Tenerife!!!!!!!!!!

I wrote this back on the 19th of December, I don't know why I never posted it but here it is now.... sorry for the long delay.

After 11 days at sea, I woke up early yesterday morning to the site of city lights and land out the window. Needless to say I was very excited. Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed the sail, it was a good chance to spend decompressing from the last 3 months in Benin, laugh with friends, and spend some quality time with God.

I have made some decisions during this time. I plan to return to Mercy Ships next outreach in Togo. I will be returning in a new role, as VVF coordinator. It seems overwhelming to think about. The job seems to big for me, it is a role I have never filled before. It will involve less bedside care and more leadership. The thing is God doesn't call us to what is easy and what we feel prepared for. He calls us to the things that are bigger than that so that He can make up the difference. I am super excited to be working along side a good friend of mine Lindsay, it is a relief to know we are taking this on together and I know God has placed it on both our hearts and given us a blessing of providing a job that matches our passion.

To see pictures from my short visit to Tenerife check out my facebook album here

We Sail!!!!!!

I am currently sitting on deck 7 listening to the constant dull roar of the engines and the sound of the ocean as we slice through it. There is nothing but pitch black darkness on the horizon and stars up above. As I sit here I am feeling so grateful. Grateful that after sitting idle for 10 months this ship was ready to sail, everything came together just in the nick of time. I am grateful to be here and for this experience. Grateful to see this outreach come to an end, there is something so fulfilling about that. I am grateful that God called each one of the people here and that He is up there orchestrating this all so perfectly.

We pulled out of port shortly after 11 am this morning and with a final wave sailed out of Benin. We had been warned that the first hour might be pretty rough but overall the seas have been calm, no sea sickness for me so far.....praise God.

I spent my day with great friends reading in the sun, napping, and finally watching the sunset. It was a great day. As sad as I am to leave behind those I came to love in Benin, I know that everything has a season and it was time for this chapter to close. As we leave Benin please pray with me that God will multiply the work that has been done here. That those whose lives we touched will take the message of hope and spread it throughout the nation. Ten months ago I didn't even know this place existed and now it will forever hold a very special place in my heart.

"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters." - Psalm 24: 1-2

Packing Up and Tying Down

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. I noticed it has been since the 14th of November and the time since then has flown by. It is 17 days now until I land in Illinois and I am ready. The hospital closed just over a week ago. It was bittersweet to watch the last few patients leave. Two of them included my ladies, Beatrice and Therese. They left on a Friday and although they were not being discharged with completely healed wounds it was neat to see how God has a plan in place to care for them. They went to a clinic that has been established in a building we were using as our dental clinic during the last year. This clinic has been formed to follow up with our patients that still need some care. Once that is finished the clinic will then transition to a maternity center. A former Mercy Shipper who now lives in Benin is running it. I am constantly amazed how God fits all the pieces together.

A few days before the hospital closed, I got the pleasure of going to one last dress ceremony. I got to dance with Beatrice, Therese, and Akouvi. I was reminded so vividly why I do this as Therese stood and said "I had been leaking for 50 years and now I am healed!"

I spent this last week working in the hospital laundry, scrubbing floors and walls, packing things up, playing a crazy life size game of tetris trying to get the beds to stack up, and tying things down to the floor for the sail. It was actually really fun. We played the music loud and danced and laughed. It took very little brain power, no one's life was in my hands and there was something very satisfying about seeing this all come together in the end. Knowing that in the last 10 months, I was part of something bigger than me. We performed over 6000 surgeries this past outreach and God is good.