Greetings from East Texas.  I hope this update finds you safe, well and healthy as our world struggles with the corona virus – COVID 19.  I have seen updates on Facebook about friends who have/are struggling with the virus.  I hear from my African former patients and former local workers and the great concerns and fears in their nations.  Almost all the nations on the continent of Africa have put in place restrictions.  I receive updates daily from World Aware and track what particular countries are doing.  This has a great impact on them individually and as nations of the world. 

The Africa Mercy left Senegal prior to our planned departure date.  She sailed for Tenerife one of the Canary Islands and continued a time of isolation.  The Canary Islands are a territory of Spain, though at a great distance from Madrid and much less cases of the virus on the island.  I am thankful to report that with the quarantine in Dakar, the sail and two weeks of isolation in Tenerife – we are clear of any signs of the virus.  Thus the crew on board are able to live as a community, though watching for any symptoms.  Holy Week / Easter is always an amazing time on board one of our ships, the Chaplaincy department provide such great meaningful opportunities for the crew.  I really miss this time now not being on board  We have ship repairs scheduled as required for our certificates and so they are working on those plans.  We don’t have dates for the return to Africa and exactly where that will be – though Liberia scheduled for August this year is postponed. 

I do think of the Biney family as their son is finishing his senior year of high school and I have known him since he was a baby.  The other two in his senior class are no longer on board and so he will graduate on his own.  I have hopes to be able to watch the graduation over the internet.  Also for Shelby in Martinsville, Ken in Bavaria and many others missing all or part of their last year of high school.   

I listen to the news and read articles about COVID 19 and there is a lot out there.  Recently I read an article from a missionary doctor working in Congo and she shares that there are limited ICU beds and ventilators in Africa and fewer healthcare professionals.  “While I wholeheartedly believe that God hears our prayers, math and science advise me that the transmission and mortality rates in Africa are bound to be much higher; and that the poorest of the poor will be hit the hardest by the economy free-fall. If developed countries are not coping, what will it be like for communities like ours?”  Dr. Joyce Samoutou-Wong.  When you think about the preventive measures recommended – in many homes in Sub-Saharan Africa, lack of running water, crowded housing, lack of disinfection supplies, and malnutrition affecting a person’s immunity are great challenges.  I can attest to that from my experiences in Africa since 2006.  

I continue to shelter in place and maintain a similar routine.  As I am renting an apartment from Mercy Ships on the base, I do have permission to walk up to the building and my work station.  Though almost all other Mercy Ships staff here are working from home.  I do visit at a distance with the maintenance crew who do continue their work on the base.  For Easter, I watched Good Friday and Easter Sunday services online from my apartment.  I continue to work on the projects planned for 2020 including our past statistics/reporting, present, and planning for the future when both the Africa Mercy and Global Mercy are both serving in Africa.  So I have plenty of work to do which is helpful.  I leave the base only for groceries and I wear my mask.    

Photo:  My workstation in International Programs

Prayer Requests:

*  countries, healthcare workers and people impacted by COVID 19 

*  wisdom and guidance for our leaders  

*  health and protection

Dear Friends & Family – as organizations, churches, businesses and governments are sharing with us their plans related to COVID-19, I wish to share Mercy Ships.  As I am currently at the International Support Center, I was asked to co-lead a travel team to assist with flights for early departure of many crew from Senegal.  We worked tirelessly to find options and made bookings.  Though we did not expect the airport in Senegal to close so quickly.  Thus all the work for the bookings after the closure could be seen as a waste of time.  But I shared with my team, that is not the case – the crew were heard, we answered emails quickly, researched and found flights and even found others when the airline canceled a flight we booked.  I believe we as a mission and as individuals were and continue to live out core value #2 – loving and serving others. 
The statement from Mercy Ships 24 March 2020:

The evolving situation of COVID-19, highlighted by the WHO as a pandemic and the increasing travel restrictions applied by several countries, have made it impossible for Mercy Ships to continue to carry out its programs to the required standards, while protecting against the possible spread of the virus.

Therefore, in line with the measures taken by the President of Senegal and in consultation with the Ministry of Health, Mercy Ships has reviewed the activities associated with the Africa Mercy and made the decision to suspend the programmatic activities in Senegal.

The main concerns of Mercy Ships are the health of the Senegalese people and the safety and well-being of our own volunteers, crew and staff worldwide. Following the suspension of the programmatic activities, we are presently considering alternative ports for the Africa Mercy.

Annually the vessel undergoes routine maintenance and we currently are assessing how we can accelerate the commencement of that work. This would enable us to bring the Africa Mercy back to Africa once the immediate crises is over and continue our mission to bring Hope and Healing to the forgotten poor. Mercy Ships is also evaluating how the organization, given certain operational limitations, can be utilized to assist in the global COVID-19 response.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 Mercy Ships has focused on three main actions:

* Looking after the patients under our care, including development of plans for the completion of their treatments in partnership with local healthcare services in Senegal
* Caring for our crew members, our local volunteers in Dakar and our staff globally by following the infection control practices according to public health guidance from the CDC and WHO
* Adapting our longer term plans to fulfill our mission to provide surgical care and medical capacity training

For more than 40 years, Mercy Ships has focused on bringing hope and healing to those we serve. For the past 30 years, we have concentrated our efforts in Africa. During those three decades, we have worked to strengthen local healthcare systems. We are encouraged by the good results we have realized through direct surgical care for patients and by training local healthcare professionals. We are eager to do even more in the future.

As we face these challenging events, we would like to thank you for your ongoing prayers and support to Mercy Ships and our mission to bring hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor.

Prayer Requests:

* our dear patients who we had to cancel surgery due to leaving early – those patients we had on board not ready to be discharged were transfered to hospitals in the Dakar area to continue to receive care

*  countries and people impacted by COVID 19 – coronavirus – that all those involved can work together solve this for all those infected and countries impacted. 

* wisdom and guidance for our leaders.  

22 February 2020
International – yes Mercy Ships is International – being founded in Switzerland in 1978 as a ministry of Youth With a Mission (YWAM) and now with an International Support Center in Texas, Africa Bureau in Benin and Global Association based out of Switzerland and national offices in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.  All of those at the support locations/office are working hard every day so that together we can bring hope and healing in Africa – I am so thankful to be a part of this.  Amazing crew members coming from over 50 different nations and donors/supporters from around the world and our international board and church/business partners – Thank You. 

“When I heard about the ship’s arrival, I was relieved,” shared by a cleft lip boy’s grandmother.  “Then, I made the decision to stop everything and bring him because this will impact his future!”  Ndaine’s heart swelled with joy and gratitude after Saliou’s operation – her grandson was finally healed!  Now the young boy’s future looks brighter than never.  “I’m giving thanks to God and the people at Mercy Ships,”  Ndaine said.  “I didn’t have anywhere to get surgery for Saliou, and they did that for me.”

Liberia is our next designation with the Africa Mercy – Mercy Ships has had our ships in Liberia for 907 days over four field services – the last being in 2008 – number two on the list with only Benin having more days with a ship in port.  It was also the site of the first field service for the Africa Mercy in Africa in 2007.  I lived there all of 2007 and 2008 and in between serving on land with the Advance Team and Evaluation Team in 2010.  I enjoy being in contact with friends there over Messengers and WhatsApp – exciting times.  After all they have been through with ebola in 2014/2015, it is the right time for us to return.  A quote from the former president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf  “For all the things that we have done to ourselves as a people, your response is one of love, one that helps us to see a different way, to look at ourselves with a different value.  You enable many of our people to live again to become part of society in a normal way – no longer an object of pity, no longer silenced by their handicap, no longer ashamed of their condition.  We thank you.”

Prayer Requests:

* to be able to finish strong and without accidents or illness in Senegal with our surgical patients and with all the training participants as we empower them to continue to train others and our amazing local workers/day crew who we have poured ourselves in, new skills and relationships built.

*  countries and people impacted by COVID 19 – coronavirus – that all those involved can solve this for all those infected and countries impacted.  Our ship the Global Mercy is still in China as the work continues till all finished on her before she is able to sail from there and head to Africa.  Our leaders are tracking everything and making appropriate decisions related to our staff and our ship.  

*  preparations for Liberia and that we are able to get word out and reach to those forgotten and hidden who need love and surgical care.

Serving together,

Keith 

18 December 2019
Merry Christmas dear friends around the world
Always a special time on board one of the Mercy Ships is the Advent / Christmas season – so many nationalities in our crew and ways to participate in their celebrations. 
So far, over 500 Senegalese have received their healing through specialized surgeries in one of our operating rooms on the Africa Mercy.  Over 2,600 adults and children have received dental care at a dental clinic site outside of the Dakar area for those with less access to care as requested by the Ministry of Health and Social Action.  Over 730 health care professionals from every region in Senegal have received continuing education/training either in the capital in one our internationally recognized courses or through mentoring on the ship or through our Safe Surgery Team traveling to the regional hospitals.  
I haven’t shared much about the new ship, the Global Mercy, but you will be hearing more in 2020 when it is finished and ready to be launched.  Though in order to get ready to have two large ships working in Africa, we need to 

make some improvements with our programmatic reporting and this is something I have been responsible for on board.  I have been requested to move to the International Support Center in East Texas for a short term assignment to help make this possible.  I agreed and arrived over the past weekend.  We are not sure how many months this will take.  Then I plan to apply for a position back on the Africa Mercy or for the Global Mercy as I love Africa and her people and being and serving in Africa.  

As I am stateside for Christmas – first time in many years, I plan to travel up to Indiana and stay with my family as we celebrate.  It will be my first visit back after Dad’s death and so I don’t know how that will feel.  I will go daily to see Mom at the nursing home – often I find at meal times is the best as I can do something for her – cutting it up and feeding her – just like she did for me and my brothers and their children many years ago.
Photo: my little Christmas spot for the holiday.

Merry Christmas to you and yours

Na ngeen def (Hello) from Dakar, Senegal

I spent six weeks last year in Senegal as part of our assessment teams and spent many hours working on our plans and preparations and so it is exciting to be here now. 
We have already had many firsts in this field service here in the nation of Senegal:

First Surgeries – started with maxillofacial, plastics and general surgeries – women’s health, pediatric orthopedics and ophthalmic surgeries will start later in the visit.  Our amazing Patient Selection Team are going to all 13 regions plus the region of Dakar and providing consultations with the pre-registered patients by the Ministry of Health.  Some will be given an appointment to come to the ship for diagnostics and surgeon screening, others go on to a wait list and sadly many we have to share that they have not been selected.  Our initial surgical patients have come from those regional capitals we have already visited.  Our goal and agreement with the government is for impact in the interior regions and so 75% of our surgical patients coming from the 13 regions – right now we are 96% from interior and 4% from Dakar.  One of my first patients I visited, Abdou, has already gone home and will return in three months for his second maxillofacial surgery.  On Sunday while visiting the HOPE Center, I sat with Fallou who had his surgery on our very first surgical day and with Mohamed who will have surgery this week.  Together we tried to sing the song ‘This is the Day’ in the predominant language here – of Wolof – thankfully it is a song that repeats itself alot.  

Photo:  An all-crew photo on the dock here in Dakar

First Medical Capacity Building – Courses: Ophthalmic, SAFE Pediatric Anesthesia, Clubfoot and Essential Pain Management for healthcare professionals from 13 of the 14 regions of Senegal.  Mentoring for surgeons, anesthesia providers, nurses, and others have started in our hospital and also in the local hospitals.  Our Safe Surgery team will travel and offer training over 4 to 5 days in each of the regional hospitals of this nation.    

First Mercy Ministries – Lere and our two great day crew Sidney and Bertauly have made relationships with new partners for us and have started our Mercy Ministries Visits to two children’s homes, HOPE Center and later to the Deaf School and Women’s Prison.

First Church Visits – opportunities to join the Christian believers here in Dakar at their places of worship – some have English translation and for others I try my best in French.  Our director hosted some of the pastors on board and look forward to more time with them visiting us on board and in their churches.

First Reports – for our field service, we have 30 different projects in the Hospital, Medical Capacity Building and Infrastructure areas.  Each with their own project plan and budget.  I have started to publish my first statistical reports on our activities to the local government and partners and to the larger Mercy Ships world.  

Photo: Pastor Ndour – he was one of our surgical patients in 1994 and now is a pastor in an Assembly of God church here in town.  

Prayer Requests:

*  Our patient selection process continues in the remainingin seven regions of Senegal and Dakar – finding the right patients.  
*  Our hospital crew and our patients and caregivers prior, during and after their surgeries.

May together we bring hope and healing.  

*  The right participants for the medical capacity building courses and mentoring opportunities.

*  Our day crew (250 Senegalese) serving in almost all of our departments on the ship and off the ship.  

*  Health and safety for the entire crew.  

Jërëjëf! – the word in Wolof for Thank you – for your prayers and support as I serve.

Keith 

Na ngeen def (Hello) from Dakar, Senegal

In Senegal, there is the concept of ‘teranga’ which means you meet a stranger you treat them like family.  It can be loosely translated as hospitality, but in Senegal it means so much more than – is the basic fondation of Senegalese culture.  We are experiencing this hospitality as we arrived a couple weeks ago. I was here in Senegal last year for over six weeks during our assessment and preparing for our hosting of the President in June 2018 during a short stop over.

The primary people groups are the Wolof, Fulani, Serer, Maninka and Jola.  Wolof is the largest with population of over 6 million people.  Wolof is also the primary language spoken here and so we are learning some phrases in this language.  In our country briefings, we are learning more about the culture, religion, relationships, languages – as I can’t say ‘oh, I have been in West Africa for over 12 years, I know how it is here’.  The primary region is Islam, there was an emphasis by France since 1841 with two people groups and in those groups there is a larger portion of the population are Catholic – up to 22%.  Some unique aspects of Islam here involves brotherhoods and the marabout (spiritual leader) – importance of peace, high mosque attendance, and Touba – a holy city.  The percent of the population who are evangelical Christians is less than 1%.  There are many living, studying, and working here from other countries in West Africa, so in the churches often it is people from elsewhere not from Senegal attending.  There is a great emphasis on peace and you see that from their greetings “How are you?” – “Jaam nga am” – which means “Have you peace?” and your response is “Jaam rek, Yow nag” which means “Peace only and you?”  

During the Africa Mercy’s 10-month stay in the port of Dakar, Republic of Senegal, Mercy Ships plans to provide 1,200 to 1,700 life-changing surgeries (maxillofacial, burns reconstructive, pediatric orthopedics, women’s health, general which emphasis on children, and ophthalmic) onboard, to treat over 4,000 at a land-based dental clinic as well as providing healthcare training to 1,000 to 1,500 local health care professionals through mentoring and courses, both in Dakar and in each of the regions.  We are partnering with the Ministry of Health and Social Action to reach those from the interior who need the surgical services we have planned and can offer.  The first time a Mercy Ship came to Senegal was way back in 1993/1994 with the m/v Anastasis – so for almost everyone I meet, they are not famliar with us.  Thankfully I have connected with some former local workers and a few former patients who have shared their memories and some of their photos.

Prayer Requests:

*  Our patient selection process in all fourteen regions of Senegal – those who have surgical needs that we can met would come for the registration and consultations – the need is great and we know of our capacity.  
*  Our start-up with surgeries, dental and medical training – orientation for our local workers – our relationships with the local workers, patients, caregivers, training participants, the church, and partners.  I have started making friends with the day crew and so look forward to having patients back in the hospital and little ones playing in the hallway which I walk between my cabin and my office multiple times a day.  May together we bring hope and healing.  

*  Health and safety for the entire crew.  

Jërëjëf! – the word in Wolof for Thank you – for your prayers and support as I serve.

Keith 

“For lasting impact you need people who are determined and a place where they can do it.  When you find osmeone passionate about helping those in their own country and who wants to teach, you can go so far.  You need someone with the heart to do something about the need – that’s something many of these surgeons have.  I am very optimistic.”- quote from our Chief Medical Officer and fellow crew member, Dr. Gary Parker referring to Guinea.

Dr. Joseph Donamou, Anesthesia mentoring participant, shared: “I am hoping to learn more about organization in the operating room so that I can better care for the sick here in Guinea.  I want to create a school to teach people safe anesthesia which will be the first of its kind.  I am very excited to be a part of this.”  At the start of the field service, Mercy Ships was asked to help with training as they open a nurse anesthesia training program and so they learned techniques and principles but also how to teach and train others – which is a subject in many of our training projects so that they continue even when we have left the country.  Here are our statistics on Mentoring – individualized training and also recognized courses held in Conakry and elsewhere in the country as the training team travelled.  

Mercy Ministries:  I was in Guinea for the field service in 2012/2013.  When we came again for our fourth visit, we were able to re-engage with a few Mercy Ministries partners and to add new ones.  Lere, Salo and David facilitated 167 visits and reached over 3,000 people while sharing Bible stories using Simple the Story, craft time, games, and loving on young and old alike.  Singing right away begins with the Mercy Ministries’ anthem “Hold somebody, tell him/her that you love him/her, put your hands together and praise the Lord”, using “Oh! Oh! Ah! Ah! Uh! Uh! After this was the popular “Bambelela Time” with the “Bambelela Ku Jesu Bambelela!” a Zulu song (Meaning: Hold on to Jesus!). Again as at previous HOPE Centers, the team ended up being called “Bambelela” by all the kids and adult patients and caregivers!  I would even hear patients singing the same song while in the wards from my cabin, up by one deck.

Prayer Requests:
*  Health and safety for all of our crew traveling and safety and protection while in the shipyard while many important repairs and maintenance take place – we are currently high and dry – stair tower is 84 steps to get to deck 5.  
*  Our preparations for the next field service in Senegal – customs, immigration, patient selection process (the team is on the road to the 13 interior regions doing assessment) and the selection of the right day crew to serve with us – so thankful for the day crew of the past and believing for great ones in Senegal.  

As we approach the end of our fourth mission (my second) to Guinea, it is a time of giving thanks to God and to:

• 2,230 unique surgical patients who received 2,442 specialized surgeries – see graph
• 7,937 unique dental patients who received over 41,000 procedures
• 33 palliative care patients – adults and children
• 30 clubfoot patients – babies and children

and their caregivers, family and friends who have walked through the healing process with them.

For the surgical patients, 21% were children and 79% adults and 55% men and 45% women. As you see in the above graphic, only 66% of the surgical patients came from the port city – Conakry, the rest were from the interior or neighboring nations as we do seek out the forgotten and often they are in the interior. Together bringing hope and healing.

Yes I work with our planning, budgets, tracking expenses, travel, reports – narrative and statistics – though I don’t see a number but I remember the patients who have become my friends: Oumar, Drissa, Mamadou, Keita, Thierno, Abou, Hannah, Moses, Leno, Daouda, Alpha, Amara and many more during the past ten months. Some of them I am still in contact with as they have gone home (Messenger, WhatsApp, text) and with others that is not possible.

Later this month, I share an update on Medical Capacity Building and Mercy Ministries.

Prayer Requests:

• Health and safety for all of our crew traveling and safety and protection while in the shipyard while many important repairs and maintenance take place.
• Our preparations for the next field service in Senegal – customs, immigration, patient selection process and the selection of the right day crew to serve with us.

Keith

How do people refer to you?  A question to consider.  For me here and my service with Mercy Ships in Africa, I have various responses.  For many, I am one of their fellow crewmembers on board the Africa Mercy.  With some crew, patients and day crew, they will refer to me as ‘oncle’ or ‘tonton’ – both mean uncle, papa, ‘grand-père’ – in English grandpa and ‘grand frère’ which is ‘big or older brother’ in English.  I am ok with all of them, though it took a little while to accept the ‘grandpa’ title, but I know it is used out of love and respect.  Some have explained that if they refer to me as ‘oncle’ then their children will automatically refer to me as ‘grand-père’.  While visiting my friends who are patients and caregivers at the HOPE Center, I asked them the same question and I received all these responses. 
Many of you who know me, remember that I often will accept a local name in each country and that I even list them on my web site in ‘My Profile’:  Local African Names: Kofi (male child born on Friday) in Ghana;  Kofa in Liberia; Sahr (first born son in the Kono tribe) Keith in Sierra Leone; Keita in Guinea; Lahimatoa (first born son) in Madagascar, and sometimes Robert in the French speaking nations.  Here in Guinea, I will often hold my finger over the ‘h’ in my given name on my ID badge and say in French:  “Je m’appelle Keita.”  It is a Malinke/Mandingo tribe name and I have almost instant connection particularly with those from that people group – though I share with them that the only word I know in their language is the word for Thank you – clearly, I haven’t done my homework in studying their language.
After a ten month field service, there are many goodbyes and farewells – though the memories I take with me are of those (patients, caregivers, day crew, participants, and partners) I got to know during the ten months and became friends.  An exhortation I have been pondering shared by some invited guests who have lived and served in West Africa many years:  ‘when the time comes that you leave, make sure that they know you love them and will still be thinking of them.”    

Holy Week on board one of the Mercy Ships is a special time with meaningful opportunities available for the crew to participant in.  Some include:  Sundays of Lent, daily devotionals from the book by Trent Sheppard called ‘Jesus Journey’, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday with a foot washing stations, garden of gethsemane, Seder Passover, Good Friday Tenebrae service and then sunrise service on Sunday morning up on the upper deck eight, a morning service of celebration – I was able to share the reading from the Gospel of John in chapter 20. 

I will close this update with a sad story – I learned on Friday that one of the patients that I knew well from our time here in Guinea in 2013 died – from a fall from a mango tree, not malaria as originally thought.  His name was Mafugie and he came from a nearby country – The Gambia, as he needed pediatric orthopedic surgery.  A woman named Mary who had known the boys for a couple years referred him to us.  Due to needing orthopedic surgery and the time it takes for casts and therapy, he was with us for a long time and many came to love this little guy.  He had an amazing smile and I gave him the nickname of ‘Miboy’.  I can still remember being with him and his mama on their last day in 2013.  With many of the patients, I get to know you do not really know what happens when they return home.  However, that is changing more now that those in the city have access to Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger.  Mary would often annually have someone from her organization make the long journey to his village and would share with me the cell phone photos that were available. 

Prayer Requests:
*  Complete healing and recovery for all of our surgical patients so that they can be discharged by the end of May when we close our wards
*  Health and safety for all of our crew coming and going and our local workers – day crew – who are so important to what is taking place here.
*  For our medical capacity building training participants to capture the learning and those who have been trained to be trainers to share with others what they have learned and have a lasting impact in the nation of Guinea.
*  Our preparations for the next field service in Senegal and after that in Liberia.

KRB Update #2233 – My Dad
Keith R. Brinkman with Mercy Ships              29 December 2018

I wish to dedicate this KRB Update to my Dad, Robert Lee Brinkman.  In the summer, Dad had issues with his health, in and out of the hospital, confused, many tests performed to find out what was going on.  He and I agreed in May that I would come back to Indiana in August to be part of the wedding celebration of Dustin and Victoria.  However, with his health, the purpose of the visit changed to both for the wedding and caring for him.  As we were still waiting for answers to his diagnosis, I returned to the Africa Mercy and my responsibilities here.  It was not long that the surgeon asked for a family meeting and I listened in to the conversations by phone.  Due to the diagnosis of brain cancer and only having a month to two maximum to live, his recommendation was to take him home, care for him there, and die in peace.  Though to follow this advice, one of us needed to be in Dad’s home, so I made arrangements to travel back and stay at Dad’s and do some of my Mercy Ships work remotely over the internet – a decision I will never regret.  Though prior to moving him home, we moved him to the same nursing home where Mom is cared for – so you see in the photo of me visiting with them together.  I did not care for him alone, as family and friends came daily and were so generous.  Hospice nurse and aides conducted home visits to assist in his medical care and general hygiene.  As the days went on, we talked about celebrating Thanksgiving in his home early.  After the suggestion from Jay to move the date forward, we did our “Brinkman Early Thanksgiving” on Sunday October 28^th.  I had the thought of surrounding Dad in his bedroom and sharing stories and memories while he was with us.  Some stories we knew of and others were new to some of us.  I know he was awake as he tilted his head and opened his mouth indicating he wanted some more food – so I fed him pie and cobbler.  You can see the photo of us surrounding him on this special day, as we were all together.  Occasionally I would be able to leave the house if someone came to stay with Dad.  On Saturday the third of November, I left in the evening to go to town and to see Mom as Mark came to sit with Dad after work.  Then I got the call that Dad had stopped breathing and passed from this earth to heaven above.  As I was driving back from Indy, I heard this song on the radio – you can click the Link for the video of “Well Done” by The Afters.  I felt it was aired at that time was for me.  Here are some of the lyrics:  What would it be like? When my pain is gone / And all the worries of this world just fade away /What will it be like? When You call my name In that moment when I see You face to face / Waiting my whole life to hear You say /  Well Done, well done. / My good and faithful one / Welcome to the place where you belong / Well done, well done / My beloved child / You have run the race and now you’re home / Welcome to the place where you belong  / What will it be like?

The next morning at my Dad and brother’s church, the pastor came by our row and whispered in my ear ‘can you imagine what your Dad is seeing today’.  As he already made his wishes known and arranged at the mortuary, it was simpler for us as family to organize the Tribute – Memorial Service for him.  If you wish to read the obituary we wrote for Dad, click here.  I shared the eulogy with some of my childhood memories, Jay and Mark spoke along with all four of the grandchildren in order of their birth.  We celebrated Dad and the years we had together with him.  It has been difficult emotionally, even to write this update – I did share on Facebook and in the Prayer Room for Mercy Ships staff/crew, though I know that did not reach everyone. I call out for God’s continual comfort, peace and grace.  After cleaning, packing, organizing what I could at his house, and making arrangements for Mom which were greater challenges than I anticipated, I then flew back to Guinea and my life and the community on the ship.    

On behalf of the Brinkman family, we are so grateful for the love, prayers, meals, hugs, words, and support for us.   

Keith 

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