Goodbye

The little bird was scheduled for her last post-op appointment this Monday. So, Monday morning I made my way to the hospital to find out when she would arrive. I bumped into a nurse who informed me that Aissa was in fact standing outside the ship, on the dock that very moment, throwing a fit.

Oh boy.

So I hurried to the dock and sure enough the little madam was so upset that she couldn’t board and play with all her old friends on A ward that she stood howling in desolation while the crowd looked on. She quieted soon enough when I walked up and hugged her, but was none too happy to wait outdoors under the tent for the next 2 hours while waiting for her turn in the post-op clinic. We plied her with crayons, color pages and songs until finally they called her name.

So we tiptoed up the gangway, Aissa staring at the water under our feet the entire time, and once in the air-conditioned ship, she was a girl transformed. She smiled, she flirted, we sat in the hallway outside the clinic where she beat me soundly at a game of Memory and every time one of her beloved nurses came to say hello, she threw herself at them, wrapping herself around their waist.

She visited A ward once more. As soon as she walked in, the room erupted in a chorus of “Aissa!” at which point she threw her hands out into the air as if to say, “taadaa!” Truly in her element, she was more than happy to comply during her post-op appointment. The paperwork finished, it was time to take the ‘after’ photos and she rounded up all her friends to sit in the picture with her.

As Aissa left the ship, perhaps for the last time, she waved goodbye to the men and women of the Africa Mercy who have loved her so well this past month. She has been the topic of their blog posts and emails home, their conversations and prayers. They visit her at the hospitality center and rejoice over her recovery. Finally, they have wished us safe travels for our return to Cameroon.

Our little bird has made quite an impression.

She is one of God’s love stories.