Nama nala means I miss you

Hey all! First off, no, I did not forget about you. I completed my time in Senegal and then traveled to Croatia for a trip that had been postponed for two years. I've made the trek back to my home in Oregon which greeted me with rain showers in typical Pacific Northwest fashion. Since being home, I've connected with friends and have had the opportunity to share about my time in Senegal. 

Even after multiple questions and opportunities to share, I'm still not sure how to sum up my time in Senegal. Words and phrases that come to mind include life-altering, faith affirming, perspective changing, and refining. However, none of these truly do justice to the months that I spent in Dakar. 

The Lord was continually faithful to answer prayers. He brought together an incredible international community of people to serve His children in Senegal. Friendships were forged that will last a lifetime. I heard the saying "once a Mercy Shipper, always a Mercy Shipper" before I departed for this mission. I don't think I fully grasped the immense meaning until my departure from the ship when I realized that Mercy Ships will always be in my blood. 


Hospital team at the beginning of field service - This group contains medical professionals from USA, Canada, Netherlands, France, Germany, Colombia, Australia, Scotland, England

The Lord made a way through sickness, delays, and complications to bring hope and healing to our patients. In case you didn't hear, I got COVID in my last couple of weeks onboard the ship with 60 of my crewmates. This meant each of us was isolated for 10 days. We were able to go outside for one hour every day for fresh air, but we had to wear a high visibility vest. It made me better understand how the lepers felt in the Bible when they were outcast since the disease was so contagious. Miraculously, and I do truly mean only by God's grace, COVID never made it to our patients and the surgical schedule was only marginally delayed. 

Deck 8 COVID party time








Over the 12 weeks, I came to understand Teranga (hospitality) more and more. My world is forever changed because of my Senegalese friends that introduced me to their country and culture. You are all so kind and gentle. Thank you for welcoming me to your world and patiently teaching me. My Wolof is still terrible, but I'll keep working on it!














Goodbyes are never easy. Leaving the ship was no exception. I spent my last week aboard being reminded of the treasures the Lord had given me...friends, new nursing skills, an enlarged heart for His people and eyes to see them the way He sees them, and boldness. 

In Wolof, nama nala means I miss you. D ward has a wall with this phrase surrounded by the faces of patients we treated and discharged so far this field service. It serves as a reminder of the hope and healing that has been given out in spades. Before I leave you, I want to tell each of you nama nala. Whether you are in the US, Senegal, or anywhere else in the world, I have loved sharing this journey with you. 



As my first journey with Mercy Ships draws to a close, I want to leave you with this. The goal of serving on the Africa Mercy was to bring hope and healing to the people of Senegal. My hope is that some of you have also experienced hope and healing through sharing in my journey. May I remind you of the eternal source of hope and healing; it comes through Jesus Christ. Our hurts have come upon us because of our own mistakes and choices each of us have made (also known as sin). Sin carries eternal consequences, a debt that must be paid by each individual. The cost of sin is an eternal sentence to hell. The Bible tells us hell is a place of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Here's where Jesus comes in. He came to the earth to pay our eternal debt. He chose to substitute himself on the cross in our place. He died and then he broke the power of death through his resurrection. We are no longer bound to eternal hell if we choose to recognize Jesus as our Savior. If we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, we will be saved eternally. That's the best kind of hope and healing I could ever dream of. May I challenge you to investigate this kind of hope and healing. 


Prayer Requests:
  • A new ship was christened last week. The Global Mercy is now ready to join the Mercy Ships fleet. Be praying that it would fulfill its purpose as Mercy Ships double its ability to care for the people it serves. 
  • Healing for the patients currently onboard the AFM. Over 300 surgeries have been completed to date in Senegal. May the ship continue to serve the people of Senegal well in the coming months. 

STAY TUNED!

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.     ~  Isaiah 43:19




If you'd like to hear more stories from Senegal, reach out to me at alissa.kehr@gmail.com. Let's set up a time to chat!!

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