Meet the new surgeon!

Are you interested to yome and experience the "OR" - Operating room here on the Africa Mercy with me? The British call it "theatre" - sounds quite fun. Well, I don´t think "fun" is the right word for what I was able to experience and see on my observing day down in the OR, I would rather use the words "fascinating", "amazing", "impressive"-- and very touching to know how single lives can be changed forever by very professional work!

Excellent work done by people that come here to invest their time and skills not only for free, but actually pay their way to serve people here in Liberia. Like the two orthopedic surgeons on these pictures that came from California for two weeks and changed many lives of grown-ups, or children like this boy born with a club foot.
Well, this boy can be happy that the "new surgeon" on this picture was only observing... smile! What a difference to see all the structures in the foot threedimensional and not only on a picture in a anatomy book!

After the surgery he got a fancy cast that he will have to wear for a few weeks before it will be taken off and therapy starts (and I guess that´s something I am better in than doing a surgery...) along with wearing a splint for a year. It´s so awesome to know that he will be able to run around just like any other child soon!

Ready to come with me to the next OR? Here you can see our friend Mark who is just about to do surgery on a young woman with a huge goiter, taking half of it out. You can´t take it all out here in Liberia for they would need to take substitutional hormones for the rest of their lives - something you can´t buy here! Wow, we really live in a country with so many limitations...


I want you to meet little Amachin - or at least look at his pictures like I did just a few days ago... and I think these pictures speak more than hundred words. It is a priviledge to be part of this ministry where lives can be changed - not only outwardly, but also inwardly by showing them how much God cares for each one of them..... we are the feet, the hands, the mouth of Jesus to these people!

So here you can see Amachin before the surgery.....


... and a changed Amachin after surgery! When the wounds have healed, he will look like a normal child. How amazing!

VIP's on the ship

We as Mercy Ships are the largest NGO working in this country - and get alot of VIP visitors here if you want to call it like that - the president, various people of the government (that Wolfgang often gets to treat for there is nowhere else to go for them, and many more).




But to tell you the truth, I don't really care how "important" people seem to be... when I chat with one of the crew members who is a very rich business man in his home country but comes here to SERVE in the dining room washing dishes.... or seeing Gary Parker who could earn millions of dollars at home as a maxillo-facial surgeon but chooses to live here with his family for 23 years now and being supported by friends and churches just like everyone else.... actually EACH person here giving up alot and serving here on the ship shows me the real VIP's here!!! Not talking about for example the parents of a little boy carrying him for days just to bring him to the ship where he could get helped with his disfiguring two clubfeet - something that make it impossible for him to walk himself... and now he can walk and run like any other child!


Anyway, there was a special "VIP" event not too long ago when the German Embassador came for a tour on the ship and visited with us Germans here on board, and I got some nice pictures from her visit and want to share them with you:




The German Embassador greeting each one of us Germans individually ...

What is one of the greatest treat for Germans? I guess fresh German (dark) bread, bread rolls, pretzels, croissants etc! Being here in Liberia and on the ship has his many challenges, but at the moment we are extremely spoiled to have a retired German baker on board who was looking for a way he could serve after the death of his wife.... and comes here every year now being a huge blessing to all of us. (To all of you who are retired: what a great way to invest yourself in whatever capacity!)

Another treat next to talking to a very nice and interested Embassador: Albert's German Apple Cake (the biggest miracle: where did he get the apples from..? that's what I, Andrea, probably miss the most here foodwise.... smile!)

And here a picture of most of us Germans being on board at the moment - a great bunch of wonderful people! Lots of VIP's so to say... smile!

our little artists

Our computer is back to life again! And I can keep you posted...



Today I like to take you to an amazing arts exhibition .... guess what, held in Monrovia, Liberia! The artworks were done by young promising artists from all over the world, shown in the exquisite Galery in a very unique location - a ship! Which wellknown artist today can recall such a start of his career?!?


Here are two of these promising young artists, they showed us around, graciosly gave interviews, and were extremely proud of their works. We don´t want you to miss out on them:


Preschool (David´s class) did fine art studies on the five senses... and here is a little quiz for you:


Are you able to guess it? Here is the solution, very clear:


Nursery also presented amazing works, even though the quiz here is not as easy as David´s one:


Can you guess the animal the young artist drew here? Well, take a peak under the the flap....


Amy seems to have understood the definition of "modern art" quite well .... smile!


Every class presented their art works and also songs, plays and other artistic skills. It was a fun evening that made all of us parents very proud and very thankful for the great input and care our kids receive here by their awesome teachers and also from so many people on the ship.

Enjoy some other amazing art works done by young students in first and second grade - quite amazing: