Getting into the Swing of Things

I am really enjoying it here, it's hard to be constantly changing all the time. Just when you think you have something figured out, it's either completely changed or you can no longer use it because well that's just the way things are in Africa. Everything is on it's own agenda, and you just kind of wait until both agenda's meet. I am definitely learning how to be continuously flexible with my time and space.

My classes have started which take up the first half of my day, it's like being in kindergarten all over again, I even take a short nap after lunch. I definitely feel like I am in school all over again there are papers to write, books to read, and work for me to procrastinate on. One would think that I have grown up and matured over the last 3 years but my study habits still reflect my days in college, basically I do my homework at the last minute! But hey it always gets done!

Let's see what has changed recently, well we are on a water shortage so no laundry for at least the next 2 weeks, and if we don't get fresh water soon than we will have to leave port. We are praying this doesn't happen, because then we will have to stop surgeries for a week and all the patients aboard the ship will have to be taken off. When we port into a country Mercy Ships sets up an agreement with the government that we will be provided with fresh water and fuel, but due to Liberia's political state we are unable to secure fuel and fresh water on a consistent basis, so we go month to month and pray that God will provide fuel and fresh water so we can stay in Liberia for the remainder of our outreach.

I started playing with Mercy Ship's soccer team, which means I play with 10 guys on a clay field in my running shoes, but it's a ton of fun. The past few weeks we have been playing against a women's team from Monrovia. The first time I saw them play I thought they were well organized, they even had a coach. Well come to find out they are the #1 Women's team in Liberia, and I have been officially recruited to play for them. Seriously their manager approached me this week offering me money and everything. He said and I quote in my Liberian accent " I saw you play last week, come play for me, you can be the first white lady to play in our league" I think if I stay here much longer I could start my soccer career all over! I am considering playing for them (not for money) I have asked the security officer on the ship if this is possible, but the verdict is still out! I am hoping and praying that he will say yes, because I feel like this is a great way to minister to the women in Liberia. The toughest part will be finding people to go with me to all the practices and games because I wouldn't be allowed nor would I feel comfortable going on my own.

Well I must go now and stop procrastinating! I am sure I have a book to read or a paper to write somewhere....

Seren

First Trip Unsuccessful

On Sunday, 2 days after I arrived in Africa, I finally met some friends (well enough to leave the boat which means more than 2) and off we went to attend our first Liberian Pentecostal 3 hour church service. If you thought church services were long in the U.S., apparently liberian services last an average of 3-4 hours with no air conditioning!!! We walked about 40 minutes to attend church, we arrived a little early just to observe and make sure we weren't those people walking in late. Here is where the fun begins.....

Apporx. 10 minutes later I felt really sick and decided I couldn't make it through a 3 hour service. Well by the time I walked to the back of the church I quickly passed out! Yes the first time in my life that I passed out (I figure why not pass out in a third world country with nobody around). Than of course I left my mark by throwing up all over the back of the church while about 50 Africans looked at me scared because the "white girl" was sick.

So my friends called back to the ship for the medical team (they require us to carry a cell phone whenever we leave the ship), but there are no clear road signs in Liberia so communication as to how to reach us was a little hairy! But while we waited (about 15min.) the most amazing things were happening six Liberian women were standing around me fanning me, holding my hair back while I threw up, and praying over me. It was an amazing experience, that I would never like to repeat again, but I will never forget because of how generous and selflessly they treated me. From the experience I have had with the local Liberians thus far, I have found they are people of loving eyes and selfless hearts that have been deeply economically effected by a war torn country. It's amazing sometimes you think people are going to be completely different in other countries, but they aren't, they still love life, love God, and hope for better future. I pray and hope that Liberia's economic future is as generous and fruitful as the hearts of the people.

Ok but not to leave you hanging.... well they had to take me to the medical ward on a stretcher because I kept falling over while I was walking and about 4 hours later filled with 2 liters of IV fluid, 3 8oz glasses of water I was able to leave the ward, and return back to my 6x7 room. I couldn't really eat much for the next few days, but since then I have been drinking more water than I care too, and spending countless hours in the bathroom, but hey at least I stopped throwing up.

Seren

The adventure has started.....

I am finally here in Africa!! I made it...I think I ended up traveling for approx. 28hours, I am still a little jet-lagged, but doing well. I am writing this blog in hopes to continue fighting off taking a nap so I can get adjusted to their 7 hour time change.

Wow life is definetly different here and I haven't even left the ship. Here is a little bit about the differences, most of them are just hilarous!

Let's start with my room. I share a room with 3 other girls about half the size of my college dormroom, yeah it's close quarters. I am on the top bunk and really everytime I try to sit up I hit my head on the ceiling (that has happend about 6 times already!) one would think I would learn, but not so much. Our room is on a slant, which is really funny when you are trying to put things away!

Ok showers! Literally we are allowed one minute showers, there is currently a water shortage in Monrovia so currently our shower times are limited. How does one take a one minute shower? Well let me tell you.... You turn the shower on and get wet, turn the shower off and put on shampoo, body wash, and face wash, than you turn the shower back on and rinse off! HIlarous! But the good news is while the showers are brief, they are really hot!!!

Bathrooms, this is my favorite part. We have 2 kinds of bathrooms on the ship. One is called a liquid only bathrom which means you can only do #1 and your toliet paper goes in a trash can, and the other is a full service bathroom which means all choices are available. So you have to be very strategic about your bowel movements! There is probably one full service bathroom to every 7-8 liquid bathrooms. All you can do is laugh, embrace it, and hope you choose wisely!

I haven't really seen much of Monrovia yet, because I just got here and have had orientation and other stuff to worry about. Plus I haven't really met very many people yet (since I am so ridiculously shy I am sure it will take forever), and you can not leave the boat without 2 other people. Also for our safety we have 11:00 curfews, but the best part is we get every weekend free to go to the beach and check out the local flavour! :-)

So I guess the adventure has started.....

Seren

This is how my journey to Africa began.......

In June of 2004, I felt a distinct calling to serve God in third world countries through medical missions. I began speaking with other missionaries and old college friends until I haphazardly stumbled upon Mercy Ships. I am not really sure, in the beginning, why I began investigating medical missions, but I know that peoples lives can be drastically changed by providing basic medical needs.

So off I went and began the application process with Mercy Ships and was accepted pending a health physical, which I thought no problem. But at the age of five I was diagnosed with Petit-mal Epilepsy. My entire life God blessed me with having such a mild form of Epilepsy that it rarely affected my life. One day a medical representative from Mercy Ships called me and said my application had been denied due to my health history. She went on to explain that Mercy Ships health standards were very specific in excluding people with health histories of seizure disorder. At that moment, I remember my heart sank, I was totally confused, disappointeded and upset because never in my life had my epilepsy prevented me from doing anything. I thought because of my epilepsy I was in a position where I would never be able to serve with Mercy Ships.

As always when God closes one door he opens another....ONE YEAR LATER

In July of 2005, I received a call from Mercy Ships. This mercy ship representative went on to explain that from our 10 minute conversation a year ago God had prompted her heart to begin lobbying on my behalf to serve with Mercy Ships. As a result, Mercy Ships now reviews potential volunteers with significant health histories on a case by case basis. Long story short, I will be serving as a volunteer for 6 months onboard the Mercy Ship Anastasis in West Africa from January through July of 2006. Mercy Ships is the world's largest non-governmental organization of hospital ships, the Anastasis currently the largest operating in the fleet. Since 1978, Mercy Ships has performed more than 2 million services, with a value of 250 million dollars, and impacted over 5.5 million people. The organization follows the 2000 year model of Jesus, & brings hope and healing to Africa's poor. The blind see through cataract and other eye operations. The lame walk through orthopedic operations. The mute speak through cleft lip and palate operations.