Bitter Sweet

The field service is drawing to a close and many crew, including some of my closest friends, are returning home.

And that is why it has been a bit of a struggle for me these last two weeks. When you share most meals with these friends, exercise with these friends, and laugh and cry with these friends for most of the year, the line between friendship and family becomes blurred. So while those of us who remain on the ship are happy for our friends to be re-united with the ones they love, we are also sad because we lose a part of our ship family.

Even while I have been experiencing this rather selfish sense of loss, God has been blessing new friendships. And reminding me of the blessings that exist in old friendships.

Some friends that have returned home...

Hospitality Centre

The Mercy Ship hospital treats patients from all over Benin. Many of these patients travel long distances to come to the city of Cotonou, where the Africa Mercy is docked. Often these patients need somewhere to stay in the days leading up to their admission into the hospital. Most of the time, the patients need to visit the hospital for post-op care. They cannot stay in the hospital though, as the bed space is needed for new patients.

The hospitality centre is Mercy Ships solution to this logistical problem. This centre is a large warehouse that is about a fifteen minute walk from the ship and it houses all those patients that need to remain close to the hospital for post-op care. While the patients and their families stay there, they receive meals and have a warm bed. The adults also receive basic education (reading, spelling, etc.) from one of the crew who has been assigned to develop a daily programme for them. Crew are free to visit the centre any time to play with kids or provide comfort to the families.

The hospitality centre from outside

The patients' beds

Last week a few of us went to visit the children at the hospitality centre. We took tattoo's, balloons, colouring books, etc. along for entertainment.

Worship

Here are some more pictures of the International Evening of Worship.

The crew singing and dancing

The South Africans

The Beninoise worship team

International Evening of Worship

There are so many nationalities on this ship. So many differences. But there is one common thread that unites all of us. We all love Jesus.

So tonight we celebrated our differences and similarities in the form of an international evening of worship. There were eight nations that took part this evening.

The Welsh sang a song in Welsh. The only Polish crew member shared an Easter worship song with us. The German speaking nations (Germany and Switzerland) shared some of their songs too. A crew member from the Dominican Republic sang a song from one of his nations worship artists. And the African nations sang too.

The Ghanaian's and Liberians had the entire crew on their feet singing and dancing. It was something quite spectacular.

The South Africans sang Bayete Inkosi and I'm Walking in the Light of God, including the Afrikaans and Zulu verses.

Bayete Inkosi:
Bayete, Bayete, Inkosi
Bayete, King of Kings
Bayete, Bayete Inkosi
Bayete Inkosi is King
King of Kings

Who can match Your greatness
Who can know Your power
Who can search Your richness
Who can deny You are crowned
Lord of all

You are crowned King of Africa
You are crowned Lord of all
You are crowned King of Africa
Who can deny you are crowned
Lord of all

Walking in the Light of God:
I'm walking in the light of God
I'm walking in the light of God
I'm walking in the light
I'm walking in the light
I'm walking in the light of God

Ek wandel in die lig van God
Ek wandel in die lig van God
Ek wandel in die lig
Ek wandel in die lig
Ek wandel in die lig van God

Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahamba lapha khosi
Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahmaba lapha khosi

A Taste Of Home

Last Tuesday, just for a while, I felt like I was in South Africa.

The worship band from my home church, LinkWay, appeared on Gospel One (a local television station that we are able to receive on the ship) to promote their latest (and first) CD 'Reign in me'.

LinkWay Worship Band

I was glad to be able to share a piece of where I come from, with my friends from different parts of the world.

Watching the worship band from church, on a ship!

LinkWays promotional video is available on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lgmrp5gC2g

My First Week in Kindergarten

I have survived my first week in Kindergarten!

It has been a challenging and good week. And one filled with many lessons -I have learnt that Kindergarten students need help putting on their shoes and getting out their stationery. And they certainly don't have the same attention span as an eight year old!

And I have learnt that I really enjoy spending the day with them. They make me smile. A lot.

Here are some pictures of my classroom:

The entrance to my classroom:

My class library:

From the back of my classroom:

From the front of my classroom:

Another angle from the back of my classroom:

Teacher Handbook

Teacher Handbooks are not known for their gripping content.

Teachers are requested to read the handbook at the start of each academic year. Many teachers (including myself) reluctantly read the handbook to brush up on certain school policies like homework and familiarise themselves with procedures for class excursions, assessments, etc.

This year, I found myself smiling while looking through the Mercy Ships Academy Teacher's Handbook. How many schools have a policy for teachers to follow about 'hair appointments' or 'seasickness'?

Most days when I look outside the window and sea fishing boats sailing past, I don't blink an eye. It has become my normal. Sometimes it takes something as minor as a heading in a handbook to make realise that my life has changed drastically!