Meet Vernel . . .

Eye team nurse Suzanne posted this on her blog - is Vernel not the cutest? 

This cute kiddo was recently with us for cleft lip and palate surgery, and I wanted to share some photos of his time here-

Before:

And after!

Whenever I discharge one of our patients, I wonder what will happen when they go back home. I wish I could watch each one of them greet their family and friends, and see the reactions to their finished operation! Every once in awhile, a group heads off in a mercy ships land rover to do just that, and in Vernel's case the communications team followed him home to finish recording his story:

From the Mercy Ships Facebook Page:

Vernel returned home last week after having surgery to repair his cleft lip on the Africa Mercy. Upon seeing his nephew, Mestramaille picked up Vernel and danced around laughing with joy. “Oh Vernel, Vernel, you became handsome! It makes me happy, I did not think he could be like this. Yes, thanks Mercy Ships, thank you for your work.” Thanks to each and every one of YOU who supports Mercy Ships to make joyful homecomings like this possible.

Vernel and his uncle:

DId you know?

Yesterday was World Sight Day and Alcon, a global leader in eye care and a Mercy Ships partner, shared Mercy Ships message with all of their customers around the world. They  selected 6 of the charities that they support with products and funding to highlight. They created a World Sight Day Poster for each of the 6 charities, highlighting partnerships and sent them out to every Alcon customer around the globe. They askied each of their customers to select one of the 6 charities to raise funds for amongst their customers and contacts.

Here's Greta!

Perusing some crew blogs today, I ran across our friend from Stillwater, Minnesota, nurse Greta Peterson (who was the nurse on duty when I needed drugs to make it home from Tenerife!).  Say "hey" to our blonde friend who was working "selection day"!

 

Possibly never again . . .

Just last week, Micah said to me, "Mom, I want to go to Africa this summer."  Micah, the child whom we prayed would allow God to change her heart so that she would be willing to go to Africa, now WANTED to go.  

Just this week, we received an e-mail from the Mercy Ships Academy Chief  Administrator:

Interesting trend!

 

No summer Program in 2013 and now in 2014.  No operational need now that mothers are off work when kids are not in school.

 

BB

  

---

Brian Blackburn
Mercy Ships Academy
Chief Administrator

So now we know we will not be on the ship this coming summer, but Sam mentioned something about our friends in Burundi and how maybe we could go there and serve them . . .  Surely there will be more to come!

What's a Crew To Do?

Crew on the Africa Mercy only have to work fifty hours a week and the rest of the week is free time - once you finish laundry, eat, attend community meetings and sleep!  Our friend, Keith Brinkman (of "Find Jerry" fame) is the ship's Programs Administrator.  Part of his job is to provide oversight to the Mercy Ministries Coordinator.  Look at the awesome crew opportunities available in the Congo - it's enough to make you want to join up:

Espace Orphanage – up to 40 children, primarily those from the streets – Bible stories, games and sports. Centre d’Accueil Boys Orphanage – 15 boys, age 5 to 18 years old – evening program with sports, arts and mentoring. Amour de Dieu Orphanage – up to 20 children – in the process of moving, so some practical assistance for the new facility and time with the children and teens. Mvou Mvou Creche Baby Center – home for abandoned and orphaned babies – time of play, nurturing – visits twice a week – Mercy Ships Infant Feeding Program is involved with some of their babies also. Senior Community Center – a time senior citizens gather from the community – share story or drama, dance, exercise and encouragement. Handicapped Tailors – up to 24 adults learning to be tailors – time of Bible study and mentoring with crafts. Sewing Sisters – working with young women who have been chased from their homes and poor schooling, many have babies – time of Bible study, mentoring and teaching crafts. Hospital Pediatric Ward Visitation – evening event to a local hospital to visit the children and caregivers there – basic crafts and loving on children. HOPE Center – place where our interior patients stay after discharge from the wards but need to return for outpatient care – time of Bible stories, songs and crafts. Men & Women’s Prisons – takes place on Saturday mornings – a time of worship and Bible teaching and study. School for the Deaf – opens later this month – weekly visits and program with art with rotating classes.   Pre-Operative Center – similar to the HOPE Center, but the place where the interior patients and caregivers come before coming into the hospital wards here on board.   Jesus Film – sharing the film in French and local languages in partnership with an association here in Pointe-Noire and local church leaders.

Wallpapering . . .

On Wednesday, I finally decided to replace the wallpaper border in our master bathroom.  This was not a hasty decision as I had ordered the border back in August and it had been sitting on our kitchen counter for the month of September.  I prepped the wall in the morning and after lunch, I prepared to put it up.  I opened the package and was surprised by the total lack of directions, so I googled "how to put up prepasted wallpaper border" and came up with a plan.  I ran tepid water in the sink, stuck the border in for five minutes and let it bond out of the water for another ten minutes and went to put it up.  It didn't stick, so I did what I should had done in the first place - I called Hirschfield's.  My new best friend for life, Belinda, said, "Oh, no - only let the paper soak for 10-15 seconds, then let it bond for ten minutes, then put it up.  Let me GIVE you adhesive so you can get that piece up and then follow my directions for the next piece."  So I rushed to Hirschfield's, picked up the adhesive, took the scenic route home thanks to 35W construction, put adhesive on my prepasted border and stuck it up.  

I got off work early today and decided to put up the last piece of border.  Just like my BFFL Belinda said - it was a 12 second soak, a ten minute bond - and nothing.  ABSOLUTELY nothing.  So I got my free adhesive and went back to work.  

The border's up, it looks great - I'm going to Hirschfield's because I am fairly confident that my prepasted border was definitely NOT prepasted!

Reblogged from Michelle's blog . . .

And yes, that is nurse Michelle in the photo!  Happy reading . . .

This is Kimpo. You might be wondering why her chin looks so funny? She has a neurofibroma. Or shall I say, she had a neurofibroma. We removed it today. The not so funny thing about a neurofibroma is that even though it is benign, it is still disfiguring. Nobody wants to look different, not this kind of different. Let’s face it. We live in a society that takes appearance seriously. I’m really happy we were able to make this pretty girl even prettier by restoring her chin to the way it used to be. She’ll be able to hold her head up again. Her days of hiding are coming to an end.