Times of Change

As of today, I have been in Madagascar for 10 days. And a lot has happened since then! I left RDU on August 26 and made it to Antananarivo (Tana) on August 27 by way of Boston and Paris. A group of us serving with Mercy Ships, stayed in the capitol for a few days before making the long 11 hour bus ride to Tamatave where the ship is docked.

We arrived on the ship this past Monday, August 31 and have been in nursing orientation for the majority of the week. We got to hear from the different ward leaders, learn about the (paper) charting, and help clean and set up the wards. Patients start arriving on Monday and surgeries begin Tuesday! I know it will be a totally different kind of nursing than I am used to, but I am anxious and excited to get started!

In addition to starting a new kind of nursing, there are a ton of other changes/transitions that have taken place in these last 10 days. And I'm sure there is still much more to come! I am on the other side of the world from my home (for an extended about of time). I'm away from the family. I'm living on a ship! I share a room with 5 other girls. I'm limited to a 2 minute shower each day. I do not speak the slightest bit of French or Malagasy. I'm making new friends. And the list goes on...

With all this change at once, it is very easy for me to feel overwhelmed. But God has a way of reminding me that He has placed me here at this time for a purpose; and He has a way of reminding me at just the right time. One of those times was Thursday night at one of our weekly meetings. 

We reached a time when we were going to break off into groups and go throughout the different areas of the hospital and pray for that specific area. My group went to the lab. We got a little slip of paper of specific prayer requests for the lab when we arrived. One of the requests struck a chord with me. It read...

" [Pray that] We will have a surplus of blood donors-- that by this unique feature of crew members donating to patients, doors will open to talk about Jesus giving his blood for us."

The Africa Mercy is a VERY unique place to live and work. It is unlike any other hospital I have ever heard of or seen. One of it's many unique features is that it's blood bank is completely composed of volunteer crew members blood that they have donated. Drawing that comparison of crew members giving their blood to help save patient's lives to Jesus voluntarily shedding his blood on the cross to save our lives gave me goose bumps. I do pray that this unique feature would open doors to talk about Jesus with our patients. Would you also pray?

That prayer meeting did serve as a reminder to me that I am here for a purpose. It reminded me that I have such a privilege to serve people who otherwise would not receive medical care, amongst co-workers who share the same heart in service, in a hospital whose mission statement is "Mercy Ships follows the 2000-year-old model of Jesus, bringing hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor." It doesn't get much better than that. I am very, very thankful for this opportunity.

(P.S...I'm having a hard time downloading pictures on my blog using my ipad, so stay tuned to facebook and instagram for pictures!)