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.
