joy

so today was the first time that i have had the opportunity to visit a patient in their own home. I've built friendships with many patients here, and as they come back for their post op appointments they come running down the corridor to greet you and wrap themselves around you in greeting.
but all of the hellos and all of the love is still on our territory, still on the ship and in the western environment....until today. this afternoon i have the immense priviledge of being invited with a small group of other nurses to Lawsons house. He was discharged on friday and before he left he invited us - over and over again to come to his house. so we took him up on the offer! after a taxi ride through the city, clinging tightly onto the little bit of yellow paper that he had written his address on we arrived (after only stopping once for the taxi man to get more directions!)
so we arrived and lawson was out somewhere so the mechanic guys who were working by his house pulled up some benches for us to park our bottoms on - what a sight - 6 white girls sitting on 2 benches under a tree in the middle of some residential area. you can imagine im sure how many faces turned to look and wonder.
anyways after a short while Lawson arrived and invited us in. he was a new man. the smiles and happiness was just leaking out of him and spilling all over his brother - who shared the house with him and his brothers children. the brotherly love was so evident - pinching nipples and friendly slapping each other, as they laughed and entertained us in their amazing english. (both of the brothers were brought up in Ghana, which is english speaking). after a little while we walked around the block, Lawson proudly showing his neighbours his new life, his new face and the nurses that looked after him on le Bateau. he was one happy man - oozing with joy and confidence and rejoicing at all that God had given him.

it was a joy for me to be apart of it, to sample for just a few hours the life that Lawson is now able to live. no more hiding out in his room, having food brought to him; no more cloth tied around his face in shame - in fact he provided a great example of what he now thorght of that cloth as he flung it to the ground in front of us in disgust. even more, next week he said he is going back to his village to see his children - who are living with his mother. to walk into the village as a father, a father with confidence and i hope and pray that they will accept him. if today was anything to go by, he will be welcomed with love and open arms.