Land Ho!

The Africa Mercy will be arriving in Conakry, Guinea tomorrow (or maybe that's just later tonight for those of us here in the States)!

A few facts about the nation of Guinea:

• United Nations Human Development Index:  Ranked #178 out of 187 countries listed.  The only country lower that Mercy Ships has visited was Sierra Leone in 2011 at #180;
• Independent from France since 1958 – currently a Republic;
• President:  Alpha Conde since 2010;
• Life Expectancy: 58 years;
• Population:  over 10 million people with over 1.5 million living in the capital and port city of Conakry;
• Area:  245,857 square kilometers (size of Oregon);
• Income:  $863 per year;
• Population under the age of 15 years: 43%;
• Religion:  Muslim 85%, Christian 8% and Indigenous Beliefs 7%;

People's Palace

As you read this, pray for the upcoming surgical screening – to be held on Monday, September 3rd.  Pray that those who could be helped would hear about the screening and be able to attend.  Mercy Ships will be using the People’s Palace, a three-story building that should provide good protection from rain (as they are in the rainy season) or sun during the day.  All of the crew (both medical and non-medical) will be involved in this event as well as more than 100 local day workers who are essential in the translation process.  Set up and around the clock security will begin the afternoon prior.  Crowds of 3,000-5,000 are anticipated, and a secondary day of screening will be held if necessary to attend to all those waiting for care.  This is Mercy Ships first visit to Guinea since 1999 when the Anastasis visited.

Africa . . .

I copied my friend Kristy's blog for you.  We met in 2007 at church right here in Lakeville.  That summer, I visited Kristy at her home in Durban, South Africa and the following week she visited me on the m/v Anastasis in East London, South Africa.  She and her husband, Ben, now live in Burundi with their two young sons, Miles and Neo.  I admire them and their love for the people of Africa and their hearts for God.  They truly are incredible.  

…

I just want to say,

that I see you…

even though I am cushioned

by everything you lack.

My self aches.

It’s an unmovable ache.

It’s the ache of living next door

to YOU.

The ache of MY “haves” and YOUR “have nots.”

…

I want so badly to escape your story..

The truth is, it makes me UNCOMFORTABLE.

Poor uncomfortable me, while you, on the other hand…

actually struggle to survive.

I feel like no matter what we do…

it CAN NEVER BE enough.

I hate that poverty makes you beg.

As a good middle-income-bracket-midwest-girl…

I cringe that when you see me you see “money.”

…

I hate that you are right.

I DO “have everything” I need.

Without fail you will shout at me…

“Hey, white person. Give me a pen!”

My color, and what it means to you,

makes it so hard for us to just be friends.

Poverty is like a hole

and it sucks anyone around

into it’s blackness.

…

There is hope, to be sure…

but sometimes I just can’t see it through the ache.

The ache of deformed-legs-man “walking” on hands.

The ache of swollen bellies on young littles.

The ache of baby dead in mother’s arms.

The ache of knowing that the pen you so badly want

WON’T fill your belly

or keep you safe tonight.

…

I see you,

even though sometimes I just want

to pretend you don’t exsist.

To look right past you banging on my window.

Seeing your pain saps me. Again, “poor me.”

The truth is, I always SEE YOU…

and I wish I saw a different picture.

I wish I was seeing

a healthy-happy-roof-over-head-belly-full-of-food YOU.

…

I wish I was doing MUCH more to make that picture REAL for you.