Juanes Made My Day in Colombia!!

LT Dinorah Cely, USNS Comfort:

I must say, Colombia being one of the countries on our Humanitarian journey was a tremendous motivator for me. As a native Colombian I felt such pride to be coming and assisting my beautiful people. Finding out that Juanes was joining forces with our mission here in Tumaco, validated what I have always thought of this amazing human being. He is really a man of his word and makes it a point to remind his people that they are not forgotten, no matter what region of Colombia they live in or what their social status may be.

While waiting for Juanes in CASREC, my anxiety was high, but I knew I had to stay calm and focused. He is the composer/writer of all his own music, and writes about the reality of life, struggle of the people in Colombia and reminds us that we must not lose hope or faith in what this country and its people can accomplish together. His charisma and humanitarian heart exceeds his artistic talent by far. For Colombian’s living in the USA, he represents pride, hope, commitment and resilience. He is known for being Colombia’s best Ambassador, and this is one of the biggest reasons I am such a fan and why I was so ecstatic to have the pleasure of meeting him.

Juanes turned out to be nicer than I had imagined, he is humble and down to earth. He put me at ease from the moment I introduced myself and it was just so enjoyable being around him. My most memorable experience was his interaction with the children in the inpatient unit. I loved the one on one attention he gave the children and their caretaker by requesting no media coverage so that he could give them his undivided attention.

Having being a part of this event was a privilege and one I will never forget.

Little girl in Colombia wins hearts of CP09 team

LT Albert Cruz, Civil Affairs, ACE Team:

CP09: The Story of a Civil Affairs Officer and the Young Girl with the Broken Crutch at Max Seidel School, Tumaco, Colombia. She has been, so far, the highlight of my trip. Asking her mother about the young girl's disability, her mother replied she stepped on a live electrical wire when she was young. Although she's handicapped, she's bubbly and has a warm heart...always asking questions, and always wanting "peluchos" (stuffed animals). That's how we came in contact. She won me over after that. The part that moved me besides her spirit was that her single crutch broke. The bolt broke off. It was an old crusted crutch with tape and rust. She was happy of that crutch. Anyhow, she came to me and asked me if I could fix it. It took me 10 seconds to realize we had a Physical Therapy Unit who have wheelchairs and to my surprise new crutches. Without saying anything to her I walked her to the two corpsman, asked them for a favor, and sure enough, they gave her new crutches. The look on her face was priceless. She looked up at me and smiled. The two corpsman were nice enough to give her two pairs. In short, it was a moving moment, making the trip, the long nights, the headache, and sunburn all worth it.

We are in Tumaco, Colombia!

Greetings from Capt. Bob Lineberry, Mission Commander of Continuing Promise 2009!

What an incredible start in Tumaco, Colombia! The Colombian officials, US Embassy and the people of Tumaco were very ready for COMFORT and our humanitarian team. The first few days here we have been extremely successful seeing many patients and have scheduled 215 surgeries onboard COMFORT.

We were honored to have the coolest US diplomat of all time Ambassador Brownfield onboard COMFORT. A proud Texan and icon in Latin America, he had the crowd and media going full speed all day. His good friend by his side was Juanes, a true humanitarian and superstar, Juanes performed two concerts on the first day of the medical operation at the opening ceremony and for the crew onboard COMFORT that evening. Juanes was gracious enough to lend his support for the CONTINUING PROMISE mission and accepted donations for his organization Mi Sangre Foundation to help victims of anti-personnel mines and is a Goodwill Ambassador for United for Colombia, a non-profit organization that raises awareness about the impact of land mines within Colombia.

Our hard-charging Seabees are building three school buildings and a kitchen in Exporcol neighborhood, working with local residents the school rising is going to provide much needed space for children to attend school without doing it in shifts. This is our biggest engineering project for CONTINUING PROMISE 09.

Panama mission completed

Greetings from Captain Bob Lineberry, Continuing Promise 2009 Mission Commander:

It was an impressive performance by our humanitarian team in Colon, Panama. It was the second time Comfort was there in the past two years and the Panamanian officials prepared their team for an all hands effort. There were numerous medical professionals from Colon and all across the country to meet our team on the first day and we worked side-by-side throughout the mission.
Onboard COMFORT we conducted 174 surgeries and saw a total of 13,758 patients at 3 different medical sites. Our veterinarians on the ground saw 1,065 animals, mostly livestock and in the little town of Escuela Efrain Tejada, I was able to see them operate on a dog that was in need of some serious repair to relieve his suffering.

Our hardworking and always impressive Seabees worked at 3 different site this time out. At Puerto Escondido Medical Clinic they installed metal louvered windows, replaced interior doors, repaired sink and toilet, installed chain link fence around facility with one vehicle access gate, one pedestrian gate and double barbed wire with concertina wire on fence top to provide much needed security for the clinic. They also worked on a neighboring ball field, bringing it back to life by replacing 850 feet of 5 and 8-ft chain link fencing and poles, repaired a damaged roof on both dugouts, installed fall prevention fencing along the back of bleachers and filled and leveled the infield and outfield. The neighborhood kids helped too! Hi Mrs. Buchanan.

The U.S. Embassy and Military Group in Panama played a huge role setting us up for success, AMB Stephenson made several visits to Colon to assist and the President of Panama visited our sites and COMFORT to see firsthand our partnership in action with Panamanian healthcare providers.

Our international humanitarian team has grown, we have doctors from Brazil and a dentist from Panama to assist in our next stop in Tumaco, Colombia. First day there our good friend, superstar and humanitarian Juanes will team up with us to setup for our 12-day mission.

Mary's Story

Ali Bowden, RN (LDS Charities:

Yesterday I was blessed to witness the joy that come of strong faith and small miracles. All of the patients I have had the opportunity to care for here aboard the Comfort have a story, but there are definitely some that will remain with me forever; such is the story of Mary Christopher.

Mary was and elderly woman who was brought to our unit post-operatively, after having a cataract removed from her left eye. I helped her to settle into her steel bunk bed, did a thorough assessment, but quickly became busy with other patients – patients who I felt needed more immediate attention. As I worked, however, I began to notice someone softly singing – almost indiscernibly. I looked over to where the sound was coming from, and saw Mary, lying on her side, a huge blue patch over her operative eye, singing quietly to herself. I immediately stopped what I was doing and went to sit with her; and this is how I came to know Mary’s story.

Mary had known that she needed cataract surgery, but had been told by a doctor in Cuba (the closest facility to Antigua that could/would perform this type of surgery) that ‘it wasn’t bad enough yet,’ and that she would have to wait for another year before they would even consider operating. She was discouraged by this as her sight was already severely impaired, and returning to Cuba would be difficult, if not impossible, for her to arrange.

When Mary heard rumor that the USNS Comfort would be coming to Antigua to offer free medical services, she had great hopes that she would see a doctor and get the surgery that she knew she needed so desperately. However, after two full days of standing amid the chaotic mass of people outside the St. John’s Multi-purpose center (where the USNS Comfort providers had set up their ophthalmology clinic), she had not even been successful at obtaining a wrist band – the precious wrist band that would secure her an appointment with the eye doctor. The next day was Sunday and, although Mary wanted desperately to try her luck at the clinic again, she decided that it was more important that she go to church - to worship her Lord and to celebrate Mother’s Day with her family.

On Monday morning, Mary woke at two o’clock a.m. to be sure that she was in line at the clinic by three a.m.. All morning she stood her ground, despite the loud, pushing, and sometimes aggressive crowd. She says she was often worried that she would be pushed over and trampled among the crazy mass of people. Then, a policeman who was manning the throng, noticed Mary struggling to maintain her position and balance; he shoved thought the crowd, approached her and, scolding the others for not being more respectful of this elderly woman, took her to the front of the line.

Mary was then taken by one of the US Military officers to the registration table; she received her arm band, and was lead into the clinic to have her appointment with the ophthalmologist. Two days later, her surgery has been successful and she sits quietly on the 2 AFT Ward, aboard the USNS Comfort, singing a song of praise. After Mary tells me her story, she closes her good eye and begins to sing again - this time much louder, and with greater feeling:

“Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely?
and long for heaven and home.

When Jesus is my portion,
My constant friend is he.
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

I sing because I am happy.
I sing because I am free.

For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.”

Mary repeatedly thanks the Lord, and expresses sincere gratitude to all of us who have cared for her; for we have been an answer to her prayers. She reminds me that the Lord loves his children, and that is mindful of their every need. In her own words: “When me think He no hear, He hear. When me think me prayers no go, He always answer.”

I feel blessed to be a part of Mary’s joy, and to be reminded of this truth – that strong faith in a loving and all knowing God, brings about small, and sometimes great, miracles.

Antigua and Barbuda mission complete

From Capt. Bob Lineberry, Continuing Promise 2009 mission commander:

We have completed our mission on the Island of 365 Beaches. Although we did not see much beach time, with the exception of a few nurses, we did see to the needs of many. During our mission, we seen over 12,000 individual patients and provided nearly 43,000 separate healthcare services and conducted 161 surgeries to the people of Antigua and Barbuda. We had the opportunity to celebrate Nurses Week over the past several days, nurturing information sharing and gaining a true sense of compassionate service to others. During Nurse Week there were six nurses from Antigua and six nurses from COMFORT's team up to screen over 400 patients for blood pressure and diabetes, as well as providing Healthcare counseling at three different sites throughout the Island.

Our Veterinary team stayed extremely busy on both Islands seeing to the needs of many four-legged friends. Prior to work they met with Director of Department of Agriculture, Host Nation veterinarians and the Humane Society to discuss goals. They coordinated and worked side-by-side with Island veterinarians and owners demonstrating veterinary preventive medicine, safe animal handling and animal husbandry to livestock owners. MAJ Powell and his small team saw nearly 2,100 animals and conducted over 5,700 vet services.

One of the more interesting events during our visit was a jam session with the Antigua and Barbuda Defense Forces and AF South Band during a military subject matter expert exchange event. Nearly 30 musicians playing together for the first time and brought calypso music to the ears of the onlookers. The music was colorful and delightful, told stories of island life and the wonderful culture we have been witness to for the past 12 days while working with the people of Antigua and Barbuda. We now have many lasting memories and new friends we can add to our address books.

Now our Humanitarian team is going to have a brief stop in Cartagena, Colombia to recharge our batteries, take on many historic sites and buy some emeralds. After that, Panama!

Nurses change lives, educate each other in Antigua

From LTJG Kirstan Pyle

USNS Comfort

Everything happens for a reason and we learn from EVERY situation we are placed in. I am so glad to be a part of this awe-inspiring partnership with other countries, communities, and services. I have seen so much from each country and Antigua is no different. Antigua has been an awesome experience!


I have had the opportunity to meet, train, and share knowledge with many Antiguan nurses and nursing students. After attending the Antigua & Barbuda Nurse Association Education Conference, many of us realized that nurses, regardless of culture, location and practice, experience many of the same difficulties and blessings.


At the Educational Conference, we discussed Evidence-Based Nursing. There is a lot of thought in nursing that things should continue to be done a certain way because "that's the way it's always been done." Every nurse has rammed head first into one of these situations, and it is sometimes hard to convince others that different isn't always bad. Evidence-Based Nursing looks at research and true facts and those are what determines how dressings are changed, what medicine is best, etc.

The blessings come from our patients and the lives we touch every day, even when we don't truly realize what an impact we have had on someone. We are a part of people's lives when they are the most vulnerable and when they lack control. It is our duty, goal, and honor to reach out and touch them in whatever way is possible, and now we have that opportunity in multiple countries. We might only see them for a day or two, but they will remember us. They will remember the US. They will remember that one moment in time where someone spent time away from their home to take spectacular care for them.

Antiguans are incredibly passionate, caring, and selfless people and a true joy to be around! Our patients in the Peri-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) have been so thankful for the great care that they are receiving from all the nurses and doctors. It is truly my pleasure to be a part of this life-changing mission!

LTJG Kirstan Pyle
USNS Comfort