The Hope Center

Information Update:

Tomorrow many patients will come to stay at the Hope Center. Patients come from great distances to receive free surgery on board The Africa Mercy and some of their procedures require follow-up appointments or physical therapy. Because the distance to their homes is too great, we provide a place for them to stay with their caregivers that is close to the ship. It's an incredible blessing to have this facility. Eventually, 250 patients and care givers will be staying at the Hope Center this year.

Last weekend we got to tour the facility, have a time of worship and pray through the compound. An organization named SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics) owns this compound where they spent many years translating the Bible into 20-40 different languages that are spoken in Senegal. Their project was complete and they were praying for the right people to rent out their space. At the same time we were praying for a facility that was a maximum of 15 minutes from the ship, could house 200+ people and was safe. All of our prayers were answered!

At the Hope Center patients receive daily meals, participate in weekly worship services, movie nights and various other activities. We can't wait to return when the Hope Center is filled with people!

*Please pray for our crew that work in the Hope Center, they have an incredible opportunity to build relationships with the patients and care for them as they await surgery and heal.

Pray also for the patients that arrive tomorrow and in the coming weeks, that they would feel welcome, at home, and at peace. Many are leaving their home for the first time and also have fears about the surgeries that await them.

Here is a quick video of The Hope Center