Cause to smile...

Since I can't share everything with you (it's basically impossible), I do try to share what I can. And, I have decided to share with you things that make my heart happy while here on this ship. Things that I see, and I can't help but smile. Hopefully these little snap shots I share with you will cause you to smile as well...

- walking down the corridor and hearing singing...only to see that the singing is coming from a day crew member (ie a local that we hire to work with us here on the Africa Mercy) who is leading a mama down the hall who just had cataract surgery done. Not only are they just walking back to E Ward...but they are singing and dancing, too.

- sitting in the front room of the pharmacy, and hearing Miriam sing in the backroom...and some times quietly joining in. (We have good tunes in the pharmacy.)

- peeking my head over the half-door of the pharmacy to look down the hallway...only to see patients lined up on the chairs outside of the x-ray room...and knowing that they came here so that we could help them.

- having the little African kids come to the pharmacy for medicine and getting high fives and smiles from them...as well as shy thank yous and blessings from the parents as they leave with their packet of tablets or cream.

- going on to the ward the day after giving blood - and seeing the patient who was the recipient. Also getting a quick update from his nurse on how he's doing - and being able to sit there and say, "my blood is coursing through his veins."

- going to the wards three times a week, and seeing all the people in the beds.

• Smiling and saying, "Bonjour" - and getting smiles and hellos back. These people are amazing - and are usually up and walking the day after the life-changing surgeries that they have had.
• Watching the nurses interact with the patients...and play with the kids.
• Seeing Becca T carry a little one on her back like the mama's do here in Africa. (And this kid LOVED it).

- watching a little baby wake up in recovery (I was there re-stocking the ward) after getting a cleft lip surgery - and seeing the look on his mama's face when she sees him for the first time - his deformity now mended.

- doing clinical rounds on the wards - and watching Miriam being prevented from doing her job because a beautiful baby wanted to be held by her instead. (Oh, and did I mention that this baby was teething and wanted to gum Miriam's finger as well?)

- covering some of the hardships we have in the pharmacy with prayer...only to have our prayers answered in less than an hour. (That also got a high-five today.)

Anyhow...that's just a little glimpse of what happens day to day here. Just a tid-bit of the many things that make me stop and smile - and know that what we are doing here is a good thing. I'm sorry that my words can't adequately describe the scenes that play out before me day in and day out. I can't even show you pictures of what goes on in the hospital to respect patient confidentiality.

But, hopefully, it's enough...

G'night all...