Madagascar!

Madagascar! A place we never expected to visit.  We are here. We are feeling settled. We are excited about things to come. We have already been here a couple weeks and so much has happened. We have been busy getting the hospital ready to finally be a hospital again. Preparations are being made to welcome our first patient on board this week.  It feels so wonderful to be here and to see how God is going to use the hundreds of talented people on this ship to bless the people of Madagascar and show them his love.  So many changes of "our" plans and ups and downs led us as a ship to this place and there is a real sense of great anticipation on board as we open our hands and hearts for what God has in store for us and the people here.  We don't know exactly what to expect but we do know it will be great. As a ship, as a family and as an individual we/I have learned so much about holding our plans and future loosely.  We have learned much about trusting and relying on God's timing and God's plans and we can't wait to see what He does here.

Our arrival was really special as the president of Madagascar welcomed us and took a tour of the ship as soon as we arrived.  (*check out his last name! Long names are the norm around here)

“More than the medical care that you are offering, you are bringing life to the Malagasy,” President Rajaonarimampianina shared enthusiastically while welcoming the Africa Mercy and her crew to Madagascar.
 

The president had asked that we arrive on a certain day to kick of "The year of the volunteer" celebration here in Madagascar.  What a privilege to be a huge part of this!

On Saturday, October 25, President Hery Rajaonarimampianina welcomed 2014 as “The Year of The Volunteer”..., a drive to uphold volunteering as a catalyst for change.

 

This week we started our patient selection process.  In the past we have had a huge mass screening, but the ship will now be doing smaller screenings. Our screening site will be open for the entire month of November allowing us to see patients over a longer period of time and spend more time with them while avoiding the potential problems that mass screening can create.

Over 2,000 people (including caregivers), representing a variety of ailments, stood in lines stretching several city blocks in length. Some had traveled for more than eight hours in desperate need for hope and healing. 

This week we will welcome our first patient on board and begin surgeries. So many months of living on the ship without a hospital running was difficult. The purpose of Mercy Ships and our role felt a bit abstract. However, as soon as that first patient walks on board the ship our purpose here has a name and a face. All of a sudden what we do here is tangible. A life will be changed.  We can't wait to meet the patients and be a part of God's great transformation in their lives.

Juliette, one of our first potential patients met first by our advance team.

Please pray with us as we begin our time here. Pray for the lives that will be changed. That people would see Jesus as they experience physical healing.

 

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We are also excited to explore Madagascar on our free time. This country is beautiful and from what we've seen so far, we are going to have a really great time while we are here.  Here are some pictures of our time so far:

 

Playing at the beach while Daddy plays ultimate Frisbee.  It is so great that we can walk to this beach so close to the ship.

 

You can see the ship in the distance.

 

Riding our new bikes on the dock. The girls got bikes from their great grandparents and we have a really big dock where they can ride.  It feels like a cul de sac with all the kids riding around each night.

 

Fresh fruit bought from the local market.  The market is close and easy to get to. Rode in a Tuk Tuk with my Dutch and Australian friends. It is fun to see all the local foods and crafts.  I'm excited to explore more soon.  All this fruit cost me around $1.50.

 

 

 

 

A Lemur Zoo. Lemurs are endemic to Madagascar and there were 12 different species of Lemurs at this zoo. Some were in cages and others were wild in the trees.  The girls also really liked seeing the Tortoises and the Chameleon.  It has been amazing to learn about the extremely diverse, and mostly endemic. plants and animals on this island of Madagascar. 

 

 

 

 

Thanks always for your prayers and support.  Please continue to pray for these people and the hospital as we begin work here. Stay tuned for life changing stories!