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    

Thank you for your prayers and concern for our Screening which was on August 20^th at a large venue here in Conakry.  On the day, they estimated more than 6,000 people.  I had the privilege to greet those who came inside the compound and getting them in the right lines to see the screening nurses or the Eye Team.  I had the great joy of seeing some of my patient friends from 2013 in line also.  I love being able to welcome them even if it was only briefly.  For some, I will see them here on board in our hospital.  Over 3,300 spoke to the screening nurses and 785 were selected to return for further evaluation and with the Eye Team over 2,300 people.  Screenings continue in four interior cities – Mamou, Boke, Kankan, and Nzérékoré as this is a large country and travel time and travel costs may be prohibitive for poor patients.  The Eye Team continue regular screenings in Conakry to identify the poor who are blinded by cataracts, adults and children.
Life has returned to the hospital on deck 3 and the tents on the dock.  I enjoy my ninety-second walk from my cabin to the office through the hospital hallway.  One of my former patients from 2013 returned for additional surgery.  I had the privilege to visit him in the Maxillofacial D Ward.  We also went together for the Sunday Service here in the hospital.  He was known as the ‘Prime Minister’ in D Ward!  He has been discharged and reunited with his wife and small children.  I asked him about his experience now and in 2013 and he shared with me how pleased he was with the healthcare and the love expressed.  I encouraged him to find others who may have similar problem and to bring them to the screening in Mamou next month – as he can share his personal story and experience and give them confidence and trust.

Photo Caption: Pre-Screening Day-I am in the yellow vest and white pants.

You may wonder how our former surgical patients are doing.  Well, for some that I get know I am able to stay in contact with via text, Messenger, and WhatsApp.  We do conduct some surgical evaluations where we invite some surgical patients back for an evaluation so that our healthcare professionals learn as they make so many of the critical decisions.  Plus if the patient needs additional surgery, we can arrange that.  Some of the plastic reconstructive patients came earlier and on Friday around 50 maxillofacial patients – I spent time with some of them on the dock – some even carried laminated photos from their time with us.  Those here in Conakry, I hope to meet up with later.

Together on the Africa Mercy, we had the privilege of Dr. Chris Ampadu, a Ghanaian and a friend, coming and sharing with the crew and also with our day crew serving with us.  He is known for his speaking on the subjects of ‘Hope for Africa’, Worldviews and Wholistic Development.  A few items I captured from his presentations are:  *Proverb for Development “…if you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, go with others.”    *Coram Deo: before the face of God – Faith, Reason, Science, Theology, Business, Ethics, Missions, Politics, Justice, Evangelism, Art/Music, Nature, Devotional Life, Community Service, Bread, Gospel.  *Excellence is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice.  *No Ordinary Children – Every child has a name, a passion, a story, and a place in history.  There are no ordinary children.   He shared so much more and I bought his recent book on ‘Your Work, Your Vocation, Your Worship and Your Life’.

Photo Caption:  Chris Ampadu sharing with us the senior leaders on board.

Prayer Requests:  * Identifying the remaining surgical patients – may they receive their healing and hope in their lives.  *Our interactions with the people of Guinea as we share life together – our lives, our actions, and our words are a witness  *For those healthcare professionals we are mentoring to increase knowledge, skill and a compassionate and professional attitude.

“Welcome Back to Guinea” – was what we heard having arrived back in Conakry, Guinea last week.  This is the fourth visit of a Mercy Ship to Guinea, the first two done by the Anastasis in 1992 and 1998/1999 and then the one was I was greatly involved with the Africa Mercy from 2012/2013 including assessment in 2011.  We had planned to return earlier to Guinea at the invitation of the president and the great need of the population.  Due to Ebola disease in Guinea which also spread over to the neighboring nations of Sierra Leone and Liberia, we had to delay our visit as we are not equipped in our hospital for Ebola.  So we had to communicate to the president that we were postponing our visit, not cancelling.  Now, there is no Ebola in West Africa and the World Health Organization (WHO) has cleared Guinea so now we are fulfilling our promise.  A sub point to our Core Value of ‘Be People of Integrity’ is ‘Doing What We Say’.

On the Human Development Index from 2016, Guinea ranks near the very bottom in position #183 of #188 nations.  55% of the population live on less than $2/day.  During the time of Ebola, next to no elective surgeries took place and regretfully hundreds of their healthcare workers died from Ebola as they were caring for their patients.  I can tell you from my experience, they did not have a surplus of surgeons, nurses and anesthesia providers.  So we are coming to partner together with the country (government, church, and NGOs) to provide 2,500 life changing and some lifesaving surgeries free of charge to the population.  Some patients will travel from the neighboring countries (including my friend Daouda from Liberia for a follow-up surgery) in order to receive care as they know Mercy Ships and our history in Africa.                             
Photo Caption: Arrival Day – even with the rain we were out and waving the flags – I have the Greek flag in the far left

Population of 12.6 million in the three largest ethnic groups (82%) in Guinea – Fulani, Malinke, and Susu.
Religions in Guinea:  86% Muslim, 10% Christian mainly in the Forest regions, and 4% other.

There is great excitement among the healthcare workers in both public and faith-based hospitals (like Hope Medical Center in N’Zao which I first visited in 2008 – they have brought severe surgical cases to us whenever we have been close) about the opportunities to receive continuing medical education.  The training will be in surgical-related subjects that we offer through our Medical Capacity Building (MCB) mentoring and courses.

I look forward to reunions during the early part of this field service with friends I knew in 2013.  Some of these friends are former patients, caregivers, training participants, day crew (local workers) and partners.

Prayer Requests:
*  For our prescreening for potential surgical patients – Monday August 20^th starting at 6am – so between midnight and 2am if you are in the States.  Please pray that the people God has purposes with Mercy Ships at this time they will come and nothing will stop them.   The surgical need is greater than we can meet during our visit.  The ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ is a difficult decision.  Pray for our healthcare professionals.  I will assist with patient escort and will see all the patients and caregivers coming in – a great opportunity that I am thankful to be a part.  In order to better reach patients in the interior, four more screenings will take place in the regions in October and November.

Photo Caption:  Those serving with the Prescreening from our rehearsal on Friday.
*  God to use our hands and feet for His work and purpose in Guinea.

You may wonder why we are on field service in Africa for ten months and then have to go to a shipyard for maintenance, repair and inspections for the ship.  These inspections are required in order for us to continue to operate the vessel.  The maintenance and repairs are managed by our Technical departments – Deck and Engineering.  We are always thankful for the Project Team volunteers who come in to help it all to be accomplished.  For the Africa Mercy the two primary shipyard options are: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain and Durban, South Africa.  We will be back in the same shipyard next year between the Guinea and Senegal field services.

So am I involved with the repairs and maintenance of the ship?  No, you could ask my Dad that I don’t have many skills in maintenance and repairs.  As a kid and teenager my Dad tried, but often I was only good for handing him tools and always hoped I got him the right ones.  My role as Programs Administration Manager continues year round.  During the period between the field service, I am working on reports, project expenses vs. budget, supporting the Advance Team and taking some time off for rest.  I create the final narrative report as a summary of all that happened.  I have posted this report in pdf on my web site:  www.KeithBrinkman.com if you wish to take a look.  At the same time, I support the Advance Team in the next country as it is a busy season for them.  For Conakry, Guinea, we have a team of 10 members doing all they can to make arrangements for the ship’s arrival so that we can have a great start to the field service.  We always want to maximize the time the ship has in country to love God and love and serve the people of Guinea.  I will write more in my next update on Guinea.

            Photo Caption: Map and Scripture from the local church we attend – we are pointing towards the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa

I would like to share some thoughts which I wrote for our community:  Our ship community is unique in many ways – there are not that many communities out there like a Mercy Ships community on a ship – whether that is the Africa Mercy, was the Anastasis, Caribbean Mercy, Good Samaritan or the Island Mercy.  We hear the number of 1,000 crew volunteers coming through in a typical field service ~ 100 every month for ten months – that is a lot of hello/welcome and goodbyes.  For me, it is hard to remember being a new crew member after serving on four of the ships and the US office over the last many years.  But we as an entire crew need to remember and reach out to the others, especially new people arriving.  Even in our community on this ship, there are people who are lonely.  If you wish to interact with fellow crew members, hang out in the dining room, the café, mid ship lounge, or up on deck 8 under the canopy.  Invite someone new to join you at your table in the dining room.  Seat with others in the dining room and ask to hear some of their story.  Check out the Programs Opportunities Sign Up binder and see what you may wish to join and be apart during your free time.  There is also a binder called Social Activities – where your crew members are planning something and inviting other crew members to join.  Let’s make the Guinea field service an amazing field service for all involved.

Please pray for
* our upcoming sail to Conakry, Guinea – though it is not a long one – only six days as we sail along.  Pray for a safe sail and arrival to Berth # 4 in Conakry for our ten month stay.
* for the first surgical screening at the People’s Palace on August 20, to find many of our surgical patients – there will be four other surgical screenings elsewhere in the country.  May the people who need our assistance will hear the announcements and have the courage to come.

Cameroon, Senegal, y España  – a month of transition.  Earlier this month in Cameroon, it was time to say goodbye (but I prefer ‘a la prochain’ in French for ‘until next time-soon’) to my friends – day crew (local workers), patients, caregivers, partners, training participants, and crew who were at the end of their commitment.  We had various events to help with the closure – Thank You Event for our partners from the government and other organizations / Thank You celebration for our amazing day crew who served with us for ten months / our Academy High School Graduation for two / Final Visits to the various Mercy Ministries sites – orphanages, blind school, and deaf school.

Part of my responsibilities here on board is related to our reporting – from weekly and monthly narrative reports to our local partners in Cameroon which was primarily the government, four types of statistical reports for different audiences, final narrative report for the entire field service and our individual final project reports (32 + 9) – written by team leaders but I edit and insert all the statistical and financial information.  One of our core values is: ‘Be People of Excellence in All We Say and Do’ and a sub-point is ‘Monitoring, evaluating, and improving performance’ – I think about that as I put in the long hours.  When I am updating the numbers, I don’t think of them as numbers because I know behind each patient and with each training participant there is a life that has been impacted – we believe for hope and healing for them.  Our final statistics:  2,746 surgeries, 9,220 dental patients, 89 healthcare professionals mentored, 1,441 healthcare professions attended training courses, 34 with the nutritional agriculture course and 204 partner site visits with Mercy Ships including the Jesus Film with local churches.  If you are curious and would like to see the detail, please check my web site: www.KeithBrinkman.com – KRB Archives.  This is accomplished as we serve together as teams:  I serve on various team including the Executive Team, senior Management Team, Mercy Ministries Team, and International Programs Team.

An update on some of my patients I have shared about in the past:
*  Rubain and his father left for the four day/night journey to their home in the Far North – after the amputation of his lower due to gigantism – a prosthesis was hand crafted and made to be adjustable as he is a teenager boy still growing – he left smiling and I received messages after they arrived safely at home to reunite with his mother and siblings after six months away.
*  Carlos – was finally able to have his surgery after waiting a long time since his registration – though it wasn’t something that could cured with surgery alone – so for him we are still praying for his healing.  He was anxious about an upcoming test to leave primary school, I was concerned as he was away with us and not able to study, but he contacted and shared that he passed his tests – so proud of him. 
*  Axel – my dear friend who went for eight surgeries to find his healing – he is at home, we chat via SMS and Facebook Messenger – a very grateful patient.

I am most thankful as I know I don’t serve alone but there are those who are partnering together with me through your prayers, encouragement and financial gifts.  Please know that you are a part of the lives that have been transformed in Cameroon.  We are now preparing for Conakry, Guinea four our fourth visit – I look forward to reunions with my friends there.  After Guinea, we will be in Dakar, Senegal – we made a courtesy stop there after Cameroon and before coming to España for our repair and maintenance period.

Tresor, whose name in English means ‘Treasure’ is a five year boy from Littoral Region of Cameroon – he is in the photo where Dr. Woody is conducting his final eye exam and I am watching from behind.  Tresor received his sight during surgery in January here on board when both of his cataracts were removed – sight restored!!!  I had the privilege to join with the Eye Team and others for a special Celebration of Sight which took place at the final appointment at six weeks for the children and their families.  I had seen photos and heard part of Tresor’s story, but on this day, I learned more.  I spoke with his mother who now has him enrolled in school – the pink shirt is his uniform – she is so thankful for the life-changing surgery for her son.  He is full personality especially when wearing his new sunglasses.  We heard four other parents share their experiences with us.  Dr. Glenn spoke at the celebration that these children have been given ‘a lifetime of sight’.  Earlier in the month, we prepared individualized gift bags for them along with a copy of God’s word for their family to read to them and for them when they are older.

Holy Week is always a meaningful season here on the Africa Mercy in our Community of Faith.  The events of Holy Week include:  ‘Simply Easter’ – our Academy’s Play with song, dance, sign language, and readings; Foot Washing / Communion in the Upper Room / Garden of Gethsemane for prayer and reflection; on Good Friday – Tenebrae – a service of Shadows which was last night with songs, sounds and scripture readings to help us to identify with the sufferings of Jesus – Shadows of Betrayal, Denial, Anguish, Treachery, Hypocrisy, Humiliation and Rejection, Crucifixion and the final Shadow of Death and Burial.  Tenebrae (from the Latin for Shadows) is a prolonged meditation on the passion and death of Jesus.  As candles are extinguished, the power of shadow and silence suggest the darkness of this unprecedented day and the final clashing of cymbals signal the cataclysmic nature of his sacrifice and its effect on all of nature. 

Though remember, “Sunday is coming” .

Here we have sunrise worship service up on deck 8, Resurrection Day Celebration Service, Lunch and Open Cabins in the evening.

At this time of the year, we often join the custom among Greek Christians to greet another person with “Christós Anésti” – “Christ is Risen!” and the response is “Alithos Anesti” – “Truly He is Risen!” or “He Has Risen Indeed!”

Early tomorrow morning, I am flying out to Dakar capital city of Senegal with our Managing Director and incoming Vice President of International Programs.  We will meet up with some other leaders from Mercy Ships.  We are going at invitation of the government, in particular the Senegal delegation that came to the ship in January to see us in action in Cameroon.  Together we are planning the Senegal Field Service for August 2019 – June 2020.  The last time a Mercy Ship came to Senegal was early 1994.
Our meetings on Monday are with the Minister of Health, Technical Committee they have formed for Mercy Ships partnership and with the World Health Organization.

The last opportunity I served on the Diplomatic / Assessment Team was in Madagascar in 2014 after we changed our schedules due to the Ebola Virus in West Africa.  After the Diplomatic component in Dakar, I will stay and serve with the Assessment Team.  Assessment is conducted prior to a Mercy Ship coming into a country.  As we need to identify and build relationships with the host nation to enable a partnerships based on the host nations capabilities.  We also share Mercy Ships capability and limitation with the host nation.
General Information:  Learn about culture, geography, population information, etc.; and collect more information on proper communication channels and key partnerships.   Contacts – non-governmental organizations (NGOs), World Health Organization (WHO), embassies, United Nations UN, missionaries, churches, government contacts – both Senegalese and foreign governments – relationship building.
Collect Health System Data via surveys and hospital visits
Greatest surgical needs by type and population distribution / Possible Patient Selection strategy / Medical Capacity Building – their most significant medical training needs – one way is by visiting their universities and training schools.
Identify several buildings to renovate and locate our HOPE Center, Dental Clinic, and Eye Clinic in for the field service and the Ministry of Health’s use afterwards.  Port: Port assessment including berth space, water, trash, security, etc. / Security / Shipping Agent / Immigration and Customs Requirements – > 1,000 volunteers during a field service – though Senegal allows many nationalities to come in without a visa including the USA / Customs on incoming containers with medical supplies and our vehicles which come with the ship.  Business – mobile phone companies, banks, etc.  …. and many other tasks in the assessment process.  A lot of work, challenging and exciting all at the same time.

Update on some of my patients:  We rejoice with Axel as he is home with his family, friends and church.  He is giving all the thanks to God for his healing.  Edouard also returned home in a remote region of Cameroon, though I have lost mobile phone contact with him.

Please continue to pray for Rubain, 15 years old, from the far north region of Cameroon (4 day/night journey).  He just had a second major surgery related to his lower leg.  This surgery took place yesterday.  I spent part of the morning with him and his dad in our hospital wards.  He had a skin graft and will need healing before he can go home.  Pray for his healing, no infections, the pain, therapy and being able to get around with crutches.  Carlos is from the North West region where they speak English so communications with him and his mama is easier for me. He has a maxillofacial tumor and was rescheduled for April to come for his surgery.
These are a few of the patients I visit and spend time with building relationship during my hospital visits which is only 30 seconds from my cabin and office.

Na Som Dita (Thank you very much in the local language of Douala)
Serving Together,   Keith

During this Christmas season, we have been sharing the story of Jesus’ birth in our hospital, HOPE Center, at the deaf school, orphanages and other mercy ministries sites – often using drama and Simply the Story.  We shared primarily from Matthew chapter two including how the wise men /scholars /magi saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. I’ve heard sermons and discussions on the significance of each of these gifts.  As you remember Joseph and Mary had to flee to Egypt right after Jesus was born because King Herod was out to murder the baby Jesus – so Jesus’ first international trip.  Joseph was warned and instructed by God in a dream to take his family to Egypt. Where is Egypt?  It is here on the African continent.  Strategically these magi showed up with these gifts.  Each gift was considered very valuable for the day and, interesting enough, was very valuable anywhere in that part of the world. In other words, it was ‘currency’ that could be used in their international travels and relocation to Egypt. They could easily sell or trade these items anywhere they traveled.  Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph lived in Africa until God’s angel appeared again in a dream to Joseph and instructed them to return to Israel as those out to murder the child were dead.  We shared the story of Jesus’ birth – Gifts provided and his international trip and living in Africa with the children of Cameroon, children of Africa.

We are reminded on how God provided for Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus.  Personally, I am most grateful for those who provide the financial gifts needed as I serve as a missionary with Mercy Ships, next week will be 29 years of service.

Please pray for Axel as soon he will be returning home after a lengthy season with us – he continually gives thanks to God for the healing he has received.  Pray for Edouard who is 14 years old, he underwent surgery for cleft lip repair and will go home next week – still not confident to smile and talk much yet.  Also for Rubain from the far north region of Cameroon (4 day/night journey) who is still in our hospital wards after surgery on his leg – wound care and therapy continues.  Carlos is from the North West region where they speak English so communications with him and his mama is easier for me.  He has a maxillofacial tumor and is coming next week for surgery.  These are a few of the ones I visit and spend time with building relationship.

Happy and Blessed New Year 2018 to you all.

Serving Together,   Keith
Email:  [email protected]   [email protected]   www.KeithBrinkman.com