Greetings from the nation of Guinea, West Africa. In this issue of KRB Update, I am excited to share with you more about the Befriend-a-Patient project. Befriend-a-Patient visits provide interested crewmembers a practical and unique opportunity to demonstrate Mercy Ships’ second core value: to love and serve others. A genuine friendship from the heart communicates volumes. Friendships between crew and patients enrich the on board experience of crew and patient alike. We believe that transformation happens one person at a time. As us crew members are being transformed by the love of God we are able to share this love with patients through time spent together. Activities will depend on the patient though may include crafts, watching a DVD together in the ward, coloring, drawing, bible study, games, cards, going outside on deck 7 and taking a walk.

I have been involved with visiting the patients from the beginning of my time on the Anastasis in 2006 and over the last six years have befriended many patients. Most of my local friends in a country are former patients, day workers and partners.

Currently, I am assigned to a seven year old boy named Ibrahim, he is actually from Sierra Leone. This is his third visit to the hospital ship due to his leg bone problems. He has recently had orthopaedic surgery on both legs and so can’t really move much while in his bed except for his upper body. At a recent Sunday service in the ward, he was clapping and moving his shoulders as we had praise and worship together. Since he has been to school, he does speak some English which helps in our communications. I will post photos of Ibrahim as they are available – though for this update I have included three patients from Togo – Dodji, Florent and Cyril. Though in African culture, I never just visit one patient, but those in the beds next to him as the wards are like a small community especially with the children. All children under 15 years old need a caregiver to be with them. My visits to the wards are great highlights.

To answer a follow up question related to screening that a friend asked and others may be wondering about – “Does it get easier having to turn people away that need services?” No it does not get easier, but when I turn away people explaining in a caring way that we don’t have doctors/surgeons that can help them. I know I am being honest with them and they respect and appreciate that. Though the ones that break my heart are children and especially when someone comes too late and the surgeries are already finished but if they came earlier there may have been a chance as it is one of our specialties – those are awful hard and you feel like crying with them as the parents are usually at that stage. Even though it is hard on me, I can’t imagine the parent’s heart as for many there is no other option. I had this with an orthopaedic kid with bilateral club feet and I still grieve that we can’t help him. I think many times if it was my child, I would ask and ask again in hopes to get help.

Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement and support as I serve.

KRB Update #2181 – Screening

Keith R. Brinkman 10 September 2012

Greetings from the nation of Guinea, port and capital city of Conakry. In one day alone over 4,300 people came to the People’s Palace, site of our surgical screening. Most of the entire crew were involved in this our largest event for the field service. I had the privilege to be the main gate keeper for the patients and caregivers. I tried to greet everyone who came in and with the assistance of my dayworker inquired how many cards they need. In total 3,454 cards were given to potential patients. Though, once they shared their medical situation, only 852 continued through the process for possible surgery on the Africa Mercy and an additional 527 for possible eye surgery. It was a long day but so fulfilling, everything went peaceful and the weather cooperated as we are in the midst of rainy season here. I did not try to greet people in the local languages (as I can’t identify the differences yet of the three major tribes), but primarily used my French (and English for those who greeted me in English). After the gates were closed, I went up to the area of the surgeon screening for maxillofacial and plastics/reconstructive. I sat with one of the surgeons and a fellow crew member as they further inquired to see if we could assist with surgery.

Hundreds were scheduled for surgery and others still require testing or further screening prior to being confirmed as good candidates for surgery on board. Last week, the wards opened on Wednesday and the first surgeries on Thursday. It is great to walk the hallways and see and hear patients back in our wards. Lives being transformed. I look forward to the start of the Befriend-a-Patient project and spending time with patients like Ousamne who I met on the first screening day.

Our Guinea Smiles Dental Team also started their screenings which happen twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays all throughout the field service. I served the first couple times to assist with crowd control and to answer questions.

Our Mercy Vision Eye Team will start their screenings primarily for cataract cases for adults and children, but also for pterygium and strabismus for children. A great start to this new field service!!!

KRB Update #2180 – Guinea

Keith R. Brinkman 18 August 2012

Greetings from the Africa Mercy en route to Conakry, Guinea. All of the required ship repairs, drydocking (see the photo below), and inspections were completed in the Canary Islands (just off the coast of North Africa, but part of Spain). This is the closest location we can take the ship to accomplish these activities. I spent most of my time finishing up work on the Togo 2012 field service, preparing for the Guinea 2012-2013 field service and supporting our teams already in the nation of Guinea. I also visited and had the opportunity to share in a local church who is praying for us and be a tour guide of the ship on one Sunday – it was good to use my Español once again. Our field service will be from our arrival 22 August 2012 till 15 June 2013.

In 2008 while docked in Monrovia, Liberia, we received an invitation, obtained permissions and went over across the border from Liberia into Guinea for surgical screening. For those who remember, one of my patients, Alimou, that is when I first met him. I look forward to seeing him shortly after we arrive in country. My second time in Guinea was last year as part of the Assessment Team doing the initial relationship building, logistics, and preparations. This will be the third time Mercy Ships has visited the port of Conakry, first in 1992 and again in 1998-1999 – these first two visits were with the Anastasis.

Independent from France since 1958 – currently a Republic

President: Alpha Conde since 2010

Life Expectancy: 58 years

Population: over 10 million people with over 1.5 million living in the capital and port city of Conakry

Area: 245,857 square kilometers (size of the state of Oregon).

Income: $863 per year

Population under the age of 15 years: 43%

Religion: Muslim 85%, Christian 8% and Indigenous Beliefs 7%

Prayer Request: For those we can help to hear about and to attend our upcoming surgical screening – to be held on Monday 3rd of September. We will use the People’s Palace, a three-story building that should provide good protection from rain (as they are in the rainy season) or sun during the day. All of us crew (both medical and non-medical) will be involved in this event as well as more than 100 local day workers who are essential in the translation process. I will work as the gate keeper at the main gate to the compound. Set up and around the clock security will begin the afternoon prior. We are anticipating crowds of 3,000-5,000, and we will hold a secondary day of screening if necessary to attend to all those waiting for care. For those on Facebook I will post a reminder as the date gets closer. We have already conducted remote surgical screening in ten locations as you can see from the map that the country is large.

Serving Together, Keith

KRB Update #2178 – Training

Keith R. Brinkman
June 14, 2012

Greetings from Lomé, Togo, for one last time. One of the things I hear often when doing assessment or talking with governmental officials is that they wish to have more training for their health care professionals. One difficulty here in West Africa is that if nationals go abroad to study many times they never return home to serve. So if Mercy Ships is able to provide hands-on training and mentoring on board, the health care professionals do not leave their home country.

One success has been with our eye project. In 2010 when we were here in Togo, our ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Glenn Strauss accepted Dr. Abram Wodome for a three month fellowship in eye surgery. This year, it was Dr. Abram who trained three Togolese eye surgeons. He also received some additional training related to pediatric cases with Dr. Glenn in May.

One of our international board members, Dr. Keith Thomson, has a passion to conduct workshops/conferences in anaesthesia for the professionals of our host nations. For the last several years, I have had the responsibility to assist in facilitating the conferences on behalf of Mercy Ships. Here at the largest government and university hospital, CHU, we had 139 anaesthesists, nurse technicians, and midwives with a focus on obstetrics anaesthesia and maternal health. The Ministry of Health brought in their people from all over the nation. They also trained on the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist. Pray that what they have learned will be applied to save lives of women and children in particular.

Prayer Requests: 1) For each of the participants who received training and mentoring, to apply what they learned and share with others 2) Health for all of our patients 3) Our patients’ transition back into their communities and families 4) Our sail from Togo to the Canary Islands and the shipyard and technical work.

While visiting the largest hospital in Togo – CHU with some of our anaesthesia team members, we were asked if we wish to observe a c-section.  We agreed.  The mother came in and was so extended, they thought maybe twins, though as the deliveries happened – the doctor raised 3 fingers – triplets.  Not a very common occurance at the hospital.  This was my first c-section to observe and then to have three healthy babies – what an amazing time.  The parents – Koamivi and Amivi are doing well.  She gave birth and named their children:  Elohne. 2.8 kg.    Erine 2.7 kg.    Eric 2.7 kg.

Greetings from Lomé, Togo, West Africa. Mercy Ministries provide off ship ministry opportunities for Africa Mercy crew (long and short term and guests) working alongside existing ministries demonstrating hope and healing. Our highest goal is to demonstrate God’s love, care and concern for those we come to serve through listening, praying, counseling, teaching, spending time, playing, interacting and if suitable through practical assistance. I have a Mercy Ministries Coordinator who works full time and I am responsible for leadership over this area within Programs here on the Africa Mercy (Hospital, Off Ship Projects and Mercy Ministries). I love this aspect of my role here on board and going out myself and being part of the teams. Most of my local friends have been patients, caregivers, dayworkers and our local partners. Here are our mercy ministries partners for the:

Togo 2012 Field Service (most are ones we served with back in 2010 also)

Missionaries of Charity in Kpalime – we continue to partner with the sisters at Missionaries of Charity in the countries we visit – though this time the site is 2 ½ hour drive from the ship. Their care is focused on HIV/AIDS, a hospice setting.

Hospital CHU Visitation – in partnership with YWAM and a local Assembly of God church, we join them in visiting the pediatric wards at the largest hospital in the nation.

Brigade Mineur Youth Detention Center – weekly scheduled visit for 90 minutes to share with primarily young men but also a few ladies in the youth detention center.

Maison Bethany Orphanage – a very popular site on Saturday mornings to visit, spend time with, share a Bible story, craft with the orphans at this home.

APEHM (Association pour la Promotion de l’Enfant Handicape Mental) – only facility in the nation of Togo to care for children with mental disabilities (autistic, cerebral palsy, down syndrome). Time of sharing simple Bible stories, crafts, lots of dancing and games.

Below was written by my friend Glenn and Kim Strauss and I wish to share with you all also.  I met some of the children mentioned at our screening on Tuesday morning.  Great to hear has hope and healing has come.

Imagine having 6 children. For some of you, that was 2 children ago; for others, it’s just overwhelming to think about! But in Africa, eight is a rather small family. The family I want to tell you about is unique. As farmers, they had children so they could work their farm (not unusual here OR abroad just for survival), but something went wrong. Five…..yes….FIVE of them were born with cataracts! Five of them—are blind! We were all stunned to find a family with so many children blind! Unbelievable!

Adjo is the oldest, about 16 years old (although the parents are not sure), and born with cataracts, but could see minimally at least in her younger years. She is obviously the “mother” of the children and tries to watch out for the others (although being blind made this tough!).

Komi is probably 7 (momma thinks he is 5), and shy, but loves to be teased even though he can only see light.

Yawa is 6, quiet and a fearful girl who just sits quietly in her own darkness due to the cataracts.

And Momma? She was all dressed up, proud and ready to show off her ‘new” children!

KRB Update #2176 – 1st Projects in Africa

One of my maxillofacial patients (Florent, 15 years old who had a large tumor removed from his neck) heard I was going and requested to join me along with his father and older brother. That was great as he is a patient who we have cared for this year in our hospital on board.

Mail: Keith R. Brinkman, Mercy Ships, P.O. Box 2020, Lindale, TX 75771 USA

Degla Discharge Day, a photo by keith.brinkman on Flickr.

Degla was one of my patients that I be-friended while we was with us in our hospital and at the HOPE Center. On Easter afternoon, he was excited as he was discharged and started his journey home to the nation of Benin.

Ken Fisheyes Seaman’s Center, a photo by keith.brinkman on Flickr.

We had lunch at the Seaman’s Center and Ken ordered the grilled fish – though he wasn’t too certain about the eyes still be in there.