Montag, 14. April 2008

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!

1 Kommentar:

Anonym hat gesagt…

Whoa! I'm not sure I like observing from the operating room, but I am always amazed at transformations in people's lives. love you guys