ADVENTURES AT SEA

As I stood on the bridge of the M/V Caribbean Mercy preparing the Bell Book for departure I reflected on our time in Honduras. We had just completed our second outreach to the Puerto Castilla area. The ship had moved to Puerto Cortes for a 2 week stay over Christmas and New Years. The crew was anxious to get started on the sail back “home” to the U.S.
The pilot arrived to guide us out of the docking area then we hit the open water for the beginning of a 3 ½ day sail to Mobile, Alabama. From the very beginning – January 3rd - the sail was quite lively making it interesting to work and walk, but we have done this many times before and know the drill. The next morning around 0600 the engines stopped. It is quite an eerie feeing when all of a sudden there is no noise or vibration when your body has gotten used to it! Later we learned from the Captain that an exhaust pipe had ruptured and the main engine had over heated. We were adrift on the Caribbean Sea.
The Engineering department worked around the clock to get us up and running. A sea anchor was set as the deck department did their best to control our drift. The rest of the crew spent time doing their jobs, sending emails around the world asking for intercession, and we also set apart time for prayer. The minutes turned in to hours. Thirty hours. Thirty hours to look at ways to resolve the problems. Thirty hours to look for means of rescue. Thirty hours getting closer and closer to the shallow waters and shoals of the Yucatan Peninsula.
At 1400 on January 6th, the day we were supposed to arrive in Mobile, our amazing engineering staff had patched together what was left of the engine just enough to make about 2 knots (a little over 2 mph). The Captain was able to get us away from the coast and back out to sea. The Mexican authorities had been notified of our dilemma and we saw a scout plane checking on our progress.
On the 7th we made our way to the island of Cozumel, a beautiful resort island off the coast of Cancun. It is the height of tourist season with 18 + cruise ships arriving and departing weekly. We had to wait quite awhile for the pilot to come aboard because of all the sea traffic.
The pilot informed us that we would be unable to dock but must stay at anchor and that there is only one spot to do that where the depth is 15 meters. We maneuvered over an hour with the wind, the current and our crippled engine to find that one spot to lower the anchor. The pilot also told us that we could work on the engine but we must be able to move out of the harbor at 20 minutes notice in case of bad weather. They understood our problem, but their tourist area must be protected from us being pushed in to their coast line. It was well after 2000 by the time we were anchored. The Immigration and Customs officials had waited on a boat for us until 1730 but they finally gave up on us and decided to return the next day.
Those procedures went well and we were cleared the next day. Our leadership, in partnership with a local church, was able to work out the evacuation of 50 of the crew. This will ease the strain on the water supply and holding tanks. A local hotel is accommodating the crew and a local church provided a dive boat to transport the crew from the ship to the dock, then vehicles from the dock to the hotel. Thirty of us remain on ship. Bill and I were asked to stay as he is the Fire Team Leader and I am the fill-in receptionist and will handle any paperwork that comes up. Our Zodiak (a little boat) is in operation and can ferry those of us who are released to go ashore for a short break. The generators are working and we have plenty of food and water. The weather has remained beautiful with a gentle breeze and the anchor has remained close to where it is supposed to be. We are expecting parts to arrive in the next day or so. Bill and I hope to go ashore tomorrow for a little break.
The Crew has remained calm during this adventure. We have been trusting in the Lord to see us through. What a blessing to see groups of people praying together and to see the way each has encouraged others. What a blessing to receive emails from people from all over the world telling us they are upholding us in prayer.
We don’t know the reason for what has happened. During our intercession times we clearly have gotten the message to “wait”. So, that’s exactly what we are doing. Perhaps we will see the “why” later or perhaps not, but we remain confident that we are centered in the Lord’s will.


“You, my Lord, are the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. You will not grow tired or weary, and your understanding no one can fathom. You give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but when I hope in You, O Lord, my strength will be renewed. I will soar on wings like eagles; I will run and not grow weary, I will walk and not faint.”

A prayer based on Isaiah 40:28-31 from Beth Moore’s book Praying God’s Word.