Seraphene

Another lovely story reblogged from "Through My Porthole".  I had the same experience in Sierra Leone, wondering when a marvelous young man was going to have surgery, only to discover he already had!

I completely underestimated the emotional impact of meeting the Malagasy teenager who has my plasma pumping through her veins. Suddenly my experiences with Mercy Ships went to a whole new level of personal investment.  While volunteering and paying for the privilege is no longer a surprise,  the opportunity to donate my own blood to one of our patients touched me deeply.

My heart went out to Seraphine when I finally met her a few days after her surgery. I had to ask her nurse if Seraphine already had the operation she came for.

Seraphine after her surgery. Pic Justine Forrest

You see, Seraphine is one of the patients that we helped surgically, but not as much as we hoped to. She has a benign tumour covering her facial nerves.  If our surgeons had removed the complete growth it would have threatened and probably seriously diminished her ability to eat, drink and speak. In consultation with Seraphine and her Mum, while a great weight was lifted from her face, some of the benign tumour was left.

Like most of our patients, Seraphine came to the hospitalship hoping for a perfect outcome. She desperately wished the humiliating tumour which brought her so much ridicule would be completely removed from her life. But we couldn’t do it without destroying the quality of the life she has.

I told Seraphine because we shared the same blood, that we are like sisters. It was apparent from her very timid responses and fearful attempts to make eye contact that she has suffered greatly from rejection. She didn’t expect kindness from strangers.

Saying goodbye to Seraphine and her Mum. Pic Catrice Wulf

As I spent time with her,  I thought of our own daughter who developed a cyst over her eye when she was a baby. The local New Zealand hospital popped it out before she was even a year old. If we weren’t from a country with easily accessed and free/ affordable healthcare, this could easily have been our daughter; with a disfiguring cyst that shattered her sense of self worth.

Seraphine was treasured and nurtured by the crew during her weeks of recovery on board. This 15-year-old will never be classically pretty, or even ‘normal’ looking. She doesn’t have a happily-ever-after story. But gentle, sweet Seraphine is dearly loved – by her Mum, and by us, and we hope she understands most of all that she is precious to God. Would you pray with me – just for a minute – that she does?

                               Africa Mercy crew members from all over the globe donated                                                                                                171 units of blood                                                                      to our patients during this field service

Crew donate blood for patients

Another gift . . .

Today's gift was even better than my fishy cookie - less calories!  Three-year old Lucy said, "Miss Margo, close your eyes and hold out your hands.  I have a present for you!"  She made it with her cousin and this is what I got:

They fit perfect with yesterday's song, "Baroomp went the little green frog one day, baroomp when the little green frog" . . .

 

And to think . . .

Said husband with the wonderful hands was originally interested in the silly lady with the big glasses!  She later became my roommate!  God obviously has a sense of humour!

Thankful Thursday!

I am so thankful for a loving husband who will give me an amazing backrub in the middle of the night when I can't sleep because my back is full of knots!  Hugs to you, Sambo!

Something's Fishy!

I received this absolutely adorable and, I might add, delicious cookie from one of my Ray students at the Y today!  

He's not sure he'll be at lessons next week and he wanted to give me a gift.  It's a cute one, eh?

Stories of Mercy - Missy Brown

Missy is a nurse from the States whom I've run many miles with!

Haingo

Today's lovely story has been reblogged from "Through My Porthole" . . . You'll see the author is some of the pictures.  We served together in Liberia in 2007.

Haingo became part of my heart as I watched and prayed through her journey to healing. She arrived to us tottering on the brink between life and death.

7 mth old Haingo weighed 2.2 kg when she was admitted. Pic Katie Keegan

Haingo was born in a tropical downpour.  Even in the hut’s dim light it was clear Hiango’s tiny mouth was slashed by a bi-lateral cleft lip. Her mother Viviaby’s joy turned to sadness,  and her father immediately rejected the newborn saying, “In our family we don’t have babies like this!”

No one in their Madagascan village had ever heard of this disfigurement. “Is it because of something that I did?” Vivaby wondered. “But I am a Christian, we have nothing taboo (cursed). If God gave her to me like she is, He knows how to take care of her.” But the visible deformity was the least of Haingo’s problems.

The situation became dire as days passed and Haingo was unable to breastfeed because of her cleft palate. The hole in the roof of her mouth prevented Haingo from sucking. She cried incessantly. Her father said, ‘It’s not going to survive so you’d better kill it!” Her mother declared,  “Let her live!”

Both Haingo and her Mum were nurtured on board. Pic Katie Keegan

Viviaby told me she kept Haingo alive with diluted canned milk –  each can costing a day’s wages. Then she began to cook rice, grind it with sugar and feed it to the hungry baby. Still Haingo failed to thrive. “I did not have money to buy something good for her, recalls Viviaby.  “She was getting more and more skinny. I was afraid, I was always praying.” At seven months old Haingo weighed only 2.2kg (under 5 lbs).

On every side Viviaby encountered superstition and cruel comments – until one day women who recently received free surgeries on the Mercy Ship walked by their secluded village. They heard about Haingo. “There is free treatment. You should bring your baby there!” they shared.

So for two days petite, courageous Viviaby carried her baby through rugged countryside to find transport to the Mercy Ships patient screening in her region.

The urgency of Haingo’s situation was accessed by screening coordinator Mirjam Plomp .

Our dietitians saved her life, & got her on track for surgery. Justine Forrest

“Haingo was seven months old, looked like she was only two months. I was surprised she was still alive. I realised we couldn’t do surgery straight away. She would have to be in our Infant Feeding Program to gain weight.” Haingo and her valiant mother accompanied the team returning to the Africa Mercy on a Mission Aviation Fellowship flight.

Mother and daughter were rushed onboard the hospital ship, and paediatric nurses began around-the-clock emergency nutrition. Shelby Olufson was charge nurse when Haingo was admitted. “She was so small! If you didn’t know her age you would think she was newborn.”

Viviaby slept well for the first time since Haingo’s birth. “They were feeding her with an (oral feeding) syringe because she couldn’t suck a bottle,” she explains. “Later they used a nursing bottle; they used milk from my breast. A  nurse was feeding in the morning, a different one at lunch, and in the evening a different one. That’s how they took care of her.”

Haingo began to gain weight and become responsive. Viviaby talked with other mothers of cleft lip babies in the ward. She was comforted, and she no longer felt alone. After 10 days Haingo was stabilised and discharged to the Mercy Ships HOPE (Hospital Out Patients Extension) Centre. Haingo’s weight was tracked, her development and care discussed in the Infant Feeding Program (IFP).  “I love seeing the transformation as the infants gain weight, get stronger and reach developmental milestones,” shares Jillian, one of the ship’s dietitians. She adds how impacted she is when the parents of these fragile babies begin to gain hope.

Haingo looked like a different baby after her lip operations. Pic Katie Keegan

“Before, Haingo was crying a lot because she did not eat enough. But now she is happy! She has enough food!” exclaimed Viviaby.

As Haingo grew, she began to do all the heart-warming things that babies her age are purposed to. She tracks movement with eyes that were previously glazed, and waves ‘Veloma’ (goodbye) with the chubby arms that had been so frail. After five months Haingo reached 3.5 kg (7.7lbs), and the vital ‘average weight for height’ benchmark. At last she was strong enough to undergo operations to repair her cleft lip and part of her palate.

As Haingo came out of the first surgeries, Viviaby gathered her baby in her arms. “She’s beautiful!” was all the overwhelmed mother could say.

When Viviaby and Haingo briefly returned to their village, Haingo’s four-year-old brother was distraught. “You exchanged my sister!” he accused, “It’s not my sister!” The villagers too were amazed by the extraordinary change in Haingo’s appearance. Viviaby explained the remaining surgery would fix all of the baby’s problems.

Palate surgery was vital for Haingo’s future well-being. Pic Justine Forrest

At 13 months old Haingo received her finial free operation. Only now her palate is closed can she eat and drink normally. Only now does she have the ability to speak clearly. Only now can she purse her lips to kiss her mother.

Viviaby reflects, “Nobody believed someone could help Haingo. Without Mercy Ships, Haingo would have died. But my baby is healed!”

Haingo’s life was transformed by mercy.

Haingo was transformed by mercy. Pic Justine Forrest

I was forever impacted by Haingo & her Mum. Pic Justine Forrest

Thankful Thursday!

I can't say that I'm really thankful for the common cold that Sam had last weekend that he shared with the children who in turn shared it with me.  But I am thankful for a God who knew how bad I felt when I went to work this morning and He had only three out of six children show up for my first class, three out of four children for my second class (with the most challenging child being gone!) and two out of four children show up for my last class - which made it much easier on me!  And for that, I am thankful!   

Opps 2!

Micah and I were in the grocery store yesterday.  I had parked the cart to look at butter; then I grabbed the cart and took off - only it wasn't my cart!  The nice man was laughing when he said, "I wanted to see how far you'd go before you realized it wasn't yours!"  Fortunately, Micah pointed it out to me rather quickly!

Opps!

Our next door neighbors happen to be in their seventies and while they were gone this weekend, Sam mowed their yard and put the clippings in their yard waste barrel - or so he thought!

It was pretty full so we went over last night to put it on the curb for them so it would be picked up today.  I started to grab the barrel marked "Yard Waste" when Sam said, "Oh, no!  I didn't!?  "Um . . . yes, Sam, you did!"  He had put their yard waste in the wrong barrel and they had spent the entire day scooping it back into the right barrel - and they weren't quite done!

When we went in to apologize, they just laughed because they were sure the kids had mowed and goofed up!

Serafine

This post is reblogged from "Through My Porthole".  Enjoy!

The massive goiter that hung from Serafine’s neck was part of her life for 34 years. It began as a small lump when she was breastfeeding her first child. The village women told her this was the cause, and she had no way to find any other information.

“I would never, never be able to pay a doctor for doing it.” Pic J.Forrest

Serafine is now 54 years old. She and her husband raised eight children in their one-room thatched house, and they toil together growing corn and rice. It’s hard physical work. Twice a day, Serafine collects water from the river and carries it home – uphill – on her head.

As her goiter grew over the years, the essential tasks of daily life in rural Madagascar became increasingly difficult. People called her The Woman with the Big Neck. Her children and grandchildren were ashamed. “People keep their distance,” shared Serafine. “Some people say maybe I stole something and got a curse! But I didn’t do such things.”

Years later, Serafine heard about a traditional healer who could “cure” goiters. She bought a remedy “like dirt” to spread on her neck and “little things like papaya seeds” to swallow. Six weeks’ supply cost NZ$71/US$48) an enormous sum in a country where the average income is less than $2 per day. She was discouraged and broke.

So Serafine struggled on with the physical demands of life and endured the ridicule that grew with her goiter. “Maybe I’ll have this until my death,” she thought.

When the goiter became huge, Serafine found a doctor to do the operation, but the 400,000 ariary (NZ$188/ US$127) was beyond her reach. “We start working at 6 a.m. and stop at 12 p.m., and that’s 2000 ariary (less than $1). We cannot pay that, we cannot! I dropped the idea. Prayer was my last hope, asking help from God.”

One of her children heard about goiter surgeries performed without cost on the Mercy Ship. When word reached Serafine, she said, “I was so happy! It’s going to be done in the name of Jesus! The answer of my prayer was amazing to me.”

Serafine had several pre-operative treatments onboard the Africa Mercy and saw immediate change. Then, when her blood levels related to her thyroid were corrected, Serafine’s massive goiter was removed.

Serafine loves to pray. Pic Justine Forrest

After decades of discomfort, she was finally free. Immediately after waking from her surgery, Serafine reached up to touch her neck. Her hands didn’t settle where they used to. The enormous growth was finally gone!

Armed with a supply of thyroid medication, Serafine said, “I prefer to take medicines for the rest of my life instead of seeing the problem come back. One box of pills costs 15,000 ariary (NZ$7/ US$5) for one month. Mercy Ships will give me as much as they can before they leave.”

God gave me this solution. Pic Justine Forrest

Returning weeks later from her village for a post-op check, Serafine told us her husband didnot initially recognize her. The villagers remarked that she looks like a young lady now! Serafine giggled behind her hand and admitted that her husband was not overly impressed when the village men said that she “looks beautiful.”

Weirdly Wild Work

I taught CPR courses for the Apple Valley School District this morning and when I arrived at the correct building at the correct time, the doors were locked.  Knowing that I had to set up for three classes, I called my supervisor to make sure I was at the right place!  She assured me I was and asked me to literally run around the building and see if the building supervisor was in the lower section.  Sure enough, while there were a dozen people waiting at Door 22 to get in, she was socializing in the lower level!  Her exact words?  "Oh, my goodness!  I forgot to open the doors for you!"  No lie!

Fast forward to my first class, CPR for the Lay Rescuer, and I noticed I would be up for a challenge when my first person came in with an interpreter and my second person said English was not their first language!  We slowly managed to make it through - slowest I've ever gone! - and it was time for class number two!
 

Fortunately, four people from my first class stayed for my second, First Aid, and by now we were all good friends!  We even had the interpreter be a victim for us!  Oh, yes, party on - but slowly!

So my third class arrived early, CPR for the Professional Rescuer, and they were giving me weird looks.  I thought it was because I was running late - which I apologized for - but no!  It was because I had had them in this very same class two years ago and they had the certificates to prove it!  So we had a family reunion and then I took the rest of the day off!

Thankful Thursday!

Today I'm thankful for the little things like . . . 

• Sunshine while I swam - it was lovely!
• Not walking the dog in rain - even though she loves the rain!
• Micah taking my car after school and me not worrying because I know who holds her in the palm of His hand!

A Tale of Two Parents

Micah asked if she could take my car to youth group tonight.  After all, she has had her license for a little over forty-eight hours!  Of course I said, "Yes!" and continued working on my project.  Sam went to the door and watched her pull away.  About 15 minutes later, he said, "Micah must be there by now.  Did she text you?"  My response?  "Where did she go?"  Obviously, one of us was a bit more concerned than the other - and she had my car! 

Being a Type A

There are days when being a Type A personality is much more challenging - like today - when I had exactly one hour to do exactly what I have been wanting to do for exactly three long days.  I got everything out when Matt and his best friend said, "Do you want to play a game?"  And while my mind said, "No, no, no!  I want to get this project done!" the words that came out of my lips were, "Can we play Skip-bo?"  Because you know these opportunities won't happen forever! 

Happy Birthday,

SAM!

Congratulations . . .

. . . to Miss Micah on a perfect driving test today at the Eagan course!  That means she now has her license!  Of course, my Bible study was praying . . .

God smiled . . .

When I sent our birth mother "Mother's Day Greetings" and He smiled when she sent them back to me because He's known since the beginning of time, that even more than mothers, we are friends!

Oh, the things I say!

Sometimes it just comes out!  And yesterday was a classic!  I had a young woman up on the zip line platform who said, "Where am I going to go?"  And I said, "Heaven if you know Jesus and Hell if you don't."  I got the most surprised look and then sent her down the zip!  Good thing my boss loves Jesus!

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!

We scored a victory yesterday!  We had four older cousins come to the zip line.  San Diego cousin had found us on line - let's hear it for google!  And she convinced her brother and two cousins to join her for a zip while she was in town.  Sadly, girl cousin who could almost see her house from the platform (I never did get her name) got up on the platform and started shaking and crying and saying, "I want to do this so bad, but I can't.  I just can't."  Not one to take "No" for an answer, I asked if she would be willing to try just zip number three.  I explained to her what it looked like, what it felt like, and how she might think she was going to hit the tree at the end, but it was a shorter, less steep zip and she would never hit the tree.  Then, I unhooked her and sent her down the trail.  

I found out when she came up the trail with the biggest grin on her face, she had scored a victory!  She let out a happy scream just for me, "I did it!  I did it!  Twice!" and followed it up with a big hug. Every time her cousins landed on platform three, she joined them and had an absolutely wonderful time defeating her fears!  To God be the glory!  

 

Thankful Thursday!

Thankful was truly NOT what I was feeling in the locker room at the Y this morning as I stood there half-dressed realizing that my swimsuit was still hanging up at home.  I still wasn't feeling very thankful as I got dressed, grabbed my car keys and headed home.  Once I got home, I noticed Matt was still there - and still in bed!  So I knocked on his door and asked, "What's zup?"  He had closed at the Y last night and either didn't set his alarm or didn't hear it and he now had exactly 45 minutes to get to his last class before finals! Thankful was what I was feeling as I headed back to the Y with my swimsuit in my hand . . . thanking God that I was there, in a very small way, for Matt!

Fifalina

Today's post is reblogged from "Through My Porthole".  Enjoy!

Fifalina is one of the most courageous people I have ever met. It was a monumental privilege to walk along side her in her 6-month journey to healing. Here’s a glimpse into her remarkable tale.

Fifalina, the people-whisperer. Pic Justine Forrest

Her mother, Ludvine, says Fifalina’s legs were normal at birth. However, when Fifalina started to walk, she often fell, and Ludvine noticed that her legs began to curve.

The tiny nine-year-old struggled into the Mercy Ships admissions tent. Fifalina’s legs seemed to be slowly folding beneath her. They could no longer hold her erect.

Fifalina’s father had to find work each day to provide for his family, but they managed to scrape together enough money to visit a doctor. He told them the little girl needed calcium and said there was nothing more he could do. Then the desperate parents sought help from a traditional healer who massaged Fifalina’s legs. Nothing helped, and her legs continued to weaken.

This bright little girl was eager to attend school despite her physical challenges. Initially, Fifalina could walk the 30 minutes required. “Her curved legs were getting worse and worse,” Ludvine recalls. “One time she fell down at school. After that, her legs were really curved, and her knees could not support her.” So Ludvine carried her daughter on her back to and from school every day.

But school wasn’t always a pleasant experience. Fifalina whispers, “At school I’m always left behind. I can’t play with the other kids. I’ll play with the other kids when I’m healed.”

Her legs could no longer hold her up. Pic: Ruben Plomp

Ludvine first heard about Mercy Ships on television. “They said Mercy Ships is healing,” she explains. “At the beginning we did not know that they are fixing legs. I just knew about them removing tumors. They published a video. When I saw Vanya’s story*,  I wanted to see healing in my daughter.”

They learned of a patient screening nearby. “I believed they could fix my legs!” exclaims Fifalina. “I said to myself, ‘Let’s just go there, and we will see.’” She was examined and given an appointment.

Mercy Ships consultant Dr Frank Hayden (USA) performed complex orthopedic surgeries,  correcting Fifalina’s twisted upper and lower legs by rotating her bones through more than 200 degrees. A series of pins now holds her knees and hips in alignment. After surgery, Fifalina was enveloped in full-leg plaster casts that weighed almost as much as she did.

 Fifalina’s x-rays before and after surgery. Pic Katie Keegan

At nine, Fifalina is the average height (according to the World Health Organization) of a four-year-old. The utter cuteness of this child, displayed in her infectious giggle and broad grin, disguises the valiant heart of a tiny warrior. Time and time again during her procedures, Fifalina smiled, bit her lip, and pushed through a pain-barrier that would make a grown woman whimper.

When her leg casts were first removed, Fifalina declared, “I’m going to learn to walk again!” Ludvine gasped and shed tears when she first saw her daughter’s straight little legs.

Fifalina dressed for town Pic: Katie Keegan

Months of splints and physical therapy followed Fifalina’s surgery as she bravely relearned to walk. Her muscles, weak from years of disuse, were retrained by a team of volunteer physiotherapists. Daily routines were performed with peals of laughter and entertaining activities.

Ludvine had plenty of time to reflect as they journeyed through the six-month long process of surgery and rehabilitation. “If they did not fix her legs, she would suffer a lot, and I would suffer too. If her legs were left like they were, I think she would end by walking on her knees. When I look at the photo before the surgery, I can see that her legs are so curved, like if her knees are going down. So if they did not fix them, forever it would be like it was. Our problem would get worse and worse. I would not be able to carry her on my back. Now she will be able to walk and just hold my hand!”

Finally the day arrived when Fifalina could achieve her milestone tasks unaided – balancing on one leg, walking with one foot in front of the other, and standing on tiptoes. These ordinary playtime activities were herculean and enchanting new experiences for this not-so-ordinary nine-year-old.

Ludvine thinks Fifalina would make a great teacher when she grows up, but the Mercy Ships crew members will tell you that Fifalina is already a pint-sized inspiration.

Fifalina stepping out on her ‘new’ legs. Pic Katie Keegan

Today on our run . . .

We saw . . .

27 vehicles, 

seven people who waved or said "Hi",

three dogs (two barking!),

and one white squirrel!

Mariette