Our dental team normally serve Monday – Friday at a local hospital where patients line up early in the mornings to get a ticket to receive free dental care – fillings, root canal and extractions and some limited oral surgery. For a few days last week they set up a limited dental clinic in the central prison of Monrovia – with a population of 580 men and 20 women. We have had teams visiting and sharing with the inmates since our first visit to Liberia. We are partnering with Prison Fellowship of Liberia.
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Orthopaedic Patient
New on the Africa Mercy – orthopaedic surgery – first time on a Mercy Ship. Our orthopaedic team have worked extensively in Honduras and elsewhere, but with the new ship is the first time they are able to offer orthopaedic surgery on board. Here is a little girl and her mother after her reconstructive/corrective surgery of her club feet.
VVF Patient & Yvonne
My friend Yvonne has befriended this lady who has had a successful VVF (vesico-vaginal fistula) surgery on board – the fistula is due to prolonged labor and with the delivery occurring only after the baby dies. The woman is always wet and unable to control the flow of urine. Around 100,000 new cases of VVF are reported every year and affects women who are very young and very poor. We are planning to provide surgery to over 200 women.
Inside ICU on Africa Mercy
In this photo, you see Ans Rozema who is from the Netherlands and is our Patient Care Coordinator for the hospital. She is sitting in the ICU – Intensive Care Unit – which was sponsored by Charlie & Katy Towers and the People of Jacksonville, Florida. Jacksonville was the home port of the Caribbean Mercy from ’94 – ’00.
Relay Games at Orphanage
Since the transition between ships is basically done, we have returned to going on Saturdays to the Centre for the Aged, Orphaned and Abandoned Orphanage. We usually have relay games as seen in the photo to wear them out a bit (at least I get worn out) before the Bible story, songs and crafts. Great being back!!!
Sharing about Adopt-A-Patient
For our Open Hospital night, I was asked to share in one of the wards about the Adopt-A-Patient program. In the photo I am explaining how you can select a patient from the IV Tube Poles – one for men, one for women and one for children. I encouraged the crew to take on the challenge, sharing from my personal experiences.
Caribbean Mercy Crew Reunion
Photo of a reunion of the former Caribbean Mercy crew – long and short term who are now serving on the m/v Africa Mercy. Eric T and Joyce S arrived just after we took this photo. We enjoyed fellowship together on the deck of the m/v Anastasis while she was still here in Liberia.
Final Departure – m/v Anastasis
Today, I witnessed the final departure of the m/v Anastasis from Freeport, Monrovia, Liberia as she left for India with 39 crew members. We have sold the ship to a company in NW India where they will recycle the ship as scrap metal. We have had the Anastasis since 1978 and so it was hard to see her go.
Lifebuoy Ring – m/v Anastasis
Yesterday was my final day on the m/v Anastasis, I walked around and said my Goodbyes and decided I wanted a photo with the lifebuoy – Anastasis – Valletta (city in Malta as that is where the ship was registered).
Hospital Open House – ‘my surgery’
Do you ever wish to be a surgeon? Well we had the opportunity to dress like a surgeon, nurse and/or patient. In this photo, I am the patient and I have 3, yes that is right 3 surgeons – Joyce Samuels, Caleb and Comfort – all taking good care of me. This is the operating room/theatre that will be used primarily for orthopaedics.