Greetings from the Africa Mercy for my final update related to my time in the nation of Guinea. Our time has come to an end, a verse I shared at our special event to express our thanks to our day workers was from Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”
I want to take this opportunity to thank our great God for an amazing field service and to you all my friends and family who stand with me as I serve here, I am most grateful. I greatly miss my patients, caregivers and friends in Guinea; it was emotionally hard to say so many goodbyes. For some, there are ways to stay in touch via mobile phone, text message and email, but for others that is not possible. I continue to pray for them and for their complete recovery and healing and for all God has purposed for them and their lives.
As Programs Administrator for the Africa Mercy, I prepare all of our statistical reports and assist with the final project reports and many others. To the side, you see a small pie chart reflecting one area: surgeries during this field service and the surgical specialties. As you see, it was a busy field service and many lives transformed. In addition to the amazing life changing and in some cases lifesaving surgeries, this crew were involved with a dental clinic (providing care to over 10,000 people and basic oral health education), eye clinic (not just screening for surgery, but providing thousands of eye glasses and sun glasses for protection from the strong African sun), and palliative care (for 29 people in their final months of life). Our hospital chaplaincy team members were available every day to minister and counsel our patients and caregivers. Our mercy ministries teams had 315 site visits with local partners, from visiting the prisons, orphanages, schools for the disabled and sharing the Jesus Film in the local languages in partnership with Campus Crusade to over 10,000 and 1,800 responded with a request for prayer or to make a commitment to follow Jesus. Training happened in some many areas including: surgeons (eyes, orthopaedic, VVF, maxillofacial and reconstructive); ward and operating room nurses, anesthesia providers, dental students, palliative care workers , agriculture trainers in organic agriculture who have already trained over 300 community farmers, health care and social workers and church leaders in mental health, and leadership conferences for church, community and government leaders.
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