My Last Post from West Africa

Saying Goodbye

For those that followed this incredible journey, thank you! Each one plays a part whether you stay, go, support, pray or get fully involved in something totally different where God has called YOU! I think He is creative in making all us strange body parts fit together where He wants us.

Farewell to Day Crew Mamadama.

This is where He has me.

So, let me finish up with what happened during the amazing Guinea, West Africa, field service with Mercy Ships. This all actually started in August 2018 and just ended now in June 2019. The Lord called me to be a part of this for the last two plus months.

Medical Capacity Building

In the country of Guinea and in the city of Conakry, passing the education to do what Mercy Ships has done for 40 years. If MCB is successful, the ship would not be needed any more.

Our Neonatal Resuscitation Course Participants.

Surgical Specialties Completed

Accomplished this field service for the people of Guinea, West Africa:

Heading Home

Cars loaded on Deck 8

Lifting the gangway is final step for departure.

Guinean Port workers who knew why were in Guinea saluted us in our departure, waved, shouted praises and took as many pictures of us as we did of them.

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I'm riding aboard the ship as I type here, headed for dry dock where they will lift the ship totally out of the water, perform an abundance of maintenance including scraping the barnacles off the ship that have collected over the time in Guinea.

location of ship

The sail is smooth but some are still barfing off deck 7 into the sea.

We ended our day with a special worship time on the bow.

Worship on the bow.

Two brand new volunteer crew just left their West African countries of Benin and Guinea for the very first time in their lives and laughingly told me they were freezing!

Just imagine what their other first impressions will be when they encounter first world countries during their service with Mercy Ships.

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I will be home in a few days excited to see my husband Guy after over two months away from him.

Head to the photo page to see some fresh pics!

Thank you again!

The Underdog

As I type here, I see a mosquito flying around my computer monitor. I always wonder if this one carries malaria and am glad to take anti-malaria drugs daily! This little bugger has eluded me, and I am on alert, awaiting for its sneaky attack.


The Mercy Ships field service in Guinea is almost over.  509 Surgeries are finished, the patients on the ward have slowly been discharged to home. Dental team has left behind a dental school for the people of this country. The Nutritional Agricultural Program has harvested and sold fresh and canned produce for the participants. Cleft lips have been repaired. Bowed legs have been straightened. Take a look at the website mercyships.org to see more.

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Aminata after surgery.

With the end of the field service, I said teary goodbyes today to those dedicated Day Crew on the Medical Capacity Building team.  Most live in Guinea and come to the ship or team every day to work alongside the volunteers on the ship. As we plan to leave this country in about two weeks, the last day for over 250 faithful servants in all departments came to an end.

Me & Pierre

One young Day Crew volunteer, Pierre, shared how Mercy Ships has changed his life.  He said at previous *jobs*  "no one got to know you nor cared about you."  With Mercy Ships it was different. He felt heard, cared for and not disregarded by this large, mostly white, organization. Impassioned, Pierre exclaimed praises to God as he pounded his chest with an open hand saying loudly, "But I am human, I am human!" over and over thankful that he mattered and was recognized.  It was reminiscent of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in the US when men carried signs saying "I am a man."





Who did Jesus spend most of His time with? The outcast, the marginalized, the bullied, the underdog.  If Pierre felt the presence of Jesus while serving on the ship, then one of the core values of Mercy Ships was obtained, to love and serve others, even the other volunteers, the Day Crew.

“and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great."”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:48