Hub of Hope

Welcome to the Hope Centre-a place where lives begin and end their dramatic physical and often spritual and emotional transformation. A place of respite, recovery and rehabilitation. In each port that the Africa Mercy visits, a suitable facility is sought out to accommodate patients awaiting surgery or recovering from surgery. Many patients have travelled from great distances to come to the ship and many will spend months in the secure shelter with it's own generators, modular shower/toilet facilities and fresh water system.

 Known by the locals as Obama City the Hope (Hospital Outpatients Extension) Centre began it's amazing makeover well before the Africa Mercy arrived in Freetown. Also housing the Mercy Ships dental clinic, the Hope Centre is successfully able to accommodate 40 plus patients and their caregivers at any one time in airconditioned comfort thus maximising the use of the six operating theatres on board the Africa Mercy. Crew from the Africa Mercy are encouraged to visit the patients at the Hope Centre, as it is only a comfortable five minute walk from the ship, and Mercy Ministry teams visit weekly to help connect non-medical crew with patients.

In the recent school holidays we took a trip to the Hope Centre to play Play Doh and other games. Above are some of the crew kids playing games with patients.

Jess and friends, Anna and Deborah help the patients with their Play Doh, many of whom had never seen it before and didn't quite know what to make of it!

Smiling faces despite difficult circumstances and an often painful and lengthy reovery.

More fun!

This gorgeous one did a little more eating than playing with the Play Doh one thinks! Thank goodness it is non-toxic!

Outside exploits-soccer and skipping.

Jess skipping.

Jess managed to get a smile out of this little boy who wasn't too happy to begin with.

Too cute!

This is a different visit during the four week summer program offered to the children from pre-school to aged 14 years during their two month summer vaccation. The children visited the Hope Centre every week and did activities and visited with the patients. Jess above.

My favourite photo!