He Holds His Head Higher

Three years ago, Veronique went to visit her older brother in Abomey, the ancient capital of Benin. While she was there, she noticed her nephew Odilon had a swollen area on his jaw. Veronique asked Odilon’s parents if there was a problem with his tooth.

The mother answered, “No, Odilon has no pain.” Veronique had no way of knowing that a small cyst, easily removed in a place with adequate medical care, would overtake both his mouth and his life. So, she returned to Cotonou and her family without giving it much more thought.

Veronique returned to Abomey two years later, and when she saw how much the tumor had grown, she was stunned. She asked Odilon’s mother, “Why haven’t you done something about your son’s problem?” His mother replied, “We have taken him many places, but no one can do it.”



Ten-year-old Odilon suffered intensely from the swelling mass on his jaw. The family visited doctors who said they couldn’t help and traditional healers who prescribed herbal drinks. Sometimes it was difficult for him to eat, and he often would spit up blood.

“He was a strong boy,” his grandmother says. “But the tumor made him weak and small.”

Physically he deteriorated, and he also became withdrawn and shy. He was quiet, unsmiling, and reluctant to answer questions. He was ridiculed by others for the softball-sized tumor that pushed at his cheek, absorbed his jaw and teeth, and kept growing as weeks and months passed.



“I was ashamed when I had the tumor,” Odilon says. “Children at school used to insult me. I did not know why I had this tumor, and I wondered where it came from.” The family suffered, too. People accused the father of doing nothing to help his son and of neglecting his child.

Back in Cotonou, his Aunt Veronique heard of a Mercy Ship on its way to Benin that could help Odilon. She called and told the family, and in February, Odilon and his grandmother traveled the five hours from their village to Cotonou. There he received an appointment for a free operation with Dr. Gary Parker, who has worked with Mercy Ships for 23 years removing tumors just like Odilon’s.



“Because of the tumor, he stayed in the house,” his grandmother says, “but he would cry that he wanted to go back to school. If he is healed, he can go to school, and then, by the grace of God, he will be someone in the future.”

Odilon’s feelings about being healed were more basic, immediate, and fitting for a ten-year old who has suffered physical pain and emotional isolation. He declared, “After the surgery, I will feel better, and people will not laugh at me again.”



In March, Odilon received his first operation to remove the tumor. Then a second surgery followed, in which Dr. Parker fashioned a new jaw for him using a titanium plate and pieces of Odilon’s rib. A small scar cuts across his chin, but the tumor is gone, and Odilon smiles readily. He holds his head higher, and he’s excited for the future.



“I am fine!” Odilon says, “…and when I see my face, it is good!”

Now Odilon would like to go back to school and become a doctor. “There are so many different diseases,” Odilon says, “and I will be able to help people feel better.”

“No one believed that he could have an operation that would work. No one else believed, because the surgery was too hard,” Veronique explains. “It’s been really a wonderful thing for the surgeons to do for Odilon, for all of us.”

Do You Know How Long A Year Is?

To make it, really make it as a medical missionary, it takes major commitment. You have to be willing to give surgery to a patient that may or may not do more damage than good.

Its all about being committed… because if we’re not… we have no business picking up that patient in the first place.

There are times when even the best of us have trouble with commitment.

Sometimes, we may be surprised by the commitments we are willing to let slip out of our grasps. Because, well… commitments are complicated.

I’ve learned that, as a medical missionary, the days are far too rigid, far too demanding, far too exhausting, far too taxing to not commence and conclude the day with God.

You think you have it all figured out, you know? That leaving everything behind to serve your God and show others His love by your daily example… well, that it will in return, cause you to be more like Him.

But here’s the catch – after nearly 10 months away from home and serving in the mission field, I’ve been brought close to God, pushed Him away, been forced to be like Him, and now – I desire Him.

We may also surprise ourselves by the commitments we are willing to make.

True commitment takes effort and sacrifice. Which is why sometimes… we have to learn the hard way to choose our commitments very carefully.

And this commitment, by far, has been the journey of God and I’s life!

Ummm, Can I Get A Speech Consult....

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The ability to communicate is powerful, allowing us to share ideas and engage in relationships. There are many mediums through which we communicate, including imagery, touch, and the written word. But our most frequent, and arguably most powerful, channel of communication is speech. Speech allows us to quickly articulate emotions, opinions, and thoughts. It’s a powerful ability.

Some patients onboard the Africa Mercy are discovering this power for the first time. Maxillofacial operations are an integral part of the surgical schedule during Mercy Ships 2009 Field Service in Benin. Many maxillofacial patients, particularly those with cleft lips/palates, have spent their lives communicating with impeded speech. Facial malformations of the oral and nasal passages, in conjunction with weakened lip muscles, make it impossible to articulate normal sounds. Impediments can range in severity from difficulty producing a few sounds to a complete inability to form understandable words.

Living with a speech impediment is embarrassing and frustrating. Often children are not sent to school because they can’t properly communicate. This lack of education stagnates their mental and relational development, causing problems that will follow them into their adult years. Restoring speech to a child can spare him or her from a lifetime of anguish.

Surgically correcting the facial anatomy is the first step to restoring speech. However, even after the facial anatomy is corrected, many still have difficulties speaking. Post-operative speech therapy is needed to retrain the mouth and throat to correctly form sounds.

“Even though the surgery is complete and successful, and they look more normal, it’s the therapy that’s going to make them sound better,” said speech therapist Sally Peet. “Just because the anatomy is corrected doesn’t mean they are able to use it to speak properly. Therapy is a huge part of making the surgery a success.”

Sally Peet of the United Kingdom has been a licensed speech therapist since 1994. Since 2004, she and her family have served with Mercy Ships. Currently, she provides speech therapy for patients onboard the Africa Mercy.



Peet described her work: “I work with the maxillofacial patients, mainly the cleft lips and the cleft palates. However, any surgery that’s interrupted the facial muscles may have a need for therapy. For example, when a patient has a large facial tumor removed, their skin and lips become flaccid, affecting their speech and their ability to control saliva. I work with them, as well as the cleft lip patients, to make sure their lips are strong.”




Patients with speech difficulties are referred to Peet post-operatively by the Africa Mercy nursing staff. She works individually with each patient, evaluating their needs and providing exercises to strengthen weakened muscles. Also, she encourages the proper usage of restored facial anatomy. “Many patients have found a way of ineffectively talking around huge malformations and have spoken incorrectly for years. The initial goal is to ensure the anatomy where the surgery has taken place will now be functional,” said Peet.



Peet works with patients throughout their time on the ward. When they leave the hospital, they come back to the Africa Mercy for outpatient appointments – sometimes for several months after their surgery. “I can achieve more with the ones who live closer, because I can see them for a longer period of time,” said Peet.



Peet describes a memorable patient she worked with for over three months during the 2008 Field Service in Liberia: “There was a beautiful little girl with a cleft lip and palate. She spoke without using any constants sounds, and you could not understand her when she talked. She and her mom worked incredibly hard in therapy. By the time we finished, she was totally intelligible and making every sound correctly. Her mother said all her aunties in her village were dancing because now, not only does she look beautiful, she sounds beautiful.”




Providing speech therapy is just one example of Mercy Ships commitment to holistic care for patients through the partnership of various professional skills. Sally Peet is thrilled to be partnering with the Africa Mercy’s surgical and nursing staff to provide hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor. “I love providing speech therapy. It’s great to be working in my profession onboard the Africa Mercy,” she concluded.

A Medical Twist On Reflection Of 9/11

As medical professionals, patients are always telling us how they would do our jobs.

"Just stitch me up, slap a band-aid on it, and send me home."

Its easy to suggest a quick solution when you don’t know much about the problem, when you don’t understand the underlying cause, or just how deep the wound really is.

The first step toward a real cure is to know exactly what the disease is to begin with… but that’s not what people want to hear.

We are supposed to forget the past that landed us here, ignore the future complications that might arise, and go for the quick fix.

As medical professionals, as friends, as human beings, we all try to do the best we can.

But the world is full of unexpected twist and turns.

And just when you’re gotten the lay of the land – the world shifts, and knocks you off your feet. If you’re lucky, you end up with nothing more than a flesh wound – something a band-aid will cover.

But, some wounds are deeper than they first appear, and require more than just a quick fix. With some wounds, you have to rip off the band-aid, let them breathe, and give them time to heal.

Fate In Your Own Hands

In the eighth grade, my class had to read Romeo and Juliet. Then, for extra credit, we had to act out all the parts. As fate would have it, I was Juliet.

I tried to tell my teacher that Juliet was an idiot. For starters, she falls for the one guy she can’t have, then, she blames fate for her own bad decision. It was explained to me that when fate comes into play, choice sometimes goes out the window.

At the ripe old age of 13, I was very clear that love, like life, was about making choices, and fate has nothing to do with it.

Everyone thinks its so romantic: Romeo and Juliet: true love… but my thought is - how sad.

If she was stupid enough to fall for the enemy, drink a bottle of poison, and fall asleep in a mausoleum. She deserved what she got. But maybe Romeo and Juliet were fated to be together, but just for awhile… and then their time passed.

If they could have known that before hand, maybe it all would have been okay. I told my teacher that when I grew up, I would take fate into my own hands, I wouldn’t let some guy drag me down.

My teacher said that I would be lucky if I ever had that kind of passion with someone, and if I did – we would be together forever. Even now, I believe, that for the most part, love is about choices. Its about putting down the poison, and the dagger, and making your own happy ending… most of the time.

But sometimes, despite all your best choices, and all your best intentions, fate wins anyway.

Negative Content

After my recent post of "Life Is A Sport", I received many emails questioning whether or not I was "ok"... which is why that post was followed (hours later) by "A Man Rejuvenated".

Human beings require a lot of things to feel alive: family, love, sex… but we only need one thing to actually be alive: we need a beating heart. When our heart is endangered, we respond in one of two ways: we either run, or we attack. There’s a scientific term for this: fight or flight. Its instinct. We can’t control it.

At any given moment, the brain has 14 billion neurons firing at a speed of 450 mph. We don’t have control over most of them: when we get a chill - goosebumps, when we get excited - adrenaline. The body naturally follows its impulses, which I think is part of what makes it so hard to follow ours. Of course, sometimes, we have impulses we would rather not follow.

The body is a slave to its impulses, but the thing that makes us human is what we can control. After the storm, after the rush, after the heat of the moment has passed, we can cool off and clean up the messes we’ve made.

We can try to let go of what was.

So, this is my request for forgiveness for having articulated my thoughts in what was taken to be a negative way. I was not trying to be negative; I was trying to be real. That's what this blog is about - its an update on me in Africa. I never said it would always be happy and nice... but I can tell you that it is real.

I did, however collect one email of support about the "negative content" post, from a dear friend, Rich. He said,

"I think you are allowed some "negative content" and you certainly did not offend me! After catching up on your blogs, I can assure you that as I head out at 5:00pm, knowing I will be home in 10 minutes, that I will NOT be thinking about how "difficult" my day has been. Instead, thanks to you, I will take a few minutes to give thanks for ALL of the little things I try not to take for granted (but do anyway) everyday and say a prayer for those that are much less fortunate.

I always enjoy reading your blogs and I am still amazed at what you and the crew of the Mercy Ship have given up to help people that think they have absolutely no hope. The number of lives you guys touch every day is mind boggling. Thanks so much for caring enough to share the good and the difficult with us. I will certainly continue to read your blogs and pray for your continued strength and well being!

Take care and know that you are making a world of difference to many even if there is some "negative content" every once in a while!"

So here we go another time... the good, the bad, and the ugly: all found at Life With A Mission.

A Man Rejuvenated

Nearly ten years ago, Emmanuel, a Nigerian-born father of two, went to a hospital with severe pain in his lower left molars. A tooth was removed, but the pain persisted. A check-up revealed no visible problems. After a brief teeth-cleaning and some pain medication, Emmanuel was sent home.

Then, in 2004, Emmanuel returned to the hospital. Constant pain and a noticeable swelling of his jaw were strong indications that more than just a tooth cavity was to blame. A surgeon attempted an exploratory operation to discover the cause; however, no abnormalities were found. A bewildered Emmanuel returned home to explain the confusing situation to his concerned wife.

Four years later, it was obvious that Emmanuel had a growth in his jaw. The severe protrusion on the side of his face made it difficult for him to get regular work as a mechanic. “People do not want to hire a man that looks sick,” he said. The tumor caused him to flinch with pain whenever he exerted himself. The once active man now found himself on the couch of his living room most days. He sadly said, “I used to like playing soccer. I liked to work in the gym and build my muscles. But when the sickness started, I lost my happiness and my strength. I did not even want to watch soccer on the TV. Now my arms are thin, and my legs are weak.”

Emmanuel had a friend with a vague medical background who came to him and convincingly offered to perform surgery to remove the growth. Desperate for relief, Emmanuel agreed to the risky attempt.

Unfortunately, the friend was not able to remove any of the tumor and caused more damage by aggravating the growth and leaving Emmanuel with a mass of scar tissue on his jaw line. Emmanuel’s condition worsened, and his hope and happiness were further diminished.

Though he was fortunate enough to have some financial support from his parents and his wife’s hairdressing business, Emmanuel still tried to make some money to feed his children. He regularly travelled to Cotonou, Benin, to buy goods with the intention of selling them at a profit in Nigeria.

While walking through the market one day, he had a strange feeling that someone was following him. He noticed a woman who kept looking at him with a concerned look. Eventually he confronted her. She spoke in French. The English-speaking Emmanuel did not understand. “I had a feeling that she was trying to tell me something important. She kept pointing to my tumor,” he said. Emmanuel shouted out for someone to translate for him. A young girl came along and began explaining what the woman was saying.

The woman’s name was Veronique, and her younger brother Odilon once had a growth in the same place as Emmanuel’s tumor. Thanks to an organization called Mercy Ships, Odilon received a free surgery that had removed the tumor. She explained that the ship was docked in the port, not far from where they were. She said that the people on board would be able to fix Emmanuel, give him food, and not even ask for money. “When I heard these things, I was very happy,” Emmanuel said. “My heart was beating fast. I prayed to God, ‘If this is possible, then let it happen.’”

Veronique could certainly relate to the turmoil Emmanuel was experiencing after seeing her own brother suffer with the same condition for years. She proceeded to leave her selling goods with another vendor and told Emmanuel to follow her to the ship.

Emmanuel arrived at the ship, baffled by this sudden answer to prayer. “When I walked on board, it seemed like everyone was happy to see a patient like me,” he recalled. “They took some tests and told me to return in a few weeks for my operation. But then I was scared that the ship was going to leave.”

However, when Emmanuel returned for his surgery, the Africa Mercy was still there, and he was admitted to the on board hospital. The following day, he underwent an eight-hour surgery to remove the growth from his jaw. “When I woke up, they told me how long it took. I was glad when I heard this because it made me realize that they took care to do a good job.”

Due to the work done to his jaw, Emmanuel was unable to chew. To avoid the risk of infection, a feeding tube going directly to his stomach was inserted into his nose. But despite the discomfort, Emmanuel’s spirits were uplifted, and he spoke like a man rejuvenated. “Now that the tumor is gone, I have my happiness again. Praise God!” he exclaimed. “Before, I felt separated from people, but now I see myself as a normal somebody. I phoned my wife and my parents and told them about my operation. They shouted through the telephone, ‘Praise God!’ They were very happy to hear the news.”

For the first time in nearly a decade, Emmanuel is feeling positive about the future. “When I go back to Nigeria, I am planning a lot of what to do because I am a new man now. I believe in God. He knows my heart and what I think, and He knows what is good for me so that my heart is filled with joy,” concluded Emmanuel.

The mercy shown by Veronique in the market and the free surgery provided by Mercy Ships have completely transformed Emmanuel’s life. He is now a walking testimony of the hope and healing Mercy Ships endeavors to bring.

Life Is A Sport

I played a few sports in college: track and field, did some cheerleading… but for this example… let’s go with football. Let’s say you were drafted to a team that wasn’t your first pick: you don’t like the players, you despise the way they play the game, you even think the quarterback is full of crap, that the quarterback is a pain in the ass that you don’t owe a damn thing to.

But, its your team… you don’t quit.

You don’t talk to the press, you don’t bitch to the coach, you just go out there every Sunday and you make the blocks, and you take the hits, and you play to win.

You show up

You suit up

And you play

...because its your freaking team.

I've been in a place lately where I feel like I can't breathe... and no, I don't have a cold, nor do I need any Afrin.

It's just a place... a place that we all fall into from time to time... a place where everyday is the same... and your life (even though it is in Africa) feels – well… redundant, tedious, uninteresting, droning.

A good basketball game can have us all on the edge of our seats. Games are all about the glory, the pain, and the play by play.

And then, there are the solitary games, the games we play all by ourselves. The social games... the mind games. We use them to pass the time, to make life more interesting, to distract us from what’s really going on.

There are those of us who love to play games, any game.

And there are those of us who love it… a little too much. Life is not a spectator sport. Win, lose, or draw – the game is in progress, whether we want it to be of not.

So go ahead: argue with the refs, change the rules, cheat a little, take a break, and tend to your wounds.

But play, play hard, play fast, play loose and free. Play as if there’s no tomorrow.

And speaking of tomorrow... tomorrow, I'm going to start to breathe again.