The season of goodbyes

People are always coming and going on board the Africa Mercy. Mercy Ships is a place of constant change. Every year around 1200 volunteers walk up the gangway with hearts full of expectation at the adventure that lies ahead. Then whether it be 2 weeks later, 2 months, 2 years or even 20 years later, someday they will walk back down the gangway for the last time. 

So, as the field service here in Madagascar draws to a close, we are in the season of goodbyes. It seems I blog about ‘goodbyes’ every couple of years (June 2012, June 2014, click on the links below to read them):

Goodbye: 'It breaks my heart'.....or does it?

Goodbyes, sailing and more

My thoughts have stayed relatively consistent over the years, and this year, in the midst of bitter/sweet tears shed on the dockside, it is the words from a well know song that sum up my overriding feelings, “Great things he has done, greater things he will do, unto the Lord be the glory, great things he has done”

It is the thought of the future that tempers the sting of separation and allows my heart to dream and even soar with expectation in the hope of “greater things he will do”. Many people fear the future but I tell my heart another story. I remind myself what the prophet Jeremiah said, that God knows the plans he has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future. No need to fear. My future is filled with hope because my God always keeps his promises. He is faithful. Greater things he will do.

I have been with Mercy Ships for almost 5 years, and I have shed many tears as people I have loved and journeyed with have left. Some I have seen again, some I have not. But every time a great person leaves, I always pray this for them, “I release you with all my love and every blessing in the name of Jesus to go fulfil your destiny in this world. To run with perseverance the race God has marked out for you.” Then I laugh and remind myself that of course I can't keep all the best people on the ship! That is not what we are here for!

For indeed, there is a whole world out there that needs the great and inspiring people whom it has been my privilege to work with and call my friends on the Africa Mercy for this season. All around the world, business corporations, hospitals, human resource departments, media teams and others, desperately need people who will stand as salt and light. People who are brave enough to keep following the 2000 year old model of Jesus to bring hope and healing ……….. to those they interact with. Perhaps no longer to the world’s forgotten poor, but nonetheless to individuals who need the same message. Individuals who need hope and healing for their broken hearts. Much like I do in fact, and those of us who have a testimony of how God has given us hope and healing.

So this week I hope these words resonate with you, “Great things he has done, greater things he will do, unto the Lord be the glory, great things he has done”

Every good and perfect gift

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

I love this verse as it reminds me of the goodness and faithfulness of God. And I need that reminder. The verse tells me He is consistent. He does not change like shifting shadows. In uncertainty He remains the one certainty. And all good things come from Him, He is more than simply the author and giver of life. He is the author of good things, He is the ultimate source of goodness and blessing.

Life is a little uncertain right now. Who knows what the future holds? Who knows how I will get through the next few months - there is a lot on my plate, lots of things to juggle, deadlines approaching as our time in Madagascar draws to a close, while at the same time planning projects for Benin and Cameroon with deadlines for those rapidly approaching too. I am on route from the ship in Toamasina, to the capital city Antananarivo about to start the last of our training courses. Normally the flight goes direct or takes a minor detour via Isle St.Marie. But with the airline Air Madagascar nothing is ever certain. There are frequent changes. The first one was that instead of a brief stop in St.Marie I now have 6.5 hours. But then an hour ago that changed and the delay is now only 5.5 hours.

But I am reminded that God knows all things and I decided to visit a local hotel and wait there as there is very little at the airport - is not staffed all day! So I am sitting writing this at a beautiful place called Princess Bora hotel. And they have been very generous and actually given me a room to use while I wait. The room is free of charge and is stunning! They love Mercy Ships and this is their way of contributing to what we do. What a blessing, and a good reminder that all good things come from God. I needed the space today. Space to think and read and recharge my batteries!

A few days ago I had spent several days visiting three other towns in Madagascar where we have done ‘checklist training’. But then more uncertainty. The weather here was terrible, so the tiny Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) plane could not take my friend and I back to the ship in Toamasina. Instead we ended up in the capital 8 hours drive away, and uncertain how to get home? MAF could not take us back the next day or the day after, we didn't have passports with us so couldn't get a domestic Air Madagascar flight. So we took a car and arrived back at 1am. Uncertainty. I missed some meetings, still struggling to reschedule one of them, and I was tired but at least I had 24 hours on the ship before heading back to Antananarivo – hence I am grateful for a few hours in a beautiful hotel today. A very tangible reminder of God's goodness.

I am reminded that God knows what we need. And as this field service draws to a close I am incredibly proud that we have trained over 1500 people, and operated on approximately 1400 patients. That is a lot of lives impacted by our small and dedicated team. No wonder we are tired. No wonder we need a break. But every moment was worth it, every late night, every tear shed when I had moments of uncertainty, or not sure how we would pull something off, or not sure what was the best decision to make. And I know God’s goodness in it all. His goodness to me, to the people we trained, to the patients, to my family and supporters.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created” James 1:17+18

Thank you Lord God that you give me life, and that I can offer it back to you.

Lasting Impact: Inspiration

SO far the facts speak for themselves, 1000’s have been healed and 1000’s have been trained, since we arrived in Madagascar in late August 2015

 

As Mercy Ships seeks to follow the 200 year old model of Jesus and bring hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor, we too want to leave a lasting impact. We want to leave a lasting impact on our patients and on those we train. We want to be remembered as an inspiration to 100’s and 1000’s.

So, I wonder who or what inspires you?

Maybe you had a teacher who encouraged you at school.….maybe you have sporting or political icon who you look up to…. maybe it was a professional mentors who inspired you in your career? Or maybe it was just a quotation you read somewhere, and is now a motto you seek to live your life by. I have several friends whose email signatures contain a quote, which is particularly meaningful to them.

When we think of these inspirational individuals, while some of us will think of something specific they did, often I think we can't. We don’t remember exactly what they did or said that inspired us, but rather it was just a sense of something about them. Something tangible yet difficult to articulate. I think it is often the sense of relationship that creates the feel of lasting impact. A sense of being believed in, or trusted in, or invested in……simply loved and encouraged.

And I hope that is what every single one of the numbers above feel. The 1000’s of patients and 1000’s of healthcare workers we have trained.  I hope we have been an inspiration to them and had a lasting impact on them, in a way that outlasts the time Mercy Ships is in Madagascar. We will leave here in a couple of months and I hope we have made a difference. They wont remember everything that I told them about their surgery and anaesthesia and post-operative instructions, but I hope they remembered we cared, and that inspires them to care for others. They won't remember everything I taught them on a training course, but I hope they remembered we were pleased to be there and enjoyed teaching them, and that inspires them to teach others.

When I watch the Mercy Ships YouTube videos https://www.youtube.com/user/mercyshipsvideos and read the comments on our training course feedback forms, I think I know. We have made a lasting impact. And I have loved every minute I have spent here. It is worth the sacrifice.