The Dress Ceremony

In all my times aboard the good ship Mercy,

I was never able to attend a dress ceremony -

oh, but I wanted to!

To see and feel the joy of new life and hope . . .

read on -

Part of the Mercy Ships Obstetric Fistula Program includes the dress ceremony. This week onboard the Africa Mercy a dress ceremony was held for seven obstetric fistula patients celebrating their healing and new beginning!
What does a dress ceremony involve? Take a moment and envision the following…

From down the hall, the distant drums start to beat as the voices begin to sing out in celebration. Onboard the Africa Mercy, this is a day for celebration. Several women enter the hospital ward with their hands raised in celebration. Each one is dressed in bright fabric with fancy head-wraps and new jewelry. They each wear makeup, some for the first time in their lives. Today’s celebration is for them . . . because they have been healed.
The women share the emotional pain caused by their physical condition. As they stand up to give their testimonies, emotions are clearly written on their faces. Today marks a new day! Their strength and perseverance have finally carried them to the end of their suffering, and now they can let go of the past. It means they have the prospect of starting over and re-entering society. It is the start of a new life with delightful possibilities.
Joy wipes away their tears, and they dance out of the ward as they sing – a song of happiness, healing, and triumph that rings throughout the halls of the hospital. Each woman leaves the ship with her head held high in new-found confidence. It is her new beginning!

Obstetric fistula is an injury caused by obstructed labor. It causes a woman to continually leak urine, feces, or both. Sadly, these women are often shunned from society because of the smell resulting from their incontinence. In their culture, it is commonly believed that the physical problem is the result of a curse or a sin. Many of the women lose their husbands and families. They are completely cut off from society – alone and in despair.
Obstetric fistula awareness is important – it is a condition that could affect any woman in the world, but, with proper health care, it is preventable.
Healthcare is not easily accessible in many West African countries. In the western world, if the labor becomes obstructed, the mother is rushed into surgery for a caesarian section.
When it is time for obstetric fistula patients to be discharged and leave the ship, the women are given a monetary gift that will allow them to pay for an emergency caesarian section if one is needed in the future.
Healing takes courage, and these women are exploding with it!