A CALL TO PRAYER

This was a recent prayer request - As soon as I receive photos I will update my blog: Radia being greeted by her family after surgery!

I know this is long – but I have a huge prayer request!

Meet Radiatou (Radia for short)! She is a 15 year old girl with a large facial tumor. I’ve embedded photos at the end of the email, just a warning they may be a little disturbing.  I met Radia at the mass medical screening. Radia has become a very special girl to me and I spend every day with her. Her story is heart wrenching. I will give you a brief synopsis.

Radia’s mother abandoned her when she was little; her father then became her caregiver. She started to develop this tumor 5 years ago and has not be able to go to school because of it. To this day people mock her and beat her.

I went and visited her at home before she came for surgery and just before we arrived, people from ‘far away” came just to gawk at her. Her story has unfolded slowly as we found out that in 2010 she heard about Mercy Ships too late and when she arrived to the port the ship was already gone. She started to feel very depressed but her father always got her through it. A month ago her father died. Distraught about losing her father, and only caregiver Radia attempted to kill herself. Her Great Aunt stopped her and is now taking care of her. The next day she heard about Mercy Ships! It is amazing what tomorrow may bring.

When I met Radia, I told her that she will not go through this alone, that I will be there with her every step of the way. I had no idea of her past month of loss and attempted suicide. Needless to say, she started crying and gave a sweet smile. There have been many moments of tears when I tell her about how beautiful she is and how she is not alone.

If you want to know more about my visit to Radia’s home – check out the story and photos at: http://mightykaleo.blogspot.com/

Please pray for Radia. She had surgery Friday, February 10th. She spent the weekend in the ICU because of how much blood she lost during the surgery (which I was there for part of the surgery!). When I went to visit her the next day, she was in ICU but instantly grabbed for my hand. Yesterday, she started clapping when I entered the ward and got up from her bed and gave me a hug.

Please pray that the Lord will truly work in her heart and mind. She is what I call a generational Muslim. Her great Aunt says, “We see the way you love us, it is different than anything we have seen before! You treat us like we are your own.”

-I am fervently praying that the Lord transform them with the Holy Spirit! They are so close and are asking questions.

Can I call on all my prayer partners to lift Radia and her Great Aunt up in prayer? If we can all lift them up, anything can happen! We can all have a part to play in her total transformation! Just think, one day you may meet her in Heaven!

Meet Radia!

I want to introduce you to Radia. I’ve mentioned her a couple times in my blog and my facebook status updates. Now I want to take you on a picture journey of my trip to visit her at her home on Tuesday February 7, 2012.

I met Radia at our surgical screening on February 1, 2012. She was shy and cautious of her surroundings. She is 15 years old with a large facial tumor. Her beauty blew me away as I looked at her trying to hide herself. I knelt beside her and told her “I want you to know that you are not alone. We will be here through out this entire process. You will never be alone – and soon everyone will see just how beautiful you are.” Tears streamed down her face as I told her she would not be alone. Little did I know at the time that she was an orphan whose father died only a month prior. 

It was decided that we would follow Radia’s story very closely. We scheduled a visit to her home two days before she was to report to the ship for surgery. This is my account of Tuesday’s home visit.

Being the only driver in the team making this trip, I was behind the wheel for the 1 1/4 hour drive to Radia's home. 

I know I haven't shown many photos of what the area looks like, so here is a glimpse. 

 I was blessed to have our wonderful translator Emily with me! It's a good thing to because I don't speak Ewe!

We were greeted instantly, and were seated on some benches. We were surrounded by odds and ends of Radia's extended family. 

 

We had with us Emily our Translator, Josh our videographer, and JJ our photographer.

 Radia's extended family did most of the talking at first. Radia finds it hard to talk and she is extremely shy.

 Finally we were able to coax her out of the back. 

 Radia and her Great Aunt showed us their home. It consisted of one room with a mattress, a couch and a sink.

The Great Aunt (Radia's caregiver) was very excited to show us her home. 

There was not enough room inside for all of us so I was listening from the window. 

When we went outside, a few of the neighbors had shown up to give Radia a little bit of money because they felt bad for her. Early in the day, several people came from "far away" to gawk at her and make fun of her.

Radia was showing us her chores, housework and getting water. In this picture she is taking us to their well.

Radia, Emily, and myself are talking by the well. Radia saw a picture of herself in my notes and was asking about it. 

This is me telling Radia that soon everyone will see the beautiful girl I see. I was reminding her that she will not be alone and telling her that we will be there for her. As you can see, it really touched her.

Radia, sad that we are leaving.

Radia was very touched by our visit and how we treated her...like a human being and a child of God. She was visible sad when we left her village. 

Later on, another part of our team when to pick Radia up to bring her to the ship. I am told that she continually asked where I was, when we came to the docks, she was looking for me right away. God has given us a special connection and I pray that I am able to show His love to her and her family. Her Great Aunt told me last night, "The way you love us, we can tell you care about us, I don't know how to thank you and I pray God blesses you and my family back home." I was able to visit with Radia in the ward and I gave her my numbers. I was even able to pray with her! She was visible excited to get "her new face" that he bed was shaking from her constant movement. 

Radia is in surgery right now - please pray for her!

Screening Day and the Reality of Togo

There are times when, even as a writer, it is hard to find words to explain an experience. There are moments when words fail me, when words only blur the reality of experiences.

Today I am going to tell you the truth. The mass medical screening went extremely well and smooth. We were able to schedule surgery for hundreds of people. They received their first sign of hope and it is beautiful.

This IS the truth…but it is not the only truth. There is a truth that many find it hard to speak of – they want to focus on the positive outlook. But I can’t bring you only the happy truth, I promised you I would bring you along with me on this journey – so I feel a need to tell the truth, the whole truth – so you know the reality in Togo – so you know how to pray.

HERE IS OTHER TRUTH

Screening day is a heartbreaking day. You see the effect of little healthcare. I was faced with an endless line of people frantic for my help. Every one of them looks at me, their eyes screaming in desperation.  I was faced with sights that are hard to explain.

-     A small child with hydrocephelis (water on the brain) whose head was 4x larger than normal. His body emaciated and paralyzed. The only movement is from his eyes. He looks me straight in the eyes – does he even see me through his pain? Is he beyond pain? As they leave I have to remind myself, we can’t help everyone.  Where is God in this?

-     Another moment broke my heart as a mother brought her 6 month old child up to me. As she gave me her baby, he weighed all of 2 pounds at 6 months old. I've seen pictures of starving children in Africa but this is the first time I've seen a child so emaciated I thought he was fake. As I stared down at him he struggled to breathe, his eyes moved and I knew he was still alive. The child had already been treated in local hospitals and was sent home to die. After a long time in consultation with the dietician, they are lead away. As they leave I have to remind myself, we can’t help everyone. Where is God in this?

Where is God in this? Where is God in all of this suffering? These are honest questions asked with an honest heart. An answer is given.

Where is God in this? God is in me, and through me He can do His mighty work. Where is God in this? He is in the crewmember next to me making the children laugh in the midst of suffering and pain. Where is God in this? God is in the people working at the prayer tree who prayed with those people who were sadly turned away.

God is in me, and He has sent me here to Togo, West Africa to be His hands and feet. I can’t help everyone but I can help some. 

-     I can help Radia, a 17 year old who has a large facial tumor. I kneel down next to her and tell her that I am going to be with her through her time with Mercy Ships. I tell her she will not be alone, she has nothing to fear. I touch her knee and look her straight in her good eye – I unflinchingly tell her I am here for her. That is not me, that is God reaching out through me touching a life full of suffering, pain, and rejection. That is God giving Radia the first sign of hope and I will be here with her, showing her His love, and His mercy. 

God is here, because I am here. God is here because others are here – serving Him and the people of Togo. God is here, because God is everywhere, despite the pain and suffering – He is here holding them, crying for them…

That is the truth of Togo. We are able to bring hope and healing. We are able to helping hundreds, even thousands, of people. But at the end of the day, Togo is in need, desperate need and we need to pray for her people. That is the reality of Togo.