Community --- Common Unity

Mercy Watch

August 4, 2007

Hello Friends,

Surgeries have begun; actually, they’ve been ongoing for over a month. Sometimes as we walk along the corridors of the ship, it takes a minute to realize that just over 2 months ago we were transitioning into the vibrant community we are today. In our last newsletter, we spoke much about transition and change. There has been much change, but as we’ve been through this, one axiom for community comes to mind and this is “common unity”. With the Holy Spirit empowering us, we are given the strength and the extra measure of grace required to be a member of this “Common Unity”.

I (Rob) must confess that on some days I’ve caused others to use their full measure of grace to allow me to grow within our community. Thankfully, God’s still working on me and within this community many old issues are being healed. Funny isn’t it…We come onboard a hospital ship to bring “Hope and Healing to the poorest of the poor” and sometimes we are the ones who receive the healing and are given a new measure of hope. So, it is as we begin this newsletter; we’d like to share with you a little of what life aboard the Africa Mercy has been like over this past month and as you read, we hope you’ll see what God can do through a community serving together.

First, just a bit of background, the Anastasis arrived in Liberia in March 2007 and we stopped surgeries and most ministries while we transferred crew, equipment and supplies during most of the month of June. We will be in Liberia until December 2007 and are serving here in a country where there has been a 14 year civil war ending in 2004. The Anastasis was here in March-June 2005 and in Nov 2005 – May 2006, so this is Mercy Ships 3^rd time here in Liberia.

The people of Liberia are precious and friendly; however, they have many issues concerning the trauma they have been through. Many of the young men were child soldiers and the violence they have seen is tragic! Also, there was no schooling for many during the war and many adults are unable to read. Monrovia is the capital city of Liberia and even here there is no electricity or running water in most houses and businesses. Generators provide electricity in some churches, businesses and government buildings. Prior to the war, this was a beautiful and modern city.

Liberia has just celebrated, on 26 July, their 160^th year of Independence. The Liberian people are very happy for the peace in their nation at this time. We are reminded with the presence of the UN soldiers that the peace is very fragile. Most of the population here claims to be Christian...but the African Traditions have also made their way in as well. In serving with the Liberian people, please pray that God would give us opportunities to help restore hope to these precious people and to show His love for them.

We are very busy now as always, but it is so good to finally be here and in ministry to these lovely people in Liberia! We are able to serve side by side with them on the ship as there are about 100 day workers serving as translators in the Hospital, serving in housekeeping and in food services. Most of these day workers are from the area's many churches. There are translators in the Hospital 24/7 as many of the patients speak local languages (most in addition to English - which is the country's primary language) Sometimes the English they speak to us is difficult, at best, to understand. Some of the patients come from a village away from the capital city of Monrovia and speak a native language, especially when they are in pain and don't know the English word to explain themselves.

We find it amazing to see all of the different types of services that Mercy Ships is able to offer to Liberia. We will try to describe some of the ones we were able to participate in this month.

Adopt-A-Patient

Eye Surgery was the first surgery done on the Africa Mercy on Monday, June 25th and then the next day we began VVF surgeries. I (Denise)was able to adopt a 36 year old VVF patient, Bendu. She had been leaking urine for 20 years...since she was 16 and lost a baby while still in her womb. She does have 2 children born before this 3rd one was lost. She had her VVF surgery on 29 June and she is doing great!

She was a bit frightened that the surgery may not have totally made her continent, but the surgeon said that was not true, she had developed a urinary tract infection and so she had been urinating more frequently. But the bladder is holding tight as it should! Her bladder was not use to holding tight and that gave her much pain as it would spasm before she went to the toilet to relieve the pressure. The spasms frightened her and so she wouldn't want to get up to go to the toilet, so she was a bit tense and that just complicated the matter! I’ve since learned that it is their belief that if they lay down then they won’t leak, so this explains why she didn’t want to get up and walk around. So I tried to help her to relax and just praise God that He had healed her!

On 7 July 07, Bendu had a wonderful celebration day and her dress ceremony! I was so excited for her! The dress ceremony was wonderful! She looked lovely and after the ceremony found out that she would be able to go home as well and when our communication photographer took the ladies on the gangway for pictures of the 6 lovely ladies... Bendu saw her family waiting on the dockside...she was so excited! Many more surgeries will be done on the Africa Mercy for VVF. We have one Operating Theatre dedicated for this type of surgery.

Mercy Ships organizes the dress ceremony and makes the dresses for the ladies and also provides them with a card to have a C-section at a hospital here in ELWA. This is the only hospital in Liberia that can perform a C-section - the hospital is run by a Christian inter-denominational organization called ELWA.... Eternal Love Winning Africa! They also have a radio station here. Bendu will give God the glory (she is a Christian)...she was given a Bible and a little pocket mirror at the ceremony and Clementine (one of our disciplers) told the 6 ladies that they had been given these Bibles to share the Good News with their people. The pocket mirror was for them to be reminded of how much God loved them!

Rob adopted a patient, Kolee and he went home a week ago. He was an orthopedic patient that had a broken arm from about 6 years ago. We found out that it happened during the war and the x-ray showed a strange form in his wrist as well. Well, when Dr. James operated on it, there was actually a piece of shrapnel (metal) about 6 inches long, a 1/2 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick! Dr. James removed it and it just kept coming out! There was also a sack of infection around it and Dr. James was able to get it all cleaned out and fix one of the bones in Kolee's arm. He couldn't do anything for the other bone...but he assured us and Kolee that his arm would be much better.

Kolee is from Lofa which is a long way from here (up country) and the Red Cross brought him to the ship by airplane. He needs to come back to the ship for a few follow-up appointments. Fortunately, Kolee’s sister lives here in Monrovia, so he will stay with her until he is able to go back home to Lofa. He loved sitting outside on Deck 7 with Rob and they would talk about all kinds of things! He also is a great checker (draughts) player.

Orphanages

Rob and I also went to an orphanage and played with the kids one Saturday. The kids just want to be held, we sang with them and played with them and of course, we held them. We love it and so do they! I've gone to another orphanage a couple times and met a young man about 15-16, named Tommy that is interested in computers. He has been in the orphanage since he was 3 ½ years old. I asked him if he had worked on a computer and he said no, he doesn’t have a teacher. So a couple weeks ago, we went to the Internet cafe in his village. He had only ever watched people on line and he went on line for the first time! It was quite exciting! I believe the Lord has linked me up with him and that he will be able to go to school and learn computers and fulfill his dream! He is so excited to have a teacher and I am thrilled to be able to help him learn a life skill!

Community Development Services

This ship community is just incredible to say the least and the work in so many areas that can be done through it is amazing! I (Denise) was privileged to go out on 31 July and see some of the work in progress with a Vision Team. A vision team is a group that Mercy Ships sponsors to come see the work being done while on field assignment. The group pays their own expenses and Mercy Ships arranges their time on board to really get a good look at the various ministries that we are involved in on and off the ship. They are usually here for just a week or sometimes not even that long. Anyway, I was able to go out and see some of the projects with them. We visited the prison agricultural project, a school building project for a church in Monrovia, a medical clinic building project for another church in Gayetown and another agricultural project in a village called Bernard's Farm.

I am always so impressed with the work planned and completed by Mercy Ships! It is just so excellently done! From the planning through the completion you can see God's hand in it all! The initial assessment trips search out projects that are sustainable and ones that we can come alongside the community and really help them achieve what their felt needs are.

Just an example of this is the school at Congo Town in Monrovia....(wording is from the proposal for this project - click here for a look at the Mercy Ships proposal) "The state of education in Liberia suffered greatly during the war. Congo Town, a war-torn area of Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, is one such community. Many times during the course of the civil war, children of Congo Town, like others throughout the Liberia, would start a school year and then have to abandon their studies due to the fighting and unrest. Sometimes children weren't able to go to school at all for several years. Congo Town has a considerable population of ex-combatants, which complicates the social structure. These young men and women were some of the child soldiers during the war. Many were taken forcibly and trained to commit terrible crimes, including murder and rape.

The young people of Liberia – many who have missed years of education – are now trying to put their lives back together. Open Bible School, founded by Open Bible Church, is based in Congo Town and has been in existence since 1976, albeit tentative at times due to the war. The school operates a biblically-based learning facility for 650+ students in kindergarten through 12th grade with evening classes for adult education. Open Bible School is currently based in a rented facility in an escalating rent environment which is threatening the financial viability of the school. There are other schools within the surrounding area, but the need is greater than the combined capacity to provide educational services."

The church has had drawings done by an architect who is a member of their church for 3 wings of a school building. Each wing has 4 classrooms in it. So they started building it. The way they build buildings here is they buy the materials as they build and so they stop when they run out of money...raise more money and start again. So the church had begun putting up the walls of one wing of the school. Mercy Ships determined that this would be a good partnership as they were willing to be involved and the project meets Mercy Ships criteria for being sustainable.

Mercy Ships came alongside them in March 2007 and agreed to put up the other two wings of the building (just one floor - with preparations for the 2nd floor). So working as they do, and alongside them with only tools that are available to them and buying local materials ... we help them build the building.

So it is now at the stage to paint and it really looks nice! It is complete with a stairway to the roof (what will be the second floor one day) and a good solid roof to hold the 2nd floor (one day), complete with rebar wire for the support columns on the second floor. These 2 wings will be ready for classes beginning in September! They will have 2 sessions of classes, morning and evening... the evening is for the adults to learn as they didn't have school when they were school age due to the war!

Some of the adults are former child soldiers that were forced to fight. They are so happy to be going to school now!

Rob would like to get more involved in the Community Development Projects...especially water wells and water well drilling. So we'll see what the Lord has in mind! We are not drilling wells here in Liberia as the water table is so high...the hand dug wells are a better fit here. The Liberians don't have the machinery or money for machinery, but can dig a hole to get water, so that is more sustainable here! We are doing much more education training for them, such as where to dig a well (not too close to your toilet, etc.) and the importance of clean water.

Life in General

Rob’s job on the ship is basically doing similar to what he did on the Caribbean Mercy. Finding the parts that the engineers need and keeping up with the computerized scheduling of maintenance. The engineers bring him parts that need replacing or he determines the consumable items and orders them for scheduled maintenance work.

Sometimes the parts are quite challenging to figure out what they are….see the picture on the right of some of their latest parts needing to be replaced. To me it is amazing that he can figure these out and actually find new or replacement parts! The engineers will bring the part they need to replace and ask for “one just like this” ….Rob says “Ok…I’ll work on it” and then brings them the new part and says…”Sorry I couldn’t get one just like the old one, but I hope this new one will do the job.”

It is not as hot here as I had expected. The wind is usually blowing some and the temperature is in the low to mid 80s. It is even cooler, if it's been raining! So it's quite nice outside. I've been able to explore a little off the ship with some of my girlfriends. We went shopping and for lunch one day. That was an experience! Shopping here is very different! The vendors sell mainly from small stands, wheelbarrows or plastic tubs.

Some of the larger shops in downtown Monrovia have a space inside a building that has a narrow doorway and then the goods laid out on tables. Usually, no electricity!

So that means only the sunlight that comes in through the narrow doorway lights the shop area. I did get some fabric to have a couple dresses made and a couple shirts made for Rob.

Soon after we sent out the last newsletter, we learned of the death of one of our former crew members, Dallas. He worked with us on the Caribbean Mercy several times and also in Newcastle, UK on the Africa Mercy earlier this year! He passed away suddenly in May from an apparent heart attack. Last Sunday, a crew member here on the Africa Mercy in Liberia, drowned at one of the beaches here. Collin was 21 and he was our Assistant Dental Coordinator. He chose to volunteer in Liberia for 6 months after graduating from Texas A&M. Collin wrote on his application to Mercy Ships, "I have two options. I can start a meaningless job that I would soon have to leave to continue my education, or I can do something that will have a profound and meaningful effect on my life while glorifying God and helping those in need. I choose the latter." To see a short Mercy Ships video in memory of Collin please click, here.

Also, soon after our last newsletter, our oldest son, Jason, had a mini stroke and lots of tests. Jason is doing well now and is working on some lifestyle changes to reduce his stress. I think more golfing is his favorite! This next year is critical to see that he is ok and is handling stress alright. Thank you for your prayers! Please continue to pray that he is able to put some good stress management skills into practice for his health's sake! Jill, Jason’s wife, has been so supportive of him. Knowing that they have a strong marriage and love each other so much is a blessing to us!

We are going to fly to Orlando on Dec 16th and stay with Jason & Jill until January 16th. The ship will be in Tenerife, Canary Islands at that time and we thought we'd fly to Florida and have the holidays with our family! The ship will leave for Sierra Leone about the 25th of January. So we'll be back in time for the sail to Sierra Leone.

We have just begun a new website, www.mercywatch.org and we are moving some of the information on our other site, www.mercywatch.com to our blog or the new site. We had some difficulties earlier in July with the old website. The provider had a major server crash and couldn’t fix the buttons on our website, and also lost about 4 hours worth of work to update it. It has been sort of flakey since then, so we decided to go with another provider. Since our internet connection here is so slow, it takes quite a bit of time to update the website, so please bear with us as we create the new one. Add it to your favorites and check out there to see the new features. The blog is a bit easier to update and that is why it gets updated more regularly and with more pictures! Our newsletters are being dated where they should go chronologically on the blog so that we have the history out there. The address to our blog is http://mercywatch.blogspot.com.

As I worked in reception the day before the Orthopedic Surgeries began, there was a screening for orthopedics....oh my! Many people came through reception with limbs that were out of shape, club feet, broken feet that hadn't healed. Wow! It was amazing. One little girl, I think ... maybe about 7 or 8 years old walked sideways but forward. I've never seen it before, but her hips must have been broken somehow. Her clothes were very loose so you couldn't really tell unless you looked at her legs as she walked. One man walked with his foot laying on it's side. Many had strange breaks in the limbs that had healed and were now bent. One little boy had a foot that was a club foot and he walked on it and his foot pointed about half way around backwards. One lady had a shorter leg, but only the tips of her toes touched the ground and she walked on them.

I was reminded of how fortunate we are to have medical care when we are injured or born with a deformity. We just can’t imagine the pain and perseverance that these people have been through as their life was changed by an accident, the war or even since birth.

We are very excited and blessed to be a part of this crew field service to Liberia. Thank you so much for your part in everything here in Liberia as you are a part of all of this too! Please continue to pray for us as each day brings new opportunities and challenges! “May the God who give endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:5-7 (NIV)

God’s abundant blessings,

Denise and Rob

Contact information for us (Hint…please email, write or call! We love to hear from you):

denise.miller@mercyships.org or robert.miller@mercyships.org

http://mercywatch.blogspot.com (for up to date info of what’s going on in our lives and those we serve)

Phone: US number – 954 538-6110 ext. 4423 (our cabin), 1002 (Denise’s office), 1215 (Rob’s office) We are GMT…4 hours ahead of EST and 5 hours ahead of CST

US Post:

Rob and Denise Miller

Africa Mercy

PO Box 2020

Lindale, TX 75771

UK and Europe Post:

Rob and Denise Miller

Africa Mercy, Mercy Ships Holland
Strevelsweg 700/317
3083 AS Rotterdam

First Surgeries on the Africa Mercy! Click here to view a brief video!

The first surgeries were performed on the Africa Mercy! It was a day of celebration - June 25th - in Monrovia, Liberia!

We awoke to the first eye surgery patients arriving and the ladies gathering for the VVF (obstetric) screening on the dockside.



We soon heard singing and praising coming from the dockside where the patients were waiting!

You can view a slideshow by clicking here! Be sure scroll down, if needed to read the captions and click next on the upper right hand side of the photo to go to the next slide. In the video and slideshow...you can see the jubilation as our first patient celebrated being able to see again!

During the day, we would pray and watch the patients carefully escorted down the stairs for surgery and after the eye surgery they were gently escorted up the stairs and down the gangway to await the next day's removal of the eye patch!

Many of the ladies for the VVF surgery were taken down to the ward to await their surgeries in the coming week. VVF surgeries began on Tuesday, June 26th!

I am privileged to be able to adopt-a-patient, Bendu Johnson! She is approximately 36 years old and has leaked urine for many years. She speaks and understands some english, but she mainly speaks a native language. She lives far away in a village and doesn't read. She is a Christian and has asked me to read her Bible stories. She is a beautiful lady and had her surgery on Friday, June 29th! She is doing well and normally VVF patients are in the ward for 2 weeks or longer. We are able to go visit in the ward as they recuperate. Bendu doesn't have any family with her for support, so I enjoy spending time with her on my off time from reception duties.

We are so blessed to be here and a part of the realization of the vision for the Africa Mercy! And to have a small part in the restoration of so many lives here in Liberia!

The Anastasis Leaving the Dock in Monrovia, Liberia

On June 29, 2007, the Anastasis and a crew of 39 set sail from Monrovia, Liberia. It was a difficult site to see her sailing off on the last sail. She has a wonderful legacy to leave for this ministry! I don't think there was a dry eye after watching her sail off. You can watch her sailing off by clicking on the arrow below the picture.


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[http://mercywatch] Transition Time is almost over! Surgeries will soon begin!

Mercy Watch

Hello Friends,

Just a note of explanation...we wrote this newsletter a week ago....but couldn't send it out till now...so the timing is a bit off.

We’ve now been in Monrovia, Liberia for a little over a month. There has been much activity amongst the crew, as we’ve worked together to transfer equipment, furniture, offices and many crew’s homes from the Anastasis to the Africa Mercy. The picture below shows the transfer of items via a train of crew from a broad perspective.

The items flow off the ship on the right side (the Anastasis) down one of the gangways through the tents (for safety reasons – note the forklift on the dock moving heavier gear). And then up the gangway to the ship on the left (the Africa Mercy).

Each box, item and piece of equipment weaves through the Anastasis to one of the gangways or to a place where a crane can take it to the dock to continue the journey to the Africa Mercy.

Our crew formed G5 (Groups of 5) teams from all departments which worked tirelessly for 3 weeks to complete the transfer of everything actually one full week ahead of schedule!

As each item reached the dock, it must be carried or moved to the gangway or to the crane of the Africa Mercy and then up the gangway or to deck 8!

Once each item reaches the, the teams must then ensure it goes to the proper deck and is placed in a cabin, office or in the hospital on deck 3! So again, the items weave their way to their proper place.

The planning and implementing of this massive project was nearly flawless. This has been an amazing process and God has blessed us greatly by holding off the rains of the rainy season here! In fact, there was only one day cancelled due to rain! We have had rains but mainly at night or after the day’s work! God is so faithful!

So....the boxes and all are on the right ship....now to unload and setup! In the midst of all the moving and transferring, there have been many last and many first events for the crew.

This is a picture of one of the two eye surgery operating rooms…ready for surgery on 25 June 2007!

Monday, June 25^th, the first surgeries are scheduled onboard the Africa Mercy. The theme would seem to be first and last, and at this time there seem to be many in our lives, perhaps they are in yours too.

We’ve held the last community meeting aboard the Anastasis on aft deck (with Don and Deyon Stephens speaking and had the last dinner.

We’ve had the first meal and first community meeting aboard the Africa Mercy. The Anastasis is now scheduled to set sail on Friday, June 29^th to her final destination. And we had a surprise party for our 34th Anniversary! Thanks to all who send ecards a emails! It was a Huge blessing to us!

As sometimes there are lots of changes going on, we look for the familiar…the smile of a child in the morning as they greet you at breakfast, the dining room staff being so faithful in their duties…the soft touch of a friend’s hand and a knowing smile…the sweet melody of conversations as the crew prepares for another day….checking email or a snail mail call and a special one is there from a friend or family member…or back to the cabin and a phone call or message! Even in the midst of change there is the familiar.

We had reunion of Caribbean Mercy crew on pool deck of the Anastasis. It was so good to get together and connect with our crewmates! The Caribbean Mercy was a very special place and we were privileged to be a part of the crew there! Now we are getting to know our new crewmates that have come over from the Anastasis and building special relationships here as well. We are so privileged to be a part of the Africa Mercy crew!

We’ve changed from our familiar Park Methodist Church family that loved and supported us in Jarrow, England for the past year and a half. We’ve changed from our weekly routine of visiting with Jean Taylor and sharing her loving home and garden, peaceful company and service with her to local churches. We miss the smile and warmth of our many friends at Park Methodist, our time with the girls in the Jarrow Girl’s Brigade and friends at the shipyard in Hebburn. We miss making new friends in Blyth and the friends we made there. We miss the walks we’d take to the market, or just rambling about town and the shipyard that became a familiar place to us. Even the small flat we shared with several crew for a year has pleasant memories.

We struggle with desires to reconnect with our loved ones and friends in the US. We miss attending our home church of Lakeshore United Methodist Church. We long to get emails, a phone call or letter from our family and friends. As we receive each one…it brightens our day! It seems the Lord knows just when we need a bit more encouragement! Thank you for listening to Him and all that each of you are too us!

When we were there in England we longed to be sailing away to Africa. Now we are in Africa, things aren’t familiar, and some of the familiar is changing as the crew settles in and we find ourselves in the midst of living with more crew. Our crew has grown in the past month from just about 100 to over 300 and more coming several times a week. As we begin our field service to Liberia, the crew will build to over 400! This is what we have been praying for and looking forward to and the field service is just about to begin! Praise the Lord!

New crew arriving in reception!

We thank God that He forgives and gives us grace when we may be confused a little or anxious in an indecision as we learn new ways to do old things. As we learn to work with new systems in new places and with new crew members, we can easily long for the familiar. Or is this just another way of saying…”slow the change down…. I’m not keeping up” or “would someone give me the play sheet please?”

In the middle of all of this we find ourselves focusing on our “job” because there is much to be done and seemingly little time to get it done. Prayer and quiet time can become a luxury we don’t afford ourselves, because after a long hard day at our “jobs”…. we’re tired.

Denise has had to help remind me of our focus. Seek God and trust Him to direct our paths. Commit ourselves to our Lord, Jesus Christ and allow Him to strengthen us. In our own strength, we will fail. We need the power of the Holy Spirit in us to empower us.

This past Thursday morning (21 June), the technical departments met together in the International Lounge for devotion at 0745 to start our day with the right focus. During this time we watched part of a video. In brief, the story was of a man who had dreams. Before he could realize many of those dreams, he contracted polio and was paralyzed. Now many of his dreams seemed impossible to fulfill. As the video played out, he testified to God’s healing power in his life. He was able to realize his dreams, and to continue to dream with God’s help.

So, I have been reflecting on some of my dreams and some of the dreams Denise and I share together. I’ve reflected on the dream we have to share God’s word, with His people. To be a witness for Him and to testify to the hope that is within us. We are thankful for the opportunities God has given us and in the midst of change, there is the familiar. The familiar word of God, encouraging us, comforting us, inspiring us, teaching us, strengthening us, guiding us, equipping us, and always stretching us.

We pray today, that as you experience the changes in your life, as you are faced with “first and last”, that you will find comfort and strength in God’s word and with His people. We thank God for you and all that you are to us!

God’s abundant blessings to you,

Rob and Denise

Hebrews 6:10-12 and Hebrews 10:36-39

Contact information for us (Hint…please email, write or call! We love to hear from you ):

denise.miller@mercyships.org or robert.miller@mercyships.org

http://mercywatch.blogspot.com (for up to date info of what’s going on in our lives and those we serve)

Phone: US number – 954 538-6110 ext. 4423 (our cabin), 1002 (Denise’s office), 1215 (Rob’s office) We are GMT…4 hours ahead of EST and 5 hours ahead of CST

US Post:

Rob and Denise Miller

Africa Mercy

PO Box 2020

Lindale, TX 75771

UK and Europe Post:

Rob and Denise Miller

Africa Mercy, Mercy Ships Holland
Strevelsweg 700/317
3083 AS Rotterdam

The Anastasis and Monrovia, Liberia

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Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

As the Anastasis prepared to sail out of the harbor, she swung around her anchor to change direction and head out. I took this picture as she was going around the anhor and caught a beautiful picture of her with Monrovia in the background.

David on the Anastasis

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Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

This is a picture of our friend, David. He is a part of the crew for the last sail of the Anastasis.

PET seen on the way to the Airport

PET seen on the way to the Airport
Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

Traveling through Monrovia on the way to Roberts Airport in Liberia, we saw a PET (Personal Energy Transport)! While we were on the Caribbean Mercy Ship, we carried these PETs with us and distributed them free of charge to people with mobile disabilities due to amputations or paralysis.

When we visited our home church last September, we found out that our Men's Group was building these PETs for distribution and met every Monday morning to work on them as a project! What a blessing! Many missionary organizations distribute these PETs.


The Football (Soccer) game in the background is being played by an Amputee Football Team! Rob and his driver actually were able to stop and watch the game for a little while waiting for us, as my driver and I were caught up in traffic going through the downtown area of Monrovia. I snapped this picture as we were going by.

Transition Time is almost over! Surgeries will soon begin!

It has been an exciting and very busy month with the Anastasis and the Africa Mercy being docked across from one another. However, the field service has been on hold for the transition and moving of the equipment, crew and supplies from the Anastasis to the Africa Mercy.

This was an essential time and things are coming together, crew is settling into their new cabins and office spaces and getting to know the new ship. A look around the hospital and it is getting ready to begin surgeries on Monday. New crew (mostly medical) is coming on board and the ship is buzzing with anticipation to experience what we've all been working so hard for... to get the Africa Mercy doing what God had planned all along.... patients in the new operating rooms and wards and many other projects/programs that serve the communities in Liberia and most importantly show God's love in action for the Liberian people!

The Anastasis began serving in March and then in May, put projects and programs on hold for the transition and retirement of the Anastasis. The Anastasis will sail away from Liberia on 02 July 07 and the Africa Mercy will continue the field service in Liberia until December 2007.

Rob & Denise on our 34th Anniversary!

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Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

Thank you to all our friends and family that contacted by email, ecards, cards and phone to wish us a Happy Anniversary! Thank you also to our friends that surprised us with a wonderful Anniversary Celebration in the cafe on board the Africa Mercy! Joyce even made her first cake in the crew galley for this special occasion! And it was very good!

God always surprises us on where we'll be and what we'll be doing on our anniversary! Who would have thought we'd be celebrating in Monrovia, Liberia for our 34th! We are truely blessed!

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Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

Tom, Kathy, Ann, Jan (behind baby), Grace Isabella (Jan & Elizabeth's baby girl!) and Andy. Photo of a Mercy Ships screening day in the background...... These are some of our friends on board that surprised us!

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Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

(Left to Right) Joe, Lilian, Lucy (standing on the floor), Ciaran, Pete, Kate, Jutta, Jeremiah and Udo. These are more of our friends, most of them served with us on the Caribbean Mercy and now the Africa Mercy! Some have served on the Anastasis prior to the Africa Mercy coming to Africa! It is good to be here and to have some close friends with us here, too!

Wishing Denise a Wonderful 34th Wedding Anniversary

Mercy Watch

View Archive Wishing Denise a Wonderful 34th Wedding Anniversary

Hello Friends,

Would you join with me this year and help make our 34th Wedding Anniversary even more special? This Saturday June 9, 2007 will be our 34th. Would you take a minute and send a special note to my lovely wife? She is a true blessing to me and to many. Your words of encouragement would mean so much to her.

God bless you and thanks for making our day even more special.

Rob

for the both of us.

Our Friend, Denis

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Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

This is our friend, Denis, from Lithuania. He is holding up the flag from his country in the International Lounge of the Anastasis. He works with Rob in Engineering and has recently gone back to spend time with his wife and eight year old son, Dmitry. Denis will come back and serve with us near the end of July for another 3 months. We hope he is enjoying time with his family during their summer break!

A painting of the Africa Mercy by Dmitry

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Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

This painting was done by Denis' eight year old son, Dimitry. They live in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Dimitry is quite talented in art! We were all amazed by it's accruacy and the detail that Dmitry included in this beautiful painting! This painting hangs in the cafe area of the Africa Mercy on display so that all can see.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf welcomed the Africa Mercy!

We have had an incredible week since coming to Liberia! Every morning we have had devotions and then information meetings about what to expect for the day! Today's meeting was about protocol and how we planned to host the President of Liberia and the officials with her.

The President of Liberia came to the Africa Mercy to welcome us on Monday, May 28, 2007. She personally shared with all of the crew in a welcome ceremony and then met with the International Board Members and Management Team of the Africa Mercy! How incredible is that! Our hearts are so full of how gracious the Liberian people are and we are so looking forward to sharing with you all that the Lord has for us here.....

Here is an article that tells the story well.

Liberian President welcomes Mercy Ships latest addition – the Africa Mercy – to it’s first field service in West Africa nation

By Michael Ireland ** Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

MONROVIA, LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA (ANS) -- Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf paid Mercy Ships a profound compliment this past year by taking time out of her hectic inaugural schedule to visit the Anastasis the day before being sworn into office.

On May 28, President Sirleaf once again honored Mercy Ships by presiding over ceremonies marking yet another inaugural: the commencement of field service for the charity’s newest floating hospital, the Africa Mercy, which docked in the port of Monrovia last week.

President Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected, female head-of-state, was met at the foot of the Africa Mercy gangway by Mercy Ships founder and President Don Stephens, co-founder Deyon Stephens, the vessel’s Executive Director, Solfrid Quist, and the ship’s Master, Captain Jurryan Schutte.

The President’s visit included a tour of the vessel’s medical facilities, including six state-of-the-art operating theaters, 78-bed recovery ward, and medical imaging suite with x-ray, CAT scan, and remote diagnostics to serve hundreds of Liberians with free care over the next several months.

President Sirleaf also visited what the crew have already dubbed the ship’s "town square" -- a common area for the vessel’s all-volunteer crew of 450 -- containing a general store, coffee shop, and internet café. Her Excellency then moved to the vessel’s aptly named International Lounge where crewmembers from more than 30 nations gathered to hear her speak.

In his comments welcoming the Liberian President aboard the ship, Don Stephens said: "We are some thirty to forty different nationalities living on board the Africa Mercy when she’s in full service. And I couldn’t help but reflect on a phone call that I had from Ambassador Jacques Paul Kline early in 2004 when he was the Commander of UNMIL forces here in Monrovia. He was known as a very frank, plain-spoken commander, and he said with some expletives I won’t repeat, 'Where is your ship? Liberia needs her. Now!' "

Stephens said he explained at the time that Mercy Ships had commitments to other nations, and would do their best, realizing that would not suffice as an answer for the Ambassador, who pled with Stephens to come.

"So in March of 2005 we brought the Anastasis to begin her service. And when this ship, the Africa Mercy, sails on Dec 1 of 2007 we will have spent 587 days in the port of your city and that is longer than any other West African nation. So we responded as quickly as we could."

Stephens recalled that Ambassador Kline said, "You have no idea of the hopelessness of the people of Liberia. And when your white hospital ship sails into the port it will do something psychologically to bring hope back to the land."

Stephens told the Liberian President that Mercy Ships, "have seen something far greater than a ship coming into the port. We were here, Madame President, for your inauguration, and we saw the people of Liberia waving and dancing in the streets that a woman of courage, a woman of integrity, a woman who’s a visionary leading for the future. I will never forget your inauguration as heads of state came to pay homage and give honor."

Commenting that he and his wife Deyon came back to Monrovia just a few days ago -- the second time since the inauguration, "We already see the visible fruits of your efforts. We see the beginnings of a turnaround, of the transformation. We saw electric lights on. And we in Mercy Ships have also benefited from a partnership as you’ve turned on the water for the people of Monrovia. Now our small part in that was rather self-serving because this ship alone consumes about 100 tons a day when the hospital is fully operational but we’re delighted to have partnered with you."

Stephens recalled that when he and Deyon flew in for the inauguration, they were privileged to meet one of President sons, James, who is a medical doctor in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and a grandchild, and her daughter-in-law, "So we have followed closely and felt well-connected with what you are doing."

Stephens continued: "People often ask me, 'What was it like? How did you, why did you found Mercy Ships?' And there are 4 things that come to mind. They all begin with an “S” which helps me remember. A storm. A ship. A son. And a saint.

"The storm was in 1964. Deyon and I were teenagers. I was 19, she was 18, and we were in the Bahamas. And one of those 100-year storms, once-a-century storms, came into the Bahamas, and we were gathered in small groups in safe places for our safety. In several of those places the small groups were praying -- for our safety, for the Bahamians, for our parents at home. I wasn’t in the prayer group. I didn’t pray the prayer, I only heard about it. A teenaged girl prayed a prayer that went something like, 'Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a ship with doctors and nurses, carpenters, electricians, professional people who would come in after a disaster, show mercy and the love of God.' And that was the genesis in my thinking, although I didn’t participate in that meeting.

"Secondly, the ship. Some will know of the old hospital ship, Hope. Project Hope is an excellent organization that still exists today, but they’ve not had a hospital ship for thirty years. Deyon and I read of Dr. Bill Walsh and his efforts and the Hope also came to West Africa before she was decommissioned.

"And the third and fourth 'S', a son and a saint, I would like to link together. Deyon and I have four children. The third child in chronological order was born a special needs son. We still call him little John Paul, or affectionately JP. John Paul was born severely brain-damaged and autistic, and in learning to care for him, to love him -- the practical aspects of caring for him -- grew a great desire a see a hospital ship that had only been a thought before become a reality to serve parents like us, who had similar situations only far worse, with less hope, sometimes with almost no infrastructure."

Stephens reflected that in 1977 he spent ten days in Calcutta, India, and referred to Saint Mother Theresa -- the fourth S. "I spent ten days there, and one of the highlights was spending time with Mother Theresa. Of course everyone would have wanted to have met her.

"I wanted to ask her questions that you would expect: 'How did you begin? What motivated you? What was all of this behind it?' And she deflected that quickly. I had always read that she was a person who could focus on the person right in front of her and turn out all the background noise and I experienced that personally," he said.

Stephens continued: "As she discovered our special needs son, John Paul, and a dream for a hospital ship, she arranged for me to tour their home for the handicapped. And when I left, the words that I remember, the impact that are in my mind and also in my spirit, was Mother Theresa saying, 'Although your little boy, John Paul, cannot speak, he will have a voice that is heard by thousands around the world. God is in this. Pursue your dream of a hospital ship.' Now those are not the exact words, but they are very close and that’s the essence of what I took with me."

John Paul will be thirty-one this September, said Stephens and, although he doesn't speak, I think you would agree with me that although John Paul, close to thirty-one years of age, still doesn’t speak, he has a voice that’s heard around the world. And it’s an honor to be here in your country as we see you lead the reconstruction of Liberia. I do hope that as the G8 meets next week that they will be attentive to the work, the effort, the progress that you have already made, that we might see a forgiveness of the international debt to the country, the nation of Liberia."

In her remarks, the Liberian President, Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, said:"There is a prepared text that was made for me, but I won’t read it. Because it doesn’t take words put together to thank you. It doesn’t take something that is so prepared and formal and official. It only takes knowing what you do, having been a part of it."

She continued: "Last year when the Anastasis was here we visited, and we saw, we felt, what happened in the lives of the many young people, the women, the older people who came and they left the ship completely changed. Not only changed physically because of the treatment they received, but changed morally and spiritually.

"In coming back today and just walking the corridors and going into the rooms of this much larger, more improved, more modern facility that will serve our people, what do you say? Today we have you here, and we’re so grateful that you could come, so you can see for yourself how much we appreciate what’s being done to serve our people."

The Liberian President added: "Our minister and others have done a lot, we have come from a long way, one a lot to try to reconstruct, rebuild our health systems, not only in the capital city, but in the rural areas where the needs are greatest - trying to respond with the scarce resources that we have. And we’ve made a lot of progress. We’ve tried to revitalize the John F. Kennedy Hospital as a referral hospital and tried see how they can respond to the needs of the people.

"We have others that have come to help and I see a few of them in the room. Some of them are family. My son is a doctor; my sister’s son is a neurosurgeon working in Alaska. He and a team are here working at JFK. My son and others come from Connecticut where he practices. They come, they bring of their service, their talent, their spare time that they have and they serve people. And they come with others, not just them -- they’re family, they can do it -- but they come with those whose only reason is because they care, because they want to make a difference in the lives of those whom they help, and that’s what Mercy Ships is all about."

President Johnson-Sirleaf commented on a video that was played, adding: "You can’t help but feel something deep inside, that for all the things that we have done to ourselves as a people, your response is one of love. Your response is one that helps us to see a different way to look at ourselves with a different value."

Commenting on Stephens' references to his family, Johnson-Sirleaf said: "You just talked about your personal life and the difficulties you had with your son. You could easily have been so bitter with life and what it meted out to you, but your response was to serve humanity, and to make up, not only to your son, but to make up to the thousands and thousands of other people’s sons and daughters throughout the world, to give them a better life, to give them a better chance to be renewed."

Referring to the ship's staff and crew, Johnson-Sirleaf said: "All of you who serve on the ship, and serve voluntarily, I just want you to know that the Liberian people are grateful. The Liberian people receive you with such warmth just knowing what you bring, what you bring to us, how you enable us, many of our people, to live again, to be able to be part of society in a normal way -- no longer an object of pity, no longer silenced by their handicaps, no longer ashamed of their condition. You’ve brought them something. We thank you.

She added: "I want you to know that this government will be a partner to you. We may not have all the resources that we would like to see to give the support that you so rightfully deserve, but that which we have, just being there with you, responding to you in any way that we can, making sure that the basics that is required of us, that it’s met, but more importantly, just being there as your friend in appreciation for all that you have done for us.

"Thank you for being here. Thank you for your service. Thank you for being the wonderful people that you are. And we know that added to what you do is that great belief in God, something that is shared by the majority of our people. We will be there with you. We will pray with you. And our people will be forever grateful. God bless you."

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Lake Forest, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.