Keith R. Brinkman
Hosting the President & Vice President June 9, 2011

After receiving notification of their acceptance of our invitation for a visit to the Africa Mercy, my mind started to race. As for this special event, the Managing Director asked me to be the Protocol Officer. I wasn’t the first choice as others have more experience than I do in West Africa. In the past, I have been involved in various ways for these VIP events. So I recalled aspects of our past successes and lessons learned.

Though in this case my focus was more on the areas related to protocol: seating arrangement, invited guests, the receiving line, how much time they will have for the visit, connection with patients in the hospital, presentation of the gift, length of time for him to respond, tour route options, refreshment preferences, salutations/titles, assist those giving speeches with important information, etc.. We all worked well together here on board – what a team! I am very grateful for the assistance of State Chief of Protocol for His Excellency, Mr. Kpukumu. He was friendly and helpful, answering my questions, reviewing our proposed agenda and offering input and suggestions. I wasn’t sure if their protocol and security would allow both the President and the Vice President to visit at the same time, but it does and they thought that would be good for them and good for us at the same time.

We extended a special invitation to a former maxillofacial patient named Hawa from Sierra Leone to come and to hand the flowers to the President as he exited his vehicle. During the speech by our Chief Medical Officer in our International Lounge, he shared more of Hawa’s story including pre- and post-operative photos and she was invited to the front to greet the President and the Vice President.

After doing research about both men, I learned that the Vice President comes from Kono district and the President from the Makeni area. I had the thought that it would be great and more personal for them to meet patients from their home town areas. Working with the charge nurses, we approached the caregivers and patients to ensure they were ok with our plan and all were. How cool to meet the leaders of your nation! Though, some were a little shy with the large party coming in all at the same time.

When the time came for the President’s response, he came to the podium and it appears laid his written speech to the side and just spoke from his heart and what he felt coming on board and seeing the patients and all. We are very grateful as the President is the one who through the protocol invited us to his nation.
The big event took place on Friday, May 27^th a couple hours later than planned, but they were at the State House conducting affairs of the government. It was a success and involved dozens of people from all departments on the ship doing their part and from the staff of the President and Vice President. Their visit coincided with our International Board of Director’s annual meeting on board, though regretfully not all of the board members arrived in time for the event, some were en route as the event took place. Though, we were able to involve the International Board Members in the receiving line, official welcomes and a time of refreshments with the President at the end. I am grateful that all went well.

Prayer Request: For the nation and the people of Sierra Leone.

Serving Together,

Keith
Email: [email protected] www.KeithBrinkman.com

Mail: Keith R. Brinkman, Mercy Ships,

Schedule: Sierra Leone Field Service February 27 – December 8, 2011

Greetings from Sierra Leone, known as Salone in the local language.

Attending the Ward Service on Deck 3 in the Hospital of the Africa Mercy with the patients is a highlight of my week. My dear friend Clementine Tengue from Ghana/Togo has the privilege of organizing the weekly service. The service is for the patients and the caregivers (most patients aged 15 years or younger have someone who stays with them in the hospital). As the Hospital has four separate wards, one ward is selected and patients are given the option to come to the service or to stay in their ward. An invitation is extended to us as the general crew to attend, but limited to 20 crew members due to the limited space. Most of the patients I visit do attend, though I have some who have preferred to stay in their bed and so I will stay and visit with them.

A typical ward service: Clementine does the welcome and shares that Mercy Ships is not a church or denomination or a religion and that all are welcome. Our gathering together is a time to talk with Papa God and to tell him ‘tenki’ (‘thank you’ in the local language of Krio). Our dayvolunteers (local people we hire to assist us in various areas on board the ship – especially with translation) lead in praise and worship using the African drums – one song flows right into the next and usually in a couple languages. This morning I knew about half of the songs and for the others I just clapped along or did the hand motions. Some of the patients ‘shake their body’ even the orthopaedic kids with both legs casted try and shake their upper body. Following the time of singing, a crew member shares a short message/word of encouragement/verses from God’s Word – Old & New Testament. One of the dayvolunteers translates the message into the language of Krio which most in Sierra Leone understand (when we had patients from Guinea someone would translate into their language as a small group). In all the service lasts about only one hour, this may be the shortest service in this country as many times local churches have services from 2 to 4 hours long.

On Sundays afternoons, I usually meet the patients up on Deck 7 where we can sit on an open deck and feel the fresh air. Sometimes we will talk about the message that morning – what we learned and heard. Today, Liz shared the message from some verses from King David from the Old Testament, an encouragement of God’s love for us and also how we are Ambassadors for Jesus Christ. In this nation, which has a majority of Muslim people, the people seem to get along – the Muslims, Christians, and those who believe in African traditional religions. This is unlike what happens in the areas in North Africa and elsewhere on this continent. The people of the country know that Mercy Ships is Christian organization and that we are here to serve everyone without regards to religion, gender, or age. This is going to be a great field service.

More Facts for Sierra Leone: ▫ Independence Day April 27, 1961 – we just celebrated their 50th * President – Ernest Bai Koroma – who we hope will visit us this month; flag (see in the photo) has three equal horizontal bands of green (for agriculture, mountains and natural resources), white (unity & justice) and blue (the sea and the natural harbor of Freetown).

Prayer Requests: ** Health of the Crew – there has been a lot of sickness here on board and it is affecting us greatly (I have been healthy) ** Health for our patients coming for surgery, their surgery and their recovery time afterwards

Serving Together,
Keith

Email: [email protected] www.KeithBrinkman.com

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

Schedule: Sierra Leone Field Service February 27 – December 8, 2011