pie charts and life change

The final surgeries have been completed and one-by-one the patients are being discharged from the wards.  The hospital (and all of the rest of the ship) is being packed up and readied for the sail to Durban.  Crew are finishing out this field service with all the tough good-byes that this season brings...

As those things are happening, it's nice to have visual reminders of some of what has been accomplished through the Africa Mercy in the last 9 months.  

If you have time, take a few minutes to study these charts - to read the fine print...to consider that each number is a person.  Each percentage represents impact. 

What's mind boggling is all of the lives that have been affected that are NOT represented by these pie charts.  Crew. Guests to the ship. Neighbors of patients who return home without the tumor or cleft lip or leaking body that they left with. Caretakers.  Health officials. Doctors. Nurses. Friends and family of crew back home.  The random person in Seattle who happened to click on a link where a story of a patient was shared.  

And then to think of future lives that will be affected (whew...that brings tears to my eyes)...those lives that will be saved because safe surgery practices are being used...the babies who will be able to breathe because a Malagasy nurse took a course...future crew who will come serve on a Mercy Ship because they hear the story of a current crew mate....hundreds and thousands of lives forever changed because of God's work through the Africa Mercy in Madagascar. 

A few songs are coming to mind and filling my heart: 

• To God be the glory great things He has done...
• Tell Papa God Tenki...
• Great things He has done.  Greater things He will do...

He is our good, good Father...what a privilege to be a part of His love here on earth.

Surely there will be more to come.