Work Heartily as Unto the Lord

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for man, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. ~ Colossians 3:23-24


Ward in cleaning process

   

This scripture has been echoing through my mind over the last several days. The work aboard this ship has not been glamorous. Many days have been spent scrubbing and disinfecting ceilings, walls, floors, toys, mattresses, and everything else that can be cleaned. There is a coating of dust on everything in the hospital from two years of dormancy. 


Ward ready for patients

One could easily slip into an attitude of grumbling. However, we are called to do everything heartily as unto Him. That means cleaning the floor with intention, choosing joy amidst the dust, and celebrating the opportunity to serve out patients even before their arrival. Ultimately, cleaning and disinfecting means better outcomes for our patients as we prevent potential infections. It also provided an opportunity to get acquainted with the nursing staff. Each one has arrived here with an incredible story about their own journey to the Africa Mercy. The Lord absolutely gathered this group of nurses to Senegal for such a  time as this. Together, we did it! All five hospital wards and the ancillary rooms are ready to receive patients! 

With great joy, we received our first patients into the hospital yesterday! This morning, I helped send the first set of patients to the operating room for their surgical repairs. It was an incredible moment to see the first patient walk down the hall, away from a past of rejection and isolation into a future filled with hope and community.

Prayer Requests:

  • Skilled hands of the surgeons as we start surgical cases.
  • Physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of patients.
  • Rest of all kinds.

Comments

Post a Comment

I would love to hear from you! If you have questions, please ask and I will do my best to address them in future posts or I will get in touch with you personally,

Popular posts from this blog

Home is Wherever My Duffel Bag Falls

Image
Hello from Senegal, once again!!! I'm so thankful for the ability to share the events of recent months. Last time I wrote I was preparing to embark on a new journey with Mercy Ships. The last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind adventure that I would love to share with you. Here's a brief synopsis of events over the last three months: - At the end of August, I packed up my longtime home in Oregon. I said goodbye to my friends, church, and hospital. I am forever grateful for the community God built around me in Oregon. At this point, I relocated to my parent's home in Idaho. The first of many moves in a short span of time.  - Mid-September brought with it a temporary move to Lindale, Texas. I had the opportunity to spend 4 weeks at the Mercy Ships International Service Center going through a training program called OnBoarding. We learned about Mercy Ships as an organization. We also dug into the Word of God, looking at who He says each of us is through His eyes and how...
Read more

Bravery and Hope

Image
Africa Mercy in Dakar Hey all! Glad you came to visit again. Today, I don't have any pictures of grand adventures. Instead, I have a story to tell you. While onboard the Africa Mercy, I am assigned to work on D Ward. This is the hospital ward caring for maxillofacial patients. What's that? Think cleft lip, cleft palate, facial tumors, etc. I have been blessed with the opportunity to care for these patients before and after they have surgical repairs. For background, I have cared for patients from 3-years old to nearly 50. All have facial deformities that limit opportunities in life and may have isolated each from their community. Think isolation at the beginning of COVID, but for an entire lifetime instead of a year or two. In Senegal, the medical system is a you-pay. If you cannot afford to pay for treatment or live too far from a hospital, then your ailment will continue to be present.  Enter Mercy Ships. Advertisement was circulated throughout Senegal that Mercy Ships was co...
Read more

Preparing for Senegal

Image
Hey all, Alissa here! I am so excited that you have chosen to join me on my journey to serve with Mercy Ships. This is an adventure that has been years in the making and will come to fruition in a few short days. Bright and early on February 10, I am boarding a flight headed for an unknown but very exciting three-month volunteer commitment in Senegal, Africa.  Before we get to the details, I want to share a little about myself. For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of working in missions medicine delivering hope and healing to people groups with little access to medical resources. For the last six years, I have pursued this dream by working as Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) nurse at a Portland, Oregon, children's hospital and setting down deep roots at my home church. Now, it's time to begin living out the dream placed on my heart.                   Now for the fun stuff!  I am temporarily moving to Dakar, Senegal...
Read more