smart phones, but some require a Mercy Ships basic phone or iPhone. Other SIMs go into iPads.)
Once the ship arrived in Cameroon, one of the first things the Operations Liaison did onboard was hand the packs of SIMs to a member of the IS (IT) team. Then Stuart (the IS Manager) and I tested calling each SIM to verify the phone numbers were correct.
Once the numbers were verified, I imported the short names and numbers into PhoneFile Pro – the software we use to program the SIM cards.
Then I started preparing the basic phones. I inserted a SIM into a reader and copied the numbers to it. I also added a SIM PIN so that if someone steals a phone, they can’t use it.
Then I labeled the phone and passed it to my coworker Dayle to hand out.
If I remember correctly, it took four days to prepare all the basic phones.
For the SIMs that went into personal phones, I added a SIM PIN, added the contacts to their mail account, and handed them out.
Then I started preparing the Mercy Ships iPhones and iPads.
I created a Mercy Ships Apple ID for the person receiving the device (we previously used one account for all the phones but this caused many problems), installed software updates, added it to our Mobile Device Management software (so we can push apps, remotely wipe a stolen device, etc), and setup their email accounts.
Setting up devices can be a tedious task, but I really enjoyed it this year.
Did you know that you affect change in Africa? If you pray for, encourage, or financially support someone in Mercy Ships, you are changing lives. Here is a taste of the change you participated in.
I receive many of the same questions about my time on the ship. Here are a few questions and answers.
Q: What was your living space like?
A: A bottom bunk was the only space I had to myself. I also had a closet, a drawer, two shelves, half a drawer, and half a cupboard.
I shared my cabin with three roommates. Our shared spaces included a small space around 6 feet by 10 feet at the back of the cabin and a bathroom around 5 feet by 5 feet. (My cabin had a larger back area – most of them are around 6 feet by 6 feet.) There were also two bunk areas in the cabin and a 3-foot wide hallway. In the back area, we had a love seat, a stand to hold a laptop while watching a movie, a fridge, and some plastic drawers.
My bunk and drawer
My roommate and my closets and a shared drawer.
Q: Were you docked in a country for a long time?
A: The Africa Mercy stays in a country for 10 months and then goes to shipyard for 2 months for upgrades and repairs. The fact that we are in a country for awhile enables us to make a larger impact in a country and to develop relationships with local individuals, churches, and businesses. Some of my richest times on the ship were getting to know locals through playing games with kids who had just had surgery and working with a local in our department.
It would not be possible for Mercy Ships to impact patients, their families, and their communities without your help. We are so thankful for your encouragement, prayers, and financial support!! Today, I want to share about a patient named Mary who had a facial tumor removed. Here is her story:
Mary had endured years of her classmates’ taunting. “Bag face, bag face, bag face,” they shouted. A tumor covered her right eye, billowing over half her face. It made one side of her face droop down, and, as a result, Mary always looked sad. Day after day, the 14-year-old came home crying, tears trickling out from underneath her tumor. “Will this ever go away?” she wondered.
The tumor, a neurofibroma, had been growing for years. Such a tumor develops around the nerves and in rare cases reaches into the brain. The longer it is left untreated, the more dangerous it becomes.
The family took their daughter to doctor after doctor, only to hear the same answer, “No, we can’t help.” Days, months, and years slowly ticked by, and, steadily, Mary’s tumor continued to grow.
The family was preparing to take their daughter to Nigeria when they heard about Mercy Ships.
After going through the screening process, Mary’s surgical date finally came. Mary boarded a white Mercy Ships vehicle, entered the port, and finally looked at the ship for the first time.
After her surgery, Mary had 48 hours before she would know for sure if her face was really tumor-free, if her “bag face” was now just a normal, healthy, 14-year-old girl’s face.
The time passed slowly. Mary colored, played games, and watched The Jungle Book. When the nurses finally came to replace the old bandage, Mary nervously fidgeted with a checker piece. Then a nurse put a mirror by the bed. Mary picked it up gingerly – a delicate and powerful object. She stared directly into the mirror, adjusted the angle and smiled … she was beautiful!
That night Mary spent hours in silent contemplation, just her and the mirror. She’d look away for a moment and then look back, checking to see if that really was her face. “Is the bag really gone?” she might have wondered. She’d look again. “Yes, really and truly … gone.”
After a follow-up appointment she sat in the back of the tent, a confident grin spreading over her face. “She’s like a different person now,” commented Lindsay McCurley, a nurse who took care of Mary in the wards. “It was amazing to see her transformation – the night before Mary left, she was dancing up a storm.”
And it’s true. Ever since her surgery, there’s a lightness in Mary – the burden has finally been lifted, and the wait is truly over.
Mary’s “bag face” has been replaced with a confident gaze. She doesn’t have to be asked twice. “A photo?” She bounds out of the waiting car and lights up for the camera. She can’t wait to get back to school.
Suddenly Bold 