So it has OFFICIALLY been three years since working with the organization Mercy ships (and thus three years since the last post on my blog). I think that’s considered a total “blog fail”…but needless to say, I’m now BACK on the ship and have three weeks left and wanted to give an update on life over here :).

I am presently on a night shift on the ship with a lovely dutch nurse. I have 12 patients tonight and they are all sleeping :). It has honestly been such a blessing to be back. When I left the last time, I remember being very READY to be finished with my time on the ship, but there is a part of me this time around that really doesn’t want to come home…I’m 50/50 at this point…

Madagascar itself is beautiful and the people are friendly and I love stammering thru my terrible french with the locals.  And I’m seeing the most wonderful things every day. Beyond the obvious amazing surgeries being done (one man had a 12 hr surgery yesterday to remove a very large 7.4 kg facial tumour), it’s the little things that I see every day that make me happy to be here. The patients are grateful for everything we do; they are kind and happy with the care they are given. And my favourite thing is seeing the confidence and HOPE that they walk off the ship with when they’re all healed up. I had a father/daughter within my patient assignment a week or so ago, and they had neurofibromas removed: the father had one dangling from his right forearm and the daughter had a 4.5 kg one dangling from the back of her neck). It’s honestly amazing seeing the ‘before’ and ‘afters’ of the two of them…because there is just this sense of hope that is etched on their faces as they walk from the ship free of their literal physical baggage. It’s something I don’t think I’ve seen in a while (and I see new life brought into the world on a ‘shift-ly’ basis at home ;)). So that’s interesting…

Anyhow, just a quick update. Things are well. If you’re wanting some ‘prayer’ requests, you could definitely pray for my health…I’m fighting off a cold…but I also am hoping to just use the last couple weeks of my time well. Also, I’m taking a Operating Room course online right now and it is demanding quite a bit of time…so a good balance between investing on the ship and doing schoolwork is needed. The good thing is that I’m surrounded by OR nurses and surgeons that I can drill with lots of questions…so total score 😉

And, as graciously stolen from the ship photographer, here are a couple photos of the father/daughter that I was able to care for and another little cutie that I had a dance party with while she ate her Mana…that contracture to her neck was released on the ship 🙂

Have a good one!!