In the Starting Blocks...

The line outside in the morning

Screening day is one of those days that you look forward to, but dread at the same time.  On one hand there’s the anticipation of meeting the people we were called here to serve.  The excitement of saying yes to those that we can help, seeing the joy on the faces of those that receive that covenanted yellow card.  On the other hand, the long day filled with emotional ups & downs as person after person come through the line, hanging their heads when they hear the dreaded “I’m sorry, we cannot help you.”

The line outside in the afternoon

The line outside the screening site started forming days before the actual screening.  Word had gotten out that a big white ship was here to do free surgery & were going to have a big screening, but the dates got mixed up & so many people weren’t sure exactly when that day would be.  So as to not risk missing what could be their only opportunity, they came & they waited.

The first of the crew started arriving at the school where screening was going to take place around 0430 to start setting up.  There were over 7,000 people waiting outside the gates when they opened at 0624 Wednesday morning.  The gates remained open until 1844, well past dark.  In that time, over 4,200 people came through the main gates.  Out of all those, only 1,326 made it through the pre-screening process to be seen by a doctor.  Throughout the entire process, everyone remained calm & orderly, there were no pushing or shoving.

We can't help everyone, but we can pray with them

The entire ship was there to help.  We had doctors & nurses assessing patients, we had patient escorts to make sure the patients went to the correct station, we had people handing out food & water to patients & crew alike, there were people to play & entertain the kids who had to stand in the long lines all day, people to pray for those that heard that we could not help them. 

I love scheduling surgeries!

My job was at the General Surgery Station again.  We had 5 doctors to help screen for hernias, lipomas & anything else that didn’t fit the mold for MaxFax or plastics.  For whatever reason, they gave me a radio this time around, so not only did I get to listen in on what was happening outside, but I also had to call for needed resources & get questions answered, as well as put out the occasional APBs for a wayward surgeon who would wander off J 

Always a joy to work with Lord Ian

Hard at work

The general station was hopping.  We worked hard, but we also had an amazing time.  At one point, our waiting line took up 3 classrooms!  The secret to keeping a calm room that is filled with anxious & tired people is to have fun, act silly, joke, laugh & just enjoy yourself.  We scheduled what we could for the surgeon that was there & placed the rest on wait lists to be seen by the actual surgeon that would do their surgery when that surgeon arrived.  We had a great team, great attitudes & even though it was a long day, it was so much fun! 

They say this was the largest turnout for screening Mercy Ships has ever done.  But as Deyon Stephens said “Selection Day felt like the starting line of a great race – it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”  So with those words,

On Your Mark!

 Get Set!

GO!

Blessings