I arrived in Monrovia, Liberia safely and uneventfully after a 24 hour trip that took me through Chicago, Brussels, Senegal and then Liberia. Thank you to all of you who were praying for my safe arrival.
The ship is bigger than I imagined and has quite a few amenities. We have an internet cafe, Starbucks cafe, a small grocery store, a gym, a laundromat and a fully stocked library. In addition, it has a fully functioning hospital with about 84 beds, including ICU beds and 6 operating rooms.
The hospital just opened last week and is not working at max capacity yet. Currently they are doing VVF surgeries and eye surgeries. VVF is a fistula women get after prolonged labor that causes urine to leak out of them constantly. It is a very stigmatizing disability and women are very often shunned and left by their husbands because of it.
God is so alive and at work here on the ship, you know it the minute you get here. People seem to be on a constant God-high, the kind you usually see on mission trips. Everyone is here because of their desire to serve Him and He is openly and frequently the topic of conversation. Obviously not like any work environment I have every been in.
I have met so many people from all over the world. I went to church today with a Ghanaian, Nigerian, South African, German, Canadian and three Americans. We went to a Baptist church with a service that lasted 3 hours (yes, 3 hours - that is not a typo). Two hours was singing and dancing and the other hour was preaching. It is so inspiring to see people worship so freely - it definitely was a joyful noise considering the sound system was not of the quality I am used to:)
I start work Monday with two days of orientation. All non-ICU nursing is done manually without the aid of pumps, computers and nurse's aides so it will definitely be a learning experience.
So far everything has been far better than I had imagined (including my room). God is good.
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6 comments:
Michele,
Glad to hear you made it safely! How do I make a financial donation for you? I thought there was an address listed the last time I read your blog but I don't see anything now. Let me know.
Looking forward to your updates. Take Care.
Sue Vasey
So awesome that you arrived safely and that you have a Starbucks!! I would have loved to see you singing and dancing for 2 hours - what fun! Know I am praying for you - let God show you a miracle each day.
Sound pretty cool Michele! God is good and you're there seeing Him work! Sounds like Mercy Ships are an awesome place to be/serve and must be organized and acommodating. Glad to hear about your opportunity to serve God and His people in Africa. Looking forward to hearing more of your activities on and off the ship. God bless, Gary Reed
Michele,
Nice to hear that you made it safely and hassle free...sounds like a lot of fun over there. Take care! :)
Oh friend, I'm so glad for you! Please keep us posted on prayer requests. Keep spreading that amazing love and care God has blessed you with to those who need it most! We're so proud of you!
Hi Michele! Thanks so much for the information on your experience. It is awesome to hear about the people you are helping and how you are spending your time.
You are in our prayers!
Love,
Kalista
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