'whatever you do for the least of these you do for me'

These are not easy times, but they are incredible times.

We delayed our departure to Benin so we could monitor the Ebola situation especially in nearby Nigeria. The Ebola cases in Lagos were less than 120 km from where our team was preparing for the ships arrival in nearby Porto Novo, (the capital of Benin) and Cotonou (the large port city). However, the Ebola situation in Nigeria was far from contained – as those who have being following the news will know. Therefore we took the decision to cancel the ships deployment to Benin for this year. This was a very difficult decision. But crew safety was important, and also a desire not to worsen the Ebola situation was at the forefront of our minds.

How could we worsen the Ebola situation? Our ship, offering free healthcare, acts like a large magnet. Many people travel great distances in search of help. Countries in West Africa are like Europe, where the national borders are easily crossed and are no barrier to people movement. We frequently care for people outside the host nation who come to the ship, desperately seeking help. So being in Cotonou Benin, where literally hundreds of people cross the border back and forth to Lagos, Nigeria each day, was considered not a wise idea. The best thing to control Ebola is to restrict the movement of people, not encourage it. 

Our Advance team have been in Benin since April preparing for the ships arrival. They have hired approximately 200 local people to help us and had begun training them. Literally hundreds of posters have been distributed, radio and TV announcements were advertising our main patient selection on September 9^th. Applications forms for our healthcare education programs have been collected and two large ship containers were in Benin full of equipment and supplies – ready and waiting for us. Suddenly it is all change.

For the last few weeks this same team have been packing up, and pulling out. The radio and TV announcements now tell people that the patient selection is cancelled. However, some people had already started turning up – so sad. The 200 people hired for the year are being told they will no longer have a job. Thankfully the newly renovated buildings that we would have used for our dental clinic and Hospital Out Patient Extension (HOPE) Centre will still be able to be used. So at least we have left something behind. But then again, I believe it really is more than just buildings that we have left behind.

On one level it seems like we went to Benin and gave the people hope, and then that hope was snuffed out. But that is only part of the picture. We will be back – just not sure when. Benin will remain in our hearts and prayers because Mercy Ships is committed to West Africa and we are committed to serving the poorest of the poor. And now after Ebola, this region will be poorer than ever, especially countries like Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. At times like these I take my hope from the words of Jesus,  ‘whatever you have done for the least of these you have done for me’. So every encounter, every smile, every hand shaken by our Advance Team was a Jesus encounter. A chance when love was shown, hope was sown, and an opportunity for more was born. It isn’t just about Mercy Ships bringing a hospital ship to a city. It is about people having hope for the future. The ship might not have come to Benin, but love did. Love in the form of a small team made up of 8 friends of mine, who poured heart and soul into Cotonou and the surrounding areas. Why? Ultimately because they believe in something bigger than Mercy Ships. They believe in a God who can bring hope and healing in ways the ship can't. Ways bigger than simply healthcare. They believe in a God who can make all things new. They believe love has a face and so do I. And that is one of the reasons I am here and why I do what I do.

And the great things about belief and faith like this is, that despite these very sad, very real, and very devasting consequences of Ebola – love still has a face. Every encounter is a Jesus encounter. My heart goes out to the people of Benin, I have been there twice before and I was looking forward to going there again. And I pray for the opportunity to return. But meanwhile, God is expanding our territory. No longer is Mercy Ships limited to West and Central Africa – we are now headed to East Africa. We will be serving the people of Madagascar instead. They are excited about the opportunity to host us and we are excited to be going. Sadness on one hand for Benin, but on the other hand - so thankful for the opportunity to spread our surgery and capacity building efforts to another part of Africa, Madagascar……here we come.

Extra note: ‘Love has a Face’ is also the title of a book by Michele Perry, which I highly recommend.