M’mai covered her chin with an orange rag tied behind her head to make herself more socially presentable. The tumor that protruded from her mouth resembled a whole leg of lamb held between her teeth. The rapid growth of the tumor was alarming. In only two years it had grown so large, it was about to suffocate her.
A young Muslim wife and mother of two small sons, she had been trained as a seamstress. Her leadership skills and ability to connect with people helped her to run a successful shop where several young people were learning to sew. But she stopped working when customers shunned her because of the growth. Verbal abuse from those around her made her feel ashamed, and she withdrew into the house. However, her husband, her sons, and a couple of neighbors continued to be supportive.
She tried traditional African medicine at home, but that didn’t work. The tumor kept growing, and those around her expected her to die. Desperate to find someone to remove the growth, she sold her sewing machine to pay for a trip to see a witch doctor. She was gone for six months. Her family thought she would not return. When she did, she found her husband had taken a second wife, her room had been rented out, and she had to sleep on the couch – a rejected woman.
Still hopeful, M’mai went to a clinic run by missionaries Jonathan and Anja Erickson in N’Zao, Guinea. Jonathan has brought many patients to Mercy Ships in the past, and he knew volunteer surgeon Dr. Tony Giles well. M’mai sent a photo of herself to Dr. Tony and went to the screening that he and his wife, Ann, were holding in the area. He referred her to the Africa Mercy for surgery.
Jonathan drove M’mai and ten other referred patients the 1200 km to the hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, docked in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He stayed with them for a month – providing translation, encouragement, and spiritual comfort.
The volunteer doctors removed the growth from M’mai’s mouth, and she anxiously awaited the therapy that followed. Therapist Sally Peet gave her exercises to practice several times a day. Determined to have a normal face again, M’mai did the exercises faithfully, all day. The next morning, Sally was happily surprised to see how much the swelling of M’mai’s lips had gone down. “My star patient!” she joyfully announced. “She’s so diligent and does her exercises! What an amazing transformation!” And, indeed, the transformation was amazing! Even M’mai was transfixed when she saw her “new” face in the mirror.
There were other transformations, as well. Her confidence returned, she was ready to be sociable once more, and smiles played easily across her lips. While she was recuperating, she spent some time in a Bible study and decided she would give her life to Jesus, saying she didn’t want to return to her old life.
“I would like to start up my sewing shop again,” she said. Her time on the Africa Mercy had not only restored her physical life, but had also opened up a new spiritual life, as well.
She will return to the ship in September for more surgery, if she needs it, and will then be ready for a new beginning at her tailor shop.
“I am so grateful to Mercy Ships,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “And I’m thanking God for what He has done.”
Story by Elaine B. Winn
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos by Debra Bell and Claire Ross
Baby Barbara Receives Life
Babies born with deformities in West Africa start life as victims of the West African superstition that abnormalities are signs of a curse. When Barbara was born with a cleft lip that extended up into her nasal cavity, her father pronounced that she was a “demon child.” He ordered his wife to take the tiny infant into the bush and leave her for dead.
Barbara’s brave mother, Aminata, refused to abandon her child. As a result, she was thrown out of her house and moved in with her sister. Without a way to support her family, Aminata was forced to separate her four other children and send them to the homes of other relatives.
By the time she was eight months old, Barbara’s weight was drastically low because her cleft lip prevented her from getting the nutrition she so desperately needed. In fact she weighed less than 4 kilograms (8.4 pounds), less than half of what a thriving baby her age should weigh. To make matters worse, she had contracted tuberculosis and was placed on a TB program at a local hospital. Of course, the lack of financial support since the abandonment by the baby’s father was another serious obstacle.
Broken and devastated, Aminata had reached her darkest, lowest point. Then God stepped in and brought a ray of light. One day Aminata met a woman who said that Barbara was not a “demon child.” She also said that Mercy Ships would arrive in Sierra Leone in just a few weeks. Volunteer surgeons onboard the Africa Mercy could fix the baby’s lip – for free! Desperately clinging to this fragment of hope, Aminata took Barbara to a Mercy Ships medical screening.
Aminata was delighted when Barbara was accepted for cleft surgery onboardAminata in a better feeding method. Barbara’s weight gain was monitored each week.
The baby girl gained weight the first week she was on the program, but lost weight during the second week. She developed a fever, and she struggled to breathe or keep her formula down. The nurses gave her nasal drops to open her nasal passages, allowing her to breathe more easily. The third week she regained some, but not all, of the lost weight.
It was beginning to look like Barbara was not going to be able to have her surgery. The doctors suspected she might have a cardiac problem, too, which would interfere with plans for cleft surgery. Those working with the program began praying regularly for Barbara, and slowly she began to gain the required weight. At the end of three months, despite all her problems, Barbara was cleared for surgery.
The volunteer surgeons repaired the baby’s cleft lip and palate, as well as the centerline of her nose. Because of her delicate condition, they returned her to intensive care where nurses guarded her recovery. Nurse Jessica King, who supervised Barbara’s case for the Infant Feeding Program, said, “Barbara is a miracle baby. She had a rough time in the ICU, but she made it. She’ll bring her mom a lot of joy.”
Aminata’s love and sacrificial care for Barbara has been rewarded. Her tiny daughter may be fragile, but she has a strong will to survive. She will bless her family with a future of beautiful smiles.
“I’m feeling fine now,” said Aminata, as a tear of joy ran down her cheek. “I’m thanking God for what He has done for me.”
Story by Elaine B. Winn
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos by Tom Bradley, David Peterson and Liz Cantu
Atamin Avon
Mariama was a fifteen-year-old sophomore when her sister died giving birth to a baby daughter named Atamin. With her father’s support and the income from her part-time job as a hairdresser, Mariama left school to take care of Atamin, her sister and two brothers. There was no one else to help. This was a big responsibility for such a young girl, and the job was made even more difficult since Atamin was born with a crossed eye.
Little Atamin became the target of taunts from the neighborhood children.
“Cross eyes! Cross eyes!” they would call, which would bring on a torrent of tears. This wounding of her soul provoked the normally gentle child to misbehave. “She’s wild, causing problems with those other kids,” explained Mariama.
When Atamin was five years old, she was given some very exciting news – she was going to a big, white hospital ship called the Africa Mercy for surgery on her eye. She confidently believed that her eyes could be normal.
A Mercy Ships volunteer ophthalmologist performed the surgery. The next morning he removed the eye patch and handed Atamin a mirror. But the mirror reflected much more than just a properly focused eye – it displayed the joy blooming in a little girl’s glowing smile. The transformation in her personality was immediate and electric! Obviously in awe of the change, she relished the moment, savoring everyone’s exuberant response to the successful surgery.
This beautiful child who loves to dance, play games and sing at church can now thoroughly enjoy doing those things without the overshadowing fear of being shunned.
“I have a lot of thanks for you (Mercy Ships),” said Mariama. “When Baby was at home, people were laughing at her for crossed eyes. May the Lord bless you people. You have healed our daughter.”
Story by Elaine B. Winn
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos by Debra Bell
The misery and shame these dear ones suffered prior to their surgeries help us put into perspective some of the daily challenges we walk through.
Family Update
Emma, Chris & Josh finished school at the end of May.
For Josh is has been a very exciting though busy semester at school bringing it with it all the highs of becoming State Champions with their Theatre Production of Midsummer Nights Dream. He is enjoying lazy mornings and days at home. He is however involved in 2 weeks of Theatre Camp for a group of Elementary School students at the beginning of August. They will be coaching and mentoring these kids, helping them to produce Live Performances (2 groups over the 2 weeks) Josh is looking forward to it.
Chris has kept busy doing yard work(gardening) for a number of Mercy Ships families so far over the summer. He also is up bright and early most mornings for his 7:30am Basket Ball practice till 9am for the Basket Ball Summer League....though he enjoys it, he is frustrated as they have yet to win a game!! They have had a couple of games where they've missed winning by 1 point!!
Steve back in the UK has just finished his Interactive Media Studies Diploma Course and graduated with Distinction/Distinction/Merit. He is delighted with this result. We're very proud of him. He worked many long hours into the night completing all the intricate artwork for his "Stop Motion Animation' project. and other coursework. He has just finished his job at the Metro Centre multi-plex cinema and flies out to Texas to be with us for 3 months over the summer We are all very excited to see him. He will be with us from 5th August till 24th October. After that he hopes to complete all his grade exams 1 through 8 for Drumming with a view to teaching and session playing.
Matt is currently still at seas on his first vessel as a Marine Engineering Cadet. He is doing extremely well and has gained excellent reviews from the Chief Engineer & Second Engineer. His two years experience straight from school, working on the Africa Mercy in shipyard in Newcastle gave him a lot of very useful knowledge which makes him stand head and shoulders above many cadets. He is working long hours, day in day out.....It's not picnic but he is enjoying the work and has really shown his maturity as he has pushed hard with a great attitude!. He finishes around 24th August August to return to the UK and starts back at South Tyneside College for his 2nd rotation of 6 month College time.
Andy & I are adjusting to what is a very different routine for us at the moment. From a financial point of view we still are needing to have Andy do some trips away to boost our income. He is currently sailing around a number of Caribbean Islands (Barbados, Trinidad, Suriname & Curacao) on an oil tanker. He is due home around 7th August.
Brenda's work at the Mercy Ships Head Office has her working closely with the HR Department on board the ship. Her work revolves around keeping policies and procedures current, process definition & most recently being the lead HR staff member working on implementation of a new HR Software package just installed for Mercy Ships HR (organization wide).
Every member of the body of Christ, at home or abroad, has a unique part to play, uniquely crafted and purposed just for them to be able to fulfill their part in God's bigger plan for His Kingdom....wow...amazing that God entrusts that to us....
Thanks you for partnering with us!
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