The Grandkids

Gramma Becca and Codi Annabel age 10 (double digits!!)

Bill and his shed built from recycled materials.

Well, I'm back in Snohomish and have gotten back in the working groove. I'm again with the Everett Gospel Mission, working as a Donor Gift Specialist which involves data entry, receipt acknowledgement, and updating the data base. I really like the job because it is part time and I can pick my own hours. Those of you who know me know that I start early (6 AM) while my brain is sharp and active. When I work a full day, I still get off at 2:30 so have plenty of time to play.
Wonderful news: The Africa Mercy has passed her sea trials and is now berthed in Blythe, England loading cargo and receiving new Crew for the sail to Liberia where she will meet the Anastasis. Please be in prayer for the sail to West Africa (smooth and uneventful!), and for the transfer of Crew, cargo and supplies from the Anastasis to the Africa Mercy. This is a time of great joy and of some sadness, too, as the Anastasis which will be retired, was the first ship in Mercy Ship's fleet. She has served well and it will be a sad day when she is retired.
The Africa Mercy is so beautiful and she is well equipped to bring the latest technology to a hurting and needy world. What a blessing she will be to those she serves. Please be in prayer for her and for the transfer and for the Crew who will be leaving the old for the new.
I still feel that I will be part of that Crew one of these days, when the Lord deems the time right. I would love to go, but as with the completion of the ship, God's timing is perfect. I wait for Him, knowing that He has a special plan just for me. I am thankful for that!
Bill is doing well. His passion is recycling. He still dumpster dives. (Yes, we have pictures! Check previous posts. One dumpster is pretty much like another...) He also does a lot of concrete work, remodeling and repair work. He has built a little shed in the back yard - all, mind you, out of recycled material with a cost of about $200. He is very proud of that. We just had a landscape architect do a plan for our yard so that will be an on-going project as funds become available. We look forward to Summer as the warmth not only soothes the body but also soothes the soul.
Bless you, dear friends! We would love to hear from you!

Leaving the flat for the last time, 9 November.

Last day with the Africa Mercy.

Ciaran Holden, Chief Engineer and dear friend.

The hands of a friend.

Dear Bunmi

The birthday girl on the left and Bunmi in a traditional Nigerian dress.

This is Bunmi and her niece at Bunmi's flat in Wembley, about a 20 minute tube ride from London.

Outside the Tower of London

The day was beautiful with the sun shining, but it was cold!

Going Home

Wow! Three months really went fast!

The weekend before my scheduled return to Snohomish I had the opportunity of spending a few days with my dear friend Bunmi who lives in London. She graciously put me up in her flat and we got to do the touristy thing by riding the hop on-hop off bus around London. It was awesome to see the sights. I loved the Tower Bridge and seeing Parliament, The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westmister Abby and St. Paul's Cathedral among many other places. Unfortunately we did not have time to visit each place, it would take at least one to two days to see each one, but I enjoyed being with Bunmi. She was in our Crossroads class and had been a fellow Crew member aboard the Caribbean Mercy. We attended a birthday party for a Nigerian friend, managed to get lost on the way, but I enjoyed seeing London at night. At the party there was a dear lady who prayed for me and prophesied over me - a new experience! And it was a great blessing .

I returned to the office for one last day to make sure the new Purser was OK and had no questions for me, wrapped up my emails, said my good byes to the office crew and took one last look at the Africa Mercy. The ship is amazing. It is very close to completion and will hopefully be on her way soon. Please join me in prayer for her swift completion so she can relieve the Anastasis in West Africa.

I am home now after an uneventful flight from Heathrow to Seattle. This was a welcome contrast to my original arrival at Heathrow on August 10...

It took me 6 days to re-adjust to the eight hour time difference, but the weather was just about the same as I left in Hebburn - cold, gray and rainy - and dark by 5 o'clock. I have enjoyed our fireplace, sleeping in a big bed, went and got a chili cheese dog, and have had a blast with the grandchildren. I've attended a Silvertips hockey game and enjoyed the Seahawk's win against Green Bay on Monday night football - in the snow even! Yep - it has been snowing and freezing for three days now.

Our area of Washington is not used to the snow and ice and it has caused major problems. I am fortunately, not working at the moment so I have enjoyed just staying home!

AND! Saturday I'm off to Mexico for a week's vacation. I am so looking forward to the sun shining and some warmth. Then - it is back to work!

Thank you all for your prayers and your encouraging emails during my three month stint as the Purser for the Africa Mercy. It was a wonderful experience and I so appreciated the opportunity to meet up with dear friends from former Caribbean Mercy days and meeting new friends for future adventures.

Blessings to all!

Durham , Saturday, 28 October 2006

Rob and Denise Miller, flat mates and former Caribbean Mercy Crew, took the train to Durham. I had heard about the cathedral there and wanted to se it. The train trip from Newcastle is only about a 15 minute ride. Upon arrival we hopped on the cathedral bus for the trip across the River Wear and up the hill to the cathedral.

Ok, I have to say, if you are ever in the area you have got to go! At the entrance there is a replica of the original gargoyle door knocker. Criminals fleing could grasp hold of this item and receive sanctuary for up to 37 days. At the end of this time they either faced trial or had to leave te country. Then you enter. I don not have words to descirbe the feeling of peace and sanctuary I felt inside this vast place of worship that was built over 40 years beginning in 1066. It was built to celbrate the life of and bury the remains of St Cuthbert, a priest and later bishop of the area. It really is quite a story!

Over the years much has happened to the cathedral. King Henry VIII managed to acquire most of the original treasures and later Cromwell managed to whitewash the walls to get rid of any frescos that may have been present. Scottish prisoners were once housed here, they had an uprising and destroyed much of the interior. But over the years the cathedral has been restored and has ben added on to, and it is magnificent to behold.

After our tour of the cathedral (by the way, some of the Harry Potter movies were filmed here) we walked down the hill, ate linch at a little restaurant then continued down the hill to the town square. We happened to be there on one of the market days and saw lots of little kiosks set up selling french breads, bratwursts, flowers, fried potatoes. There were hundreds of people and it was fun to watch. Durham is a university town, so there were plenty of young people and I was amazed at some of the clothing, hairstyles and facial piercings.

All in all it was a most satisfying day trip and I am so glad I had the oportunity to visit.

Haggis, anyone?

Haggis, anyone?
Originally uploaded by cabin213.

OK, I was in Scotland, and if you are in Scotland it is required you try the haggis. It actually wasn't too bad!

On the gangway - hard hat, safety glasses and steel-toed shoes required!

My neighborhood in Jarrow

M/V Africa Mercy in the A & P Shipyard, Hebburn, Tyne & Wear, UK

Continued Journey

Just to let you know...The journey is NOT over YET!! Woo!

On August 10 I arrived at Heathrow Airport in London, England, along with a couple thousand other travelers. Little did we know that there had been a major security crisis and all flights incoming and outgoing were cancelled. Mine was one of the last ones allowed to land. Like everyone else, I queued up in a line that circled the interior of the airport. I was probably number 1025 in the line! I felt fortunate, however, because my final destination was in England, not like many of my fellow travelers who were just passing through. After waiting for about 3 hours in line, one of the British Air people was walking around asking for passengers heading to Newcastle. They had rented a coach (bus) to take us on the 6 hour journey. Speaking American, as I do, I had to ask people to repeat their instructions a couple of times. I finally figured out that I was to turn right at the lift, not turn right at the left. Anyway, I found the coach, piled my stuff in and settled down for the ride. At a rest stop halfway there I called Bill and let him know what was going on and that I would be arriving by bus. I asked him to call someone from the ship to let them know the delay and when to come pick me up. I am so proud of him -he actually "Skyped" Denise! So, of course, because I said I was on a bus, Bill assumed that I would be at the bus station. Wrong. I was at the airport. Rob and Denise Miller and Yvonne Riddick, crew mates, finally figured it out and picked me up. I had been on the "road" for 17 1/2 hours.
I was dropped off at my little house which I found out I shared with three young women and another gal my age. I got a bottom bunk, took a shower and crashed. Lucky for me, they did not expect me to work the next day. I slept till 11!

Next day I got to see my new office. It is a portacabin, one of two designated for Mercy Ship use. A & P Shipyard is typical of any shipyard, I guess. Lots of men, lots of dirt, hard hats, steel toed shoes and safety glasses. The toilet (I still am not used to using that word here) is across the parking lot.

I started out in Reception. I felt lost. I spent about 3 days trying to figure stuff out, until I finally got some direction. I don't think I messed anything up, but it was trying at first. Also I had major jet lag that took me about 6 days to get over.

Each day starts out when I leave the house, walk about a half block and am picked up with other Mercy Shippers by one of our "busses", or land rovers. At first I began my day at 8, but have since switched to 7 as I am an early riser. We have office devotions every weekday at 8:30 - what a great way to start the day! We break for lunch at 12, then work until 4. Then it's the bus ride home and the cooking of dinner. We took turns with this project and it has been fun to see what everyone likes.

After being here for about a month, when Yvonne left for the Anastasis, I moved in to the flat that I share with Rob and Denise and Lorah Styer, a youngun from Pennsylvania. I like it here because we have wireless internet connection! What a blessing. However, the drawback to this flat is that to get to the bathroom (I can call it that because you can actually take a bath in that room) you have to go through the living room and the kitchen. So if I'm in my jammies and need to go, I have to parade through any company that might be present. I have learned to keep my regular clothes on until bedtime!

I have also moved to the Purser's spot, now. I've completed a major project requesting visa extensions for 15 of the crew. What a challenge to get passport pictures, completed applications and signatures, but we got it done by the deadline and am now waiting for the results. Immigration has finally sort-of figured out what to do with this group of international people who have come here to work - for NO pay! They had a hard time understanding it! We did not fit into any category, so they have had to figure out how to make us fit in the system. Usually visitors are given only 6 months on a visa. We have requested multiple extensions because work is not as yet completed on the ship. The ship has been in this shipyard for 4 years!

Ah, yes, another story. It seems the shipyard and the sub-contractors have had some disagreements, so work has been slow. It seems to have gotten better lately and the latest deliver date (changed 3 times since I've been here) is 15 December.

Actually, the ship is looking fantastic! There are 9 decks and I have walked them all. I still get turned around and can't figure out what deck I'm on (unless it's the engine room!), but in the end there will be signs saying "You are here." I did learn that the back stairways are blue (blue-back) and the forward stairways are red (red -what??). The engine room is a maze of marvelous, huge machines that will power this wonder. I have seen the operating theatres, the dental clinic, the laundry room (10 machines!!), the Crew galley (8 - I think) stoves, a large workspace, reafers, the children's school and library - beautiful - the cafe which Starbucks will supply with coffee for the next 30 years! I've seen the galley, huge and beautiful, the dining room, the internet area, finance, the Purser's office and Reception. I've been on the bridge and seen the equipment that will keep her on course. And the cabins! WOW! You could get three of cabin 213, CBM, into one of the couple's cabins aboard this ship. It is amazing! AND you have your own bathroom. Or, I guess I should say shower room? Anyway, a toilet, sink, shower and medicine cabinet.

We had our first ever Community Meeting aboard the refit ship on 3 October. We were able to take our hard hats off during this worship service by explaning that this was a test of the audio-visual equipment. What a wonderful time of praising the Lord for the miracles He has done in getting us this far with the ship. He has provided for all our needs. There have been delay after delay, but we are trusting that this ship is in His hands and His plans will be fulfilled in His time.

So, my time with the Africa Mercy will end on 8 November. I have seen with my own eyes and with my heart the ending of an era with the Caribbean Mercy, and now I have seen the beginning of the next great adventure with Mercy Ships. What a privilege! What a blessing! I can say with a humble, grateful heart that I am a part of this ministry that brings healing to the nations. Thank you, Lord.

Mercy Ships Calls

We have been home for a month now and have enjoyed every minute of it. We have been catching up with friends and family - and dear grandchildren! What fun! We have worshipped with old friends, enjoyed the much cooler weather and done some house mantenance. I am remembering how to cook and sew, and have filled in as a chairside dental assistant for a friend who has had surgery. (It is rather like riding a bicycle - you never forget how!) I have accepted a very part-time job at the local Christian book store and am learning some new skills there.

We have been watching closely the events as they have occurred in the Gulf Coast. Bill and I are amazed at the pictures coming in from Biloxi and Gulf Port - two places that we have stayed. The bread and breakfast home that had belonged to the Poet Lauriette of the Confederate Army is gone - wiped off the map by Hurricane Katrina. We are greatly saddened by the suffering of those who have lost loved ones and homes to this devastating event.

As expected, Mercy Ships has risen to the task ahead. The Caribbean Mercy sustained no major damage as it is docked in Chickasaw, Alabama. At the invitation of local government, Mercy Ship crews will arrive for two weeks at a time to assist in the clean-up and reconstruction of the Chickasaw and Mobile areas. The crews will be housed on the ship in order not to deplete any of the local resources. Bill will be joining a group at the International Office in Garden Valley, Texas next Friday, 16 September. The plan is for him to convoy with others transporting supplies to the ship. At this point we have him returning in about a month, but this may change. For now I will stay at home in Washington state. Please keep Bill and Mercy Ships in your prayers as we respond to the massive needs of the Gulf Coast.

Bless you dear friends! We will keep you posted.

Be sure to check out www.mercyships.org.