Praise & Prayer Points

In my life, I find it helpful to know the details of a situation so that I can pray specifically for certain topics. With that in mind, I decided to set up this page for those who would like to pray for the current field service. From time-to-time I will update it with new items, so I encourage you to visit periodically.

_____________

For the hospital crew – Surgery started on the 9th of September. One thing that I love about the start of surgery is that our Chief Medical Officer on board the ship says a prayer over the ship’s intercom system. It’s also an exciting day because for months we have prepared for this moment. Our first surgical patient this field service was a boy named Saliou who came for cleft lip repair. At this time, the active surgical specialties include maxillofacial, plastics and general. Please pray for the anesthesiologists, surgeons, and nurses who work in the operating rooms, especially for good team coordination and focus during surgery.

For patient selection – In Senegal, Mercy Ships is collaborating with the Ministry of Health and Social Action to select patients. While it might seem easier to go about patient selection alone, the involvement of the Ministry demonstrates the government’s care for the Senegalese people and its support of Mercy Ships. As both parties work in partnership, please pray for cohesion, aligned expectations, and opportunities to learn from one another. Also, please keep the teams that are traveling into each region in your prayers – for safety on the roads, good health, patience during the long days, and discernment when evaluating potential patients. This team has a special place in my heart and the start of the field service has required a lot of flexibility.

For our training and mentoring programs – Though everyone knows Mercy Ships because of the surgery offered by the organization, a large and growing component of its work focuses on capacity building for the country. We have training programs, such as safe surgery, safe anesthesia, biomedical engineering, and food for life (agriculture), in addition to mentoring opportunities for some local surgeons and nurses. All of these activities are getting underway now too. Please pray for the participants. We are hopeful that the government will select people from hospitals throughout the country even though most of the programs are based in Dakar. Also, as the aim is for these participants to then train others, the best candidates are those who are committed to their work, appreciate knowledge exchange, and who like to teach or mentor others.

For my return to the USA – I have always been one to adapt quickly and rather easily to new places and situations. However, I recognize that the environment, daily living, and community on board the Africa Mercy is quite different from what I experience in the USA. Please pray that the reentry process will go smoothly both logistically and emotionally. The fact that I am able to stay with my parents is a blessing and relieves the stress of figuring out housing while abroad. I’m grateful for that. My original intent was to start the job search once the ship arrived to Dakar and I moved back on board. However, I remained quite busy finishing objectives from Advance and supporting the screening team during the month leading up to my departure, so I quickly decided to put a hold on applications. I am a person of many interests, and I am open to living in multiple cities, so it’s hard to know where to start the search. Please pray that God would help me to narrow my focus and for wisdom when it comes time for decision-making. 

For those who have followed this page for a while, we did finally choose a house for the dental team. The owners did significant renovations before the team moved in, including the addition of 3 bathrooms, painting, installation of A/C units, and construction of bunk beds and a kitchen table. From what I have heard, everyone is very happy with it. Thanks to those who prayed!

Last update: 25 September 2019