Ghana

I just wanted to let you all know I arrived safely in Ghana. Although, there is no bus to my destination today so I am spending another night in Accra with Kirk and Christine's friends. Please pray that I will be able to be on my way tomorrow. I only have 5 minutes left on this computer at the internet cafe so this will be brief. Ghana is very different from Liberia- much more prosperous.
Alright, sorry so brief. Please be praying for me. Pray for disernment and strength to live this lifestyle. It is going to be a real adventure!

"Report to your cabin to remove your belongings!!!"

Friday night was quite an adventure here on the Anastasis! We had a Scottish dance (Ceildh) on the aft deck! It was great fun! One of the crew members did a little instruction and then we had an opportunity to put our skills into action. We were all having a grand ol' time when their was a overhead page saying, "Duty plumber please report to C1." Interesting we all thought- one of the toilets must be overflowing again. Not much was thought of it and we continued dancing. Not long later we heard, "All deck hands please report to C1." Hmm...now we are all thinking this must be a little bigger than an overflowing toilet. This still didn't stop us- we kept dancing! But then the announcement came stating- "Anyone living in C1 please report to your cabin to retrieve your belongings!" Oh, gosh, I thought...that is my area- what is going on??? So myself and my roommates and the few others living in my area take off running to see what is going on! It was quite exciting actually- racing down the hallways of the ship going to see just what is going on. As I got closer to the steps down to C1 (my area of the ship) I heard water running. Not water like the shower got left on, WATER! Like a waterfall! As I saw the steps water was pouring down the stairs. So we sloshed down the steps to find about 6 inches of water in the hallway to my room. Thankfully there is a bit of a ledge into the rooms so the water wasn't that deep in my room yet. More importantly someone had already gotten in my room and removed my PACKED suitcase from near the doorway! Praise God for that- that could have been a huge mess! Needless to say the next hour or so consisted of a chaotic assembly line of filling buckets of water, passing them up the steps and dumping them overboard as the deckhands ran around trying to manage the water supply and set up pumps. Thankfully nothing was damaged and the whole mess was just an error of not containing one of the water tanks properly. It was a wonderful experience actually- everyone working together and getting things done! It felt a bit like a scene from The Titanic- dancing, loving life quickly turning into a panic of rushing water! At one point I did hear someone ask, "are we going to sink??" Hardly! but it was surely not an experience many people have had!

So, that was the climax of my time here on Mercy Ships. My flight to Ghana was cancelled yesterday so now I hope to leave here today. I will be leaving the ship in just a couple hours. I am excited to go to Ghana but also really sad to leave what I have experienced here and the WONDERFUL people I have met. I better get going. I don't know when I will be back on my blog but I will write as soon as I can and let you know what is in store for me in Ghana. Blessing!!!

Moving on

"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." Psalm 40: 5

My days here on Mercy Ships are coming to an end. I am sad to leave, grateful for my experience and excited for my next journey. Please be praying for me as I leave Monrovia on Sunday. Please pray for my travels- the weather, that my flights will not be delayed or cancelled and for God to continue to guide and direct my life. Also, that I will be open and willing to hear what the Lord wants to teach me and use me over the next 5 weeks in Ghana.
These are my travel plans:
May 13: Fly from Monrovia to Accra
May 14: Bus trip to Dunkwa-on-Offin to join Kirk and Christine
June 15: Fly back to Monrovia
June 15-18: Stay on the Africa Mercy
June 18: Fly to London to spend a few days with Adriel
June 25: Back to Phoenix
Traveling here in West Africa can be very challenging so pray I will be patient and flexible if/when things do not go as I have arranged.
I am sorry that I cannot send a personal email back to all of you who have been so faithful at emailing me. I will do what I can over the next couple days before I go. I will try to put updates on my blog while I am in Ghana but I do not know how regularily I will be able to.
A couple weeks ago as I was sitting with a patient and he was reading aloud Psalm 27 (which I have clung to as I prepared to come to Liberia and have returned to many times since I have been here) I was reminded how God hands have been blessing this experience. I would not have been able to do this if it hadn't been for all of your finacial and prayer support. Many times when I have had these "moments" with patients or been at an orphage or out in the city I have thought of all of you who have been just as influencial in this mission. I just happen to be the fortunate one who gets to be here really seeing, hearing and feeling God's presence. Each of you- whether you have prayed, financial supported, called, emailed, sent packages, encouraged me before I left- you are all serving the Lord and reaching out to the lost and forgotten, just as He has called us to do. Let us not be living complacent lives but keep on going to the nations as Jesus has asked. "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in the land." Deuteronomy 15: 11
I praise the Lord for how blessed I am to have so much support! Thank you for all you are doing for me and being a part of this journey!

Ducor Palace

Good morning! Here are a few more pictures. If you look on the top picture the big building on top of the hill is called the Ducor Palace. It once was a 5 star hotel- a paradise vacation spot. During the war, like everything, it was taken over by Charles Taylor and later taken over by the people from the villages that fled to Monrovia to escape the genocide that was happening inland, in the villages. Until recently, when the current President ordered eviction from Ducor, there were around 2,000 "squatters" living in the hotel. As you can see in the second picture it was a gorgeous place but now it is a smelly health hazard. The views from the top of the hotel are amazing. I met the caretaker who has lived there 30 years. I can't imagine what he has seen. This place has gone from a executive get-away, through war, to a hideout for refugees. Now it has been bought by the Lebanese with hopes to refurnish it or rebuild. Most of the new businesses and prosperity here is being lead by the Lebanese. This is yet another sad story of what human corruption and deception can and does do- yet in the midst of it all, there is hope. These people have hope! Psalm 42 is a great example of hope and it concludes with this..."Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your HOPE in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." We are praising God here in Liberia. In the midst of heartache there is hope that is very evident here. No one can take that away! As long as there is hope there is reason to keep on keeping on...

Bong Mines

Yesterday I went on a train ride outside of Monrovia to the Bong mines. It was wonderfully fun! The end of our 40 mile train ride (2 1/2 hours) was at an old iron ore mine that was shut down during the war. Apparently the train still runs up there 6 days a week. We did haul back a couple cars of gravel but I question the benefits of running this route! The man who runs the train has been gracious enough to allow a group from Mercy Ships to go every other weekend. So, we drove 2 of the Land Rovers onto a flat bed train car- some people then road in the passenger car and the rest of us rode on top of the Land Rovers, yes on top:) It was beautiful. It was so nice to get out of the city and see the country side. I guess I am not sure what they call it- jungle side maybe?:) It is magnificent! So green and lush. The villages were incredible and the children came running to the tracks waving and hollaring! It was precious. I have so many pictures I can't wait to share. These are just a few I took from the train. The first one is at the lake where we swam near the mines. Moira is my wonderful roommate from Scottland. She keeps me laughing and teaching me new phrases! The children were some that came running to greet us when we stopped at one of the villages. It continues to become increasingly more evident the heart for children that God has given me! They just melt my heart! The next picture are men shopping out of a wheelbarrow. You can buy anything you need out of a wheelbarrow here in Monrovia. It is quite fasinating actually! Then the last picture is just some women doing their thing! Such beautiful people!
I also had a fasinating day today but I will have to write about that tomorrow I am off to bed! Sorry so brief...Blessings!

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Last night I was walking back to my cabin when I spotted a couple of the pediatric patients that were hanging out outside one of the ward bathroom- creating mischief I am sure. I stopped and chatted with them for a little while. Chris and James have been on the ship about 6 weeks. They have both stolen a little bit of our hearts. They both had surgeries and skin grafts to release burn contractures that they endured as a result of the open fire that is commonly used here in Liberia for all their cooking. They are both leaving tomorrow on a Red Cross flight that is taking them back "up land" to their homes.
Chris was wiggling all around on my lap, blabbing about something when suddenly he started to rub his forearm all over my forearm. I wondered what he was doing. When I asked him, "Hey Chris, what are you doing?" He responded, "I am trying to make you brown!"
Oh, the words of a child!
Red, yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world!

2 weeks:(

I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. Two weeks from today I will be going to Ghana. I am VERY excited for that as well. I guess that is just how things go- it takes a little bit to get used to things and then you are called on. I was in Monrovia on Friday walking around on the streets, taking taxis, just being a part of the culture and I actually had the thought, "Hmm, this is starting to feel pretty comfortable. I love it!" When I first arrived I wondered if I would ever feel comfortable in a place that is so different from the Western world.
I worked this weekend. This is a picture of me and some of the patients. I think it is one of my favorite times when we are able to take them out to the deck. When they are out there they really open up and you can see their personalities so much more. They just love to look around and, of course, have their pictures taken. They are such beautiful people! This is the last week of surgery and we are praying that everyone heals well and quickly as the ward is scheduled to close on May 8. I am sad to see some of the patients leave. Sad because of the relationships that have been built, sad of what they may be returning to, and saddened by what their futures may hold (the children especially). But, I also am encouraged. I am encouraged that I know the Lord goes with them. They do not need the lifestyle I live. By knowing the Lord they are happy. They have hope. When I look at their lives through my eyes it seems so hopeless but so many of these patients are just so full of praise. Praising the Lord for what He has done for them through Mercy Ships. Also, praising the Lord that they are alive after living amongst war! These people are true examples of faith!
This little boy has melted my heart! You should hear him recite John 3:16! It is so precious. The other day when we were out on the deck he was saying it and I asked him if he knew any others and he giggled and said no. Not long after he blurts out, "I and my Father are one!" So cute. His mother is teaching him what is really important in life!
Please be praying for all of the crew this week as Thursday and Friday we have screening days. I don't know what to expect and I don't know what exactly I will be doing. I just imagine that it is a powerful day. I am sure hundreds if not thousands of people will show up hoping to be scheduled for surgery later this summer (on the Africa Mercy). Please pray for the physicians to have the discernment to schedule those who need help the most. Also, pray for the ones who will be turned away- that in the midst of their disappointment they may find hope. May they see Jesus in all of us whether they receive an appointment card or not. Your prayers are changing lives in Liberia. Thank you!

HIV/AIDS

There is a song that I was introduced to prior to my coming to Africa. I have been thinking about the lyrics a lot the last few days. They moved me prior to coming to West Africa and now they seem to express the cries of my heart more than ever. I don't know if the impact can be as great by just reading the words but the song is powerful...
Esther by Sara Groves

I have a picture of Esther and David
She is a young bride and he is a soldier
They didn't know then that David was dying
They wouldn't have children

Alone with a life time, Africa called
She went for the first time, it grew in her heart
All of the children, all of those children

Now Esther has 2.4 million children
She writes us and asks us to pray for them all

She's compelled, she's compelled by what she's seen
And she tells us, she tells us do anything you can
To help, oh please help, there's so much to do
And I'm just Esther

She visits her homeland, she fights with her words
She comes to the courts of the kings of the earth
Who don't understand their inherited power
To answer her question

Now Esther has 2.4 million children
She writes us and asks us to pray for them all

She's compelled, she's compelled by what she's seen
And she tells us, she tells us do anything you can
To help, oh please help, there's so much to do
And I'm just Esther

Yesterday on my day off I went to Missionaries of Charity which is the ministry started by Mother Theresa. It was encouraging to see the work of the Sisters. They have quite a nice facility and are doing the best they can with what they have. Again, it is quite heart wretching to see the men, women, children with HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis, malnutrition. As I held a child, her lungs rattling with every breath, barely able to hold up her head- I prayed. I asked God what I could do. Nothing- all I could do was pray! So I write with a breaking heart and I ask you to pray! Please pray for the children. It is estimated that 10-15% of the people in Liberia are infected with HIV or AIDS. I am afraid that number is probably low. With their limited health services it is difficult to even have proper statistcs to idenitify what the infection rate is.
I too am compeled by what I am seeing! Please help...please pray!

The Africa Mercy

The long-term crew members here on the Anastasis are counting down the days until the new ship, the Africa Mercy, arrives in Monrovia in May. Apparently this has been a very long, trying journey. I believe I heard they have been praying and expecting this new ship to be ready to sail for almost 8 years! This was the ship I originally thought I would be serving on but, once again, it was not ready. There are apparently a lot of maritime rules and regulations that have be quite complex.
As I prepared for my trip to Mercy Ships they were really unable to tell me my final work dates here on the ship. They were still unsure if/when the Africa Mercy would be operational. Well, shortly after I arrived I found out that the final surgery date was the beginning of May. The ward is scheduled to close on May 8. Through much prayer I have debated as to how I should best use my time. I am welcomed to stay here on the ship and help with the “transition”- packing boxes and cleaning. I wrestled with this for a couple weeks and God has pointed me in another exciting direction.
So now…I am going to be leaving Mercy Ships on May 13 and flying to Accra, Ghana. There I will be working with missionaries whom I have been in touch. They are actually my good friend’s aunt and uncle. They served on Mercy Ships years ago and now have been working in Ghana as missionaries. In the process of my preparing for Mercy Ships Kirk and Christine have been a huge encouragement and gave me lots of inside information on Mercy Ships. I had only dreamt that I would ever be able to meet them while I am here in West Africa. Christine works as a nurse/teacher and I will be able to work with her at the school! I am so grateful for not only having the opportunity to experience Mercy Ships but also to experience living among the African people in a village in Ghana! Wow, to think that God had all this in store for me when I stepped on the plane a month ago. This is far exceeding my greatest expections! He continues to amaze me!

Some more pictures!

#1: These are some women that I have met and been talking to at church!

#2: My sweet British roomate and I!

#3: One of the beautiful patients that has been on the ward almost the whole time I have been here. It has be wonderful building a relationships with some of the patients that have been here the longest.