Screening

A few weeks ago, for two days, several thousand people crowded to the Musem de Arts in Cotonou, Benin seeking help for a whole range of medical problems. They gathered because they had heard that Mercy Ships was coming and offering free medical care. For several months before the 18th of February, posters, radio ads and word of mouth had been spreading the news.

This is a normal start to most outreaches for Mercy Ships. In order to have patients who come to the ship, first we must find them (or better said, that God would find them and get them to us). It can be a day full of joy for some and disappoint for others. When the word of free medical care goes out, people can come with everything from a headace to cancer to children with disabilities. Everyone is just hoping for the right word and healing for their problem. The day is called 'screening' because it is just that -- trying to find as many people to help as we can but also recommending patients for other hospitals or clinics in the area who could help them better or offering prayer and support if the problem is beyond our power to help (but never beyond God's). For the many that we can help with problems like bowed legs, cateracts, non-cancerous tumors/growths, VVF, clubbed feet, burn scars it is a day of joy as they receive their card that allows them to come back to the ship later in the year for treatment.

For the the two days, starting at 3.30 in the morning on the first day, most of the Africa Mercy crew made trips back and forth in the heat to help with everything that needed to be done. The hospital staff was busy with the medical side of things - taking histories, making decisions about who we could help, taking blood to test for any unseen problems, giving vitamins, etc. The rest of the crew was working in security/crowd control, passing out water (and bread at mid-day), prayer stations, kid-care (for all those bored children who spent hours waiting) and driving people back and forth from the ship. Everyone working together (and God's help) helped to have two days that went very smoothly and thousands of people moving through the hall.

Please be praying throughout our time in Benin (until the end of November) for the patients. Pray that they would make it back to the ship when they need to - there would be no problems with transportation or fear of the unknown. Pray that they would remain as healthy as possible so they will be strong for their surgery. Pray that we will be able to minister to their hearts as well as their bodies with our love and actions. Pray also for the patients that are still out there that God needs to show us still - pray that there will be a connection made a help given.