Looking very sharp in his Boy Scout uniform, nine-year-old Joseph Fofanah stepped up to accept his country's flag. Then he marched crisply to place it in the stand, saluted, and retreated smartly. It was appropriate that this young man participated in the ceremony to welcome the arrival of the Africa Mercy in Sierra Leone.
Mercy Ships played a very important role in Joseph's life. He was born with a cleft palate and cleft lip. “He was having a problem,” said his mother, Isatu. “Any liquid we fed him would come back out his nose.”
This serious birth defect negatively impacts the lives of many African children. Fortunately, Isatu realized that her son needed a medical procedure to repair the cleft. However, the cost of the surgery was more than she and her husband could afford. “But the pastor and the doctor who delivered Joseph told me not to worry,” said Isatu. “A Mercy Ship is just on the way.”
Joseph had his first surgery in 2002, when he was almost four months old, and he received a second surgery the following year. He has no memory of his problem or of his Mercy Ships experiences, but the success of these procedures is evident in his brilliant smile.
Today, Joseph is a happy, active fourth-grader. His favorite subject is mathematics, which may have something to do with his ambition to be a banker one day. An avid football (soccer) enthusiast, he is the goalie on his school team, and enjoys playing with his younger brother, Joshua.
Scouting is very popular in Sierra Leone, and Joseph is a five-year member of Boy Scout Team 3. “I really love to march,” he says, and he's looking forward to camping with his troop.
When asked what he thought about being onboard the Africa Mercy , he grinned and exclaimed, “I'm excited, and I really want to stay here!”
Story by Elaine B. Winn
Photos by Debra Bell
Friday, June 10, 2011
SIERRA LEONE-PONSETI TRAINING
In West Africa, the birth defect commonly known as club foot is often thought to be the touch of the devil. The result of that fear is that babies with this problem are ridiculed and shunned, condemned to a dismal future.
Club foot is a condition present from birth in which the foot grows inward. Although the problem is widespread in West Africa, the deformity can be easily reversed by a series of casts developed by Dr. Ignacio Ponseti.
Mercy Ships physicians recommended using the Ponseti method in Africa. In the 2010 Field Service, Dr Frank Haydon directed the Ponseti Treatment Program with CNAO (the national prosthetic/orthotic center) in Lomé, Togo. For the 2011 Field Service in Sierra Leone, Dr. Haydon adapted the program to incorporate long-term sustainability through partnerships with Prosthetic Outreach Foundation (POF), Aberdeen Rehabilitation Centre, Handicap International, and Cure Clubfoot Worldwide. Significant practical training is offered to the existing partnered clinics. This allows for services to continue even after Mercy Ships has left the country.
The training program encompasses all aspects of the treatment – medical, resources, patient care, and sustainability of clinics. Dr Frank Haydon, assisted by Anna Vines, leads Train the Trainer events for local health care professionals. These events are dynamic and interactive – utilizing slideshows, videos, practical demonstrations with props, and group workshops to practice techniques.
The Program delivers theory, resolutions to common issues, and practical techniques. Step one emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis. The main objective is targeting children, 0-2 years old, when the bones are still forming. Early identification minimizes the prevalence of this condition in the adult population and improves the success of ongoing in-country treatment plans.
In the second stage the method of casting is described and practiced during the workshops. The casting phase is usually up to six casts per treatment. During each casting, the baby’s foot is physically manipulated by applying pressure to the corrected foot alignment. This is a gentle technique that does not cause pain for the babies.
Generally the complications are limited to circulation difficulties – a problem that is easily remedied. However, the most common reason for treatment failure is broken casts, so the program strongly addresses ongoing counseling with the babies’ caregivers.
Throughout the training, brainstorming is strongly encouraged. At one event, a topic of discussion involved applying chicken wire as an abrasive material to protect the casts because this can be easily supplied at a low cost.
Step three addresses achillotenotomy, the surgical procedure to sever the Achilles tendon. This is usually performed after the fourth or fifth cast. Each workshop begins with a discussion of sterilization before practicing surgery on a model to identify the “safe triangle” between arteries, nerves and tendons.
The topic of the final stage is the design and use of the Foot Abduction Braces (FAB). This is critical to prevent relapse after the casting phase. The braces were originally invented by Dr. Ignacio Ponseti. However, Dr. Frank Haydon has pioneered the introduction of foot brace molds in West Africa. The soft leather shoes are secured onto a metal bar at specific angles to maintain the correct foot position. For three months the braces are worn 23 hours a day. Afterward, they are worn at night for up to three years. The workshops demonstrate the simple, yet effective, tools to make the shoes.
In order to treat a full schedule of clubfoot patients, clear organizational processes are needed. So, the training program includes fundamental requirements for successful clinic management – setting up a new clinic, assessment of treatment plans, advertising options and patient care advice for the caregivers.
Bambino Suma (Clinical Manager, POF) highlighted the valued of the knowledge shared during the training program, saying, “There are more ideas for the future. It is a very good experience. I was able to see past mistakes and improve my knowledge. There is a higher, new scale of training from this Mercy Ships program.”
Story by Claire Ross
Photos Debra Bell
Club foot is a condition present from birth in which the foot grows inward. Although the problem is widespread in West Africa, the deformity can be easily reversed by a series of casts developed by Dr. Ignacio Ponseti.
Mercy Ships physicians recommended using the Ponseti method in Africa. In the 2010 Field Service, Dr Frank Haydon directed the Ponseti Treatment Program with CNAO (the national prosthetic/orthotic center) in Lomé, Togo. For the 2011 Field Service in Sierra Leone, Dr. Haydon adapted the program to incorporate long-term sustainability through partnerships with Prosthetic Outreach Foundation (POF), Aberdeen Rehabilitation Centre, Handicap International, and Cure Clubfoot Worldwide. Significant practical training is offered to the existing partnered clinics. This allows for services to continue even after Mercy Ships has left the country.
The training program encompasses all aspects of the treatment – medical, resources, patient care, and sustainability of clinics. Dr Frank Haydon, assisted by Anna Vines, leads Train the Trainer events for local health care professionals. These events are dynamic and interactive – utilizing slideshows, videos, practical demonstrations with props, and group workshops to practice techniques.
The Program delivers theory, resolutions to common issues, and practical techniques. Step one emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis. The main objective is targeting children, 0-2 years old, when the bones are still forming. Early identification minimizes the prevalence of this condition in the adult population and improves the success of ongoing in-country treatment plans.
In the second stage the method of casting is described and practiced during the workshops. The casting phase is usually up to six casts per treatment. During each casting, the baby’s foot is physically manipulated by applying pressure to the corrected foot alignment. This is a gentle technique that does not cause pain for the babies.
Generally the complications are limited to circulation difficulties – a problem that is easily remedied. However, the most common reason for treatment failure is broken casts, so the program strongly addresses ongoing counseling with the babies’ caregivers.
Throughout the training, brainstorming is strongly encouraged. At one event, a topic of discussion involved applying chicken wire as an abrasive material to protect the casts because this can be easily supplied at a low cost.
Step three addresses achillotenotomy, the surgical procedure to sever the Achilles tendon. This is usually performed after the fourth or fifth cast. Each workshop begins with a discussion of sterilization before practicing surgery on a model to identify the “safe triangle” between arteries, nerves and tendons.
The topic of the final stage is the design and use of the Foot Abduction Braces (FAB). This is critical to prevent relapse after the casting phase. The braces were originally invented by Dr. Ignacio Ponseti. However, Dr. Frank Haydon has pioneered the introduction of foot brace molds in West Africa. The soft leather shoes are secured onto a metal bar at specific angles to maintain the correct foot position. For three months the braces are worn 23 hours a day. Afterward, they are worn at night for up to three years. The workshops demonstrate the simple, yet effective, tools to make the shoes.
In order to treat a full schedule of clubfoot patients, clear organizational processes are needed. So, the training program includes fundamental requirements for successful clinic management – setting up a new clinic, assessment of treatment plans, advertising options and patient care advice for the caregivers.
Bambino Suma (Clinical Manager, POF) highlighted the valued of the knowledge shared during the training program, saying, “There are more ideas for the future. It is a very good experience. I was able to see past mistakes and improve my knowledge. There is a higher, new scale of training from this Mercy Ships program.”
Story by Claire Ross
Photos Debra Bell
SIERRA LEONE-NAMINA NOMA NOMA (Part 1)
Chapter One: Dr. Sandra Lako helps a child in need
Born in The Netherlands, Sandra Lako’s childhood years took an adventurous voyage across the African seas. Her family took a leap of faith and committed to long-term mission work onboard the Mercy Ships hospital ship, the Anastasis.
They served mainly in the impoverished countries of West Africa. So, from the tender age of two, Sandra was immersed in a lifestyle of serving the needs of the most deprived communities in the poorest nations. This was the life she understood and embraced. She recalls life on the ship as being contented and sheltered in some ways. Attending the ship’s academy enabled her to develop confidence and to find fulfilment in educational achievement.
Sandra’s unique upbringing offered opportunities that ignited her passion for medical work. At fifteen, she helped with some medical teams onshore. There had been a measles outbreak which left a trail of devastation in the health of the local population. Her duties were to help feed the malnourished sick children. On her first day, she witnessed children dying. That moment forever changed her life. She says, “There was so little to do to help. I felt helpless. It triggered thoughts that, medically, to have skills would actively help.”
That thought led eighteen-year-old Sandra to leave the ship, return to The Netherlands, and complete her education to qualify as a doctor. First, she achieved the International Baccalaureate qualifications needed for medical school before attending Nijmegen Medical School. During her studies, she visited The Gambia for her internship (elective), and then she went to Tanzania in her final year at medical school. Both experiences confirmed her passion to use her medical skills to help the poor. Finally, she completed a diploma program at the Liverpool School of Tropical Diseases. Now, she was primed and ready to practice as a doctor in Africa.
Shortly afterwards, in March 2005, she was presented with an incredible opportunity. Mercy Ships was planning to open a land-based facility in Freetown, Sierra Leone. They required a doctor to set up a clinic, but the scope of the services to be offered was undecided. Dr. Sandra valiantly took on the responsibility and immediately set about researching the priority health services needed.
To identify the optimal use for the new facility, she explored the local health system by shadowing doctors in local hospitals. Despite urgent medical needs for all the local population, Dr. Sandra discovered some alarming statistics regarding the high mortality rate of children – 1 in 5 children do not reach the age of five years old. She convinced the local community leaders that there was an over-riding need to provide a clinic for children. In May 2005, the clinic opened.
Early in 2009 a very sick child arrived at her clinic suffering from a condition commonly known as noma. This malicious and aggressive bacteria destroys the flesh. For most sufferers, it results in death. In fact, there is a 90% mortality rate.
This case was unusual. The little five-year-old girl, Namina Yillah had survived the condition for two months. Although her fighting spirit had avoided death, the severity of her symptoms was evident. Her face tragically displayed a gaping hole lined with decomposing tissue. To make matters even worse, her significant malnutrition was an imposing threat to her recovery.
Although the case looked impossible to treat, Dr. Sandra repeatedly asked herself, “How can we help?” This positive approach demonstrates the optimistic outlook and the resilience in the face of adversity that is so intrinsically in the heart of Dr. Sandra. She carefully evaluated every option for success.
There were no immediate solutions. Fundamentally, Namina had survived against all odds. Dr. Sandra decided to treat the wound and change the dressing every day. This intensive treatment was accompanied with improving Namina’s general health by providing multi-vitamins and cartons of milk.
After six months of daily treatment, the infection cleared and the wound stabilized. Namina was finally ready to receive surgery to rebuild her face. However, the local medical teams had little expertise and no facilities to perform this type of surgery. Only Mercy Ships could provide the treatment Namina so desperately needed. So the daily treatment continued for the next 18 months while waiting for the Africa Mercy to come to Sierra Leone.
During that time, Namina’s health remained in a delicate state. She was vulnerable to contagious bacteria and suffered from several illnesses, including malaria and chest infections. Dr. Sandra recalls, “She was a very sad little girl. We had to wait until the end of the day to do her dressing changes due to the pain. She was so brave.”
Finally, they received the news they had anxiously awaited! The Africa Mercy had docked in Freetown. The hospital ship . . . and hope . . . had arrived!
To be continued . . .
Story by Claire Ross
Photos by Debra Bell
Born in The Netherlands, Sandra Lako’s childhood years took an adventurous voyage across the African seas. Her family took a leap of faith and committed to long-term mission work onboard the Mercy Ships hospital ship, the Anastasis.
They served mainly in the impoverished countries of West Africa. So, from the tender age of two, Sandra was immersed in a lifestyle of serving the needs of the most deprived communities in the poorest nations. This was the life she understood and embraced. She recalls life on the ship as being contented and sheltered in some ways. Attending the ship’s academy enabled her to develop confidence and to find fulfilment in educational achievement.
Sandra’s unique upbringing offered opportunities that ignited her passion for medical work. At fifteen, she helped with some medical teams onshore. There had been a measles outbreak which left a trail of devastation in the health of the local population. Her duties were to help feed the malnourished sick children. On her first day, she witnessed children dying. That moment forever changed her life. She says, “There was so little to do to help. I felt helpless. It triggered thoughts that, medically, to have skills would actively help.”
That thought led eighteen-year-old Sandra to leave the ship, return to The Netherlands, and complete her education to qualify as a doctor. First, she achieved the International Baccalaureate qualifications needed for medical school before attending Nijmegen Medical School. During her studies, she visited The Gambia for her internship (elective), and then she went to Tanzania in her final year at medical school. Both experiences confirmed her passion to use her medical skills to help the poor. Finally, she completed a diploma program at the Liverpool School of Tropical Diseases. Now, she was primed and ready to practice as a doctor in Africa.
Shortly afterwards, in March 2005, she was presented with an incredible opportunity. Mercy Ships was planning to open a land-based facility in Freetown, Sierra Leone. They required a doctor to set up a clinic, but the scope of the services to be offered was undecided. Dr. Sandra valiantly took on the responsibility and immediately set about researching the priority health services needed.
To identify the optimal use for the new facility, she explored the local health system by shadowing doctors in local hospitals. Despite urgent medical needs for all the local population, Dr. Sandra discovered some alarming statistics regarding the high mortality rate of children – 1 in 5 children do not reach the age of five years old. She convinced the local community leaders that there was an over-riding need to provide a clinic for children. In May 2005, the clinic opened.
Early in 2009 a very sick child arrived at her clinic suffering from a condition commonly known as noma. This malicious and aggressive bacteria destroys the flesh. For most sufferers, it results in death. In fact, there is a 90% mortality rate.
This case was unusual. The little five-year-old girl, Namina Yillah had survived the condition for two months. Although her fighting spirit had avoided death, the severity of her symptoms was evident. Her face tragically displayed a gaping hole lined with decomposing tissue. To make matters even worse, her significant malnutrition was an imposing threat to her recovery.
Although the case looked impossible to treat, Dr. Sandra repeatedly asked herself, “How can we help?” This positive approach demonstrates the optimistic outlook and the resilience in the face of adversity that is so intrinsically in the heart of Dr. Sandra. She carefully evaluated every option for success.
There were no immediate solutions. Fundamentally, Namina had survived against all odds. Dr. Sandra decided to treat the wound and change the dressing every day. This intensive treatment was accompanied with improving Namina’s general health by providing multi-vitamins and cartons of milk.
After six months of daily treatment, the infection cleared and the wound stabilized. Namina was finally ready to receive surgery to rebuild her face. However, the local medical teams had little expertise and no facilities to perform this type of surgery. Only Mercy Ships could provide the treatment Namina so desperately needed. So the daily treatment continued for the next 18 months while waiting for the Africa Mercy to come to Sierra Leone.
During that time, Namina’s health remained in a delicate state. She was vulnerable to contagious bacteria and suffered from several illnesses, including malaria and chest infections. Dr. Sandra recalls, “She was a very sad little girl. We had to wait until the end of the day to do her dressing changes due to the pain. She was so brave.”
Finally, they received the news they had anxiously awaited! The Africa Mercy had docked in Freetown. The hospital ship . . . and hope . . . had arrived!
To be continued . . .
Story by Claire Ross
Photos by Debra Bell
SIERRA LEONE-MARTHA JAWANEH
Martha is two personalities in one ten-year-old body – a determined dynamo held back by extremely bowed legs, and a shy little girl who has a heart for others. She loves school and is ranked number one in her third-grade class of 78 students. English is her favorite subject, and she takes every opportunity to read stories in English. She is a very conscientious child who always tries to do her best.
A long time ago, Martha decided on her life’s goal. “I want to be a lawyer. I want to speak for people,” she says.
Her uncle confirmed her choice, saying, “She’s said this since she was tiny. She wants to be a lawyer because she’s seen many people at a disadvantage, and she wants to defend them.”
But Martha has two big strikes against her – she was born with extremely bowed legs that make walking difficult and painful, and she lives in poverty in a small village far from the capital city of Freetown, Sierra Leone. Her education is intermittent because school is not free and her father is often jobless. Yet, she clings to her dream.
Her bowed legs present a daily struggle, which is made worse by her classmates’ laughter and derision. In spite of this ridicule, Martha maintains a positive attitude and greets everyone with a smile.
Martha’s parents took her to a doctor in Guinea, but he only gave her medicine that did not help at all. Then a friend told Martha’s mother that a hospital ship called the Africa Mercy would arrive in Sierra Leone in a couple of months. Maybe this time Martha would find the help she so desperately needed.
Martha was excited when she was accepted for surgery after the screening, although she was also a little afraid to face the operation. She needn’t have worried. Mercy Ships volunteer surgeon, Dr. Peter Stevens, is a well-known orthopedic expert. In fact, he is the inventor of the eight-Plate, a guided growth system that harnesses the power of natural growth to correct deformed legs as they grow. Dr. Stevens installed the eight-Plate device in both of Martha’s legs without invasive surgery. The procedure requires no cast, allows for immediate weight-bearing and provides for rapid post-operative healing.
Martha was anxious to perform well during the therapy sessions. She was so cooperative, the nurses declared her the “star of therapy.”
Martha enjoyed her experience on the hospital ship. She made many friends and even enjoyed making bracelets and coloring as she recovered in the ward.
Now Martha is focused once again on her future. “I’m excited to go back to school!” she declared with a grin.
Story by Elaine B. Winn
A long time ago, Martha decided on her life’s goal. “I want to be a lawyer. I want to speak for people,” she says.
Her uncle confirmed her choice, saying, “She’s said this since she was tiny. She wants to be a lawyer because she’s seen many people at a disadvantage, and she wants to defend them.”
But Martha has two big strikes against her – she was born with extremely bowed legs that make walking difficult and painful, and she lives in poverty in a small village far from the capital city of Freetown, Sierra Leone. Her education is intermittent because school is not free and her father is often jobless. Yet, she clings to her dream.
Her bowed legs present a daily struggle, which is made worse by her classmates’ laughter and derision. In spite of this ridicule, Martha maintains a positive attitude and greets everyone with a smile.
Martha’s parents took her to a doctor in Guinea, but he only gave her medicine that did not help at all. Then a friend told Martha’s mother that a hospital ship called the Africa Mercy would arrive in Sierra Leone in a couple of months. Maybe this time Martha would find the help she so desperately needed.
Martha was excited when she was accepted for surgery after the screening, although she was also a little afraid to face the operation. She needn’t have worried. Mercy Ships volunteer surgeon, Dr. Peter Stevens, is a well-known orthopedic expert. In fact, he is the inventor of the eight-Plate, a guided growth system that harnesses the power of natural growth to correct deformed legs as they grow. Dr. Stevens installed the eight-Plate device in both of Martha’s legs without invasive surgery. The procedure requires no cast, allows for immediate weight-bearing and provides for rapid post-operative healing.
Martha was anxious to perform well during the therapy sessions. She was so cooperative, the nurses declared her the “star of therapy.”
Martha enjoyed her experience on the hospital ship. She made many friends and even enjoyed making bracelets and coloring as she recovered in the ward.
Now Martha is focused once again on her future. “I’m excited to go back to school!” she declared with a grin.
Story by Elaine B. Winn
Thursday, June 9, 2011
SIERRA LEONE-MARIAMA DANCING INTO A NEW LIFE
In West Africa, a child with bowed legs is feared, considered to be cursed by evil spirits. So, barely a month after Mariama’s entrance into the world, her parents fled in the night – leaving their tiny, fragile baby girl on a doorstep. Alone and helpless in the terror of the night.
But God had a different plan for this beautiful life. The next morning, the child’s grandmother found out what had happened and rushed to the rescue. Mariama was saved.
This courageous grandmother confronted each challenge with admirable strength, striving to give her granddaughter a bright future. There were daily frustrations – the exhaustion of hard work, the difficulty in finding good nutrition for a few pennies, and the escalating ridicule of Mariama’s deformity.
As she grew, Mariama drew hope and strength from her grandmother’s courage. The little girl’s feisty nature emerged, giving her the determination to survive. A strong bond developed between the little girl and her grandmother, as they faced the daily battles together.
This bond is evident when her grandmother fondly remembers the times she held little Mariama’s hand as they strolled to the mosque, with the little girl skipping along beside her. With a smile, she recalls her decision to send the child to a Christian school which offered the best education. This was a grave sacrifice, but she graciously opened the door for Mariama to enter into another religion “…in support of the best learning opportunities for her future.”
At four years old, Mariama embraced Christianity with all of her heart. Her life was brightened by joyous bursts of gospel songs and flamboyant African dance. Her determination was now supported by her new faith. She believed whole-heartedly that God would heal her legs. It was just a small matter of timing.
One day her grandmother heard a radio jingle announcing Mercy Ships had arrived in Sierra Leone. At the medical screening Mariama received an incredible offer for treatment. There had never been such a whirl of excitement in their simple home as they prepared for the trip to the hospital ship.
A few days later they boarded the ship. The strange surroundings suddenly caused a wave of uneasiness for her grandmother and a feeling of vulnerability for Mariama. But her grandmother bravely stated, “It’s just a matter of walking through the storm.” However, there was no storm awaiting them. Instead, they were greeted by a room of smiling nurses who immediately swept them into a reassuring, compassionate world.
Mariama made an immediate impression. With her burgundy hair twisted into a pineapple ponytail, she mischievously peeped out from behind the hospital beds. For the first time, her charismatic personality took precedence over her usual determined fiery attitude. The world on the hospital ship was a wonderful place, even before the surgery. No one tormented her. She revelled in this new happiness.
After the surgery, Mariama experienced pain. Her legs were encased in thick casts restricting every movement. Her grandmother feared the little girl would never walk again – casting a new shadow of sadness on their spirits. Confused and frightened, Mariama angrily lashed out at all those caring for her.
But the continuous kindness and compassion dissipated her anger, and the pain subsided. Underneath her feisty persona, there was an abundance of love ready to share. As this love stirred up inside her heart, she began to sing her favorite gospel songs. With great delight, the other people on the ward joyfully joined in. The comforting music flowed over her, and her body responded in rhythmic African moves. In these moments, her heavy casts were no longer a burden.
Mariama determinedly practiced walking. Soon the casts were removed, and she prepared to return home.
Then an unexpected problem arose, marring the joy of going home. As Mariama’s health had been restored, her feet had grown. She had no shoes. Without shoes, she could not go to school.
On the last night before she went home, she received a surprise gift. A crew member gave her new pink sandals for school.
Mariama was elated! Her anger was long forgotten, and she was ready to tackle the world with love. And her happy grandmother just smiled and exclaimed, “Praise God!”
Story by Claire Ross
But God had a different plan for this beautiful life. The next morning, the child’s grandmother found out what had happened and rushed to the rescue. Mariama was saved.
This courageous grandmother confronted each challenge with admirable strength, striving to give her granddaughter a bright future. There were daily frustrations – the exhaustion of hard work, the difficulty in finding good nutrition for a few pennies, and the escalating ridicule of Mariama’s deformity.
As she grew, Mariama drew hope and strength from her grandmother’s courage. The little girl’s feisty nature emerged, giving her the determination to survive. A strong bond developed between the little girl and her grandmother, as they faced the daily battles together.
This bond is evident when her grandmother fondly remembers the times she held little Mariama’s hand as they strolled to the mosque, with the little girl skipping along beside her. With a smile, she recalls her decision to send the child to a Christian school which offered the best education. This was a grave sacrifice, but she graciously opened the door for Mariama to enter into another religion “…in support of the best learning opportunities for her future.”
At four years old, Mariama embraced Christianity with all of her heart. Her life was brightened by joyous bursts of gospel songs and flamboyant African dance. Her determination was now supported by her new faith. She believed whole-heartedly that God would heal her legs. It was just a small matter of timing.
One day her grandmother heard a radio jingle announcing Mercy Ships had arrived in Sierra Leone. At the medical screening Mariama received an incredible offer for treatment. There had never been such a whirl of excitement in their simple home as they prepared for the trip to the hospital ship.
A few days later they boarded the ship. The strange surroundings suddenly caused a wave of uneasiness for her grandmother and a feeling of vulnerability for Mariama. But her grandmother bravely stated, “It’s just a matter of walking through the storm.” However, there was no storm awaiting them. Instead, they were greeted by a room of smiling nurses who immediately swept them into a reassuring, compassionate world.
Mariama made an immediate impression. With her burgundy hair twisted into a pineapple ponytail, she mischievously peeped out from behind the hospital beds. For the first time, her charismatic personality took precedence over her usual determined fiery attitude. The world on the hospital ship was a wonderful place, even before the surgery. No one tormented her. She revelled in this new happiness.
After the surgery, Mariama experienced pain. Her legs were encased in thick casts restricting every movement. Her grandmother feared the little girl would never walk again – casting a new shadow of sadness on their spirits. Confused and frightened, Mariama angrily lashed out at all those caring for her.
But the continuous kindness and compassion dissipated her anger, and the pain subsided. Underneath her feisty persona, there was an abundance of love ready to share. As this love stirred up inside her heart, she began to sing her favorite gospel songs. With great delight, the other people on the ward joyfully joined in. The comforting music flowed over her, and her body responded in rhythmic African moves. In these moments, her heavy casts were no longer a burden.
Mariama determinedly practiced walking. Soon the casts were removed, and she prepared to return home.
Then an unexpected problem arose, marring the joy of going home. As Mariama’s health had been restored, her feet had grown. She had no shoes. Without shoes, she could not go to school.
On the last night before she went home, she received a surprise gift. A crew member gave her new pink sandals for school.
Mariama was elated! Her anger was long forgotten, and she was ready to tackle the world with love. And her happy grandmother just smiled and exclaimed, “Praise God!”
Story by Claire Ross
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.”
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.”
SIERRA LEONE-BINTA'S CURSE IS LIFTED
Ten-year-old Binta Barrie lies in her hospital bed onboard the Africa Mercy clicking her fingers and smiling at everyone around her. Her cheerful attitude and smiling face cause all of the patients around her to laugh.
Binta was born with bowed legs, a problem easily correctable if proper medical care can be received, but in Sierra Leone proper medical care is hard or even impossible to find. Binta’s friends and neighbors laughed at her and mocked her because of her strange legs. When this happened, Binta would walk away to be by herself. In West Africa, bowed legs are usually seen as a curse instead of a medical condition. This made her family very sad. “I was not feeling fine,” said Binta’s older sister Marie.
One day Binta’s mother heard a radio announcement about a hospital ship that might be able to help Binta. She took her daughter to a Mercy Ships medical screening at a hospital in Kabala. Binta was delighted when she was accepted for surgery. She and her sister, Marie, traveled to the Africa Mercy, and Binta received a free surgery to correct her legs.
Even though Binta’s legs are still in casts, they are beautifully straight. When Binta goes home, she hopes to continue school and spend more time with her friends. She simply says, “When I go [home], I will be happy.”
Binta’s surgery has changed her life forever. Thanks to the doctors onboard the Africa Mercy she has a bright, happy, future ahead of her – a wonderful reason to smile!
Binta was born with bowed legs, a problem easily correctable if proper medical care can be received, but in Sierra Leone proper medical care is hard or even impossible to find. Binta’s friends and neighbors laughed at her and mocked her because of her strange legs. When this happened, Binta would walk away to be by herself. In West Africa, bowed legs are usually seen as a curse instead of a medical condition. This made her family very sad. “I was not feeling fine,” said Binta’s older sister Marie.
One day Binta’s mother heard a radio announcement about a hospital ship that might be able to help Binta. She took her daughter to a Mercy Ships medical screening at a hospital in Kabala. Binta was delighted when she was accepted for surgery. She and her sister, Marie, traveled to the Africa Mercy, and Binta received a free surgery to correct her legs.
Even though Binta’s legs are still in casts, they are beautifully straight. When Binta goes home, she hopes to continue school and spend more time with her friends. She simply says, “When I go [home], I will be happy.”
Binta’s surgery has changed her life forever. Thanks to the doctors onboard the Africa Mercy she has a bright, happy, future ahead of her – a wonderful reason to smile!
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