So, the changes have started :) After two months of living alone in a six-berth cabin, I finally have roommates and neighbors. Last week, I didn't realize that two people had moved in next door and so woke up early one morning to the sound of muffled voices. At first, being half asleep, I thought there was actually someone in my cabin - it took me a second to realize that it must be coming through the vents. The noise is not too bad between the rooms, but because I have not had anyone living around me the entire time I lived here, it takes getting used to. Then about 15 minutes later, the vacuum for the water in the bathroom started working and I was not sure if something was broken and it was just going a little crazy. Someone just fixed my shower and sink after a month of not working, so I was worried that something might already be wrong again. Because the two bathrooms share one system, every time someone uses water or flushes the toilet, the other cabin can hear it. It is not too bad once you get used to it and you keep the bathroom door closed, but the first time it happens, it is a little weird.
Two of my five roommates moved in a few days ago, sisters who come from Ohio as well - the Cleveland area. My bunkmate will move in tomorrow and two other girls will move in on Monday. I know that it will be full, but I hope that everyone has a good attitude about it. From what I have seen so far, I think there will be hard days, but everyone will be able to work through it. It is also hard for some people because they are moving from rooms on the ANA which are a bit larger. Even little shelves or drawers that they have may not fit into the space that we have now. A few of us who live on deck 3 were talking this afternoon at lunch and someone mentioned trying to have a 'deck party' sometime soon - like a block party that they have in the States. Just a chance to see who is living on the deck right now and be able to recognize who is who. People are constantly moving in and out here, but I think it would be a good start at trying to make a community here. We could do this on deck 3 because it has about a quarter of the people that many of the other decks have because the mid and aft sections of the deck are for the hospital. Hopfully we actually do something and not just talk about it.
Oh, I have heard that there are some good pictures and videos of the things that have been happening this past week online at the Mercy Ships website - check it out - www.mercyships.org. Just click on the USA flag and that will take you to the International site, which has the most info and video. This past week has had the arrival of the Africa Mercy in Liberia, last community meeting on the ANA, the president of Liberia visiting on Monday and the passing of the torch (from the ANA to the Africa Mercy) that happened Wednesday morning.
31 May 2007
27 May 2007
In Liberia
So after a few days in Liberia, life continues as normally as it can :) We arrived Wednesday morning to tears and songs praising God that the Africa Mercy had finally left England and arrived where it was meant to be. Thursday night was the last community meeting on the Anastasis - it was pretty cool to have 400 people praising God and worshiping together. In walking around the ANA (short name) it is easy to see why people are attached, but it is so exciting to think about what God has planned for the Africa Mercy. Please be lifting everyone up during this time in your prayers - there are many people saying good-bye to an old friend and home, which will be very difficult. I guess my prayer is that they would have a time to grieve and say their good-byes but God would also allow them to let go and move on with what he has planned for the Africa Mercy. She is a great ship and will be so much better for living on once we get settled in. She is a little too clean and orderly right now, but I am sure that wil change after next week when everyone will have moved onto the ship.
I was able to get off the ship yesterday, see a little bit of Monrovia and go to the beach. There were a couple people with birthdays, so there was a little party at CeCe beach which is about a half hour drive from the ship, depending on the traffic. As we were driving, it was easy to see that this is a poor country (they are two years out of 14 years of civil war) but it was good to hear how things have improved even from the last time Mercy Ships was here about a year ago. The beach itself was nice - nice sand, water that was refreshing but not too cold and a place to sit in the shade so I did not fry up in the sun. In the evening there was a group of about 25 eating dinner together which was a great way to start meeting people - most of the group was crew that I have not met yet (because they still live on the ANA). Several even worked in the Academy (school) so I was able to meet some of the people I will be working with in the fall. They told me that they have actually heard my name a lot because I have been on the staff list since last fall when the Africa Mercy was orginally going to arrive in Africa. I guess my name came up many times in staff meetings saying that I would be there soon -- and now I finally am :)
I was able to get off the ship yesterday, see a little bit of Monrovia and go to the beach. There were a couple people with birthdays, so there was a little party at CeCe beach which is about a half hour drive from the ship, depending on the traffic. As we were driving, it was easy to see that this is a poor country (they are two years out of 14 years of civil war) but it was good to hear how things have improved even from the last time Mercy Ships was here about a year ago. The beach itself was nice - nice sand, water that was refreshing but not too cold and a place to sit in the shade so I did not fry up in the sun. In the evening there was a group of about 25 eating dinner together which was a great way to start meeting people - most of the group was crew that I have not met yet (because they still live on the ANA). Several even worked in the Academy (school) so I was able to meet some of the people I will be working with in the fall. They told me that they have actually heard my name a lot because I have been on the staff list since last fall when the Africa Mercy was orginally going to arrive in Africa. I guess my name came up many times in staff meetings saying that I would be there soon -- and now I finally am :)
23 May 2007
So much to say . . .
We've made it! This morning the Africa Mercy arrived in Liberia and docked beside the Anastasis, creating history. Only by the grace of God, we left Blyth on 4 May, sailed to Rotterdam, Tenerife (Canary Islands) and now on to Monrovia.
The sail was good, except for a couple rough days going through the Bay of Biscay. We knew that the weather was going to be bad, but we ended up with waves three meters high and force 10 winds with gust up to force 12. I am no wind expert, but I think force 12 is nearing hurricane strength. Being in an untested ship was also interesting because we had no idea what to expect. I have heard in the past that the Anastasis cut through the waves more, but the Africa Mercy rides on top, which makes the ship roll more from side to side. We had cabinets empty onto the floor and things spilling, but outside of a mess and lots to clean up, the only permenant damage that I heard of was a broken copy machine. The cabinet in my classroom dumped onto the floor twice (it takes me awhile to learn) which was not too bad except for the neon green paint that opened and spilled all over :) All the chairs in the dining and meeting rooms had to be pulled together and laid or tied down to keep from sliding across the room. I heard stories the first rough night at dinner that a couple kids were not heavy enough to keep from sliding across the floor when we really started rolling. Eating and walking became interesting as one learned to hold everything down while eating and to walk without hitting the walls on each roll.
Anyhow, luckily the whole sail wasn't so rough and once we got through Biscay, the weather was great. It was nice to see the sea change to this amazing blue color and the air to get warmer. One system on the ship that has not failed us yet is the air conditioning - thank goodness. I knew it would be warm here, but the humidity is a killer. I am also now thankful for a bed on deck 3 because it always seems to be cooler down there - usually between 15 and 20 degrees C. I don't know if the air is just working better down there or if it is something about the hospital being so close, but I am not complaining :)
The sail was good, except for a couple rough days going through the Bay of Biscay. We knew that the weather was going to be bad, but we ended up with waves three meters high and force 10 winds with gust up to force 12. I am no wind expert, but I think force 12 is nearing hurricane strength. Being in an untested ship was also interesting because we had no idea what to expect. I have heard in the past that the Anastasis cut through the waves more, but the Africa Mercy rides on top, which makes the ship roll more from side to side. We had cabinets empty onto the floor and things spilling, but outside of a mess and lots to clean up, the only permenant damage that I heard of was a broken copy machine. The cabinet in my classroom dumped onto the floor twice (it takes me awhile to learn) which was not too bad except for the neon green paint that opened and spilled all over :) All the chairs in the dining and meeting rooms had to be pulled together and laid or tied down to keep from sliding across the room. I heard stories the first rough night at dinner that a couple kids were not heavy enough to keep from sliding across the floor when we really started rolling. Eating and walking became interesting as one learned to hold everything down while eating and to walk without hitting the walls on each roll.
Anyhow, luckily the whole sail wasn't so rough and once we got through Biscay, the weather was great. It was nice to see the sea change to this amazing blue color and the air to get warmer. One system on the ship that has not failed us yet is the air conditioning - thank goodness. I knew it would be warm here, but the humidity is a killer. I am also now thankful for a bed on deck 3 because it always seems to be cooler down there - usually between 15 and 20 degrees C. I don't know if the air is just working better down there or if it is something about the hospital being so close, but I am not complaining :)
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