VVF Dress Ceremony
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. "Who touched me ?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master," the people are crowding and pressing against you. But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." Luke 8:43-48
she said: Two and a half years ago I was married to a wonderful man. I became pregnant, and when the time came to deliver the baby it would not come. Three days i was in labour, and the baby would not come. My husband tried everything. He took me to doctors and they could do nothing. Then he heard of a man who could make the baby come. He tied a cloth around my waist and pushed. The baby would not come. I pushed and pushed, but the baby did not come. After the baby was born, my bladder did not work. I was always wet. My husband tried to find help for me, but when he could not, he left me at the hospital and never came back.
she said: For twenty two years, i have had this problem. My husband, my family and my friends have all left me.
she said: Five days i was in labour, and no one could help me. My baby was born dead. After then, i was always wet and nobody could help me. I did not have money for doctors. My husband left me, my mother would not see me, i was so alone.
she said: I have no mother, no father. My friends have left me, my husband left me. I was a farmer and nobody would help me.
she said: For twenty two years, i have had this problem. My husband, my family and my friends have all left me.
she said: Five days i was in labour, and no one could help me. My baby was born dead. After then, i was always wet and nobody could help me. I did not have money for doctors. My husband left me, my mother would not see me, i was so alone.
she said: I have no mother, no father. My friends have left me, my husband left me. I was a farmer and nobody would help me.
They all said: Praise the Lord for He has healed me!
One of our leading translators, a woman who once suffered with this condition herself, began the ceremony with the words of Luke. She told these women that this problem has been going on for centuries, causing just as much hopelessness and despair as it did to them. But, she said, "Jesus brought this ship to Benin, He brought the doctors and nurses to Mercy Ships, and HE healed their bodies through them." She didn't need to tell the ladies to be thankful, they have been thankful from the moment they first got that little appointment card at screening day. For many, the first glimmer of hope in years. I have never seen such faces of gratitude. I have never seen such authentic praise.
I cannot begin to imagine the daily suffering each of these women have gone through. I've heard their stories, and so many of them are the same. Stories of abandonment, hopelessness and despair. And yet they find hope to smile again, to laugh and make new friends. I wish I could bottle up their optimism and strength. I would take this bottle and give a dose to each patient i look after at home. But, it doesn't work that way does it ? These African women are special. Short of meeting them, you'll never truly understand what a joy they are, and what strength they posses.
The dress ceremony is something special, only for these ladies. Each lady receives a new dress, a symbol of a new life. They are given a chance to tell their story amongst their new friends, it is a time of celebration. A cornerstone of change in their lives. I wish them well on their journey.
If only this happy ending could be copy and pasted to every woman who enters the ship. But it can't, and it wouldn't be fair of me to tell you that it was. I will remember those women for a long time. The ones we walk down the hallway to the OR. The ones whose faces glimmer with hope, carrying their IV bags and hope that today will be the last day of shame. She comes back from the OR, eager with anticipation despite the grogginess. She still cannot feel much, her legs are still paralysed from the anesthetic. She doesn't have to say anything, her eyes say "am I dry, did it work ?" That first evening, we'll help her turn, check her frequently, monitoring her drainage bag, smiling that everything is ok so far. The next morning, she can get out of bed. She lifts her hips only to feel that familiar feeling, wet. Maybe the tube is plugged we say. We try our best to fix the problem. She relaxes and settles back into bed. Two hours later, she motions over to us, perplexed, wet. A few days later, the surgeon pulls up a stool with a translator to tell her the surgery didn't work. "There must be more holes, we didn't get them all. We are sorry, we tried our best." The other women are laughing and joking all around her, but for this woman i can see the cloud of darkness overwhelm her. The surgery failed. Hope is gone.
Some women have come back to the ship for as many as three times. I was explaining the surgical procedure to one lady, telling her what to expect in the OR and what to expect 24 hours after surgery took place. I ended my teaching session by asking her if she had any questions. She replied, "I have come to this ship two times before. Each time I hope that the surgery will work. I know that my case is difficult and there are many problems. I know you will try your best. That is all i can ask of you. I trust you to do this. Lord willing, this time will be my last."
Sometimes the damage is too great, sometimes there are other problems that prevent the surgery from being attempted at all. Doctors and nurses alike, no matter their level of skill and experience, can only do so much. For the ladies left behind, may they never loose sight of hope. Jesus healed the lady who suffered for 12 years by faith. If there is nothing else we can give these women, may they know Jesus and His power to heal, if only by faith.
One of our leading translators, a woman who once suffered with this condition herself, began the ceremony with the words of Luke. She told these women that this problem has been going on for centuries, causing just as much hopelessness and despair as it did to them. But, she said, "Jesus brought this ship to Benin, He brought the doctors and nurses to Mercy Ships, and HE healed their bodies through them." She didn't need to tell the ladies to be thankful, they have been thankful from the moment they first got that little appointment card at screening day. For many, the first glimmer of hope in years. I have never seen such faces of gratitude. I have never seen such authentic praise.
I cannot begin to imagine the daily suffering each of these women have gone through. I've heard their stories, and so many of them are the same. Stories of abandonment, hopelessness and despair. And yet they find hope to smile again, to laugh and make new friends. I wish I could bottle up their optimism and strength. I would take this bottle and give a dose to each patient i look after at home. But, it doesn't work that way does it ? These African women are special. Short of meeting them, you'll never truly understand what a joy they are, and what strength they posses.
The dress ceremony is something special, only for these ladies. Each lady receives a new dress, a symbol of a new life. They are given a chance to tell their story amongst their new friends, it is a time of celebration. A cornerstone of change in their lives. I wish them well on their journey.
If only this happy ending could be copy and pasted to every woman who enters the ship. But it can't, and it wouldn't be fair of me to tell you that it was. I will remember those women for a long time. The ones we walk down the hallway to the OR. The ones whose faces glimmer with hope, carrying their IV bags and hope that today will be the last day of shame. She comes back from the OR, eager with anticipation despite the grogginess. She still cannot feel much, her legs are still paralysed from the anesthetic. She doesn't have to say anything, her eyes say "am I dry, did it work ?" That first evening, we'll help her turn, check her frequently, monitoring her drainage bag, smiling that everything is ok so far. The next morning, she can get out of bed. She lifts her hips only to feel that familiar feeling, wet. Maybe the tube is plugged we say. We try our best to fix the problem. She relaxes and settles back into bed. Two hours later, she motions over to us, perplexed, wet. A few days later, the surgeon pulls up a stool with a translator to tell her the surgery didn't work. "There must be more holes, we didn't get them all. We are sorry, we tried our best." The other women are laughing and joking all around her, but for this woman i can see the cloud of darkness overwhelm her. The surgery failed. Hope is gone.
Some women have come back to the ship for as many as three times. I was explaining the surgical procedure to one lady, telling her what to expect in the OR and what to expect 24 hours after surgery took place. I ended my teaching session by asking her if she had any questions. She replied, "I have come to this ship two times before. Each time I hope that the surgery will work. I know that my case is difficult and there are many problems. I know you will try your best. That is all i can ask of you. I trust you to do this. Lord willing, this time will be my last."
Sometimes the damage is too great, sometimes there are other problems that prevent the surgery from being attempted at all. Doctors and nurses alike, no matter their level of skill and experience, can only do so much. For the ladies left behind, may they never loose sight of hope. Jesus healed the lady who suffered for 12 years by faith. If there is nothing else we can give these women, may they know Jesus and His power to heal, if only by faith.
As I read this during my normal lunch break from my normal job, I am amazed at other people's "normals" - the normals that these woman have been living for years and what is becoming normal life for you guys on the Ship. Wow. I'm praying for you both in this new normal.
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