Life at the bottom of the gangway!

Things are so busy on ship that I find that I don't even go outside or up to Deck 8 for a breath of air from Monday through Friday. It's strange not going outside all week, so when the weekend comes, I usually tag along with others and walk through town. Which is an experience in itself! The ship is ported at a container ship yard.

Just outside the port is a huge slum. Strangely, oceanfront property is the least desirable place to make your home because all the garbage is dumped into the ocean. I don't know if you can tell from this picture, but children are swimming in water that is contaminated with all kinds of refuse and debris. They are laughing and playing as any normal child would, the difference is that they are swimming in absolute filth.

This is trash, not shells!

This group of young men are calling out to me to “snap” them (take their picture) and are posing like tough guys for the “snap”. The truth is that they really are tough! Most are street kids that have lost both parents in the war, unemployment is above 80% and there is little hope for a future. That is the African culture of despair. As you walk down the street from the port, amidst the tin shacks; no electricity, no running water (and this is a city of 2 million) children run out to greet you with smiles and “Hello, Ow da bodi”! They are so innocent and hopeful, then you see the teenage boys with angry looks on their faces as the reality of despair sets in.

Thanks for reading this!  I'll post again soon....

Premier of the "Jesus Film" at Devil Hole

Last night a group of us went to a little village called "Devil Hole" about 30 miles from Freetown.  We were invited by a local pastor to come and show "The Jesus Film".  If you're not familiar with this film, it is a movie about Jesus that is translated into hundreds of languages.  It starts briefly with creation touches on Abraham, Moses, but mostly focuses on Jesus. 

When we arrived at the village, there were only about 10 or 12 people milling around and we greeted the townspeople and set up our projection equipment.  As dusk came and we were ready to start the film, out of nowhere over 300 people showed up we had children hanging all over us, sitting on our laps, glued to the film translated into Krio.  Krio is like a pidgeon English..."How are you" is..."Ow de bodi?"  "Thank you" is "Tenki"; "How did you sleep?" is "Ow yu slep?".  You get the picture!  You have to listen very carefully to pick up a word here and there.  It was interesting watching Jesus give the Sermon on the Mount in Krio..."Tell Gowd tenki".

To watch the people's reaction to the film was priceless.  After each miracle, everyone clapped and cheered...when Judas came on the scene there were boo's and people yelling, "He da baaad guy!"  The crowd went crazy when the disciples pulled up their nets and all the fish fell into the boat.  Many of them fish to make a living.  It struck me that the boats the fishermen use here in Sierra Leone are pretty much the same as the ones used in Jesus' time.

They were so interactive and exuberant, it surprised me!  Even some curious Muslim's showed up and were drawn in by the drama of Jesus's ministry.  It was a beautiful evening with a slight breeze, a nearly full moon and the ground was sandy, rather than the ubiquitous red dust and dirt. 

After the film, many people came forward for prayer, mother's proudly introduced their babies to us and asked us to remember them in our prayers!  It was a beautiful experience. 

You Tube Video from Mercy Ships

The link below has more video from last week's screening day and some interesting facts about Sierra Leone.  It's very interesting, so take a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf17tN9LD0g

Successful Second Try - Screening Day #2

Screening Day #2 – We rolled out of bed at 4:15 and our convoy of land rovers hit the streets at 4:45 headed to the abandoned UN compound for another try at screening. It's surreal driving the streets of Freetown in the early morning hours. There were a smattering of people sitting on the sidewalks with candles, an occasional lone light bulb hanging from a post illuminating rusty tin siding. Just another reason they call Africa the dark continent. Its' striking how sparse electricity is. We arrived at the compound and set up stations to receive the masses of club feet, deformed legs, burns, cleft pallets, goiters, and other strange growths and disfigurements. This time the Sierra Leone Army patrolled the compound and the screening process went very peacefully. Once again, thousands of people came in the hopes of being selected for medical attention; about 400-500 were chosen for the types of surgeries offered on ship. (orthopedics, maxillofacial, plastics, & general).  Everything went very smoothly and the crowds of people were very peaceful.  Below are some images of the day!

Loading up dockside to head for the UN Compound!

 

Praying for the screening - that God would bring those that can be successfully treated!  I'm in the red shirt!



People arriving at the break of dawn!





Leading patients into the compound.



 

 

Many have traveled considerable distance and used what little resources they have to try to get medical help.



The queue is close to 2,000 people long!

He is very excited to be one of the fortunate ones to receive the Admission Card!

  

This is why we are here!













We had our hospital Open House. This was so much fun... inserted an IV; stitched up a wound; performed CPR; and, best of all...lanced a boil (mayo & ketchup for bloody pus) and drained a humongous hematoma! It was great fun. The picture you see is of me learning how to intubate a patient...I'm sure I chipped his front teeth with the scope and ripped out his vocal cords inserting the tube...fortunately it was only a mannequin. 

Dental Clinic - A Very Popular Place!



People in que for the dental screening - Many days over a thousand people have waited to be seen by the dental team.  The Dental Clinic is very popular because there are absolutely no services for these people and they just have to live with the pain until an NGO arrives with help!








This is Dr. Billy, a good ole Irish fella.  Last week the Dental Team saw 1270 patients and extracted 1100 teeth!  That's exhausing work pulling that many teeth...had to take a break for St. Paddy's Day and went to an Irish Pub (O'Casey's) for a Guiness.  Sadly, Billy was only here for two weeks and went back home to Dublin.  Sure am gonna miss the mate!



A Day at the Beach!

 

Got to know each other really well!



Things have been so hectic...so much to do and so little time. I feel like life here is a cross between the Navy and summer camp! We finally had a much needed break and headed to the beach.  We were transported in 12 passenger buses (called poda-poda's). The picture says it all...we crammed 20 people in the poda-poda and drove two hours over terrain far worse than any logging road I've been on. But, it was all worth it! The beach was beautiful the water was warm and we ordered lobster from a local restaurant (however, it may have been a mistake to tour the kitchen!)

The chef!