While attending and helping with the IMCI course Mercy Ships was conducting at the public hospital in Abomey, we stayed at our friend Daslin’s children home – they have some guest rooms. This is a photo of some of the children as we prepared to leave – many of the children were not there that day. I think the boys on the top of the Land Rover thought I was taking them to Cotonou with me.
In Abomey with Noelle
Noelle is the girl in my arms and she had just ran up and jumped into my arms – she is a patient at the hospital in Abomey (4 hours from Cotonou) where we were conducting the IMCI training. She is there for poisoning from swallowing caustic substance and it has affected her esophagus and has a feeding tube. If you think of her, please pray for her and her family.
Benin Greeting for Men
When we first arrived in February in Benin, our Advance Team shared that the proper way men greet each other is a head butt of sort – four time from side to side – after practising with my neighbor David, we later learn that it is not the common greeting. But at the IMCI graduation, I was asked to present one participant his certificate, so I attempted to do it right – as you see from the expressions, they thought it was a bit humorous.
IMCI Abomey Course
IMCI – Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses – is a course created by the World Health Organization (WHO). At the request of the Benin government, we are facilitating two training course of IMCI. The first was earlier this month in Abomey – my friend Brittney came to facilitate and Debra and I joined her for the last couple days. Here in the photo, the participants are applying what they are learning.
President Prayer Team Visit 06Sept09
The President of Benin, who is a Christian, has his own prayer team. He has been sending them to the ship twice a week to pray on board for us, the ministry and all that is happening in Benin. So on Sunday, we hosted them with their families on board the ship – I was a tour guide with a translator to French and then to Fon, the local language. In this photo, we are enjoying a meal together in the dining room.
KRB Update 2143 Plastic Surgery Screening
KRB Update #2143 September 8, 2009
Plastic Surgery Screening – the below report was written by our Communications Department – I volunteered for the day to help with patient care and flow and now I am seeing those patients on board in our Hospital – plus many were at our optional Sunday morning service in the ward.
South African Surgeon Screens for Burns and Keloids
Dr. Tertius Venter, a plastic surgeon from South Africa, has volunteered with Mercy Ships since 2000. He will spend five weeks onboard the Africa Mercy serving the forgotten poor of Benin. Dr. Venter has already screened over 100 patients at the Mercy Ships Hospitality Center in Cotonou, and 94 were given appointments for an operation.
“There are many good candidates for surgery,” Dr. Venter said. “The challenge is making it work in the time frame.”
Many of the patients Dr. Venter sees are people who have been severely burned and have lost range of motion in their arms, hands, and legs. He will also remove keloid scars, which are hugely disfiguring and often painful, and reconstruct noses and other severely damaged areas of the body. In addition, he screens patients suffering from elephantiasis, a severe thickening of the legs and ankles.
Keith Brinkman, a 20-year volunteer with Mercy Ships, has seen the transformative effect of Dr. Venter’s surgeries. Keith remembers a patient whose hands were gnarled and non-functional from leprosy. Dr. Venter was able to restore enough motion to the man’s hand so that he could grasp a paintbrush. The man was able to become a painter, earn an income, and improve his life.
Dr. Tertius Venter will work onboard the Africa Mercy in Benin, healing patients and reconstructing areas destroyed by burns or disease.
Dr. Tertius Venter, a plastic surgeon from South Africa, hopes to heal Ganiyou from the effects of a severe electrical burn.
KRB Update 2142 Emergency Drills
KRB Update #2142 August 18, 2009 Emergency Drills
EMERGENCY SIGNALS: (from the Africa Mercy Crew Handbook)
Crew Alert: One long continuous sounding of the ship’s general alarm for not less than 10 seconds. At sea, this may be accompanied by one long continuous blast of not less than 10 seconds on the ships whistle. General Emergency: At least 7 short alerts on the overhead paging system followed by one long alert. At sea, this may be accompanied by at least 7 short blast followed by one long blast on the ship’s whistle. Man Overboard: Three long alerts on the overhead paging system followed by three long blasts on the ship’s whistle. When the general emergency alarm is sounded – go to your appropriate muster station. At sea, unless you have been instructed otherwise, the muster stations are on Deck 7 by letters: A,B,C,D (portside) and E,F,G,H (starboard side). Prior to sailing, your muster station will be posted on the Muster List at various locations around the ship, including outside the Purser’s Office. In Port, unless instructed otherwise, proceed directly to the dock and find the muster taker holding the sign that contains the first letter of your last name. Drills will be conducted on a regular basis.
During most of my years living on the ships, I served on an emergency team. When the Crew Alert alarm is sounded, I know where I am going and how to respond as we drill regularly and with different scenarios. I serve as a stretcher bearer here, which also includes various duties in addition to safely moving someone to a safe place. We have also responded to true emergencies when something has happened to a fellow crew member. While on the Anastasis, I was also on lifeboat crew, but not here on the Africa Mercy as we have four large lifeboats (plus many life rafts – sufficient for our entire crew and more) and they are staffed by the deck and engineering departments.
My regular prayer requests include health, safety and protection. I appreciate your partnership with me in prayer as I serve here in West Africa.
Emergency Drill EMT
This is our response to an emergency drill set up by the safety officer, Michael from Australia. You can see the firemen in full gear and our Emergency Medical Team (EMT) which I am a part of as a stretcher bearer – I’m in the yellow vest on the far left of this photo.
Emergency Drill 06Aug09
This is a drill, this is a drill!!! In order for good practise and to be ready in the case of a real emergency, the safety officer had a scenario set up for the Fire Team and the Emergency Medical Team (EMT) – as you see in this photo up on deck 7 of the ship.
Young friend at a local church
This was a young friend who kept walking by our seat while at a Sunday service at a local Foursquare Church here in Cotonou – which is the home church of a fellow long term crew member and friend. Another friend gave him a balloon and since it was her last Sunday, she had her camera and took this photo.