race against time

This book opened my eyes and broke my heart.

Because it is about the dear continent and people we are presently loving and serving, I wanted to share...

The author, former Canadian ambassador to the UN, gives a passionate and intellectual look at the sobering and gut wrenching reality of Africa and its incapacity to fight hunger, poverty, education, and infectious disease such as HIV/AIDS, without committed international support and action. For without, the modern-day holocaust in Africa will continue to relentlessly climb. 

For those that may hold the view that its Africa's responsibility to overcome its issues of poverty and orphans (vs. foreign dollar & adoption as examples), this book holds food for thought... perhaps offering a more realistic perspective?!!  And if present-day Africa doesn't cry moral and social responsibility (governmentally speaking), I'm not sure what does?!

"I have spent the last four years watching people die." With these wrenching words, diplomat and humanitarian Stephen Lewis opens his 2005 Massey Lectures. In 2000, the United Nations introduced eight Millennium Development Goals on fundamental issues such as education, health, and cutting poverty in half by 2015. In audacious prose, alive with anecdotes ranging from maddening to hilarious to heartbreaking, Lewis shows why and how the international community is falling desperately short of these goals. He probes the appalling gap between vision and current reality, but he also offers bracingly attainable solutions. (Book jacket)

from the ward

An update from deck 3..

The last couple weeks I've been working on A-Ward in the land of orthopedics and plastics. 

These patients are recovering from bone surgery of some kind or release of contractures caused by burn injury. There is a great number of children here whose legs are severely bowlegged, not quite sure what the cause is and how much of it is related to nutrition (in layman terms:) ) So, I've been taking care of some awfully cute kiddos in casts! Being an adult nurse, though, its been an adjustment working in a ward full of noise and crying babies and their mommas:) Amidst the chaos, God's doing some incredible work--I've recently been told that a couple of our ortho kids on the ward are walking for the very first time!! 

I've been a little frustrated lately in the lack of verbal communication due to the language barrier, and discouraged about developing patient relationships--my ultimate love of nursing.

God knows my needs... 

These last couple weeks I've cared for the same three guys. Two of them are teenagers whose beds are side by side. They are a lot of fun, laughing and joking with each other and the staff. They would both light up and give me the biggest smile when they'd see me come on shift and then ask if I would be back tomorrow when my shift was over. "Alexander" was how they called me. 

God blessed me through my patients.

I've also been caring for a 33 year-old man who suffered a severe electrical burn a year ago. He lost both his hands to the accident. He requires extensive wound care every day. But, the coolest thing is that due to all the wound care he's been getting here, his wounds are healing remarkably well and it looks like he won't need a skin graft after all!! Praise God!!

Me and my translator Timothy with a patient at screening back in February

spring fever

Here in west africa, the sun shines every day!! Its summer year-around. I love how the sun shines through our one little window and brightens up the whole cabin. But, at times I long for the changing of the seasons. And this is one of those times. I'm missing the Spring back home...

... the freshness and smell in the air after a good ol' Portland rain shower

... breezy evening walks

... new life everywhere

... spring flowers outside & in :)

... and, oh, the COLOR!!

... working out in the yard

... picking and eating fresh veggies from our garden

... the smell of fresh grass

... the simple pleasure in walking barefoot & feeling the grass between my toes

... birds chirping their melodies

... picking spring berries

... all the shades of GREEN!

I think I'm suffering from a bad case of Spring fever!! :)

(All pics are from our yard & garden back home. I musn't forget our neighborhood peacock :) )

unveiled

I'm not one to post all the books I read. But this book, my latest read, made such an impression on me. I highly recommend it...

The author, a British photographer, visits Afghanistan undercover in 1997, one year after the Taliban have gained power. She secretly visits different women, unveiling their world through their personal stories and her photography. Under Taliban rule, these women and girls are practically imprisoned in their own homes--banned from their jobs outside the home, and any form of education. They have become faceless women, without identity and rights, forced to cover their entire body and face. 

Five years later, in 2001, after U.S forces helped to overthow the Taliban regime, the author returns to visit these same women. These are their stories of pain and suffering, and their hope for the future; the hope in their country-a better nation-and a future for their children and Afghani women and their rights. 

In 1996, I was a sophomore in high school, gaining an education without fear; a girl free to live, dress, laugh, and express... In 2001 I was furthering my education in college, fulfilling my dream to be a nurse. We have so much to be thankful for... Yet at the time I don't remember being aware of the Taliban coming into power and their strict regulations, or even when they were later overthrown. I don't want to be culturally ignorant. I want to be a person of awareness, culturally and globally sensitive to life outside the comforts and security of our homes; outside the safe borders of our country. Shouldn't we all, really? And support those who are fighting for the rights of others, such as freedom in Afghanistan, Iraq, and others.  

"To women across the world: Please help us Afghan women. We have just come from a dark period into the sunshine. Please do not forget that we are here. Learn from us so that what we have suffered will never happen again."  Latifa 2001

Tim turned thirty!!

Yesterday was Tim's big 3-0 birthday!!!!! 

Such love and admiration I have for this man I so intimately and completely share life with!! My husband isn't one to brag and doesn't like to talk about himself... one of the things I find so refreshing, and most likely why he rarely writes on this blog :) But because I get to walk each day with Tim, I am probably the one who learns the most from him, and for that, I consider myself very lucky:) 

This last year and a half we've experienced a lot of change, the biggest being a career change into missions. I turmoiled with him as he gave up his dream job, wrestling with God's will and direction for our lives--among the hardest and most admirable decisions he's ever made. But through it all, as I look back, God has taught me so much through Tim... like what it means to give up the desires of your own heart for His--and then to later see how God changed Tim's heart, aligning Tim's desires with His own. God, through Tim, has taught me the joy in generosity, one of the biggest influences in our decision to join Mercy Ships. To echo Tim's words, "God has given us so much over the years, its time we give it back." Tim has helped to change my perspective of money. He likes to remind me that what we have is not ours, but God's. :) He challenges me to not only give, but give more. 

Tim shows his love the most through giving and serving. He finds the most joy in both! He truly is, the most selfless person I know! He daily serves me in some way and puts me and others before himself. Tim makes me want to be less selfish and more generous... 

So, to the man I see Jesus in, Happy 30th Birthday!! Thank you for pointing me to Him and modeling Christ. 

I love you beyond words.
 

(To celebrate him, I put Tim on a surprise scavenger hunt around the ship! Then we celebrated with friends in the evening over delicious treats--complete with his favorite cake, German-chocolate, sent from home!!)

Jésus est ressuscité!

Today we rejoice that the story does not end at the cross!! Our God is ALIVE!!

And so begins our first of many holidays on the ship over the next two years. :) This morning we ate a delicious Easter brunch that included special treats that aren't normally served here such as french toast and cinnamon buns! Although, both didn't even compare to yours Mom A!! :) Tonight we will get to celebrate as a community with a special Easter church service.

We wish everyone a joyous Easter holiday from Africa!!

With friends Jen & Gordon (back), Robin & Woody (front)

Love Tim & Hannah

Bab's dock

After today, we both agree this is Benin's best-kept secret :) We had such a blast spending our day off together here! To get there, we took a boat ride through a surrounding of trees and greenery that opened up into a beautiful fresh/salt water lagoon. It truly was picturesque! We rode the boat across the lagoon to the dock. There, on the shore is an outdoor restaurant/bar and a large seating/lounging area with sun umbrellas. One of the coolest parts about this place is that the entire lagoon is no deeper than waist level. So you can go as far out as you wish!! It is a little bit touristy, but secluded enough that it was not overcrowded. We had so much fun just relaxing and lounging in the sun, dipping about in the lagoon, sipping fresh pineapple juice, and playing water volleyball!  Yay for the weekend, Mercy Ship friends, and sunshine!

The Message of the Cross

This is the message of the cross, that we can be free,

To live in the victory, and turn from our sin,

My precious Lord Jesus, with sinners you died,

For there you revealed your love and you laid down your life.

This is the message of the cross, that we can be free,

To lay all our burdens here, at the foot of the tree,

The cross was the shame of the world,

but the glory of God,

For Jesus you conquered sin and you gave us new life!

You set me free when I came to the cross,

Poured out your blood for I was broken and lost,

There I was healed and you covered my sin,

It's there you saved me, this is the message of the cross.

This is the message of the cross, that we can be free,

To hunger for heaven, to hunger for Thee,

"The cross is such foolishness to the perishing,

But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God!"

You set us free when we come to the cross,

You pour out your blood for we are broken and lost.

Here we are healed and you cover our sin,

It's here you save us,

You set me free when I come to the cross,

Pour out your blood for I am broken and lost

Here I am healed and you cover my sin,

It's here you save me, this is the message of the cross.

Let us rejoice at the foot of the cross,

We can be free, glory to God. (repeat)

Thank you Lord, thank you Lord,

You've set us free, glory to God. (repeat)

Written by Martin Smith ©1994 Curious? Music UK 

Why we are here and do what we do...

Just recently found out this week that one of our patients gave her life to the Lord over the weekend!!  

Just wanted to share with all of you the good news, and to ask you to say a prayer for her.  She has received some spiritual counseling here, but will soon return to her village where she will likely be faced with spiritual opposition. She needs a church, others alongside her, to learn more and grow.  

God is at work! Thanks for all your prayers

HE IS mighty to save!!