Linda Atwood's Global Mercy Journey

                                               The Global Mercy Surgical Ship Experience The Mercy Ships organization continues to offer surgical support in Africa. The decision to focus on Africa developed with the realization of the great need for free and safe surgery. Fifty percent of the West African population is located along the coast. The Africa Mercy and Global Mercy surgical ships offer care to those living on the coast and also throughout the country.  Globally, 5 billion people lack access to safe surgery. Children and adults die every day from treatable surgical treatment.  Managing the operational details of a ship requires a full time captain, engineers, and many deck crew to keep everything in excellent ship shape. My single cabin became a sanctuary for relaxation at the end of busy days. My schedule as a counselor for the crew was meaningful and filled with amazing stories of Mercy Ship experiences. The Global Mercy surgical ship arrived in Sierra Leone for the first

                           My Experiences  in Sierra Leone Meeting the people and hearing their love for "Sweet Salone" The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Wonie Bio, is speaking to the Global Mercy community in the ship's international lounge.  Celebrations occurred on the Global Mercy Ship when we arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Many crew including myself participated in these official celebrations which hosted the President, Ministers and important country engagement contributors in the Mercy Ships mission. Sierra Leone medical and nursing professionals joined the celebrations. The nurses wore the uniforms familiar to my early years in nursing (1970s). An estimated 5500 nurses and nurse allied-professionals serve the nation of Sierra Leone. This accounts for over 42% of the Sierra Leone healthcare workforce. Of this number only 349 are classified as nurses with an undergraduate degree and specialized knowledge. Visiting the Divine Heritage Ho

Sundays in Freetown, Sierra Leone Sundays are an important family time in Sierra Leone. It is said that it is easy to notice the 20-30% Christian population on Sunday as families, beautifully dressed in similar fabric, walk to church. The photos show the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Freetown, Sierra Leone. I participated in weekly Mass at this Cathedral. It is not the largest Catholic Church but remains the oldest. It remains small because the property does not allow for expansion. Work on its construction began in November 1884 with a dedication on October 27, The simple church is filled with lively African music with services lasting 2-3 hours. The length of the service connected to many announcements after the Roman Catholic Mass. Open Freetown Markets Every day, including Sundays, the Freetown streets are filled with markets and merchants moving supplies from one location to the next. The transportation for most people is on a KeKe (3 wheel type rickshaw) which costs about one US doll

                          The Global Mercy ship arriving in Freetown, Sierra Leone ~ August 2023.                The Sierra Leone country engagement team and officials watch the Global Mercy arrive. Celebrations of music and acrobats welcomed the Global Mercy to port. Flags from over 40 nations were held by crew from these countries on the Global Mercy ship. Sierra Leone  The ocean waves carried stories, As I heard the wind beating truth. Truth telling human suffering, Trauma memories echoing. Sadness steps lingered on the streets, Peope holding sorrowful thoughts. Sacred stories shine loving hope, Healing deep wounds for tomorrow. Community care creates strength, Love reaching out from destruction. People kindly help each other, Extending a hand across life. Sweet Salone is beautifully loved, Giving light in the dark of day. Ocean waves beat a song of peace, Upon the shores of green mountains. Written by Linda Atwood, 13 October 2023

  Saying Goodbye to Senegal ~ Written in June 2023 Saying goodbye to Senegal, after many months of living in the country, brought feelings of gratitude mixed with sorrow. Sharing time with the Senegalese people was a joy. Saying goodbye knowing the inequalities of life and a probability of not seeing the people again felt sorrowful. My Senegal experiences reinforced my belief that we learn how to be good global citizens by asking how to live together. My time in Senegal continued to help me understand how cultures are different and not right or wrong. Continuing a global exploration, with an interest in listening, leaves me knowing there is so much more to learn. One learning opportunity involved meeting a young Nigerian artist, David Valentine, who is living in Senegal. His view of God's love for us all is similar to the painting created on the dome of the Dakar Catholic Cathedral. David Valentine described God as "the greatest artist". He believes "God's artist

A Night in the Sahara Desert Three Camels in the Sahara Desert  The Sahara is the world's largest and hottest desert with over 3.6 million square miles. It covers most of North Africa. "Even the wilderness and desert will rejoice in those days; the desert will bloom with flowers. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and Joy!  ~ Isaiah 35: 1-2 ~ Walking in the seemingly endless Sahara sand and spending a night within the simplicity of my desert tent reminded me of various biblical stories.  My thoughts shifted between the Israelites time in the Egyptian desert to the early Christian era when desert fathers and mothers traveled to simplify life.  Powerful quotes from desert fathers birthed from a time when people searched for a simpler life focused on prayer and meditation. A few quotes include: "We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them". "Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die to