Learning to Live One Day at A Time

Bonjour from Mercy Ships!!!

MERCY SHIPS IS AMAZING!!  Already in the first 4 weeks the surgeons have done 77 General Surgeries, 71 Maxillofacial Surgeries and 69 Plastic Surgeries. 

The surgeons are absolutely  

Brilliant, Amazing and Compassionate! 

We are so blessed to work with them!

This is one of our adorable, ornery, loving little guys that had plastic surgery on his arm

Before and After......She is so sweet!!!.......Can you imagine carrying that tumor around with you everyday???.

I just can't imagine how the surgeons even knew where to begin.......This is one of many of these types of surgeries that have already been done thus far. It will be so exciting to watch the progress that she will make over the course of time and with a few more surgeries!.......What a blessing to have the chance to become "normal" once again!

Before and After of our little guy with a cleft. Home now with Papa!!
Dr. Parker educated the crew sharing awesome stories and pictures of the many different types of cleft lip and palates and the many options of fixing. Once again, I am in "awe" of how brilliant our surgeons are!!

THANK YOU LORD FOR GIVING THESE AWESOME SURGEONS THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO PERFORM THESE SURGERIES, WITHOUT THEM, SO MANY WOULD LIVE A LIFE OF SHAME AND RIDICULE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING LOVE!!

NIGHT SHIFT

I survived my first set of night shifts. I was so panicked that I may not stay awake or would feel sick for the next week..........Thank God for Josh.......he comes buy every night and takes a "StarBucks" order and delivers our delicious drinks at 12 midnight

Yummy.......Double Shot Canadiano with a sprinkle of cinnamon

Outings 

Dental Clinic   - Mercy Ships has an on site and off site dental clinic. I believe that twice a week people are lined up for care. My role for the day was to be “security”.....Patient escort!......Actually what that means is to keep the Adults and Kids occupied by singing, talking and playing games with them! Once again, I continue to go on and on about Mercy Ships....Now I need to boast about the dental team!......They are AMAZING!!

The people line up very early in the morning....some pay to be up front, some lay down stones to mark their spots......The Lead Dentist has chosen to reduce the mad rush and start screening at random spots in the line....this reduces the need to fight to be first!

Orphanage 

Visit to the orphanage........I believe there are 5 or so in the city. We sign up to go and love them up!!!  They are all so adorable.....I pray for people to have the call to adopt! There are so many children that need homes!!

Weekend Adventure

A random set of plans turned out to be an incredible weekend!!

Our day started with ........... directions on a napkin.....and directions to call “Boris the “boatman”.....someone needed to speak to Boris in French...we set the time to meet him at the river.......our list of people going changed many times......We new we needed to get a taxi to take us to the river, yet not sure the cost or if enough room for all of us.........We hopped into a Mercy Ship Land rover and was dropped off in town......As we jumped off.....Heather quickly spotted a brother of one of the day crew.....he negotiated a fair cost for a taxi for us and we all cramped in!  The price even included that he wait for us and take us back. It was about an hour ride through the city and out into the country......We got to this little village with huts, goats, chickens and pigs running around....and wondered how to find Boris....next thing you know......we are asking about Boris, and HE is Boris!  

Quick Potty Break on the Squatty Potty!!

We had a beautiful, relaxing  4 hour river ride!! Ahhhh, fresh air, and green trees!! All along the river were families living in huts....As we rode by, they all came out and waved to us! 

Boris

Midway into the ride, Boris asked if we wanted to stop and meet a family. Of course we all said Yes!! This was very cool!  Mama and the family took us back through the “bushes” and showed us her sugar cane.....she had cut it all down and the area was ready to grow new crop!.....She then gave us all some to taste and to take back with us! DELICIOUS!!

We went back to the hut and sang songs and took pictures. All of a sudden they were getting their babies out of the hut and changing their clothes for pictures!....I am always blessed to be on these outings with a friend that speaks French...otherwise I have to rely on the universal sign language of “smiling” and “thumbs up!!

Cocoa Beans Picked from the Tree

Sugar Cane

 For some reason I am always attracted to the little boys!!......Imagine That!!

They are as ornery as my own were!!!

Lots of Babies!!!

 After the trip......a few of us decided to stay at a hotel that was close by and was directly on the beach, situated amongst the village. Once again....no plans in place, we brought our backpacks just in case!! There just so happen to be two rooms left and a price was negotiated! I am so blessed to hang out with these young “adventerous” girls......I was kind of too chicken to stay and they reassured me it was OK.......I am not sure if they are “naive”.......but figure what the heck.....I am here for the adventure!!

Rooms were small, yet clean. Bathroom clean....no shower curtain....towels but no washcloths.....toliet, but no toilette seat!

Add caption

AWE!!! So Beautiful and Relaxing!!!

I know this picture is kinda of dark.....yet, wanted to show you the dinner that Laura had.......I chose good ole' Italian Spaghetti Carbonara......too much adventure for me for one day.....had to stick with something I knew!!!

The hotel was situated in the middle of this village.
We walked through the village......Bonjour is Hello in French and Mbote in Kituba. I am getting good at those two words!!

We woke to the roosters singing and kids playing. Most of the villages have a school, store, church, pub/restaurant.........Everyone was friendly, Music going from morning to night....just like a big campground......people cooking over the fires, kids running around......and then you have four white girls walking through the sandy dirt roads and kids yelling out......”white girls”.....but in French!!

The next morning the hotel was setting up for a big party. Tables clothes and wine bottles on every table....They started grilling steak, chicken and shrimp early and the people starting coming in. We were so jealous.......we were so hungry and wanted to join in!.......Randomly, as we were finding out how to get the shuttle back....a man, who turned out to be running the party...started talking to us and invited us to join him.....At first we said no, as we were not dressed appropriately, yet he insisted!  He got us plates, made sure we were served and sat us at a table with a bottle of wine! AHHHH..Life is good!!

Though we totally enjoyed the meal and wine, we all felt a little strange as well as we were situated smack in the middle of the poor and the rich!  We woke to roosters and bought water from the local village and drank wine with the wealthy all in one day!

Now.....it was time to go home. We were promised a shuttle that was included in the price to take us back to the port. As it turned out.....there were many other Mercy Ship people at the hotel that surfaced when it was time to leave!   Our shuttle.....was built for 7, and 14 of us crammed in! Another fun ride in the Congo!!!

It is now the end of the following week and I am still recuperating from that trip! I worked the next four days and slept in until noon on the fifth!!

Happy Birthday!!!!

 I Truly has  GREAT Birthday!  

Now at 51.........Many losses, many changes, many fears and many eye opening experiences.......I SURRENDER!!!.......I choose to commit to living one day at a time and enjoying the present moment. Even now, amongst all of this awe......I find myself fussing about things of the past that I cannot change and fretting about the future of which I have no control of and missing the “fun and abundance” of today!!

I am committed to “surrender” yet know that it will require some work and constant prayer!! I will need to pray in the morning, pray at noon, pray and reflect at bedtime...otherwise I get pulled right back into my old ways that caused more upset than abundance!!!!

I am convinced that God is trying to drill this in my head while I am here! Each time I sit down to read the Bible and Study I find myself coming to the same or similar scripture that tells us to live one day at a time. “

Give us this day our daily Bread”

.....God gave one day of manna at a time......that is all we need. 

I want you to live this day abundantly, seeing all there is to see, doing all there is to do. Do not be distracted by future concerns. Leave them to me!! Each day of life is a glorious gift, but so few people know how to live within the confines of today. Much of their energy for abundant living spills over the time line into tomorrows worries or past regrets. Their remaining energy is sufficient only for limping through the day, not living it to the full. I am training you to keep your focus on My Presence in the present. This is how to receive abundant Life, which flows freely from My throne of grace!  

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day” Matthew 6:34

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and get gain” whereas you do not know about your tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for  a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and we shall do this or that” James 4:13-15

..............so many more verses that tell us the same thing......Just worry about today!!!!.....Enjoy today!!!!

Thanks for reading!!!.......Please email me from time to time and let me know what's new in your life!

kwagz44@yahoo.com