Why is Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone?

Benin Field Service

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After the surge in Kona, HI.

This is within walking distance of the YWAM University of the Nations Campus. Thankfully they are on higher ground.

When I turned on the news this morning...

My heart aches for the people of Japan. And it skipped a beat this morning when I saw on the news that tsunami waves would hit Hawaii within the hour. My brother's family and many friends with YWAM live on the Big Island. How awesome that God hears our prayers. I'm so relieved that they are all fine.


Tsunami swamps Hawaii beaches, brushes West Coast
HONOLULU (AP) — Tsunami waves swamped Hawaii beaches and brushed the U.S. western coast Friday but didn’t immediately cause major damage after devastating Japan and sparking evacuations throughout the Pacific.
Kauai was the first of the Hawaiian islands struck by the tsunami, which was caused by an earthquake in Japan. Water rushed ashore at least 11 feet high near Kealakekua Bay, on the west side of the Big Island, and reached the lobby of a hotel. Flooding was reported on Maui, and water washed up on roadways on the Big Island.

Scientists and officials warned that the first tsunami waves are not always the strongest and said residents along the coast should watch for strong currents and heed calls for evacuation.

“The tsunami warning is not over,” said Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “We are seeing significant adverse activity, particularly on Maui and the Big Island. By no means are we clear in the rest of the state as well.”

High waters reached the U.S. western coast by 11:30 a.m. EST Friday, after evacuations were ordered and beaches closed all along the coast.

Sirens sounded for hours before dawn up and down the coast, and in Hawaii, roadways and beaches were empty as the tsunami struck. As sirens sounded throughout the night, most residents cleared out from the coasts and low-lying areas.

“I’m waiting to see if I’ll be working and if I can get to work,” said Sabrina Skiles, who spent the night at her husband’s office in downtown Kahului in Maui. Their home, across the street from the beach, was in a mandatory evacuation zone. “They’re saying the worst is over right now but we keep hearing reports saying ’don’t go anywhere. You don’t want to go too soon.’”

The tsunami, spawned by an 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan, slammed the eastern coast of Japan, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. It raced across the Pacific at 500 mph — as fast as a jetliner — although tsunami waves roll into shore at normal speeds.

President Barack Obama said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is ready to come to the aid of Hawaii and West Coast states as needed. Coast Guard cutter and aircraft crews were positioning themselves to be ready to conduct response and survey missions as soon as conditions allow.

It is the second time in a little over a year that Hawaii and the U.S. West coast faced the threat of a massive tsunami. A magnitude-8.8 earthquake in Chile spawned warnings on Feb. 27, 2010, but the waves were much smaller than predicted and almost no damage was reported.

A Sad Event at Monday's Screening Day

Report from the Field
Posted by Mercy Ships staff on Mar 07, 2011 at 12:11 pm

Mercy Ships is deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred today during medical screening at the Freetown National Stadium when a crowd stormed the gate resulting in several injuries and one life lost.

Mercy Ships personnel working at the site attended the injured and accompanied them to local hospitals.

"Our hearts and prayers are with the individuals and families of those affected by today's events. The occurrence of this incident in the course of activities intended to restore lives is tragic. We move forward with tremendous sadness, but great determination, to assist as many people as possible in the next ten months," stated Mercy Ships Founder, Don Stephens.

Mercy Ships exists to serve the forgotten poor and has served Sierra Leone five times over the past two decades, also helping establish two land-based health care facilities. For the next ten months, Mercy Ships will be providing surgeries for qualified patients while working alongside the Sierra Leonean Government to support its five-year healthcare plan and strengthen the functions of the national health system.

Please keep the people of Sierra Leone and the Mercy Ships crew in your prayers, not just today but in the months to come.

A Surprise in the Woods

Yesterday after work, I went for a walk around the ponds. When I entered the woods, I heard a big rustling in the brush and stopped, thinking I might see a deer. Instead, 14 wild pigs trotted through the trees beside me! Fourteen! I counted them - 8 good size piglets and 6 LARGE adults! I didn't move. It was amazing. I knew there were wild pigs in the area, but I didn't expect to run into a whole herd before dinner! The woods hold such surprises.

Learning new technology!!

A friend is trying to teach me how to link my facebook and blog together.

Mercy Ships Monthly video update

Sierra Leoneans Welcome Mercy Ship into Port of Freetown

Freetown, Sierra Leone, February 28, 2011- This week marks the fifth time in 18

years that Freetown has welcomed a Mercy Ship; this time it is the Africa Mercy – the

world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship. For the next ten months, Mercy Ships is

offering its state-of-the-art hospital ship – with six operating theaters, lab, pharmacy, 78

beds, and an outpatient clinic – to partner alongside the Sierra Leonean government. The

ship will provide free health care to the people of Sierra Leone and training for health

care workers until November 2011.

In response to an invitation from the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma,

Mercy Ships program strategy has been carefully aligned with the country’s current fiveyear

health care plan.

Life-changing surgeries such as tumor removal, cleft lip and palate correction, cataract

removal, orthopedics and plastics will be offered onboard the ship for individuals that

qualify with these conditions. Potential patients have been encouraged to attend specific

screening days to receive appointments for their specific medical needs. Advance teams

have already conducted screenings in six locations upcountry, seeing more than 5,000

patients prior to the ship’s arrival.

Sierra Leone has made a significant effort to address health care concerns in their

country, but still faces challenges. Last year, the nation implemented a free health care

policy for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under the age of five. This

initiative is very positive, but the nation still ranks at the bottom of the 2010 United

Nations Human Development Index (at 158 out of 169). The infant mortality rate in

Sierra Leone is 123 per 1,000 births. And with only one dentist for every one million

people in Sierra Leone, as compared to 6,000 dentists per million people in the U.S.,

Mercy Ships investment in the health sector is welcome.

The Mercy Ships Eye Team will partner with the Kissy Eye Clinic to screen and schedule

qualified individuals for surgeries. Cataract surgeries are performed in a simple 15-

minute procedure, restoring sight for hundreds of vision-impaired individuals. Last year,

the Mercy Ships Eye Team performed 2,512 eye surgeries on 2,331 patients. In 2009,

Mercy Ships trained six ophthalmologists from Benin, West Africa, in the cataract

correction technique. After training, the surgeons increased the number of procedures in

their local clinics from 320 surgeries per year to 2000 surgeries per year (combined).

In partnership with other international organizations the Mercy Ship has been invited to

provide training for local medical personnel who will add capacity long after the ship

leaves. The training/mentoring programs will include, but are not limited to, surgeons,

nurses, biomedical technicians, hospital leadership, and lab technicians. In addition,

agriculture specialists onboard ship will be involved with training of local partners who

will in turn train farmers in aspects of sustainable, organic farming techniques to increase

nutrition.

Since 1978, Mercy Ships has mobilized people and resources worldwide to provide free

health care and sustainable development in the developing world. Each year volunteers

from over 40 nations bring their own unique skill sets onboard the Africa Mercy.

Positions include physicians, medical personnel, engineers, maritime crew, galley cooks,

hospitality workers and teachers. All professional volunteers pay their own airfare as well

room and board for the privilege of serving in Sierra Leone, helping to keep the provision

of services free to the recipients.

Please click here to view a video of Medical Screening at the 2010 Togo Field Service,

the Mercy Ship’s previous port of service.

King of Kings! And in Macy's, no less!

I woke up in a funk this morning feeling generally sorry for myself and whining to God about this or that. I meant to quickly check my facebook before getting ready for church, but came across a post from a friend that showed something that happened in Philidelphia last weekend. I watched it with amazement - much like those customers in Macy's must have felt - and then with tears streaming down my face when I fully realized not only the wonderful opportunity they were having to experience such a performance, but the words that were being declared from practically the rooftop of a major store in a major US city by a cross-section of people. It gave me chill bumps and changed my grumbling to worshipping Jesus this morning, leaving me with a big smile on my face. So I had to stop and share it with you.

The biggest Random Act of Culture yet took place in Philadelphia Saturday – with more than 650 singers bursting into Hallelujah from Handel’s Messiah in the middle of a downtown Macy’s. The world’s largest pipe organ – with 28,000 pipes – accompanied them. Take a moment to watch this. It will make you smile.




Hals

Get Motivated!

Last Tuesday was a motivating day - literally! I was given a free ticket to attend an all-day Get Motivated Seminar in Dallas, TX featuring such speakers as Gen. Colin Powell, Former First Lady Laura Bush, Zig Ziglar, Steve Forbes, Krish Dhanam, and ten other motivational presenters. I was fascinated to hear what they would say and took a plethora of notes. It was interesting how so many shared principles that originate from the Bible and referred to their faith. It was also interesting how it became apparent which ones had been asked to speak because of wisdom and character and which ones were their because of fame. Still, I came away with something from each one. By the end of the day, I had hit my mental saturation point (as well as my sitting saturation point!), but I was energized! I'll have to go back through my notes to really process what I took away and what actions I now need to take. So, to be continued.....

Form First Lady Laura Bush

Emmitt Smith

Troy Aikman

Rudy Giuliani

Terry Bradshaw

An Ambitious Project on the Africa Mercy

The Africa Mercy is in dry-dock in South Africa. All the original generators

have been  removed through a hole cut in the side of the ship.

More than half the crew have moved to a location on land while a smaller team

works onboard in the shipyard. Justin is standing by the propellers under the ship. Not a view you often get to see  on a ship!

The old ones come out and the new ones go in. It's a pretty impressive process.

The Texting Generation

I attended an event at the UT Tyler Cowan Center recently. I was there to see John Lithgow in Stories by Heart. On the way into the mezzanine, My friend and I got a kick out of seeing this couple texting. My how the theater crowd is changing!

A Day at Caldwell Zoo and Tyler Rose Garden

 How amazing that on a beautiful fall day in Texas, I can look out over a

horizon filled with lions, elephants, zebras, and.....an ostrich??

 We were greeted by a very social giraffe as we climbed

the road up to the giraffe and elephant section

 "Hello down there!"

 He had quite the personality.

Okay, so it's a truck in the zoo playground, but you'd think

it was a wild ride too if you had a nine year old driver!

 Poisonous dart frogs are so bright they almost look fake.

 What a face!

 Beautiful flowers in the Idea Garden of the Tyler Rose Gardens

Cooling my feet in the fountain

Walking through Adversity to a New Life

Monday I leave with a new Gateway class to return to Benin, West Africa for a three week outreach. I'm looking forward to the opportunities to work again with Mama Arlette at Daslin's Children's Home as well as Pastor Roland and the prison ministry we helped him begin this past February. I have wonderful photos of the kids, children who embraced our little team and showed us what it is to worship and praise a Father God. Children who kept a newly built swingset occupied and moving almost every minute after it was built.

From the prison I have no photos. They weren't allowed. But I have vivid memories of faces of young men ages 12-18 that we bonded with in a short time. Sad faces, withdrawn faces, eager faces, open faces, hopeful faces... I'm looking forward to seeing them with recognition this time and hearing first hand some of the miracles I've heard reported God is doing in the midst of them since March.

Pastor Roland and several others with him have been going faithfully to the prison each week to befriend, disciple and nurture these young men. What an opportunity for them to potentially return to their communities after they are released as men of God who can influence their families, towns, and nation.

Please pray for our team. Please pray for me and my colleague Stefan as we lead the team. The town of Abomey, Benin is the birthplace of voodoo. It was only 17 years ago that the practice of human sacrifices was outlawed. Young girls are still vulnerable. Also, according to the statistics from the Peace Corp, Benin is the largest hub for child traficking than in all of Africa. We are working with some incredible locals who love the Lord. Please pray that our time there will encourage them and help empower them to serve the Lord even more effectively

I believe God is an optimist and the giver of great joy! Watch this video.

Yesterday a friend sent me a link to a You Tube video that made me cry happy tears. To see the power of God - and the optimism of God - lifts my spirit and reminds me we are to be a people of joy. God is powerful and He's moving in Europe again. He'll move here too. You'll enjoy watching the Resurrection Sunday dance in Budapest, Hungary that was perform Easter Sunday.

The Parade of the Grills - at the Magnolia Blossom Festival and Steak Cookoff

Last weekend I went home to Magnolia to attend the local Magnolia Blossom Festival and Steak Cookoff. There were 83 entries in the Parade of the Grills, more than ever before. Those entering were individuals, corporations, local businesses, and just plain folks who like to grill a good steak. Some came from as far away as Wyoming - just to enter the steak cookoff! The winner took home $4000.

Several got very creative! Following are just a few of them. There's something about local small town festivals that make me happy. I don't know if it's nostalgia, access to aligator-on-a -tick, kettle korn and funnell cakes, or just seeing a community come together, but it's nice - real nice.