Seeing Again, Living Again
Marie Jeanne and Germaine, ophthalmic patients.
By the time she turned 80, Marie Jeanne had endured more losses than most. Seven of her eight children had passed away. Her only living daughter, Germaine, farmed the fields and cared for her own daughter and granddaughter. While grief had shaped Marie Jeanne, it hadn’t broken her spirit. Along with spending time with her family, she spent her days weaving raffia mats and hats, a passion she treasured.
But three years ago, her world started to fade into darkness. Cataracts stole her vision, confining her to the familiar corners of her home. “I can’t see,” she said. “I stay here (in her house) and when I have to go, I use a cane.”
A year later, Germaine’s sight began to fail from cataracts too. Farming became impossible, and dependence replaced independence. “During the holidays, we used to celebrate, dance, and share meals with the whole family,” she recalled. “Now, life is different. If I had a weak faith, I might have given up,” Germaine said.
Germaine and Marie Jeanne, going up the gangway the day of their admission.
A Chance for Healing
Hope for Marie Jeanne and Germaine arrived through a familiar voice. Florence, a relative in the port city of Toamasina, heard about Mercy Ships on the radio and television. She urged them to seize the opportunity for free surgery aboard the Africa Mercy®.
In 2024, they traveled to Toamasina, in hopes they would find healing. Their journey was more than a physical one; it was a step toward reclaiming the life they had lost. Hand in hand, mother and daughter ascended the hospital ship’s gangway.
That same day, side by side in the operating room, they underwent surgery. Dr. Guy Chevalley, their surgeon, described the severity of their condition: “Their cataracts were so advanced that their pupils were no longer black, but completely white.” Ophthalmic Program Manager Ella Hawthorne added, “They could only see movement, just a hand waving in front of them. That was it.”
The following day, the moment of truth arrived. With bated breath, the medical team removed their eye patches. “When I am healed, I will express my happiness before God and all of you,” Germaine had promised.
For the first time in nearly three years, Marie Jeanne and Germaine’s eyes met. Light and color flooded back in an instant. The surgery had taken only 15 minutes, yet it had changed everything. Overcome with emotion, they danced just as they had when music, laughter, and the warmth of family filled their lives.
“It was very emotional to see their happiness when the patches came off at the same time,” Dr. Chevalley recalled. Watching the moment unfold, Ella Hawthorne reflected: “What a blessing it is to help this family. To see someone truly, to spend time with them… having that taken away and then restored is incredibly special.”
“We No Longer Live in Darkness”
Marie Jeanne and Germaine returned to their village with renewed purpose. Marie Jeanne eagerly resumed her craft, weaving raffia into mats and hats with the skill she had longed to use again. “I missed braiding so much; it’s something I’m good at.”
Germaine embraced her independence as well. She returned to the fields, walking unaided, selling fruit, and attending church on her own. No longer confined by blindness, she reconnected with her community, fully participating in village life. “Thank you so much, and God bless you,” she said, her gratitude shining through.
Once burdened by loss and blindness, their family now thrived in the light of restored vision. Marie Jeanne could watch her daughter live fully again, and Germaine took pride in supporting her family. Thanks to the gift of sight, they stepped into a future filled with new possibilities. “God be with you! Our eyes can see, and our hearts are full of happiness. We no longer live in darkness,” Marie Jeanne declared.
Marie Jeanne and Germaine, during their first moments of seeing each other after their surgery.
