Our Blood Bank


Blood Donor
Originally uploaded by keith.brinkman

Here on the Africa Mercy for our hospital, we do not have a blood bank. Blood is needed on some more of the major maxillofacial surgeries. Instead, we, the crew, volunteer to be tested and available for donation when needed. Sometimes you know ahead of time and other times you get an urgent call from the lab to meet them in the ICU in order to donate as a patient is in the operating room who will be needing your type of blood. My friend took this photo after my most recent donation of one unit of A+ blood.

Liberia orphanage on the beach

Some of the children and teens from the orphanage in Liberia were hosted for a day at the beach by a couple who are working on a large hotel project in Monrovia. As you can see from their smiles, they really enjoyed their time on the beach and their meal together. I miss them, I do stay in touch with them via emails which the director gets from an internet cafe and the occassional phone call. A friend here on board will travel there next month and I will send some things with him.