Want to be Buried In a Golf Bag?

Majo – means good evening in Twi, the local Ghanaian language. We have had classes for two hours each day for a week and some very basic Twi (pronounced Twee) was part of the lesson. Other things included some of the local culture such as NEVER use your left hand to touch another person, shake hands, point with or gesture with. It is highly offensive to them because this is the hand they use to address bodily functions. Africans are also an inclusive society which means that everything that is in their view belongs to them and they don’t understand and will question your Christianity if you aren’t willing to share or give them everything that belongs to you - - even your toothbrush! We are also back in the land where men hold hands but no public demonstrations of affection between men and women, even if married. They told of a story of westerners coming to the YWAM base in Ghana and after a week this group approached the leadership team to say they had a serious problem with homosexuality among their students. We also learned why they form a conga line and dance up to the offering plate several times during a church service. It comes from the verse that says that God loves a joyful giver. And their church services usually run 4 hours because it is the only time they spend socializing and celebrating – the rest of the week is spent trying to provide for the family. It is not uncommon for them to stop their service about half way through, escort out all of us then reconvene to continue church. It’s not rude, actually, they are thinking of us. They know we are not use to the heat or the lengthy service so they are trying to spare us any discomfort. The Ghanaian people are very polite and friendly. They are formal and do not like calling you by your first name so if you are their same age they will add “brother” or sister” to your name. If you are slightly older than they are they will call you “uncle” or “auntie” to your name. But I get called “momma Susan”. That’s when you are really old!

It is also custom to bury a person in a coffin that looks like something the person enjoyed during their lifetime or in something that reminds others of their life. You will see one of the pictures of a group of coffins which include a rooster, lion, beer bottle, lobster, or ship. Robert decided he wanted to be buried in the lion coffin, I want to be buried in a Coca-Cola bottle and our friend Kevin said he wanted to be buried in a golf bag. The other day our friend Jean witnessed a funeral procession and the person was being buried in a boom-box. The music was blaring and his friends were dancing in the streets. The Africans celebrate every aspect of your life. Your birth because you made it here, when you have passed your 5th birthday because most deaths are in children under 5, puberty, marriage and yes, even your death because you ran the race and made it to the end.

Robert has joined the fire team on board and is an alternate on the patient transport team. On the fire team he is the “Hose Man”. His job consists of getting the hoses laid out, connected and charged up to the point of entry for the fire team. He also ties off the last firefighter going into the fire so that they can be pulled out in case of emergency and assisting with the rescue of victims.

After a patient comes out of surgery the Transport Team is paged overhead and the team goes to the Recovery Room and rolls the patient to the top of the stairs that go down into the ward. There they hook them up to a pulley system that allows them to be lowered down the stairs while still on the stretcher. This will not be a problem on the Africa Mercy because surgery and the ward are on the same floor.

Jessica has had a great week and we she has been a blessing to so many people. My Head Housekeeper told me the other day that Jessica is one of the hardest working pleasant young person she has met. It didn’t take Jessica but 2 days after getting here that she had so many new friends that Robert and I have to make an appointment with her to see her anymore. That is a good thing and Robert and I keep an eye on her sometimes from a distance when she doesn’t even know it. It’s been great having her here with us because her exuberance reminds us of when we first got on board and everything (including the cockroaches she takes pictures of) was “way cool”!

Jessica got her first exposure to the “high pressure” sales of the market yesterday. Grabbing and pulling you into their stores – “Special price for you my friend” and then charging you twice as much as the locals. Robert placed himself behind Jessica and I in front to give her some protection but still they are good at getting to you. Jessica has a lot to learn - - we finally realized she was buying things she didn’t want just not to hurt their feelings…..it was so cute so we would have to say no for her. But she is a quick study because before we had been in the market 30 minutes she underbid me on an item I had just bought for 30,000 Cedes more! The guy that sold it to her told her not to tell her mom that he gave it to her cheaper. Jessica is learning that there is so much going on here that you could keep yourself busy with friends, groups, meetings, working, prayer meetings, etc 24 hours a day and she is trying to find that balance how much to say yes to and when to draw the line. She has a very level head, sometimes more so than me in this area.

We need your prayers for Monday and Tuesday. It is our first screening day in this area. All of us will be involved in one way or another. Jessica has signed up to work with the children that come for medical screening. I am on the prayer team that gets to explain to the terminally ill why we cannot help them and then pray for them and see how else we can serve them until they die. Robert has to stay on board because we need Fire Team on the ship in case of emergency. The screening marks the start of our official field service to Ghana. The patients will start arriving to the ship very soon and our wards will be filled with patients. The aft deck will be filled with children from the ward playing on the swings. Life on board will be in full swing as we continue to say goodbye to crew members that have served many years and hello to newly appointed crew.

Thank you so very much for your prayers, thoughts and support. Our new phone number on the ship is: 954-538-4258. It is a long-distance call for you to Florida only, not to Ghana so please do not hesitate to call anytime. We are 4 hours ahead of EST (Michigan), 5 hours ahead for our Texas family, and 7 hours ahead for my sister in Arizona. As always emails are so very welcome and believe me – we are busy, but NEVER too busy to read notes from our friends, in fact, we daily look for letters from home with great anticipation.

PRAYER POINTS

For medical screening days – that every patient God intends to touch through our services will not be hindered in any way from making it to the screening. For the prayer team to have great discernment through prayer for every denied or terminally ill patient. That the patient’s wait will be comfortable and they are shown the love of God through each of our crew. Some have walked or traveled through several countries only to wait in our screening lines 12 hours or more.

For Jessica to absorb all that God has for her while she is here. To allow God to help her process the things that she sees and not be overwhelmed by the sights. That when the time comes for her to leave she will have been forever changed and focused.

Health (as always) for all crew. There are some minor colds and sore throats going around right now. These are still potentially hazardous to the patients in their weakened state.