Why Mercy Ships?

It was the late 1990s when I first heard about Mercy Ships and the work they were doing providing free surgeries for the poorest people of earth. It was on a Christian radio broadcast, and with just hearing how people were changed from hiding a disfiguring tumor growth to being made new with sometimes a simple surgery, stuck in my mind. Those with benign but enormous tumors and those with cleft palates were often shunned by people in their communities who thought they were demon possessed. A child growing up with a disfigured face would not be welcome in school.

After hearing that broadcast, I told my youngest daughter at the time, “this breaks my heart. I want to go some day.”  It wasn’t until about 12 years later when she was off to college that I first had got involved, beyond monthly support, with Mercy Ships.  For most of 2009, I had the privilege of serving in Benin, West Africa, using my non-medical, administrative gifts.

Adam

There are many stories of transformed lives but one that will always be foremost in my mind is 15-year-old Adam who had a massive tumor growing on the outside of his right jaw. Adam worked as a sheepherder in a remote, northern Benin village. His father saw a poster offering hope because Mercy Ships provided free surgeries, with pictures of others with enlarged tumors that looked like his son’s.  He sought out the screening near his community to see if Adam would qualify for a surgery to remove his tumor. He wanted his son to be healed. Mercy Ships screening team examined Adam and they received an appointment card for surgery, several months before his turn would come.

Months later, as the time drew near, the father left his two wives and other children and brought Adam the long journey to Cotonou, where the M/V Africa Mercy hospital ship awaited his arrival.  Adam saw the ocean for the first time and boarded the old, sturdy ship and was admitted to the ward with his father staying by his side.

That is where my husband, Guy, and I met Adam. He was awaiting all the tests necessary and looking anxious. The dialect of their village was different than any of the translator’s abilities, so all we could do to greet Adam and his dad was through awkward smiles. We brought over a Jenga game and set it up on Adam’s bed tray and motioned if he wanted to play. It took just a few examples of how to pull pieces of wood without it falling, back and forth. We engaged in several games and laughter came after the pieces of wood came crashing down taking the anxiety with it.

A few days later, Adam was in surgery and his father was distraught not knowing how his son was doing. We stayed by him and I prayed for him in a language he didn’t understand.

Adam returned from surgery and the recovery room, bandaged and groggy. His tumor was so large that many of his teeth had to be extracted in its removal. But the tumor was gone.

We continued to spend time with Adam and his dad when they were moved to the Hospitality Center off ship for continued recovery and easy access to physicians on-board.  

Waiting can be boring and Adam learned how to make braded bracelets and made one for me, finishing by flashlight.

On our last visit with Adam and his dad during their final check-up, two translators were found that could give us words and they flooded out. We would say something that one translator would tell the second translator who knew the language of Adam’s village, and reverse. And how the words flowed in that short amount of time. It was then that we found out about the long journey to the ship and his family.  Both Adam and his dad were thankful to God for His gift that came through the surgeon’s hands and even us, who spent time playing Jenga and just being there.

Adam would be 25 now. Perhaps he is married and has children of his own. I may never know, but I do know that his life was changed in 2009. He is probably an accepted member of his community and hopefully, he is stilling spending time with his loving dad.

Return to Mercy Ships

God has opened the doors for me to return leaving in just 5 days, April 8. I will be volunteering full-time in Medical Capacity Building, then Reception and taking time to get to know people like Adam on the side!

Thank you for joining in any way you can, financially and/or prayer.