Historical Event Coming on Tuesday!

We just received this e-mail from our friend, Keith, aboard the good ship Mercy.  Please join us as we pray for Keith and those involved in this new event!

The Africa Mercy is preparing for a historical event with our patient selection/surgical screening in the capitol and largest city of the Republic of Congo – Brazzaville - without the ship’s presence nearby.  Typically, our largest screening takes place in the port city and that is normally the capitol or less than one hour by vehicle from the capitol, as in Ghana and Benin.  For those events, like 28 August here in Pointe-Noire, we have over 300 crew members involved along with another 100 local workers/day crew.  For Brazzaville, we are working closely with the President’s Office, our host, to make this a success.  Brazzaville is an hour flight from Pointe-Noire (or a difficult road trip of 1 ½ days).  Due to concern of the thousands of people who may come and how we are limited to how many from the ship can participate, we changed our strategy slightly.  Pre-screening/selection process took place this week at 11 hospitals and health centers in and around the greater Brazzaville area.  All of the participating doctors from those locations were briefed on what we can assist with and what we cannot assist with.  The majority of the pre-selection registration forms have been reviewed by Mercy Ships’ Patient Flow Manager.  Only those with a pre-registration form will be seen by Mercy Ships crew on Wednesday, 06 November at the site provided.  We are flying crew from the Africa Mercy in Pointe-Noire to Brazzaville for this event – hospital staff and translators (day crew) along with the communications team, executive and security.  I hope to open the main gate at 06:00 on Wednesday morning (that is 11:00 pm Tuesday night CST).  For this event, I was asked to be Site Commander and agreed to take on the challenge. I am excited for the opportunity.  You can be a part of this event with your prayer.

Our prayer requests are:
* Pre-registered patients to come for the screening – nothing would hinder them;
* Security and safety for all involved – peace and order;
* Good weather with clouds and no rain;

* All the logistics of air travel, accommodations, ground transportation, meals, etc.;
* Work well with our partners in the government, local church and local organizations.