DEBRA BELL MERCY IN WEST AFRICA: SIERRA LEONE

My service with Mercy Ships on the m/v Africa Mercy

Please join me on my African Mercy Mission! Photos: Debra Bell

Email: dbafricajourney@gmail.com /
blog: http://debonroad.blogspot.com/
Phone the ship: 1-954-538-6110 - ext 1610

Proverbs 31:8-9 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Who Is Mercy Ships? http://www.mercyships.org/
Mercy Ships, a global charity that has operated hospital ships in developing nations since 1978, is the leader in using ships to deliver free world-class health care and community development services to the world's forgotten poor. Mercy Ships has chosen to follow the 2,000 year-old model of Jesus: the blind see, the lame walk, the mute speak. Mercy Ships brings hope and healing to the forgotten poor by mobilizing people and resources worldwide, and serving all people without regard for race, gender, or religion. The newest vessel the m/v Africa Mercy is the world's largest charity hospital ship, with six operating theatres, 78 hospital beds and crew of 450 + volunteers. Ship specs: length-152m, breadth-23.7m
(for more info go to my Jan 2011 archive: MERCY SHIPS and the m/v AFRICA MERCY HISTORY: 1/14/2011 update)

PARTNERSHIP WITH DEBRA: Please prayerfully consider partnering with me as I serve the ministry of Mercy Ships and the forgotten poor of the nations of West Africa. I am the ship's photographer, capturing impacting visuals that enable Mercy Ships to share with the world the hope and healing of a better life for the people of West Africa. We as volunteers are required to raise funds for participation in Mercy Ships project expenses such as crew fees and living expenses. Your donations, prayers and encouragement will make a great difference in the lives of the people we serve. It will allow me the honor to partner with you and enable me to continue serving long term with Mercy Ships. Thank you to those who have blessed me with friendships, partnerships & prayer support. Many lives have been changed including my own. For this I am eternally grateful.

OPTIONS FOR DONATING:
1) Donate Directly On Line
2) Send tax-deductible checks payable to Mercy Ships, indicate on a separate note donation for Mercy Ships Project #2077

CANADIAN Donations mail checks to:
Donor Services, Mercy Ships Canada, #5-3318 Oak St, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8X 1R1, Toll Free ph: 1-866-900-7447 /
To set up credit card or debit donations: Ph: 250-381-2160
web: www.mercyships.ca / email: msca@mercyships.ca
(Identify donations with Project #2077)

CANADIAN Direct ON LINE Donations click here:
http://mercyships.donorpages.com/MERCYGIFTS/DebraBell: (Identify donation by Project #2077)

USA & other Country Donations mail checks to:
Donor Services, Mercy Ships Shipmates, Box 2020, Lindale, TX, USA, 75771, Ph: +1-903-939-7190
(Identify donations with Project #USMS2077
USA Toll Free ph: 1-800-772-7447 www.mercyships.org /

USA & other Country Direct ON LINE Donations click here:
https://connect.mercyships.org/page/outreach/view/crewmates/Debra

Mercy Ships Crew Mates -Debra's Bio Donate-Contribute Now. (Identify donation by Project #2077)

Thursday, June 9, 2011

SIERRA LEONE - MAMADU HEALED

Mariama met her husband in a village in Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. They were delighted when their first son was born. Mariama’s husband had a stable job as a butcher, and Mariama took care of the house and her baby son. Life was content.
Then the birth of their second son, Mamadu, changed their comfortable, typical routines into a daily struggle. He was born with a cleft lip. The West African culture is not kind to physical deformities, seeing them as a sign of a curse. As a result, Mamadu was rejected by society. His mother did her best to watch him at all times to keep him safe from mistreatment.
Wide-eyed little Mamadu only knew a life of fear. Apart from his immediate family, his only friend was a toy motor car. He would play with this toy for endless hours every day. It took him into his own make-believe world – where no one called him unforgiving names or kicked dust in his face. At the tender age of fifteen months, his future looked bleak.
But, one day, they received news that could change the course of Mamadu’s future forever. An uncle told Mariama about a children’s clinic in Aberdeen, Freetown. Even though it was a long journey taking several days, Mariama seized the opportunity and took Mamadu to the clinic. The doctor examined Mamadu and then relayed the disappointing news that he was unable to treat the condition.
Mariama tried to conceal her sadness as her hopes began to crumble. However, the doctor then smiled and handed her a leaflet telling her that Mercy Ships could heal her little son, and the ship had just arrived in Freetown.
Mamadu was accepted for treatment at the Mercy Ships screening day. Within a few weeks, the baby boy’s cleft lip was repaired by the world-class medical teams onboard the Africa Mercy. This hospital ship is unique in that all the crew are professional volunteers from around the globe. They share a desire to walk in the footsteps of Jesus by healing the forgotten poor.
Mamadu’s Muslim family discovered a greater depth of happiness during their son’s treatment by Mercy Ships than they had ever experienced before. When it was time to go home, Mariama shared her determination to send Mamadu to school so that he will one day become a doctor. With a beaming smile, she added, “I am very happy. There is no longer daily stress. I am so thankful to Mercy Ships for what they have done.”