Water Walking With Jesus

Pack-Up & Countdown is in full swing as our time in Guinea is drawing to a close!  "Batten down the hatches" is literally the order of business as operating rooms, recovery, lab, pharmacy, galley...everywhere shelves are being emptied and every nook and cranny on the ship is being shrink-wrapped, packed and tied down. It takes moving to a whole new level!   
         

     
Happy or Sad? Can I be both, at the same time?  Surgeries just ended, many healed, happy faces, thank's you's...but...wards have begun to  empty, volunteers flying home, saying goodbye to locals we've worked closely with...so many feelings; in such a short amount of time. A ward that is normally full of activity - patients, medical workers, translators, and kids playing...but now it was empty, except for a few dismantled beds...But happy for all the lives God allowed us to touch: to bring hope & healing by being "the hands and feet of Jesus"! And happy that we get to fill these beds again, in Congo!

                               

                    
Harry's job also includes overseeing hospital pack-up; both on & off ship. Pictured below of some of the very large tents that are used by our teams that work off the ship, such as dental, eye, rehab, admissions, & outpatient. This means the typical moving-van isn't going to do the job...call in the big guys...2 of several 20' containers that have held hospital supplies during our field service will not be lifted out of the ship's hold and will store our eye & dental equipment.  The dockside tents and equipment are being loaded into a 40' container that will be shipped to the Congo to be set up right before our arrival by Mercy Teams (Mercy Teams are volunteers who come at the beginning and end of each field service to set-up, take down, and pack-up.  These are short-term opportunities for individuals and groups who can come only for a short amount of time.  They are invaluable in helping begin and leave each field service.                           

                                                                                   

                                                                                                                    

Recycle to the max... After scanning 1000's and 1000's of pages of charts, they are shredded, and making good packing material around our expensive hospital equipment! 

                                                                      

The story that follows was one of my most memorable times working with eye team.

The air was full of excitement and energy was abounding in this group of 2-12 yrs. and for a very good reason. Just a few days before, they had little or no sight, for their whole life...and now, after a 10 minute procedure their whole lives have been transformed! There is sooooo much to take in, experience, grasp, see, colors, people, beauty, balloons, food, smiles; that they had never seen before.

                                                                       

The joy & excitement in this "new", and the life changing transformation is contagious to everyone who is near...from the little 2 yr. old that wasn't walking before surgery, as he made his way around the room. All the older kids that seemed to have been using their years of pent up energy; as they tried to keep all the beautiful colored balloons in the air, play patti-cake, follow the leader, and other games! I cannot even express the joy that was in the room - filled with laughing, thank you's, hugs, incredible stories, and
beaming faces!
                                                      

Thank you, Lord for sending a doctor to do cataract surgery on children as it is a different procedure than for adults and no one in Guinea can do this procedure!

                               

Floating on Mercy, 

Harry and Pam
tentmakersonthego@hotmail.com
1-954-538-6110 ext 4319 (stateside number)

mailing address letter/cards 1oz or less
Harry Porter - Mercy Ships/AFM
VIA CREW MAIL
15872 State Hwy. 110 N.
Lindale, TX 75771

Packages and mail > 1 oz can be sent via container
Harry Porter - Mercy Ships/AFM
VIA CONTAINER
15872 State Hwy. 110 N.
Lindale, TX 75771

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" 

Micah 6:8