What will I be doing?

Friends,

The time is getting short and very soon I will be heading off to Liberia. I cannot believe that after all this time of dreaming and praying that it is finally here. I am so busy these days trying to wrap up all sorts of details. God is good though, because I have peace that everything that needs to get done will - and the rest can wait. I cannot wait to get there!! I cannot wait to finally see what I have been planning and dreaming for all this time.

So, I thought I might explain a litte bit of exactly what I will be doing in Liberia. From what I know, I will be working mostly as a ward nurse. The ship has 4 different wards or wings with different types of patients. Most all of the patients are on board the hospital ship because they have had some sort of surgery. For the patients that are children they are mostly recovering from surgeries like cleft palate repair, or tumor removals. Women patients have had surgeries to repair damage done during the child birth process or from rape. Other patients have also usually had tumor removal surgery, eye or dental surgeries. There is virtually no health care in Liberia so if you are a citizen in Liberia and you have some sort of ailment it usually goes left untreated. Many tumors that develop on patients faces are a result of no dental care. The tumor forms from an abscessed tooth that goes untreated. These tumors can grow very large and disfigure faces. Not only do these ailments cause physical problems, but they also cause social issues for those that suffer as well.

I will be working 8 hour and 12 hour shifts on the ward providing nursing care to children and adults. I will get 2 days off in a 2 week period and I will work days/afternoons/nights - whatever is needed. From what I have read I will receive 2 shifts of orientation to the wards and then on day #3 I will be on my own.

Visit mercyships.org and click on "stories" to read about peoples lives that have literally been changed by the healthcare received on board the ship.

Thank you again for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing many stories of amazing people that I meet in Liberia.