This blog sucks, and I know it...

I must admit that I am in one of these moods again. Where I don't really want to bother with technical communication. I don't really want to respond to e-mails...and I know that I should blog, seeing as how my last two blogs were Wee Word Wednesdays...but, I also don't know what to blog about. As I type out this little diddy, I know that I have two blog drafts left unfinished. The words that once were coming to me to complete them I feel aren't there, or only make the blog sound hollow and empty, so uncompleted they remain.

I could tell you that the founder and president of Mercy Ships, Don Stephens, was just here. And in perfect time to meet the president of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe, as he came on board to see the hospital and get a first hand experience of what we do here on the ship.

I could tell you about the trip that I took to the northern most part of Benin (the country just to the east of Togo) over the Easter weekend. I could talk about the craziness of traveling in Africa on a whim, the complications of communicating (not only with others who don't speak the same language as you, but also those within the group), or the animals that we saw while on safari in Pendjari National Park.

Somehow, none of these are stories that I find interesting and in part, don't really want to spend an entire blog on. I mean, if I don't want to blog about it, why would you want to read it?

I am finding...that even while here...there is still the desire for something...more.

Perhaps it's because I haven't been using my time here in a way that is going to be fulfilling in the long run. For myself...or for the people that I hoped to help beyond a medical standpoint.

While I was away for Easter weekend, on the safari, sitting in the 4x4, watching the animals run around in the wild...I couldn't help but sit there, and feel like I wanted more to my Mercy Ships experience than this...than what I was doing right there in that moment.

I had taken the introduction course to get involved with patients here on the ward outside of work. I took the first step, and then kind of just dropped the ball...since I hadn't taken any of the opportunities to get involved. And, as I sat there...I decided that if I wanted more, than I needed to do more. This experience is only going to be what I make the effort for it to be. And, so it has begun.

This weekend, I spent my Saturday morning at an orphanage, Maison Bethel, here in Lomé. The house itself was beautiful, clean and cool. And the enclosed property was awesome, with gardens and places for the kids to run and play. The children there were all very cute...and very shy to start. One of the other Mercy Shippers pointed out that the kids here aren't all over you once you walk through the doors, like they can be at other places. And, it's a reflection of how they are treated in the orphanage. Since they aren't all over you asking and begging for attention and touch...it means that they are getting enough of that as it is without us giving extra love to them. That made my heart happy instead of heavy. It means that when the ship leaves and takes the Yovos away with it...those kids are still going to be loved on.

We spent some time going over a bible story with them (with the help of a translator, a lawyer who spends his weekends helping out at the orphanage), then doing some activities inside the house and then free play outside of the house. Most of the children there are about 3-8 years old, a few of them are older (in their teens). I've discovered that bubbles are a great way to interact and engage these little ones, as well as jump rope and soccer. I'm looking forward to having them warm up even more to me as the weeks go on and I continue to go.

I also went to ward church again this morning. It's awesome. I know that I've said that before. But, it warms my heart to see our nurses on shift, other Mercy Shippers, patients, caregivers, translators and day workers all get together with a single goal in mind. To worship God. For all He is, for all that He has done, and for all that He has yet to do. It's inspiring to see the patients singing their hearts out, clapping and dancing. African worship is so alive. To me, they seem like David, unashamed to dance and sing for their King. Perhaps, I have more to learn from them, than they from me...