Saying No with Love

Many things can be said about Screening Day, the thing is I don’t know where to begin. It’s been four days and I’m still processing it.

Let me begin with my job. It started over a month ago when the Operations Director for the ship asked me about being the Logistics Leader for screening. I had already talked to the Communications department about working with them to take pictures all day. Taking pictures is something that I enjoy and since I worked with them last year during the Guinea Screening I thought it would be a great fit again. I was sent an e-mail with the screening manual attached, the e-mail said that the job description for logistics was posted ther, take a look over it and let them know back in a few days. After opening this manual I was reminded what all goes into this “one-day” event, 50+ pages of very detailed information breaking it down between 29 different Team Leaders. Things are very well mapped out from the patient flow all the way to the extent of having an evacuation plan just in case something would go wrong. On page twenty-nine I found the Logistics information.

The four main focus points for me would be:

1.) Stewards – organizing food & water for the 300+ crew and potential patients (number unknown)

                                and passing it out during the event

2.) Housekeeping – organizing cleaning supplies to clean the site before, during and after the event.

3.) Supplies – organizing the rental of chairs, tables, & canopies for the screening site

                                Ensuring electrical supply for teams that need it

                                Trash removal from site

                                Transport of equipment from ship to screening site and back to the ship.

At first glance my automatic response was “NO, absolutely not, there’s no way that I could do all of that.” Then the information was passed on to me that I wouldn't have to DO all of that I just had to coordinate with people on the ship and ensure that it would be ready and then done when needed. After talking to the Operations Director again he explained that he and some other people like the job that I have been doing in the Ship Shop and they thought that I had what it takes to get this job done. It would also be a growing experience because the responsibilities are very large. At that point I accepted the challenge and a few weeks of craziness occurred. Planning, organizing and getting things ready, not only for the screening but for the Ship Shop which I was still in charge of during the same time.

I’ll spare you all the details of planning but her are a few of them:
*  1,200 peanut butter & Jelly sandwiches
*  25 cases of apples (100 apples per case)
*  6,000 bottles of water
*  800 chairs
*  45 tables
*  3 canopies
*  2 generators
*  8 personal trips to the screening site on the day and day before screening, not including many other people taking things back and forth from the ship for me

People started leaving the ship at 5:30 Wednesday and it continued throughout the day. The Team Leaders met the day before and set up their areas so that when we arrived before the sun came up things would go much smoother. Within 45 minutes people started coming through the gate and they kept coming, they didn't stop for 13 hours. Many of my closes friends deserve awards; doing what I believe to be some of the hardest jobs. One didn't sit down once during the entire day, she was the Team Leader for the History station where we get background information on the patients before they see the doctors for their specialty. Several of them were the actual screeners. Some were outside the gate talking with people and finding out what their ailment was and informing them if it was a type of surgery that we do so that they wouldn't have to stand in line if it was something that we aren't able to assist with. Some were inside the gate where we talk with each individual person about what their problem is and decide if they should be processed and continue to see the doctors or if it’s something that we can’t help and then guide them to the prayer station before they leave. It was a blessing to see everybody working together as a HUGE team. Everybody has their assigned job and often the end up doing two or three to assist others when they need to take a break or adjust when the time need be. With my job seeing over so many various things I was able to be all over the screening site and witness people blessing others in so many ways.

6,354 came through the gate

994 diverted to the eye team with 236 scheduled for a secondary screening

1,326 made it through pre-screening into the compound to see doctors

General Surgeries:                   34 scheduled – 442 for follow-up screening

Maxillofacial Surgeries:        107 scheduled – 70 for follow-up screening

Plastic Surgeries:                      84 scheduled – 70 for follow-up screening

Women’s Health & VVF:           33 scheduled – 30 for follow-up screening

Orthopedic Surgeries:                                  184 for follow-up screening

So, we have what my responsibilities were, a little information about what whent on during the day, now for the personal part.

There's something about love that I never understood until I processed everything that happened during screening day. Something switched in my mind, I can't pinpoint it and I can't really explain it much yet. To say that I understand it is would be a lie. It's something that I will continue to work out for a long time.

Here's the beginning of what I've been thinking about. We saw thousands of people standing in line. They wanted with all of their heart for us to be able to help them. They had an ailment or problem that needed to be fixed.We want to help them. We would like for them to see Christ in us. Our actions being what Christ would do to meet their needs. But no matter how much we loved them or how much they wanted to get help God has his own plans. It wasn't meant to be for many of them. There were many that we have been able to schedule a surgery, but there were also many more that we had to say no to. NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE LOVED THEM. God has another plan for them. Two people can love each other and really want something to happen but unless the Lord has set them together it's not meant to be.

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Psalm 127.1