5 weekends remaining…

This weekend Kayleigh and I had an adventure!! We woke up on Sunday morning (at 11:15- wahoo!!) and decided that we wished we had some fruit for breakfast (or lunch… depending on how you look at it!). So we just up and decided that we would go into town and look for some! Now, this sounds like it would be no big deal… BUT Kayleigh and I never do anything without talking about it for 100 hours and having to plan it- so this was very exciting!! There are no words to describe what the port is like on a normal day. There is a nice mix of semis carrying containers, port workers walking, and zimmys streaming through the roads of the port. It is kind of like maneuvering our way through a dangerous maze to make our way from the ship safely to the front of the port, where we exit through yellow turnstile doors. There are about 15 officers that sit at the front of the port and never check our badges, whether we are entering or exiting even though I am pretty sure that is the sole purpose of their job.  Once we go through the gates we are on a street that forks off in two directions. On one side is a one-way road that leads into the port from the main drag and the other side is a small walk, through an assortment of little market stands, an area to pick up zimmys, and then on to a gas station where we conveniently just stand until a taxi comes to give us a ride. Sometimes, like on Sunday, an unmarked car wants to give us a ride. At first this seemed a little sketchy and like not the brightest idea… but in a total bind one night a few weeks ago a group of four of us climbed into a non-taxi (which funny enough, was a VERY nice car with air-conditioning, nice music, and all door handles were attached-this is as unique as I just made it sound!) where the man dropped us right where we wanted to go and didn’t even make us pay because he said he loved Mercy Ships and that we helped his people. So since then I have been inspired that maybe unmarked cars don’t have quite the reputation they would in the States! Point being that on Sunday we got a ride in a BMW and the man was so pleased to be our driver that he informed us that he worked in the port and if we ever need to go anywhere, he would take us.

Our afternoon was spent seeing the streets of Togo in a different way. There is about 20% of the people as during the week or on a Saturday and so it was crazy how unusual the streets look when you can actually… see them! I know this is going to sound crazy, but we have been into town enough that we kinda know a few landmarks and can make our way through the market. We got ourselves to the spot where we successfully found and purchased 3 pineapples, 10 oranges, 3 mangoes, and an entire bunch of bananas. This was all for 3,000 CFA, which is equivalent to $6. Can you even handle that! It was $2 for 3 pineapples… that would be like $15 at home! On our way back to the main street we stopped in a little restaurant, where we took a small rest and had a drink. This was also quite exciting because the place we chose was just one we randomly found! (look at that bravery and independence!) and it also had wooden booths!! I never have been to a restaurant in Africa with booths!!

Our bravery was rewarded with a safe return to the ship and a rather ordinary day after that. Maybe our last FIVE weekends (crazy, right! It is such a small number!!) will include more small adventures!

At the Artisan Market you can get custom made sandals! You can choose any color leather and they measure your foot and you pick them up the next week. They are displayed on the fence like this!

Kayleigh’s sandals!

Outside our favorite lunch spot- Sultans!

Sultans from the front!

All of the fruit we collected from our little adventure!

The restaurant with booths!

Kayleigh and I super excited at the Sarakawa!! I forgot to post this last week- but the night my parents left they still had the hotel room so we stayed there! It was like living a life of luxury!! We did cartwheels becuase we had so much space… okay, so I was actually the only one who did cartwheels!

My Parents Were in Togo!!

Ah! March 7^th!! What an awful blogger I have become in these past couple of weeks!! I am definitely going to blame my lack of communication on the fact that I was preparing and then having VISITORS!! Words will never be able to do a justice to how purely fantastic it was to have my parents experience Mercy Ships- and to have a taste of what this life I have had for the past 10 months is like. As my mom and dad experienced the things that have become normal (well… kinda!) to me and asked questions and got excited about the mission and purpose of the organization, I feel like the Lord has given me such a refreshed sense of appreciation for what I have been able to be a small part of throughout this year.  This is maybe one of the biggest gifts that God gave me through my parents visit because as preparations to leave are constantly being made- I want to be able to embrace the things that I have loved about being here.  My parents gave me eyes to see how incredible the work that Mercy Ships does is and how neat it is that…. I live on a ship, that sits in a port, in Togo. Life is crazy here… and how fun it is that I have gotten to live it!!

I would like to mention what I consider a few major accomplishments and more independence gained for myself! THREE times I walked through the entire port (by myself and confidently looked like I knew where I was going!) and got myself a little zimmy (aka MOTORCYCLE!) and zoomed right on over to the hotel!! AND I bought a snack off the street called FanIce (it kind of resembles a icepop, but you bite it off the top… which clearly, is not my favorite thing when it is bought off the street … from Africa- and pretty much freaks me out… because… ewww!), but I tore the top off with my teeth! I am pretty sure this was just to show my parents how brave I have become… but still!

 I am so far behind on updates that I am just going to post a bunch of pictures! They speak a thousand words anyways, right?

My parents first day at the ship!! Before we even went inside!!

The local fishing village church with the CUTEST children!

An afternoon after church spent have sodas outside! There was a nice breeze and such a nice day!

We are the happiest because we have EASTER CANDY!!!!!!!

BEST LUGGAGE EVERRRRRRRRR (besides my parents!!!)

Sitting in the Cafe!

My dad outside of the Hope Center- where the patients are transferred after surgery!

Where they cook all the meals for the Hope Center!

Hope Center

This is what happens in the heat of Africa to dashboards in cars! My dad could not get over this, haha!

Dinner on the street!

One night we were out to dinner and this bus drove by with a FULL OUT band in the back playing music… classic Africa and SO fun!

My parents favorite place on the ship… Starbucks! 🙂

Ignore the windblown look… this is the gang at our muster station during a firedrill! I am so glad that my parents got to experience the every-other-week practice we have!

How CUTE are they!!! They are getting ready to observe surgery and get the true “Mercy Ships” experience! They LOVED IT!!!

Tara this was for you! AND a limo in Togo… weird.

Beach Day!

I LOVE this one of my dad! 1: He is SO tan!! 2: The ships in the background look so fun!

My parents got to experience our favorite lunch place. I will miss the chicken pesto paninis so very much…

Mom, you look like such a natural in the market!

Happy Easter from the teachers!

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Vacationing…

I feel this is appropriate title because besides working, I feel like most of my free time has been spent do vacationy-type activities. I know I keep saying this… but Togo is FULL of cute little restaurants and pools at hotels we can use. The good friends also make things extra fun!

A friend of mine from Gateway, Candace, is getting married to a boy she met on the ship. In preparation for her wedding, a small group of us had a bachelorette party for her… which was kinda tricky because we are in Africa! We heard about a local hotel that has a nice pool and also has massage services, so the girl that was organizing the party thought this would be perfect! Candace could be pampered while the rest of us sat poolside. Ended up that the masseuse took us all to her house (which clearly I was super nervous about when she told us that was where we were going), which was a mansion. Pictures below of where we spent our day relaxing by a private pool. Her little son took our drink orders and delivered us snacks… Our time at her house ended with her giving us a tour. As I was standing in her kitchen I couldn’t stop thinking about how I got into a Togolese woman’s car (who I didn’t know!), went to her house (I am also not exactly sure where we were), stayed by her pool ALL day and let her son buy me a drink off the street and bring it to me. Interesting day.

I am embarrassed (or excited… I can’t determine which adjective is better) to tell you how my time has been filled this past Saturday. Kayleigh, Angie, and I went off ship and had a real lunch date and it was so fun!! We met a group of people at a local restaurant that we have come to love through the past few weeks… and even though they were people from the ship that we could eat lunch with every day, we felt it was special to arrange to meet them off ship! The rest of the day was spent watching an ENTIRE season of a show (Downton Abbey? Anyone watched it? If not… you NEED to!). I feel convicted to announce that this was like 9 hours of consecutive television… but then when I think about how life after Mercy Ships will not allow for such a useless day, I convince myself it is fine.

I got a new student in my class this week, so we are back up to 3… and all girls. I can’t even describe how much I love them!! Even though a class of three has challenges (this is not a lie… all you teacher friends of mine with big classes… stop laughing!), mostly I love that I know them each so well.

I have begun to start making plans for my life after my commitment to the Mercy Ships Academy ends. It is stressful to try to orchestrate details from across the world and begin preparing my heart to be somewhere other than this community that I am now used to. I am beyond excited to see where the Lord is leading me… we all know that being in Africa has been a great, but really challenging experience for me! When I find my mind wandering to the dangerous place of wishing I was home so badly… I remember that my days left here is getting to be a small number and a big piece of me will be sad when I say goodbye to this temporary home. One thing that makes Mercy Ships so awesome is that the Lord calls people here from completely different lives to work together. Along with this truth though, is the one that makes me realize that when we leave Mercy Ships we are dispersed to our separate lives all around the world. The blessing of time spent together as coworkers and friends needs to be cherished, and I know the Lord keeps trying to calm my heart and remind me of this! ALSO… He is sending me a piece of my world at home HERE… because my parents are coming in just 3 weeks!!

Drinks delivered to us poolside!

We are drinking the biggest cokes EVER. I would like to make the observation that Coke in the reusable glass bottle is little bit better than canned Coke that we have at home. I just think you all should know that.

Please note that this picture was taken to document that I ate this weird piece of mystery meat. And… I didn’t hate it (I did only eat one piece though!).

There is VERY little grass in West Africa!! This was a nice treat to stand barefoot in it- I know this sounds weird… but I seriously don’t think I have seen grass since I was home for Christmas… this is not an exaggeration.

This is a very popular Burger and Chicken Restaurant in town.It is SUPER inexpensive and it is literally one step from the street. This was the second place I ever ate out at in Togo! Dad and Mom… we will be going here 🙂

For the car lovers in my life… this is for you. If you ever need to protect the interior of your vehicle from the sun, a cardboard box can do 🙂

Ship Holiday last week spent at a hotel pool! I recognize that this kinda looks like I am drinking beer… but not to worry, it is only apple juice!

Heinz Ketchup!! It was like a little piece of home… (and fries, or course… this is a staple… vegetable?)

This was our Leap Year party! We played games and had snacks… and watched the movie “Leap Year” (of course!). I also tried to make a little frog looking snack (ya know, for leap!) but it mistakingly looked more like a crab… disappointment.

Some of the teachers on “Wacky Day!”

This is documentation that the sewer really does dump directly into the ocean… and there are people standing in there.

Happenings

There are lots of happenings on the ship right now and I feel weird about it. Some days on the ship are just weird. I try to remind myself that there are days of real life (aka non-ship life) that feel weird too… but it just seems that things here in my Mercy Ship life are just a bit more extreme.

Today a very dear friend of mine on the ship left. Like I always say, Mercy Ships is a revolving door of people… but one of my Gateway friends left unexpectedly today. I had to say bye to Tori… and I don’t really feel like I was prepared to.

I began with my class after Christmas with a new student. His family had been on the ship last year and left for the summer and last semester because his mom needed some medical treatments. My other two girls anxiously waited for his return because they all were friends from last year. I immediately fell in love with Daniel and his family. They are from Ghana and have the best spirits (and accents) ever! After our first few days together I saw his mom in the hallway and she said that Daniel came home from school saying, “Mom, my new teacher LOVES me!!” (which is totally true!) I met his parents in an afterschool, casual meeting just to introduce myself. They were so kind and said the most genuine prayer for me and our class at the end of our meeting. I am going through all of this to say that the dynamics of our little class family is forever changing. Daniel’s family was called to leave the ship immediately a few days ago because Daniel’s mom cancer has returned. They were rushed to get visas to return to London (where they were for the summer) to get further tests… and eventually, results that were not so good. I have always underestimated the power of the saying that a moment in someone’s life can leave an imprint for forever. I can honestly say that that family will have a special place in my heart for forever. Even now, over a week later, my eyes fill up with tears whenever I think about them and how they aren’t here anymore.

Amidst the true sadness I feel for the family… the experience of having a crew member leave, due to medical reasons unexpectedly, showed a whole new side of the Mercy Ships community to me. A prayer meeting was called during lunch hour, where crew from every department gathered to pray for the family. I was completely blown away by the number of people that came together to support each other and Daniel’s family. I feel like the Lord so blessed me by letting me see and be a part of the body of Christ working together.

On a brighter note, the hospital is in full working condition! Patients have come and been released… including one of the babies from the screening pictures I posted a few weeks ago. I have a picture of what she looks like now below. I live in a place where lives are being changed everyday just a few decks below me! It is funny that I am working in this global community, with a purpose of serving others… and I can still be so selfish in the way I think and the things going on in my life- I forget sometimes what is even happening in the hospital! Sometimes I get so overwhelmed when I wonder how long it will take me to learn the lesson that God is bigger than things of my world.

I have spent the past two weekends in the markets- where I have bought things!! I bought some fabric… which was so exciting!! I have to get prepped and know what I am talking about and where to take my mom when she comes! I also bought some snacks off the street. I consider this a MAJOR milestone for myself because when I first got here I didn’t like to buy even a soda. Stands around the street sell all kinds of produce and snacks. In Togo peanuts are very popular! Peanuts are sold in all different ways like roasted or sugar coated or seasoned. They are sold in recycled alcohol bottles (funny, I know). I clearly had to buy the sugary ones… which are delicious!! AND they reside on top of my classroom cabinet, in a gin bottle… is this bad? 

Also… my goal for the next blog is to take more pictures. I have been TERRIBLE at noting things that are happening… I will get better, I will get better… 

 

Ang? WHY are you so far away! This was a super nice Indian food restaurant we went to! Kayleigh was the photographer!

This is in honor of Tori!! My first time out in Sierra Leone… we were in a sketch taxi, might I add!

A donation of games from Hasbro! This was to just the Grade 2 class- each class got a set about this size! How generous/awesome is that!?

Sibi Julie Amegleto- healed!!

 

Screening Day

Screening Day was last Wednesday and was a ship-wide event. Screening Day is one of the most important days in the organization because it is when the majority of surgery dates are assigned to patients. Screening takes place at a location in the city and people line up by  thousands to be seen by a Mercy Ships doctor in hopes of getting help. In Togo, screening took place at an arena about 30 minutes from the ship. The venue was manned by Mercy Ships crew the night before the screening as security and the rest of the crew left the ship at 4:30am (I know! yuck!) on Wednesday morning to arrive and begin the day. Outside of the arena the potential patients lined up single file. The line was so long that it seemed endless when the car I was in arrived at about 6am!! The Togolese police were there to assist in keeping people orderly while they waited. Mercy Ships crew went up and down the line and explain what kind of problems we will serve to help weed people out of the line that we cannot help. This is essential (even though it is really sad) because there is not enough time to see every patient, especially if we know  that they have a medical concern that Mercy Ships cannot help. There were about 3,600 people who were in line and about 1,600 patients that were screened.

The patients go through quite a process once they are approved to be screened and enter the arena! They are accompanied to registration where basic information is taken, then to history where nurses take medical information, then the patients are split into general surgery, maxfax, or plastics (based on their needs). Patients are then seen by doctors and nurses to decide if they qualify for a surgery and are assigned a date to come to the ship. They then go to data entry, to get x-rays and to communications for pictures.

I was super nervous about going to screening (of course!!) because I get overwhelmed with the medical needs that people here have. BUT I must say this is just another example of me freaking out… for not really a reason! Being a part of screening was absolutely amazing and I think it will be such a sweet part of my Mercy Ships experience. It was so awesome to be able to work with the people of West Africa and be a part of the purpose of Mercy Ships. I was assigned to work in the history section, where each patient must go through at the beginning of screening. I loved being placed there because I had the opportunity to see pretty much every patient that went through screening. When I see pictures I can recognize almost everybody!! I feel like most of the lessons that I have learned throughout my time in Africa have been cliché things… but ownership of the lessons for me has been (I think!) transforming. Mercy Ships preaches that patients are just normal people and they crave attention and love- especially if they have physical deformities because they have most likely been ostracized from their own home communities. I have always been consumed with how uncomfortable I am with their injuries that I haven’t really forced myself to learn this. Screening gave me the chance to see how much the patients value Mercy Ships… and I could see in a whole new way how many of the people tried to cover their deformities. It absolutely broke my heart to think of how people live trying to mask themselves. It also made me almost anxious to make eye contact and try to communicate in some kind of way that I didn’t care about it. Since I don’t speak French, I had to try to smile and gently touch them on the arm when I was leading them, just to try, in my own way, to show that I saw them- actually saw them. Bottom line is that the patients really are just people (duh! so glad this took me 8 months!)… and I loved being able to serve them for the day. I truly LOVED it!

On another note… I have been filling my time in Togo with friends and all kinds of things including going to the market, the beach, and going to quite a few restaurants! Last week was Kayleigh’s birthday so a group of us went to a nice dinner and then to get ice-cream. We decided that since Togo is FULL of nice places to eat… we will eat our way through our time here!! I will keep you updated on the places that we try!! Just on a side note… I am pretty sure that West Africa has the best fries in the whole world. I wish everyone could try them, because I am almost certain that you would agree.

This was all the LandRovers heading to screening! We were quite a line!

Seriously… LOOK at this cute face!! Some crew were assigned to Children’s Ministry to play with the kids as they waited in line. This was one of the little boys there!

“Zimmy-Johns” are the most popular type of transportation in Togo. This was outside the stadium.

The Togolese police helped with security on Screening Day.

This is one of the rooms where patients are seen by a doctor.

This was where I worked- where patient history was taken.

This is me directing patients 🙂

There were lots of babies with a variety of health problems.

This is the paperwork that patients get when they are screened. The yellow card has their surgery date on it and allows them onto the ship.

The hospital opens for crew to tour and do activities before any patients arrive. We went and did all kinds of fun activities… and got stamps because of it 🙂

Beach!

New Year

A new year and a new country for the Africa Mercy! The ship has a whole refreshed attitude (at least I feel that way!) since we are gearing up for a new field service. It is beginning to get busier as new crew arrives because the first screening is in a little over a week. Everyone is really excited to begin opening the hospital and meeting the patients. The ship was in Togo only 1 year ago, so  a majority of the local dayworkers are the same. It was so fun on their first day back to see everyone be reunited. Anyways… mostly what I am trying to say is that I have a really good vibe about the ship’s time in Togo and it is super encouraging.

Togo is almost indescribably different from Sierra Leone. Last weekend was my first time out and I feel like as we drove/walked around I was just trying to process how to even try to explain it. Let me start by saying it is a French speaking country. Ha- can we PLEASE just think of me in an African country where I can’t even speak a WORD of the language?!? It is pretty funny… today a small group of us went out to dinner and I bravely tried to say my order… and I definitely read the words like you would in Spanish. The waiter laughed at me BUT he did know what I wanted (which could be because I pointed on the menu, but whatever!). I consider it a success anyways. It is totally incredible how many people here know a bit of English (or a lot) and how in one glance they all know that we don’t speak French. The roads here are pretty clean and the traffic moves really quickly. Beach Road is a main highway-ish type road that is 4 lanes with a median and there are even sidewalks on either side for people to walk on. There are traffic lights and street lights and roundabouts which drivers seem to obey the rules of. Beach Road is along the coast and the beach even has garbage cans lining it! Most places have electricity and there are tons of restaurants in town. The market in the city is really busy and resembles Sierra Leone… but it just has a different feel to it and I am not sure why. Oh, I almost forgot… the sewers are covered… and I consider this a MAJOR improvement. 

The port that we now call home is very big. There are many other ships docked with us and when I look out my window in my classroom I can see 35 other ships sitting in the ocean. It is humid, but always super breezy and so the heat doesn’t really seem so bad. It is really smoggy out and the winds are constantly blowing sand from the deserts so it always looks overcast out.It literally is always like this and sometimes you can barely see to the other side of the port because it is so thick. More adventures to come I am sure. I need to learn my way around before my parents get here to visit!!! Which is in only 9 1/2 weeks!!! It. will. be. SO. great.

In Port

Pic of the port from Deck 8, starboard side

Out my classroom window! Look at all the big ships in the distance!

Garbage cans lining the street AND a sidewalk! I thought this needed to be documented.

Please note the traffic lights… and the palm trees. It’s like a bit of West Palm!

Kayleigh and I organized a Friday the 13th party with a 13 theme!! We had thirteen snacks and they were arranged on the table to look like 13. There were 13 teachers invited and to attend you had to be wearing 13 items of clothing or accessories! It was really just an excuse to spend time together and have lots of snacks!

A real ice cream shop in Togo!! We are VERY happy 🙂

Where in the world…

Where in the world!! This is exactly how I feel about so many things! Where in the world have the past 3 weeks gone and where in the world am I right now?!

I am back on the ship after a three-week (WONDERFUL) holiday at home! I can’t even try to describe everything that I was blessed to be able to do and how many of my loved people I got to see!! I feel like I can accurately say that I don’t think I have ever been so busy in my ENTIRE life… and I am feeling on a whole new level that I need a vacation- from vacation. 

My time at home started with the best greeting ever at the airport! Little Ty-boy (my nephew) totally didn’t know who I was… and might have cried… also, he isn’t actually so little anymore, but I LOVED seeing him and my whole family waiting for me when I got off the plane. Sara came to visit (best.friend.ever.) and flew in about an hour after I did, so we had quite the carload leaving the airport! Sara and my time together was spent talking A TON (stop being shocked about that!), brunch with grandma, lunch with Nana and Bumpa, a quickie trip to West Palm, pedicures with Laur and Tara, and a little shopping (it HAD to be done… I survived a rrrreaaaallll long time without seeing a Target). 

Christmas was spent with my entire family, including my grandparents who officially live in Florida now after a lifetime in Massachusetts. I think it was the most special Christmas ever. I loved just being able to wake up in the same house as my parents and knowing that my sister was going to stop by at some point during the day.  Brian came down for a really big part of time at home and we did SUPER fun and adventurous (I know… Africa has changed me!) things- including parasailing and hand gliding (pictures below)!! Mostly it was just the best thing of my life to get to be with that boy! We completed lots of things I was looking forward to about everyday, normal life in the United States- it brought out an entire new side of my extreme love of details when I was freaking out the silliest little things, such as finding the best limited-edition Publix ice-cream. I think I maybe screamed a little bit… in the middle of the aisle.

The Lord gave me the best holiday ever! It was so refreshing to be around almost all of my most favorite loved ones- in such a short amount of time. I am safely in Africa and fully recovered from my trip back to the ship. It is funny… when I was at home I felt so much like I fit and belonged there… and now that I am back here, I know that I also have a place here. It is weird how the Lord can make you feel like you belong in more than one place! More details to come on Togo soon… I have lots to tell about it!

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers about my time at home- it was absolutely wonderful! 

This was our reunion at the airport… after he stopped crying of course! I didn’t want that to be documented!

Dinner in West Palm with some of my favorites!!

I think we picked the coldest day of the entire vacation to go to the zoo… but we met up with Mrs. Garey and her family- super. fun. time.

My first slurpee at home!! Laur, Cait, and I continue our tradition of feeling an absolute need to have slurpees ALL the time…

We survived our parasailing experience!!

This was the view while we were parasailing! It was surprisingly really quiet and peaceful… and we even saw a giant sea turtle! It was pretty great 🙂

Rivalry at the hockey game Bri and I went to… not to worry, Tampa totally won 🙂

I can’t quite remember who… but Brian or I are IN that little kite thing that is full-out attached to a plane! So brave, right?! (honestly… it wasn’t really that scary… but I kinda want people to think it was…)

This was after we both completed our hand gliding!! It was so fun too because the sun had just risen and there were like 40 hot air balloons that we got to see.

New Year’s with Tara and Bob! What a fun way to begin a new year 🙂

Farewell Sierra Leone!

Currently I am sitting in midships trying to write this blog and all I can think of is how this morning we left Sierra Leone. I can’t believe that this journey is beyond half-over and it has been marked by the closing of quarter 2 at school and confirmed as we pulled away from the dock in Sierra Leone. I know I  need to take some serious time to reflect on the ways that the Lord has moved in my life and all the ways that He has stretched me… because I know the list will be quite lengthy.

The weeks leading up to the sail have been a whole new type of craziness on board. The hospital closed about 3 weeks ago which launched more than half of the crew into packing-mode. Everything on the ship must be secured in a special way to prepare to sail and the process takes some time. The Academy also has had to be secured, grades entered…. and goodbyes said. A family left the ship this week and it was really… sad. One of the little boys in the family was in my class, and with a class of only three… I feel like a special part of my life onboard I had to say goodbye to. I know that the Lord is showing me a new way of understanding that things and people come in seasons and I should learn to embrace it… but it is still really hard… and not my favorite thing.

In addition to all of the serious things that needed to be dealt with… the last few weeks have been the last few weeks… and it was NECESSARY to embrace this and do fun things off ship. Kayleigh and I had pretty much the biggest adventure EVER off ship together (by ourselves, might I add… which makes it like a million times better) and I would try to tell all of the stories… but I know I would dilute the Africa crazyness and the adventure would lose its charm. Just trust me when I say that it is a memory that will be forever in my mind- and I LOVE that! Also, at one point and African man told me I was a professional swimmer… that was a highlight.

Home is so soon sometimes I can hardly breathe when I think about it because I am so excited!!

My cutie class looking out at the garbage floating by. AND playing eye spy with it 🙂

First at-sea fire drill!

Goodbye Sierra Leone!

Thanksgiving

Today is a Thanksgiving and I am not home. I haven’t really thought so much about it because to be totally honest it doesn’t really feel like Thanksgiving here- which I think is a blessing from the Lord. Today my roommates and I have been emailing each other every hour and saying something that we are thankful for about living on the ship and this experience. It has been really fun to share things that we appreciate with each other… I think it may have saved my day of feeling super sad that my family is all together. PLUS whenever again will I get to celebrate Thanksgiving in Africa… I should embrace this, right?!!

The focus of Mercy Ships is the hospital, but the organization has many other components to aid the people in the countries that we serve. I would say that the biggest off-ship program is the agriculture centers. Agriculture centers are developed in various villages surrounding the port and supplies and training are provided to start small farming communities. In concordance with our unit on plants in science, we were able to go visit the agriculture center on a field trip this week. I am SO glad that I got to go (I am definitely sure I was more excited than the kids!) because it was one of my favorite places that I have visited since I have been here I think. We got a tour from Mohammad, the intern that was trained by Mercy Ships, and all of the people who worked at the center were really excited to show us what they were working on. They explained to us everything that they had growing on a small tour and even gave the kids bananas. I know that my pictures and my descriptions will never be able to compare to what it was like to be there- but I feel like I should try. Look below!

Also… I survived the full-out camping trip last weekend. AND I am happy to say that it was super nice and really fun!! Sleeping in a tent wasn’t as traumatic as I thought it was going to be and the food was good! In the words of someone else… I brought copious snacks and then realized the food wasn’t bad like I thought that it was going to be. The meal was kinda buffet style (meaning that everything was separated) so I did not have to eat the fish… which was GREAT because they still had eyes, which would have totally creeped me out. We stayed at a beach called John Obey with a group of 11 people and it was a a pretty perfect little weekend.

On a logistical, ship note: The ship is beginning to feel like a whole new place! Last week ended surgeries and this week ends Day Workers time on ship as well as the wards closing down. Most of the short-term crew members are going home and the ship is feeling emptier.Within the next few weeks we will be leaving Sierra Leone and sailing to Ghana, which should take about 5 days. This means that the ship is being transformed into “sailing” mode. Everything that is off ship must be moved on ship and stored (duh I guess! This includes all of the vehicles- I am super excited to witness how this takes place). Everything must be secured that is on ship too… I am not really sure exactly what this means, but an update will come as soon as the process begins and I can document it! I feel like it will be quite crazy…

Some crops!

This stream runs in the middle of the site of the agriculture center. The people fetch big jugs of water from it to water their crops.

First: These women work all day in the hot sun with their children on their backs. Second: I wanted to take this child with me! The kids here are so cute and I wish one would fit in my carry-on because I want to keep one!

Some of the women that work at the agriculture center serenaded us before we left!

I slept in that tent!!

This was a big table that we ate at and then a small cooking area and where the food was served behind.

Please note everything that I love about this vehicle… the TWO Tennessee license plates, the British flags behind the tires, and the “Why Worry” advice painted on the back. Our driver might have sped up to catch this poda-poda just to then slow down so I could take a picture 🙂

Umbrella Day

Did you know that you can find just about a holiday for anything if you google “obscure American holidays.” Some people might think that this is a bit ridiculous, but I think it is rather wonderful that Americans want to celebrate every little thing. The reason that I found out this bit of information is because this week marked our second Spirit Day in the Academy.The theme this time was “Holiday Day” and Kayleigh and I had no cute ideas of how to dress up for a traditional holiday… so we decided to work backwards due to our limited wardrobe/supplies on the ship. After much discussion, we decided we would like to wear our rainboots and there must be some holiday that this could go with!! Sure enough… Umbrella Day does exist and it is on February 10th, in case you ever wanted to celebrate it yourselves.

There are always events going on around the ship. Some activities are marketed through emails and on televisions that are around the ships with powerpoint screens constantly scrolling. Last week there was a Fall Festival which consisted of game booths and a costume contest for the crew to participate in. Families on the ship do a great job of trying to organize things that kids would get to do if they lived anywhere else. Miss Kris, Miss Kayleigh, and I had a game called “The Super Toss,” where we organized all kinds of random items (including rubber pigs that squeak because Miss Kris made us use them!) to be tossed into various sized circles. There were lots of prizes and overall it was just a fun night. I felt like we were an extended family spending time together… and it was great. The Fall Festival was an example of an activity that was ship-wide that was “advertised.” Now there are other events that just seem to be… known. One of these great events would be ship-wide, male participation of movember- which by the way is totally gagging and gross. BUT Kayleigh and I also felt a little bit left out of that so we decided to partially participate… as noted below in the picture!

Tomorrow notes the third ship holiday we have had since I arrived and therefore no school!! This weekend I will be spending the night on the beach… in a tent. I am worked up about it because a tent… this sounds like camping and I am pretty sure I am NOT a camper. Stories to come about this experience I am sure! 

Fall Festival/ Movember

Umbrella Day

Charlotte Falls for the 2nd weekend because it was so great the first time!!

Tori said I was a fearless leader… hahaha I think that is definitely an exaggeration- but it kinda looks I am in this photo!

One of my not so favorite things are when meals are all one color… this week this was dinner one day: all yellow! Mac & Cheese, plantains, an apple, rice krispies treats (of course!) and even the napkin and dishware was yellow! ah!!