Enough about me

I been away from home for months now and I feel as though I haven't been giving you a complete perspective. Especially now that we have been delayed it has been hard for many people who have been reassigned from their expected hospital jobs to working in the galley, dining room, housekeeping, or with the engineering department doing odd jobs. I can see some people becoming tired and frustrated, stuck in a place of limbo. However, the managing director of the ship told us, very explicitly at our community meeting this week, that we are most certainly going to Africa. Although this mission can do great and beautiful things for the volunteers themselves, there is a whole other side to the story, a whole other group of people whose lives are changed.

Here are some of the stats from the last field service in Congo, as provided by Mercy Ships:
1085 eye surgeries; 995 people can now see
604 maxillofacial surgeries; 483 people who no longer have to hide in shame
207 plastic surgeries; 179 people who have regained use of their limbs after being badly burned
60 obstetric fistula surgeries; 60 women who feel worthy again
78 orthopaedic surgeries; 60 people who can now walk
19,081 dental treatments; 7,410 people without a toothache
629 Congolese health care professionals trained

Also, I really like this video. Mercy Ships has an amazingly talented communications team that put this together:

Note: A very Happy Birthday to my wonderfully amazing cousin Alessia! Have a wonderful day and I am so proud of who you are and your selfless and loving spirit.