February was a time of decision. I made the decision to go to Mercy Ships in the Spring to serve for 2 1/2 months. It was also a time of spending time with my Mom. There were many breakfasts and movies and just time hanging out. A time to prepare both our hearts for the upcoming separation.
March brought my first sight of the Africa Mercy. Docked in Benin, West Africa. I arrived in the evening with her all lit up. It was good to be back on a ship. It had been 12 years since I had last served on a ship. It was comfortable and familiar. It was a time to be in awe of God's provision and plan for my life. How did I, Jennifer from Virginia, out of thousands of people in the world who wanted to be here, get selected to be part of what God is doing here in Benin?
April was a tough time for me. Benin is a place of wonderful people and rich in culture and history. But the memory that haunts me most occurred in April. A young boy sick with a high fever and having seizures ( not a patient of ours) was taken to a witch doctor for treatment. The method chosen to rid this child of his fever, likely caused by malaria, was to pour some kind of acid into his eyes and force him to walk on hot coals. This photo was taken after he had been taken to a local hospital for treatment. Tragically although his illness was easily treated, he vision will never be regained and hands and feet forever scarred from severe burns. For me , a lifetime reminder of the cost that is paid by the innocent when evil has its way. I don't know for sure the outcome of this young child, but I do know that if he is still alive his life will never be the same. This is why what we do matters. Not to just bring good medicine and surgeries to those who could not otherwise have it, but to bring light to the darkness and destroy the lies.
May was a time of farewells. I left Benin in the end of May to return to the States. This meant saying goodbye to new friends that had quickly become a part of my heart. It is always a surprise to me how quickly someone can become part of your heart, part of your story. The people I met in Benin were amazing.
I met people from all around the world and have made friendships I know will last far into the future.
It was in May that I was asked to consider coming back to the Africa Mercy for another field service. After prayer and consideration I made the decision to return for another year.
So back to America I went. The hard part was yet to come.
June was a wild month. There was much to do and little time to do it. When my plane touched down in the states I had just 7 weeks to prepare to return the the ship. The hardest part by far is the decision to leave those I love the most to follow my call. My family and friends mean so much to me, and leaving them for long periods of time comes at a high cost for me. But I truly believe that no cost is too high to follow the path the Lord has for me. That being said, it does not mean that it is easy. The month of June I spent as much time as possible with my Mom and best friend. There were trips to see other family members and friends. Speaking engagements, fundraising, and packing to do. A large garage sale at the home of a friend help me dispose of the majority of my belongings.
June was also spent enjoying a bit of what Virginia has to offer. Hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, spending time with my best friend Lori and her dog chase. Saying goodbye to my home of 11 years. Who knew it could be so tough.There were too many goodbyes. I am blessed beyond belief to have made so many good friends during my season in Virginia. Too many people to name them all. The toughest part by far was leaving behind my best friend Lori and my Mom. The only thing that makes it bearable is knowing God himself holds them in the palm of His hand.
July started in California attending the wedding of my niece. It was a fun time of spending good time with her Mom, my sister. Many hours spent in California traffic made for lots of sister talk time. I really enjoyed my visit with her and the wedding was beautiful, complete with a mariachi band playing the theme to beauty and the beast for my niece. Fun memories. July ended with my arrival in Gran Canary Spain to meet the Ship. She had just re-entered the water following her time in dry dock, so I was sparred the discomfort of the ship with no A/C. Not a lot of fun from what I was told. What I did get was almost 2 weeks in Spain to get to know new crew members, prepare for sailing and see a little bit of Spain. The picture above is from a day trip spent driving around the island. Four of us spent the day seeing the sights, tasting the food, and sipping cappuccinos under majestic cathedrals like the one pictured below.
In August the ship set sail and I was once again in the center of pinch me moments. There is nothing quite like being at sea. The gentle roll of the waves, the breeze in your face, the smell of the salt, the warmth of the sun. It is a wonderful chorus for the senses orchestrated by God himself. The way the sea changes color as the sun drifts in and out from behind the clouds . The thrill of dolphins showing up to ride the bow and whales spouting as they swim past the ship. A huge high light of the trip was crossing through the Prime Meridian. That is where latitude and longitude meet at 0 degrees. It is not a place on the globe that many get to see. I was super excited to get to be one of the people in the world who can say they have done it. Unexpected blessings from God.
August also ushered in our arrival in Doula, Cameroon. We arrived with a military escort and our advance team and day crew dancing and singing praises to God. It was a festive time and everyone was super excited to get to work. It is the Ships first time in this country and we are eager to be about the Fathers business.
As October rolled in we began to see more and more results of the surgeries being preformed. Healing occurring. Hearts being changed. One of the most dramatic was a young man named Ulrich. Although the healing in his legs is dramatic, too me what is truly miraculous is the change in his heart. You can see it on his face. It makes every sacrifice to be here worth it. Praise be to God for what He is doing in the hearts and lives of the people of Cameroon and the crew of the Africa Mercy. For we are changed and healed as much as those we come to serve.
November came and went in a blur. It was a hard month for me. Troubled by illness not once but 3 times I was feeling weary and worn down. It could not have come at a worse time. November also brought a huge change in my working environment. A new computer system to control inventory supplies for the entire ship was introduce and I was part of a handful of people responsible for helping to implement the new program. It was difficult and stressful but with the Lords help, and a lot of tolerance from my co-workers we are making it through. It has begun to get much better.
It was also a month of reflecting on all we to be thankful for. I can honestly say my cup runneth over. I am blessed in so many ways, including new friends made along the way.
And finally we come to December. It has been a great month. Filled with a lot of fun and celebration. There have been several excursions off the ship. I have been blessed with some down time to rest and enjoy some of Cameroon. I have had the pleasure of visiting a chimpanzee sanctuary and hold a baby Chimp. It was such a sweet moment and I still can not believe I got to do it. I also got to experience a day trip to a local beach. A 2 hour trip led me to beautiful brown sand beaches and the soothing sound of the ocean that I have not heard since our arrival in August. It was medicine for my soul and a great time to meet and talk with my heavenly Father. Celebrations were all around. We celebrated Christmas as a large international family with many traditions from around the world being introduced on the ship. There we songs from around the world and new and different foods to try. This month also gave me the opportunity to try something I have wanted to do for many years. Ballroom dancing. I have been taking lessons on the ship in my off time for a few weeks and last night we rang in the new year trying out our new dance steps. It was tremendous fun! And almost everyone still has all their toes.
A personal celebration for me this month as well. I crossed over a milestone. I have been working on loosing weight since last January. As of December I have lost 40 pounds. I feel better and am happy to know I am healthier than I was a year ago. Thanks to all who have encouraged me along the way. My goal is to continue on this healthier path in the new year.
For King and Kingdom,
Jennifer
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