I've had the same patients for the last 3 days. It has been wonderful to be able to develop a relationship with them and care for them. My 3 men who all have infected leg wounds are all going for surgery tomorrow. I was able to pray with them and reassure them that the surgeons and anesthetists and nurses are very good at their jobs. It's been good to see the wounds improving each day. One man said he'd been using African herbs for a long time on his wound, and it didn't help at all. I really hope the surgeries and healing processes go well. This will make such a huge difference in their lives because otherwise they will have to just hope their wounds will heal without medical treatment. They are such kind and valuable people. My heart aches for the opportunities they never had and the unfulfilled hopes and dreams. Tomorrow is my day off, but I want to go and check on them after their surgeries.
I have a dear little friend who always teases me and is laughing and smiling at me. He is a 9 year old burn patient who has had release of some contractures. He speaks very strong Liberian English, and I really have a hard time understanding him. I ask him to repeat himself many times over, and still sometimes I cannot understand him. Tonight he was being a goofball and laughing with a patient who only speaks French. I don't know how they understood each other, but they were both laughing hysterically. I just love that little boy. The mother in me wants to protect him from the harsh world out there that will not accept and love him because he is different. He only has half a head of hair because half of it was burned off. His body will never be the same as everyone else's, but he is a little boy full of life and hope for the future.
As I was leaving my shift tonight, I heard wimpering from under his bed. I went over and there were tears streaming down his face. I couldn't get a word out of him, but thought maybe he was in pain. Then another patient called to me that he was missing his mom. Poor little guy. There truly is no-one who can take the place of your mother. I know nobody could ever replace mine. I rubbed his back for a while and he eventually calmed down. I pray he sleeps well without his mother who had to go home to take care of another sick child. Oh, the challenges of motherhood in Liberia!
The little baby who was born on the Africa Mercy was appropriately named "Mercy". She is so precious, tiny, fragile and new. A new baby girl with so much life ahead of her. What a gift life is. God is so immeasureably good to us to give us the precious gift of life.
I had to practice my French today because there were a few patients from other countries who didn't speak English. It's fun to try speaking even though I know I'm making mistakes. They understand me a little at least! I'm looking forward to my time in Benin because I might actually be able to speak some more coherent French by May of next year!
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