Thursday is known as Thankful Thursday on the wards of the Africa Mercy. What are you thankful for today? Our team leader Bethany asked as she lead handover at the beginning of the shift. I'm thankful that God created us to be healed she said. Imagine if our bodies didn't heal from injuries and instead we were left with whatever damage occurred to us - broken bones, lacerations etc. It's a disturbing thought. She points to a burn on her arm. Look how much this burn has healed in just a few days. I'm thankful for our body's ability to heal.
I have had the privilege of witnessing patient's lives be healed on a daily occurrence. Patients enter the hospital heavy with shame, ridicule and embarrassment bearing deformities such as facial tumours, cleft lips/palates, hernias, lipomas and severe burn contractures. The change is obvious by they time they are discharged home or to the HOPE Centre (Hospital Outpatients Extension Centre).
Grace is one of those patients. I first met Grace while working with the screening team for a day during the first week of the outreach. Her tumour was huge and ghastly, not much smaller than a soccer ball, extending from her jaw and protruding out of her mouth. I did my best to ignore the tumor and look her in the eyes as I spoke to her. Bonjour Grace, J'e ma pelle Naomi, Ca va? A muffled Bonjour could be heard in response before she quickly lowered her eyes back to the ground. The shame and discomfort was clearly evident in this seventeen year old girl.
She was operated on by the incredible (-y humble) maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Gary and her 2.2kg tumour was removed. As she recovered the difference was remarkable. When I saw her at the HOPE centre a month later I was amazed. I remembered the girl with downcast eyes, laced with fear who I had met at the screening tent. Corny phrases like 'the eyes are a window to the soul' now have more weight and meaning. Her eyes were once a window to a world of shame, embarrassement and fear as she stared at her inevitable future; death by suffocation or starvation. They now shone bright as she faced her future with new found hope and confidence. She could smile now. She could eat properly. She could have a conversation free of overwhelming shame.
Grace is one of more than 60, 000 patients whose lives have similarly been changed through free surgery provided by Mercy Ships. Patients I've had the honour of caring for and witnessing healing take place are patients like Janet, a beautiful lady who walked down the gangway of the Africa Mercy with a brand new smile after bearing a deformed cleft lip for over thirty years. Benecia, an adorable little girl who received reconstructive surgery on her badly disfigured nose. Eleizer, the sweetest eight year old who stole my heart as I cared for him following his reconstructive surgery to his badly burnt hand. By sweet I mean he not only helped me find a good vein to stick a needle in for his IVC but then smiled and thanked me after I inflicted this pain. Ilaura, a twenty one year old man whose complex surgery involving a tendon transfer and extensive grafting allowed him greater function of a badly damaged arm. Gloire, a moody fourteen year old with burn contractures that had webbed her upper arms to her side. She received plastic surgery involving multiple skin grafts to release her arms and restore function. I grew to love this girl that sometimes loved me, sometimes hated me depending on her mood. Maybe I could relate from when I was fourteen. (Just maybe, hey Mum)
It is through these surgeries that the opportunity arises to share the love of Jesus. For a young girl with a huge facial tumour, it would be futile to simply tell her of a God who loves her, but do nothing to help her present situation.
However when the love of God is demonstrated through action, in this case free surgery, it is much more believable. Faith by itself, unless accompanied by action, is dead (James 2:17). But God is alive and his love is real when faith is expressed through action.
Ask Grace.