An alien who rises early to catch the sunrise in West Africa may be up for disappointment – at least this time of year. The dry and dusty Harmattan trade wind blows up from the South bringing with it a haze of Sahara desert dust particles.
The Harmattan Haze blocks out the sun for the first few hours of its day. While there is light one can’t be quite sure where its source is.
It was on such a morning that the Africa Mercy’s crew head out to the Screening Day – one of the most important stages of the field service in Benin. It is the day when any Beninois seeking surgery (that is usually unavailable or unaffordable to them) can try get a surgery appointment with Mercy Ships who will provides the procedure free of charge. When we arrived in the hazy hours of the morning the queue had already swept around the screening building, all the way down the street and around the next block. Some had been lining up since the night before.
I saw one man a bit older than me who had somehow carried his father from who-knows-where to this shuffling line. His disabled father was old and heavy clinging onto his son’s upright back. It appeared he needed reconstructive surgery as there was little flesh covering the entire area below his nose to his bottom lip. I just thought of all the years that old man must have looked after his son and what the dynamics must have been when that role was so cruelly reversed. What situations these men and I were born into suddenly felt very random.
On the first day alone there were 1300 people wanting surgery. They patiently stood in line in the relentless heat for hours till they got their turn to see if they condition could be helped.
Even a ball of fire with the equatorial radius of 109 earths sometimes has to compete with dust particles. And the need on the screening days meant that not every person could be helped in the ten short months the ship will be in Benin. After a long hot day some had to take the journey back home without a surgery appointment card.
That morning I woke up to film the sunrise I had to wait a few hours before it climbed above the heaviest haze. Despite its light diffusion nothing could help but spill into countless tiny reflective explosions onto the harbour waters.
The Harmattan’s nick name is ‘The Doctor’ because with the dust comes the relief of a soothing cool wind. So while this wind of need may seem overwhelming at times, the Son is ultimately stronger. Relief will come to the old man and to hundreds of other Beninois this year.
The Harmattan Haze blocks out the sun for the first few hours of its day. While there is light one can’t be quite sure where its source is.
It was on such a morning that the Africa Mercy’s crew head out to the Screening Day – one of the most important stages of the field service in Benin. It is the day when any Beninois seeking surgery (that is usually unavailable or unaffordable to them) can try get a surgery appointment with Mercy Ships who will provides the procedure free of charge. When we arrived in the hazy hours of the morning the queue had already swept around the screening building, all the way down the street and around the next block. Some had been lining up since the night before.
I saw one man a bit older than me who had somehow carried his father from who-knows-where to this shuffling line. His disabled father was old and heavy clinging onto his son’s upright back. It appeared he needed reconstructive surgery as there was little flesh covering the entire area below his nose to his bottom lip. I just thought of all the years that old man must have looked after his son and what the dynamics must have been when that role was so cruelly reversed. What situations these men and I were born into suddenly felt very random.
On the first day alone there were 1300 people wanting surgery. They patiently stood in line in the relentless heat for hours till they got their turn to see if they condition could be helped.
Even a ball of fire with the equatorial radius of 109 earths sometimes has to compete with dust particles. And the need on the screening days meant that not every person could be helped in the ten short months the ship will be in Benin. After a long hot day some had to take the journey back home without a surgery appointment card.
That morning I woke up to film the sunrise I had to wait a few hours before it climbed above the heaviest haze. Despite its light diffusion nothing could help but spill into countless tiny reflective explosions onto the harbour waters.
The Harmattan’s nick name is ‘The Doctor’ because with the dust comes the relief of a soothing cool wind. So while this wind of need may seem overwhelming at times, the Son is ultimately stronger. Relief will come to the old man and to hundreds of other Beninois this year.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for:
The protection of all the crew working on the ship.
That patients with surgery appointments will be able to find transport to the ship on their day of surgery.
That I will have the time to manage Ship’s video work, the documentary on Dr Tertius as well as time with God and the ship community – and have peace about it. (I am struggling to achieve all this).
For the Holy Spirit to fill every corner of the ship and every person on it.
Thank you all for your prayers and support! Please send me your prayer requests – I will pray for you.
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