There was a young gal of perhaps ten who came a long ways from up country with mom. (She was carried some of the way, she was too weak to walk some with help of others.) She has huge facial malignant tumor determined by biopsy. It is so far advance and so severe and disfigurement so bad, you are unable to image. The government took a weary, distraught, anguished mother and daughter back to village in rain forest to die today. It would be in humane to be left alone on foreign ship where one doesn't see light of day, but loss of hope and impending death is also a struggle. Many medical with tears as they carried her down gangway and off ship. Will you pray for mother and daughter? Be assured our African pastor sat at their side through these last days. May they know His peace. We will probably not hear any more from them, but our Father will be with them and sees his little one. May she be comforted in His arms where there is no more sorrow or pain of this world. Serving with you, allowing Him to use us as He sees fit. Hearts breaking for those that society has often forgotten, mended by His tender care.
Bev's Adventures on the Mercy Ship Africa
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Will you pray?
Good morning! It is sat am here and doing laundry...yes I am doing it 5 days after last wash but can't stand running clothes or towel that never in dark windowless cabin! Would think of taking out on deck 7 but oil smell of port not always the best. (Congo has tons of oil but unfortunately that money doesn't seem to filter down to common folks and health care.) To their credit, they are giving diesel fuel to Mercy Ships for free, the entire 10 months in port. Oh, if they could also pour that into the country health.
There was a young gal of perhaps ten who came a long ways from up country with mom. (She was carried some of the way, she was too weak to walk some with help of others.) She has huge facial malignant tumor determined by biopsy. It is so far advance and so severe and disfigurement so bad, you are unable to image. The government took a weary, distraught, anguished mother and daughter back to village in rain forest to die today. It would be in humane to be left alone on foreign ship where one doesn't see light of day, but loss of hope and impending death is also a struggle. Many medical with tears as they carried her down gangway and off ship. Will you pray for mother and daughter? Be assured our African pastor sat at their side through these last days. May they know His peace. We will probably not hear any more from them, but our Father will be with them and sees his little one. May she be comforted in His arms where there is no more sorrow or pain of this world. Serving with you, allowing Him to use us as He sees fit. Hearts breaking for those that society has often forgotten, mended by His tender care.
There was a young gal of perhaps ten who came a long ways from up country with mom. (She was carried some of the way, she was too weak to walk some with help of others.) She has huge facial malignant tumor determined by biopsy. It is so far advance and so severe and disfigurement so bad, you are unable to image. The government took a weary, distraught, anguished mother and daughter back to village in rain forest to die today. It would be in humane to be left alone on foreign ship where one doesn't see light of day, but loss of hope and impending death is also a struggle. Many medical with tears as they carried her down gangway and off ship. Will you pray for mother and daughter? Be assured our African pastor sat at their side through these last days. May they know His peace. We will probably not hear any more from them, but our Father will be with them and sees his little one. May she be comforted in His arms where there is no more sorrow or pain of this world. Serving with you, allowing Him to use us as He sees fit. Hearts breaking for those that society has often forgotten, mended by His tender care.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Life in medical ward
Hi all! I hope you all are able to have a great weekend with family and friends. I am going to try to give you a little of an idea of what happens in my life when I am on the ward. I will try to get someone to help me with 3 photos of patients and me this weekend...pray now! :-)
The ward I work in is Ward D and we have mostly patients that have had large tumors of the head, mouth, throat, thyroid which makes them a fairly high risk for air way management ie after surgery the tissues usually begin to swell and because of the area we are dealing with, rarely a patient has difficulty breathing. As a result, Ward D is kind of like our ICU. We have all ages which makes me happy because I usually at least have one patient that is under the age of 10 and coming from Neonatal in the USA, that is still BIG. :-) My day consists of lots of dressing changes (which take a lot of time because wounds are large and painful) and doing everything that usually involves a team at home.....my 8 month old needed an EKG...never had to do one before because we had a team that came to the bedside and did EKG's...lots of wires, no idea how to use the machine, where to place electrodes, yah...huge learning curve. This same little one needed a lab draw...Again no one but me for that one (no call to lab to have someone draw it!) There are feedings to hang or IVs to infuse and lots of antibiotics or pain medications to give. (Infection continues to be a problem here in spite of lots of hand sanitizer, teaching pt. to wash hands, keep hands away from incisions, etc. For example, most pts have a care giver with them who stays in hospital under the patients bed on a mattress. We realized recently that a mother was picking up the hem of her skirt to wipe her daughter's face after eating or when their was drainage from dressings....mother had worn that same skirt for the last 4 days, it had been dragging on the floor, let's not get more descriptive...she was quickly stopped when we saw it but how many times it had been done? Needless to say, the daughter has a bad wound infection. so sad but hygiene is a challenge to all in the third world! We keep educating but sometimes you can't keep ahead of what they are thinking/doing!)
The ward I work in is Ward D and we have mostly patients that have had large tumors of the head, mouth, throat, thyroid which makes them a fairly high risk for air way management ie after surgery the tissues usually begin to swell and because of the area we are dealing with, rarely a patient has difficulty breathing. As a result, Ward D is kind of like our ICU. We have all ages which makes me happy because I usually at least have one patient that is under the age of 10 and coming from Neonatal in the USA, that is still BIG. :-) My day consists of lots of dressing changes (which take a lot of time because wounds are large and painful) and doing everything that usually involves a team at home.....my 8 month old needed an EKG...never had to do one before because we had a team that came to the bedside and did EKG's...lots of wires, no idea how to use the machine, where to place electrodes, yah...huge learning curve. This same little one needed a lab draw...Again no one but me for that one (no call to lab to have someone draw it!) There are feedings to hang or IVs to infuse and lots of antibiotics or pain medications to give. (Infection continues to be a problem here in spite of lots of hand sanitizer, teaching pt. to wash hands, keep hands away from incisions, etc. For example, most pts have a care giver with them who stays in hospital under the patients bed on a mattress. We realized recently that a mother was picking up the hem of her skirt to wipe her daughter's face after eating or when their was drainage from dressings....mother had worn that same skirt for the last 4 days, it had been dragging on the floor, let's not get more descriptive...she was quickly stopped when we saw it but how many times it had been done? Needless to say, the daughter has a bad wound infection. so sad but hygiene is a challenge to all in the third world! We keep educating but sometimes you can't keep ahead of what they are thinking/doing!)
To be continued later! internet going down in 5 min.!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Baby Orphanage
Good morning! It is almost time for my shift to begin but it has already been a busy day :). I got up a few minutes before 6 to meet on the dock to run/walk. Most people are long distance runners but a few walk/run so if I get there I'd often find someone to match (Only walk with one or two because narrow streets, big puddles and big trucks.) but it was pouring rain so ran with a gal from New Zealand through the ship and up and down the steps. I got a workout. Then did one load of laundry and off to a baby orphanage. It was so sad to see wee little malnourished babe's with big tummies and tiny sticks for legs. It's enough to make you cry. It was clean, but just toys we brought with to play with. No one cried. Only one little guy would laugh when we tickled him. All clung to us as if their depended on it. Not enough of us so everyone had at least 2 and when you picked up the second one, the first would look away or try to pus the second away. Who could fault them for wanting love all their own? We sat on the floor as few children had strength to walk on their stick like legs. Again, no photos but perhaps you could close your eyes and "see" them? They are imprinted in my heart.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Pictures on the ward
A 7 year old, Secgraf, whose name meant mistake. She was quiet, sad, withdrawn, malnourished little girl. Her 2 year old sister was a chunk and outgoing and appeared to have all of her Mom's love. She came in with a large bilateral cleft lip/palate that needed repair. She was malnourished from years of being unable to eat properly. After her surgery and feeding program and cuddles from nurses, she was a changed little girl from the inside out. She smiled more, actually played some on the ward instead of sitting in a corner watching the other children. Her mother agreed to change her name with some encouragement and chose "Blanche" for white like snow! Pray for this little girl to grow and change and have a osi self esteem as she learns from Him!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
PHOTOS
This is one of the 2 hospitals in the city we are at port in...Pointe Noire, Congo with one Mercy Ships nurses out front.
This is the neonatal intensive care area. The babies are kept in a very small area together and many under bili lights or on IV fluids, a few have actual IV pumps but we count drops to regulate IVs here..(think back to when ?I graduated nursing school!) The area was clean and they are certainly trying. However, all the equipment needed for the baby must be bought by the parents before the baby receives the care...ie feeding tubes, formula, catheters, etc. Sometimes the equipment can not be found locally even if one can afford to pay.
The entrance to the neonatal ward.
There were little openings in the forage along the river where if you looked closely you could see huts behind and where the river people "docked" their boats.
the Congo has very few roads as people travel here in canoes up and down the river that goes all the way up into the rain forest and the pygmy people.
There were 21 of us packed into a van that "normally" holds 15! on the way to the river.
Psalm 19:1-4
1The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
Friday, January 24, 2014
ship trivia
New ship trivia :-)
only 2 minute showers are allowed on ship and only one load of laundry
yes, my clothes will come home looking like the typical college students where whites are dingy gray and darks are not darks but fuzzy with white towel material! :-)
2 min. showers mean you get wet...no letting the water warm up first!..wet, ok....quickly turn off shower. Soap up...oops now you can no longer turn the shower knob on so have a dry washcloth nearby (not a problem on ship as the bathroom is a tiny closet to most of you!) Rinse and even though nothing in you wants to, turn OFF water! Only allowed one daily so chose after work out, ward shift, bedtime. :-) ok, I admit to cheating here!
Ship vocabulary: Plimsoll line: in the 19th century, ships were often recklessly overloaded,resulting in those ships going down and the crews being lost at sea. In 1875, to remedy the negligent practice, British politician Samuel Plimsoll led the charge for legislation to create a line on the side of a ship to show if it was carrying too much cargo. That "load line" became known as the Plimsoll Line, and it continues to mark hulls of ships today. (Info compliments of Daily Bread reading on Jan. 23rd) I enjoy watching out the ship portals to see if a ship is coming in heavily loaded with cargo or floating high and not much onboard...never thought or knew before. (Ok, where do you Iowans use that knowledge..your next cruise..Google?)
only 2 minute showers are allowed on ship and only one load of laundry
yes, my clothes will come home looking like the typical college students where whites are dingy gray and darks are not darks but fuzzy with white towel material! :-)
2 min. showers mean you get wet...no letting the water warm up first!..wet, ok....quickly turn off shower. Soap up...oops now you can no longer turn the shower knob on so have a dry washcloth nearby (not a problem on ship as the bathroom is a tiny closet to most of you!) Rinse and even though nothing in you wants to, turn OFF water! Only allowed one daily so chose after work out, ward shift, bedtime. :-) ok, I admit to cheating here!
Ship vocabulary: Plimsoll line: in the 19th century, ships were often recklessly overloaded,resulting in those ships going down and the crews being lost at sea. In 1875, to remedy the negligent practice, British politician Samuel Plimsoll led the charge for legislation to create a line on the side of a ship to show if it was carrying too much cargo. That "load line" became known as the Plimsoll Line, and it continues to mark hulls of ships today. (Info compliments of Daily Bread reading on Jan. 23rd) I enjoy watching out the ship portals to see if a ship is coming in heavily loaded with cargo or floating high and not much onboard...never thought or knew before. (Ok, where do you Iowans use that knowledge..your next cruise..Google?)
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Eye Screening
I went to help complete the eye screening today so was outside with patients. It was nice to be out in the sun even if it got a bit hot. The children were all so well behaved and very sweet. The people even stayed in lines! What a contrast from Lebanon. Different people on the ship are able to drive the land rovers. Our driver today was retired USA cop. The traffic was awful but he cut right in with the rest of them! Few stoplight and round abouts having 15 cars going all directions. We screened about 160 people and about 30 are possible eye surgery patients for onboard the ship with cataracts etc. I work tomorrow night and then two days off!
Monday, January 20, 2014
Things I have learned so far....
* We are only allowed to leave in a group (so very happy I got invited to the river on Saturday).
* Be sure and never say boat when the captain is around! It's a ship :)
* We have weekly cabin inspections because it is maritime law. Life on a ship. Here is my lovely space. I have the top bunk.
I am sure this list will grow much longer!
* Be sure and never say boat when the captain is around! It's a ship :)
* We have weekly cabin inspections because it is maritime law. Life on a ship. Here is my lovely space. I have the top bunk.
I am sure this list will grow much longer!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Meals on board
We had fish and chips for supper. The food is maybe a bit greasy but overall the cooks do a great job, I have fresh mangos!
Breakfast is cereal or plain yogurt or toast or porridge.
Lunch isn't served on sat or sun so you just make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a salad to eat later. There is always lettuce and tomato and cucumbers and oranges and mango and grapefruit at lunch or dinner with veggies like green beans, carrots, spinach or rice. Main dish changes but some sort of meat.
The food gets brought on the ship through huge containers that are sent by boat from other countries and normally donated from around the world.
Meals around town are a little different and while we were out walking these are some of the things we came across in the market.
The wild animals were sold on the side of the street the same as the piles of bananas or the rows of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Breakfast is cereal or plain yogurt or toast or porridge.
Lunch isn't served on sat or sun so you just make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a salad to eat later. There is always lettuce and tomato and cucumbers and oranges and mango and grapefruit at lunch or dinner with veggies like green beans, carrots, spinach or rice. Main dish changes but some sort of meat.
The food gets brought on the ship through huge containers that are sent by boat from other countries and normally donated from around the world.
Meals around town are a little different and while we were out walking these are some of the things we came across in the market.
The wild animals were sold on the side of the street the same as the piles of bananas or the rows of fresh fruit and vegetables. Sunday Service
Good morning! It is noon here and was able to have quiet time and lively ward church service this morning. We aren't allowed to take pictures of patients or their family on the ship as they have rights and self esteem for us to try and protect. But, there was the cutest little 6 month old in her mothers arms this morning. She had the cutest shy smile and dark brown face that shows off her two little baby teeth on the bottom, pierced ears, soft fluffy tight curled hair, wearing a red pillow case dress with contrasting white ties around the armholes and neck. (Tell Pat they are everywhere!) Her mom was wearing traditional, red, yellow, black long dress. A beautiful match!
We read the story in acts of the beggar outside gate beautiful where Peter and John went to pray and the beggar was healed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. So much healing to still be done here. They definitely know how to sing and praise God...drums and clapping and stomping of feet and dancing!
We read the story in acts of the beggar outside gate beautiful where Peter and John went to pray and the beggar was healed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. So much healing to still be done here. They definitely know how to sing and praise God...drums and clapping and stomping of feet and dancing!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Hello all!
Hello all!
I have no clue if this will truly work so will justt have a go at it with the hopes of pictures to follow sometime this next week! A true miracle for this technically challenged lady if you ever saw one! I indeed arrived safely after 48 hours of airports/airplanes/and the knowledge that the airport in France is freezing...God had a better plan to have me meet up with dear friend's French friends but I never heard page at airport and my electronics couldn't connect to wireless. So plan B or God's plan A? No idea!
The ship was a bit of a cultural shock as there were meetings and more meetings and people and more people and tours and more tours! There are over 600 people on board and 35 nations represented. One can sit in the dining room with 6 people from 6 different countries. For example: breakfast was with OR nurse from communist Romanian now living in Germany, ophthalmologist from Holland, nurse from Australia, pharmacist from France and lab tech from China and ME! True cultural exchange! I am now embracing the beautiful woven fabric but beginning was rough trying to figure out how to fit in. Some of the "long termers", rightfully so, are a bit exhausted of making new friendships when we all just leave again. The 'newcomers" have no idea where to find things, what is 'expected" what is 'normal" "how to make things like electronics work". We need each other but I esp. had a total feeling of not "fitting" in. (Think back to jr. high days...yes, way back for some of us! :-) and walking into lunch room of 300+ people and not knowing where to sit and not knowing anyone...oh, my!) Even though I "knew" people, one has a hard time finding the 6 you might know in a crowd of 600! Yes, God brought me through all that to say "I am with you and will never leave you or forsake you" His presence is an amazing comfort and rock.
Ship words for you all to learn! ;-) Bow(front of ship) aft (back) starboard (right side) port (left) IMPORTANT to know if you want learned the hard way, so be quick to learn these!
Medical: I have worked a day shift and 3 pm shifts. Days is 0700 to 1530 (usually 4-5 nurses for shift); pms 1400 to 2300 (3-4 nurses); nights 2200 to 0730...a long one with just 2 nurses. Our patients are mostly adults with facial/neck/oral tumors some massive size never seen in USA because would have been treated long before ever grew to such size. My heart goes out to these pts. who have often been outcasts of society, downtrodden, cast aways. They tolerate an amazing amount of pain even though we medicate around the clock after surgery...there are numerous dressing changes, therapy, treatments. Please do pray for healing, wisdom, God's touch upon each and every one.
As a nurse, be prepared to not be able to flush and IV...totally different equipment, make an automatic blood pressure machine work...can't even find button to turn it on!. Medications are all "proper names" here so no generic ones that you might think you know! on and on and on...humbling, huge learning curve, helpless, numerous questions, patients in a ward watching your every move...YOU are their nurse for the night...yes, they are scared...wouldn't you be?! LAUGH at yourself here or you will cry! :-)
God is with you even to the end of the age! Blessings and love from the Congo!
I have no clue if this will truly work so will justt have a go at it with the hopes of pictures to follow sometime this next week! A true miracle for this technically challenged lady if you ever saw one! I indeed arrived safely after 48 hours of airports/airplanes/and the knowledge that the airport in France is freezing...God had a better plan to have me meet up with dear friend's French friends but I never heard page at airport and my electronics couldn't connect to wireless. So plan B or God's plan A? No idea!
Ship words for you all to learn! ;-) Bow(front of ship) aft (back) starboard (right side) port (left) IMPORTANT to know if you want learned the hard way, so be quick to learn these!
Medical: I have worked a day shift and 3 pm shifts. Days is 0700 to 1530 (usually 4-5 nurses for shift); pms 1400 to 2300 (3-4 nurses); nights 2200 to 0730...a long one with just 2 nurses. Our patients are mostly adults with facial/neck/oral tumors some massive size never seen in USA because would have been treated long before ever grew to such size. My heart goes out to these pts. who have often been outcasts of society, downtrodden, cast aways. They tolerate an amazing amount of pain even though we medicate around the clock after surgery...there are numerous dressing changes, therapy, treatments. Please do pray for healing, wisdom, God's touch upon each and every one.
As a nurse, be prepared to not be able to flush and IV...totally different equipment, make an automatic blood pressure machine work...can't even find button to turn it on!. Medications are all "proper names" here so no generic ones that you might think you know! on and on and on...humbling, huge learning curve, helpless, numerous questions, patients in a ward watching your every move...YOU are their nurse for the night...yes, they are scared...wouldn't you be?! LAUGH at yourself here or you will cry! :-)
God is with you even to the end of the age! Blessings and love from the Congo!
Friday, January 17, 2014
First Week
I had a rough go of it for the first few days. I was so used to small tight community on trips like this and had no idea what I truly expected. As you may have heard, God has given me "signs" along the way that "He truly never leaves us or forsakes us." one of the nurses from research on my unit at the hospital arrived 2 hours early for the first delayed flight so we had hours together; in France even though I missed my dear friends' attempt at connecting me with some French friends, God provided a nurse from Australia who was coming to Mercy Ships to find each other almost immediately upon arriving to spend the 12 hour layover with (just in case I would miss His hand upon me, God had her named Becky...my sister and youngest daughter's Becca's name!) upon arriving in the country, Mercy Ships staff were right there with us at the gate! My first night in the hospital, one of the quilts on a patient's bed was almost identical to one that had been given to me by Ron's folks. The second song at worship the day we arrived, was "This is the day that The Lord hath made"....sung at our wedding 39 years ago! Yes, God is and always will be with me!
Then perhaps came the harder days. The ship has 7 levels and stairs don't lead to the same places. We had multiple tours but with each tour for me, came more confusion! I knew in advance that I would be in a cabin with 6 gals, but never once thought about what that meant as far as one bathroom. Oh my! Even with only 2 minute showers a rule of the ship, that took some getting used to. :-) 
I totally admit I was close to tears some of those days. The emotions of finally arriving at a place you have dreamed about for years and feeling totally alone, were a bit overwhelming. Add to that the fact that nursing-wise, nothing ie equipment, charting, meds (no generic names) is the same.....I am taking care of adult ENT (ears,nose throat) some with massive facial/head/neck tumors....a long ways from neonatal ICU! A totally humbling experience. But, God is near.
Things are getting better each day and I can walk into the dining room and find someone I might know. I am looking forward to tomorrow, Saturday, and a day off to regroup, sleep in, and have a very, very long time with the Lord! Thanks so much for your prayers!! They have truly gotten me through this first week! "Now to Him who is able to do more than we could ever imagine, we give glory and praise and honor...Praise The Lord!"
Thursday, January 16, 2014
technical difficulties
Hello all,
My mom has made it safely to the CONGO. She is aboard the boat and is getting settled into a routine. She is sharing a room with 5 other ladies...6 women..... one bathroom. Definitely a challenge! She was very happy her carryon and her duffle both fit on the floor under her bunk. She has a narrow, tall closet so she is able to put most of her things away. She says it's a bit strange living on a ship and that she gets lost finding things but there are lots of wonderful people onboard.
She has had to go to many meetings and learn lots of new things. She is working the 3-11:30 shift. When she heads to work she walks literally through one huge steel fire door and then 20 steps away to ward d and her patients. She is looking forward for this weekend off and a chance to go on a field trip.
She has had a hard time getting her internet working but hopefully soon you will get to hear from her directly!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
out of Iowa
The airport adventures continue. Went to the airport in CR early today and got to wait with someone I knew from the hospital for three hours and then got to see Lois and Randy and Jenny there too! Fun to have four people I know on the plane with me. :-) Our plane was delayed because of weather but I still had plenty of time to get out of Atlanta. I got to speak to a woman trying to get to Budapest who was upset that she's not going to make her connection. She was very worried but I got to talk with her and distract her for awhile!
Boarded the second plane to Paris now. Hoping to do lots of sleeping. I'll update again from Congo!
Boarded the second plane to Paris now. Hoping to do lots of sleeping. I'll update again from Congo!
Friday, January 10, 2014
flying tomorrow, Lord willing!
The time has almost come to leave on the adventure God has called me to...I will leave at 12:45 tomorrow, Friday the 10th from Cedar Rapids to Atlanta. Then to Paris and the Congo to arrive Sunday am. Please pray for the first flight especially as the forecast is to have sleet and freezing rain in am here in Cedar Rapids. The Lord is in control! Sleep well my dear friends.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Adventures about to begin
Hello all,
The adventure is about to begin to Mercy Ships and the Congo. Our kids just totally surprised us this afternoon with a combined 60th birthday surprise party for Ron and I AND a bon voyage party. Wow! What a blessing to have family drive hours in this frigid weather , friends from all walks of our lives and shared memories of a life time! Thank you all!
Now I really think I should be on my way. :-) I have my bags packed and since it weighs 50.2 pounds, I can't put anything in without taking something out. I leave Friday from Cedar Rapids to Atlanta to Paris to the Congo to arrive 48 hours later on Sunday morning. Work starts Monday morning so I will blog when I know what "work" on a hospital ship is like.
The adventure is about to begin to Mercy Ships and the Congo. Our kids just totally surprised us this afternoon with a combined 60th birthday surprise party for Ron and I AND a bon voyage party. Wow! What a blessing to have family drive hours in this frigid weather , friends from all walks of our lives and shared memories of a life time! Thank you all!
Now I really think I should be on my way. :-) I have my bags packed and since it weighs 50.2 pounds, I can't put anything in without taking something out. I leave Friday from Cedar Rapids to Atlanta to Paris to the Congo to arrive 48 hours later on Sunday morning. Work starts Monday morning so I will blog when I know what "work" on a hospital ship is like.
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