“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” -- St Catherine of Siena

The Bishop of London started his sermon at the royal wedding with this quote and it has sat with me all weekend. The Africa Mercy crew joined the UK and the rest of the world in celebrating the royal wedding on Friday. We were able to watch the service thanks to our satellite TV system. People came and went most of the morning and that evening the British crew onboard hosted a street party where we had British cupcakes and chocolates.  So fun!

I’ve been on the ship one week now and I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone. I’m working on the pediatric orthopedic ward this week and I absolutely love it! The kids are so fun to work with and so stinkin tough. Some of them are up walking around with crutches just one or two days after surgery…and many have casts on both legs.  I’ve made friends with a group of boys I call the wheelchair gang. There are 3-4 guys around 10 years old that have casts on both legs and feet that ride around in wheelchairs all day. We have races in the hallway and every afternoon we take them up to deck 7 to get some fresh air.  I’ve attached a picture of my friend Tamba. He was born with club feet and our doctors have been preparing him for corrective surgery. He has had multiple casts put on since he’s been here, slowly trying to correct his feet. He’s scheduled for a final surgery later this week.

I am absolutely in awe of God at this moment. In just the last week I have witnessed God performing so many miracles! One thing that makes this hospital/program so unique is that we are constantly in prayer. At the end/beginning of every nursing shift we gather together and have a time of prayer, when we send patients for surgery we sit with our patient and the surgical team and pray over them before they go back to the operating room, people meet every morning on deck for a time of prayer…you get the picture. This place is bathed in prayer and it is just amazing. And God has answered prayers this week in mighty ways. In fact, he’s answered very specific prayers about a very sick little girl we’ve had in the ICU. She’s now had two surgeries and is recovering well, but there have been a lot of God moments/miracles involved. I feel like God has said very clearly this week that he hears our prayers and is at work in this place. “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Ps 5:3. Thank you God for the gift of prayer and for your provision in our lives! Amen and Amen.