Long Journey

The Grandkids

2007-04-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

Bill and his shed built from recycled materials.

2007-04-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

2007-04-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-11-28T19:03:00.000-08:00

Leaving the flat for the last time, 9 November.

2006-11-28T19:01:00.000-08:00

Last day with the Africa Mercy.

2006-11-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

Ciaran Holden, Chief Engineer and dear friend.

2006-11-28T18:54:00.000-08:00

The hands of a friend.

2006-11-28T18:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Bunmi

2006-11-28T18:51:00.000-08:00

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

2006-11-28T18:48:00.000-08:00

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

2006-11-28T18:47:00.000-08:00

Outside the Tower of London

2006-11-28T18:45:00.000-08:00

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

2006-11-28T18:41:00.000-08:00

Going Home

2006-11-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-10-31T21:10:00.001-08:00

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.

2006-10-31T21:10:00.000-08:00

Haggis, anyone?

2006-10-29T01:19:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-10-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

My neighborhood in Jarrow

2006-10-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

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

Continued Journey

2006-10-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

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

2005-09-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

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.

The Road Home

2005-08-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Road Home

After some consideration of our time with Mercy Ships, Bill and I decided that now would be a good time to start home. Family issues were calling and we terribly missed our grandchildren. With the ship in “Out-of-Service” mode for a time we made the decision to take a leave of absence.
On August 8 we began the journey. A U-Haul had been rented and Bill managed to pack all our belongings in to it. It still amazes me that we had accumulated so much “stuff” while aboard the ship, and how in the world we ever stored in is that little cabin is beyond me! Our car had been services, gas tank filled, windows washed and hooked up to the trailer.
We traveled to the IOC the first night, staying at Mercy’s Ship’s newly renovated guest hotel. Waving to us upon our arrival was the new Mr. and Mrs. Mike (Kambria) Robertson. What a surprise to see them. They were stopping over in Texas on their way to their new work in Guatemala. The hotel is being run by our dear friend, Kathy Golden so we were delighted to see her and, of course, the bonus of Don! What precious friends they all are! We settled in to a room (with a bathtub!!) and then got down to some serious catching up. Mike and Marta Toth came over as did Ciarán and Lillian and little Joy Holden. Oh, it was so good to see “family” again!
After a lovely prepared breakfast by the talented Inn Keeper (Kathy) we set off on the continued adventure home. We made it to Las Cruces, New Mexico the second night. The third night was spent in Mojave, California, and by mid afternoon of the fourth night we had made it to Bill’s Dad and sister’s house in Pleasanton, California. Bill was excited to see the “new” truck his Dad was giving him – a 1968 Ford with a canopy. Now, this vehicle seems right up Bill’s alley. You know how he loves to recycle stuff, well, in my opinion, this truck could be great in the scrap metal heap. The truck has its original color, sort of a green color, but over time it has been embellished with odd shaped symbols the color of rust paint. I think perhaps the truck is now camouflaged, and I am very happy about that because I don’t want anyone I know to know that I’m somehow attached to that truck! Bill has promised me that he will get it painted as soon as the funds materialize. This could be some time as we are living on a fixed income and new work has not yet come Bill’s way.
So, on day 5 we attached the U-Haul to the truck and began the journey northward. I had quiet in the car as I followed the truck, the U-Haul and Bill through the mountains. We had to stop about every 150 miles or so to feed the truck. I won’t tell you how much the total gas bill was to et from Chickasaw, Alabama (y’all) to Snohomish, Washington, but let me tell you it ended up being about a week’s wages of a non-existent job!
We prayed each day as we began the journey and we saw over and over again the hand of the Lord before us. We asked for traveling mercies and I prayed specifically that the Lord would surround the vehicle with his angels who would protect us from any harm. On one lonely spot in the desert (before the truck), an on-coming truck lost part of its tire so close to us that we were unable to avoid running over it. At the first available spot, Bill pulled over to check to make sure that everything under the car was OK. He saw fluid dripping from underneath the car and thought at first that we had punctured something and we were in BIG trouble. After further investigation we discovered that the suspect fluid was just water that had condensed from the air conditioner. Thank you, Lord!
There were several near misses with other vehicles, another obstacle in the road that came rolling toward us but which we were able to avoid. In Woodland, California, after feeding the truck (again!!), Bill did his routine check around the vehicles to make sure all was well. He notices that in the time it had taken us to drive from the last feeding spot to this one, the left tire of the trailer had gone bald in a few places and actually looked like it was going to burst out the side. We called the emergency number for U-Haul and waited at a friendly Shell station for a repair man to come. We sat for about 2 hours while they located a tire (this was an unusual size). It was great to see the man finally show up and he made short work of switching out the tire. He said it is a good thing we noticed it because it could have blown at any time and could have caused an accident or leave us stranded out in the middle of nowhere. So – we thank the Lord again!
On day 5 we made it to Bill’s brother’s home in Battle Ground, Washington and had a lovely dinner and visit with them. Their property has a gorgeous view of Mt. St. Helens, but, of course, it was covered with clouds. The view was beautiful, anyway. Isn’t God awesome? Even without the mountain, we could see the beauty He has created for us.
I stand amazed at the diversity of the landscape we viewed on the trip - everything from birds diving in the water for breakfast, huge live oak trees with moss dangling from them lining the streets, rain storms that were awesome in their power, lightning in the distance, cactus, desert and all of a sudden an out-cropping of huge, round boulders, roads almost covered with sand from a sudden flash flood the previous day, rolling brown hills with jagged rocks pointing to the sky, more rolling hills with hundreds of windmills busily turning. God is amazing, awesome, and to think, having made all of this and being Master of the Universe He still loves you and me with a love that is never-ending, merciful and faithful. It is beyond my comprehension! In humble gratitude, I say thank you, Lord.
Home. Grandchildren who seem to have grown at least a foot since we last saw them. Two beautiful little girls who seem to have turned in to little ladies while we were gone. One handsome young man who is now six and adores his Poppy. We are loving it!

2005-08-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

New Crew member found strolling on A-Deck.

Latest Update: 30 July 2005
Just to let you know, Bill and I will begin a 3 month leave of absence beginning on August 8. We will be going home during that time. While at home we will reevaluate and make a decision on the future.
As you may know, the ship has been placed in “Lay-up” mode and will be out of service for a time. Mercy Ships is evaluating the ship for much needed repairs and possible remodel for its future. There is a small group of “Caretakers” who have remained on board to watch over the ship and we have been part of that for 2 months.
We very much appreciate your financial support of us these past 20 months but would ask that you take a “leave of absence” from our support during this next 3 months. We will let you know what our plans are as soon as we hear from the Lord. We do ask, however, that you continue to hold us up in prayer as we seek the Lord’s guidance.

Our verse for our time with Mercy Ships remains ~

Micah 6: 8
He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?

Bless you! We could not have done this work without the prayerful support of our beloved friends. We are humbled and so very grateful for all the encouragement you have been to us during our time with Mercy Ships.

In the Service of our Lord,
Bill and Rebecca Long

Jamie and Tyrone left... and then there were 5

2005-07-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

2005-07-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yep - there he is!
Porthole Bill

Security Fence A-Deck 1

2005-07-21T08:10:00.001-07:00

Security Fence A-Deck 1
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

OK, is the security fence to keep intruders off or the Crew on???

Security Fence A-Deck 2

2005-07-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Security Fence A-Deck 2
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Bill working on the security fence for A-Deck

Good morning Chickasaw!

2005-07-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

DSCN0227
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Anybody want to swim?

2005-07-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

DSCN0230
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

New Crew member!

Rcooking

2005-07-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

Rcooking
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Katie's favorite - Eggplant!

Chickasaw Charlie, aka Albert Aligator

2005-07-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

Chickasaw Charlie, aka Albert Aligator
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

The return of the prodigal.

July

2005-07-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

So we are mid way through July. This month has been filled with busyness, heat, humidity, two storms, one hurricane evacuation (Dennis), visits with good friends at the International office, and the return of the aligator.
It has been fun contributing to our Crew'
s blog site, and in so doing I have been neglecting this one. My suggestion, for the latest news for you to check out the other site: cbmcaretakers.blogsport.com. All (well, ok, there's only 7 of us at moment) have been contributing to it in one way or another. This month marks the departure of 3 or our Crew so we will be down to 5. We are hoping the powers that be will replace those, so each of us won't have to be on watch every other day. Bummer.
Bill is doing well. He had a very nice visit with his sisters and father. I have a few days off coming, but figured I might as well stay here. I thought about going to a spa for a day, but Tom, our plumber said that there was enough mud and plastice wrap around here at the ship, so they could just handle that for me. Uh- I don't think so...
Keeper is doing well. She remains a source of joy and entertainment. Bill couldn't get her to come aboard ship last night to get in her kennel so she spent the night on the dock. She managed to get a couple of burrs in her paw and was limping around. I took them out, took her for a short walk and since the thunder and lightning was starting, invited her to her kennel and she walked right in. Guess she needed a rest.
That is it for now. Be sure to check out the other blog site. Love to all!

ThisIsADrill

2005-06-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

ThisIsADrill
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

This is a drill... OK, the drill was a year orso ago and we never did find the "bomb." Well, it finally turned up in Maria Elena's room!

Headband Rebecca.jpb

2005-06-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Headband Rebecca.jpb
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Yes, I do work (occasionally) that requires a bandana to keep the sweat out of my eyes!

Sunrise.jpg

2005-06-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sunrise.jpg
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Sunrise in Chickasaw

Cool Dog

2005-06-18T05:03:00.000-07:00

Cool Dog
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

The only smart one in the bunch...

Death to the Cruncheroos

2005-06-18T05:02:00.001-07:00

Death to the Cruncheroos
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

The tour of the engine room

2005-06-18T05:02:00.000-07:00

The tour of the engine room
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

DSCN0096

2005-06-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

DSCN0096
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Tom and Huck (Bill and Jeremy) paddling the painter's float to the opposite side of the slip for extra tie downs in preparation for the arrival of tropical storm "Arlene."

DSCN0045

2005-06-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

DSCN0045
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Arrival at the other side of the slip.

DSCN0065

2005-06-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

DSCN0065
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Using the line to pull the painter's float back.

DSCN0114

2005-06-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

DSCN0114
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Back on the ship side of the slip.

DSCN0060

2005-06-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

DSCN0060
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Katie at the controls.

DSCN0074

2005-06-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

DSCN0074
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Paul showed up so we put him to work!

DSCN0079

2005-06-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

DSCN0079
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Ciaran supervising.

DSCN0111

2005-06-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

DSCN0111
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

TaDa! Mission completed!

100_0444

2005-06-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

100_0444
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Bill and Rbecca Long
M/V Caribbean Mercy
1 June 2005

Rlong2[1]

2005-05-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

Rlong2[1]
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

A sad moment as the M/V Caribbean completes her last sail for awhile. She was pushed - pulled by two tug boats from Mobile to Chickasaw, Alabama on May 12, 2005.

Rlong[1]

2005-05-31T14:58:00.001-07:00

Rlong[1]
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Rebecca keeping the Bell Book on the last sail of the M/V Caribbean Mercy.

BillLong[1]

2005-05-31T14:58:00.000-07:00

BillLong[1]
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Dumpster Diving..."Is there any scrap metal in here???"

Rlong4[1]

2005-05-31T14:57:00.000-07:00

Rlong4[1]
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Rebecca at work in the Purser's office.

Group Photo

2005-05-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

Group Photo
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

This photo was taken on 20 May 2005, two weeks before most of the crew left the out-of-service ship.

M/V Caribbean Mercy

2005-05-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

M/V Caribbean Mercy
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

"Tugged" to Chickasaw.

M/V Carbbean Mercy Arrival

2005-05-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

M/V Carbbean Mercy Arrival
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Arrival Chickasaw.

New Resting Place

2005-05-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

New Resting Place
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

At rest, Chickasaw, Alabama, USA.

Deck Department 13 May 2005

2005-05-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

Deck Department 13 May 2005
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Deckies for the final "sail".

Security Watch

2005-05-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

Security Watch
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

10 May 2005

Keeper

2005-05-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

KEEPER

So, what is a ship anyway?

It is a container made of steel.

It is just a thing – a tool to be used.

It is a means to get from one place to another.

What is the M/V Caribbean Mercy?

It is a little white ship,

a vessel that carries things.

What kind of things?
People
Cargo
Friendship
Hopes
Dreams
Expectations
Relief
Healing
Love
Compassion
Mercy
Purpose
Determination
A vision
A calling
Bugs
Answers to prayer
A light in a dark world
A new beginning

This ship has been a dearly beloved part of my life for 10 years. It has been a place that I have called home. It is a place where the dearest of friends have been met, said good-by to and met again and a place where good-bys are said to dearest friends who will never be met again in this world. It is a place where mighty work has been done in my life, where growing has sometimes been painful and full of groans. It is a place that has brought me some of the greatest joy of my life, some of the most precious friends, some of the hardest and some of the most delightful experiences I have ever had.

And now, this little ship is being layed-by for a time. She will be docked in a sweet place and will patiently wait for her resurrection. She will be lovingly taken care of by a small group of keepers: Keepers of the ship. Keepers of the vision. Keepers of the hope. Keepers of the faith. We will remain as the rear guard, to preserve her as best we can for the future when she will again sail the waters.

We will remind ourselves of the mighty things that have been accomplished in the past years by the faithful who have given up their lives for a time to serve aboard her: Time given to the Lord of Lord and King of Kings; Time when we came to serve and minister and found instead that we were served and ministered to; Times when someone came out of curiosity and went home with a brand new relationship with a Savior who loves them.

We will remember the faces of the ones who we saw with our own eyes regain their vision or smile again having teeth that did not hurt any more. We will remember the faces of those who have a new roof to keep the rain out of their humble dwelling and the little family that no longer lives in a chicken coop, but have a home with beds and even their own latrine. We will remember the death of the young soldier and the way the crew came to bring comfort and hope to his friends. We will remember the face of little Dulcie, who now goes to school because she can see. We will remember the delight on the faces of the elderly who for the first time in years are able to pick up their Bible and read with the use of a simple pair of reading glasses. We will remember the young man who has no legs, but now has a Personal Transport cart which gives him freedom to move around and even have his own little business. So many memories… so many blessings… so much emotion.

Yes, we will remain for a time as the rear guard. We will lift up our leadership as they seek the Lord for the future of this little sailing vessel. We serve a mighty God who is full of compassion and love and who can be trusted with the future.

Yes, we will be keepers of the ship… keepers of the hope… keepers of the faith.

Rebecca Long
Chickasaw, Alabama
14 May 2005

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Shipyard

2005-05-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

3 May 2005
We remain in Mobile, Alabama (y’all) at Bender Shipyard where we boarded the ship in January, 2004 during dry dock. The ship's surveyor (a trained nautical engineer who inspects the ship and approves it or specifies repairs to be made) pointed out some areas that require work before he can sign off on our registration. This work centered on the cargo holds in February and March but now it deals with the deck of the dining room, pantry, Amazon Cafe, bookstore and crew lounge. This means dismantling the walls and flooring of these spaces and doing a bunch of cutting and welding. Bill has been kept busy tearing things up and putting them back together again, although the torn-up stage is lasting far longer than originally planned.
This, of course, has postponed (and possibly may end up canceling) the outreach to the Dominican Republic.

Mobile is a beautiful city—we love the Live Oak Trees that line many of the streets. We are attending the “Downtown Fellowship”, a church that began as a street ministry in the city. We are also blessed in that our car is here so we are not restricted to the use of the ship’s vehicles and are free to come and go as we wish.
Even with all the usual places around us—grocery stores, book stores, restaurants, theaters, it has been a trying time as it is hard to be still and serve by waiting. Our desire, of course is to be in outreach mode, serving those who have physical needs as well as spiritual needs, but God has seen fit to put our ship on hold for this season.

We have come to realize a few things during this time of service. We have been so focused on wanting to GO, that it has been frustrating us to STAY, to not know the “when” of it all, to not get to where we want to be in the world, to have plans change often, sometimes from moment to moment. The lessons we are learning are that it is not necessarily about the finished product or results, but it is all about the process by which you get there. It is about waiting on the Lord, even when you are anxious about getting on with it all. Then the realization comes—This IS the “getting on with it all.” To say this has been a character building experience is an understatement. It has not been an easy thing and remains a day-by-day challenge for us.

The good news is that when all the tearing up, putting back together, chipping, grinding, painting, and refurbishing is completed, this vessel will be ready to sail to the next outreach. We may not be on her when she goes, but we know that what we are doing in the preparation stages is truly missionary work and we are glad to be here at this time, for this season, for this “extreme makeover!” It is not only the ship that is being made functional, but we are personally being fashioned into vessels that are more like the Maker and that can be used for His honor and glory.

We ask for your prayers for continued favor with the immigration officials her in Mobile, for protection, safety and stamina for all those who are giving their time to be here on the ship. We ask for grace as we deal with all the dust and dirt. We ask you to pray for wisdom for our leadership as they make the difficult decisions that are ahead of us. We ask that you will pray for us to be content in the work the Lord has laid out for us to do and that as we wait upon Him for our future, He will clearly direct our path.

Our plans at this point in time are to complete our commitment with Mercy Ships the beginning of December then return home to Snohomish, Washington. That’s the plan, but if we look at this past year, we see that plans change all the time. We want to be available to what the Lord has in store for us. We are content in knowing that His plans for us give us hope and a future and are for our good. It is our joy to give Him all the praise and the glory!
Bless you all, dearest friends! Bill and Rebecca Long

2005-03-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

Update from the Caribbean Mercy

Spring is arriving slowly in Mobile, Alabama. We have enjoyed the cool weather but are looking forward to the warmth of the season. The Crew has been taking on all the tasks required to get the ship ready for the next outreach. Repairs have been made to the engine, steering gear box and hydraulic systems. The Surveyor from Panama has been aboard ship checking the depth of the steel in various places aboard. Bill had to rip out part of the carpeting than runs the length of B deck then drill holes in the deck to check the measurement, then fill the holes back up in preparation for laying down the carpet again. A new bathroom and shower were installed on B deck and Bill has been working on the completion of it. It seems, though, that every time he went to work on them, he was called away to tear out parts of a cabin so he could “fire watch” it as welding was being done in the vicinity. The work will wait, though – it’s not going anywhere. He has been blessed with helpers for several weeks at a time.

The ship is at a small shipyard but we have no dock. The Surveyor is not happy with some of the welds that were done on the “tween” decks in the hold. Here at this dock we are unable to unload cargo, so leadership has been looking for another dock to move to which would allow us to unload cargo so welding work can be done in the hold. We are also still without a Captain so the search continues in that area. Also being tested are the ballast tanks. I think there are nine of them, so a couple are pumped out at a time, measurements are taken, the tanks filled back up and the process begins over again. All the tanks cannot be pumped out at once because the ship is in the water and our stability would be compromised. We are hoping these tanks are in good shape. If not, the ship will be required to go in to a dry dock for repairs.

It seems that we have had one thing after another that affects our ability to leave for outreach. We do believe that the delays are in the hands of the Lord and we are trusting Him as we walk daily with Him. We love the Mobile area. The magnolia trees are beginning to bloom. I love driving down Government Street and look at the old homes and the beautiful Live Oak trees that line the street. We attend the “Downtown Fellowship” that is close by.

We are hoping to leave for Barahona, Dominican Republic in the not too distant future. We do not have a definite date yet, but the plan is to do the entire 4 month outreach once we sail and arrive in that area. The scheduling of some of the volunteers needed to be changed, but everyone has been very gracious and accommodating to the changes.

Thank you for checking out our blog site. Please continue to remember us in your prayers. We are enjoying our time here aboard the ship, especially the fellowship of believers united together in the cause of spreading the Gospel of Jesus to a hurting world. Bless you!

MB0503_fire-bill-gear-bp-lo

2005-03-11T05:20:00.000-08:00

MB0503_fire-bill-gear-bp-lo
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Fire Team Leader Bill after a drill.

MB0503_roger-ladder-bp-lo

2005-03-11T05:18:00.000-08:00

MB0503_roger-ladder-bp-lo
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Roger headed down (or is it up) the rope ladder.

MB0502_hole-side-bp-lo

2005-03-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

MB0502_hole-side-bp-lo
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Our chief Officer Marcelina, next to a hole in the side of the ship that received new metal.

MB0502_shipyard-ship-bp-lo

2005-03-11T05:15:00.000-08:00

MB0502_shipyard-ship-bp-lo
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

At rest in the Harrison Brother's Shipyard, Mobile, AL, USA

MB0502_lifeboat-davits-bp_lo

2005-03-11T05:14:00.000-08:00

MB0502_lifeboat-davits-bp_lo
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Davit work

2005-01-23T16:30:00.000-08:00

24 January 2005

Well, here we are in Mobile, Alabama, USA! We are very glad to be back in the U.S.
We were very happy to see the arrival of the tugboat, Kirsten Grace which “tailgated” us all the way to Mobile. What a wonderful relief to have the rescue team at hand! The ship did great! We commend our engineers who kept the ship running very well! We anchored just outside of Mobile Bay. We needed to wait until the following day because the harbor was going to be very busy with a cruise ship coming in. We tooted our horn and all waved good-by to the tug as she left us to return to port. The next morning, January 18th, two more tugs arrived to escort us in to Mobile Bay, then up the river to the State Docks. The ship did just great until we got about a mile from where we were supposed to dock, then all of a sudden the ship, even though the controls said we were going forward, was going backwards. The pilot ordered the engine stopped and the two tugs came along side and tied up to the ship. It was pretty scary for a bit, but the tugs and the pilot did a wonderful job of getting us to the dock. Later we found out that we had a hydraulic failure. Add that to a steering failure and an engine failure. We are compiling a list of all the things that have gone wrong since our scheduled exit on January 3rd from Puerto Cortes, Honduras. We want to be very aware of how the Lord has protected us from any harm during a very eventful and trying time.
Waiting for us on the dock was our Agent and the Customs and Immigration officials. As you may know, we were under restrictions by the U.S. Coast Guard stating that during the first entry in to the U.S. our crew would be detained on board without any one being allowed to leave. We also had to pay for two armed guards to watch us 24 hours a day. This restriction was put in to place because the last time we were in Galveston, one of our crew members left the ship without permission and he never returned. Our DPA (Designated Person Ashore – Capt. Jon Fadely) had been in contact with the Coast Guard and Immigration officials to get the order rescinded because of the various repair issues with the ship. This has been a great point of prayer as it would be very hard on the crew to be in the U.S. at dock for 6 weeks or so without being able to leave the ship. We were required to muster twice a day to make sure that all the crew was present and we all stayed on board as directed. The Crew remained in good spirits as we complied with each of the requirements.
On Wednesday, January 20th we mustered again with all present and accounted for. Wednesdays, our regular community prayer time in the morning, we lifted up our requests to the Lord. One of the items on the list was that the Lord would give us favor with the officials at the district office of the U.S. Coast Guard in New Orleans. An Admiral had to make the decision on rescinding the order. By 3 o’clock that afternoon he had graciously done just that! Praise God! The Crew is now allowed to come and go as we please. We are so very thankful!
On Thursday, the same two tugs came to escort us across the river to Harrison Brother’s Shipyard. The surroundings are anything but pretty but we are grateful that this shipyard is allowing us to dock at no charge to us. There is lots of work to be done on the engines, the hydraulic system and the steering system, plus we have some scheduled work to be done with putting in a new bathroom on B deck and various other items on the agenda.
I just want to say how grateful our Crew is to the Lord. When we think about all the terrible things that could have happened during the various failures we’ve had, all the waiting and uncertainty, we marvel at the way the Lord worked out each and every detail. No one got injured and apart from some colds and some seasickness, every one remained well. Every day lots of encouraging words and laughter was heard throughout the ship. We remain in awe of a God who has shepherded us along, who has watched over us and protected us. We give Him all the glory at the praise for who He is – the Sovereign Lord who knows the end from the beginning. We wait on Him for the future, confident in His faithfulness and grace!

100_0024

2005-01-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

100_0024
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

The tugboat, Kirsten Grace escorted us from Cozumel to Mobile Harbor. We were very happy to have this source of rescue beside us - just in case!

100_0011

2005-01-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

100_0011
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Bill descending the rope ladder to get in to the Zodiak. This was the only way to get from the ship at anchor to the dock in Cozumel.

2005-01-15T06:56:00.000-08:00

Adventures at Sea …continued

Yesterday, January 14 we used the Zodiak and a friendly neighborhood dive boat to load up the luggage and Crew who had spent 6 days in Cozumel for an unscheduled “vacation.” Some of those crew had spent 2 nights in one hotel 2 nights in another and 2 nights in the local evacuation center. We want to thank the local churches and the dive shop for their hospitality and assistance. What a blessing to know you have “family” wherever we go in this world!
After the Crew ashore returned, we had a pre-sail meeting and did the fire and boat drills. Our agent came aboard ship with our clearance and we gave him our immigration list. By then the wind had kicked up a bit so maneuvering away from the buoy where the anchor had been located was tricky, but Capt. Tim did an excellent job and we were away. We had heard from the tug that they were fairly close by so we headed out to meet them. About 1 hour in to the trip the engine overheated. We were adrift again, but at least this time we were drifting in the right direction – far enough from shore not to be in danger and in the general direction of the tug boat. The offending parts were located – a cool water intake valve and the sea chest clogged. (OK, I don’t know what a sea chest is, but obviously you don’t go very far if it isn’t working!) The engineers worked on it for about an hour and a half then got the engine back up and running. A bit later we could see in the distance the lights of the tug boat. Her name is the Kirsten Grace – a very appropriate name to rescue a missionary ship! How great it is to have an escort for this poor little bucket. It seems that one thing after another has happened, so we are glad of the company – just in case.
The sail has been going well. We are doing about 8-10 knots and the tug boat remains with us. We are in a “convoy!” I’ve never been in a convoy before so here is another new experience! It is choppy out so that makes it a challenge to walk from here to there and trying to sleep while being tossed around in the bunk is interesting, but you’ll get no complaints from us. We are SO glad to be on our way! If all goes well we expect to be in Mobile on Tuesday.
Both Bill and I were able to get off the ship for awhile while we were anchored. Bill got in two dives. He says it looks very different than Honduras. He got to see some huge groupers, lobster, big French Angel Fish, a spotted Moray eel, different kinds of choral formations and a Flamingo Tongue Snail and a bunch of other creatures. He had a pretty good time. I went in to town with a friend from the ship and we did some shopping and had lunch. We got back to the dock a little early and waited for the Zodiak to pick us up. Two cruise ships were docked there and we spent the time people watching. What fun…people of all different shapes, sizes, languages, foot wear and clothing (or lack of it!). When the Zodiak arrived we got in. It is a very large step down from the dock to the boat, and I fell in, which for me was a relief as if I fall, I usually fall in the water. On the ride to the ship the water was rough and we all got soaked. Again, I’m not complaining…I was very thankful to get off the ship for awhile.
Hopefully the remainder of the sail will be uneventful. I’ll write with an update as time allows. Love to all!

image_map[1]

2005-01-11T06:02:00.000-08:00

image_map[1]
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Here is a map of our journey from Pto Cortes, Honduras to Cozumel, Mexico. You can clearly see our drift as we got closer to the Yucatan Penisula and where we got the engines going again. The going around in circles is what we did while we waited for the port traffic to be taken care of before we could anchor.

2005-01-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

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.

Bill & barracuda 2

2005-01-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

Bill & barracuda 2
Originally uploaded by Bill and Rebecca Long.

Bill with a barracuda he found on one of his dives in Honduras. The fish had a spear in its side which ended up killing him, otherwise the sight of those swim shorts would have frightened him to death!

2004-12-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

The children of Honduras...Children's ministry, Caribbean Mercy, December, 2004

2004-12-24T11:15:00.000-08:00

Bill and Rebecca, Honduras

2004-12-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

The dear Bucket that gets us where we need to go.

2004-12-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

One of our surgery patients - before...

2004-12-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

... and after! Praise God!

2004-12-18T15:10:00.000-08:00

M/V Caribbean Mercy, Puerto Castilla, Honduras, December, 2004

2004-11-27T11:55:00.000-08:00

The Long Journey
Honduras, Central America
December 2004

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Caribbean Mercy. As we write this little update, we are beginning our last week of outreach to the people of the state of Colon, Honduras. Although the rainy season has started, we are thankful that we have only been affected slightly by the occasional downpours.

Surgeries continue and the blind are receiving their site. The dental clinic is hard at work to wrap up their time here in Puerto Castilla. The Community Health Education team has been holding daily classes in the surrounding area. The crew has been volunteering at a local orphanage and some construction work has been accomplished. We have given away almost all of the Personal Energy Transports.

Rebecca was the hostess for a lovely Thanksgiving dinner for around 120 international crew members. Even though this was a new holiday celebration for some of our crew, they enjoyed a roast turkey feast with all the trimmings. Next was a special story time for the children, a praise, worship and communion time followed by dessert—pumpkin and pecan pie, apple crisp and plenty of whipped cream. It was a wonderful time of reflection and gratefulness to our Lord Jesus Christ.

The crew will be packing things up at the end of outreach and most of the volunteers will fly home. The full-time crew will sail to Puerto Cortes, Honduras where we will spend Christmas. The current plan includes a sail to the U.S. around the first of the year.

We want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for the wonderful way you have supported us with your encouragement and prayers. We are almost to the end of the first year of our two-year commitment. It has been hard being away from family, especially the Grandchildren, but we remain confident that this is just the place we are to be at this time of our lives. Our prayer for you is that the Lord will give you wonderful joy as you celebrate His birth. May the new year be one of peace and contentment as you seek Him. We send you our love!
Bill and Rebecca

2004-10-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

Caribbean Mercy
Posted by Hello

The Long Journey

2004-10-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO THE LONG JOURNEY !

It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.
Micah 6:8 The Message

We have decided to pursue this way of keeping in touch with our family and friends while we are serving aboard the Caribbean Mercy. We welcome you here and ask that you post any comments you would like to. Our goal is to update this site as frequently as is possible as our work schedules allow.

The ship is currently docked in Puerto Castilla, Honduras on a three month outreach to the area of Colon. This is our second trip to Puerto Castilla this year and we are so glad to be back where relationships have been established. The "rainy" season has started, although we have not seen much rain, yet. The ship is docked at the end of a penisula in the Bay of Honduras. This penisula is inhabited by fiendish little bugs that feast upon the crew. Bill is sporting some very impressive bite marks!

We remain busy each day with lots of work to do. Bill is the Renovations Manager and sees to all the carpentry repairs that are required by a 50+ year old ship. He usually has a helper, so the work, for the most part, is not too overwhelming. Rebecca is the Purser and handles all the immigration requirements of the crew. While on outreach she also works part time as a receptionist and remains a consultant for the sterilization department for medical and dental.

Our schedule includes devotions every day with the rest of the crew. We start out Monday mornings with the entire community aboard ship for a time of worship and praise to our Lord. This is a great way to begin the week and to meet new crew members who have arrived over the weekend. Wednesday devo's are set aside for community prayer and Friday is the time that each area of ministry shares what has happened through out the week. Tuesday and Thursday mornings we meet in our departments for devotions.

Bill and Rebecca's area of ministry has been the PETs. "PETs" stands for Personal Energy Transports. The carts are manufactured by a ministry in Florida, boxed up and given to us (as well as other ministries) to distribute. The carts are hand/arm self-propelled (it requres some upper-body strength) that we distribute to those who do not have use of their legs. Bill and a changing group of volunteers put together these carts then we have the opportunity to distribute them to those in need.

We are planning on being with the ship here in Honduras for Christmas this year. We think we will be docked in Puerto Cortes and we are really looking forward to that as it has been awhile since we have been there. It is the home town of Maria Elena, one of our Crew and a dear friend. It will be hard not to be home for Christmas this year, but we will try to take some vacation in January to catch up with everyone at home.

We have had a little time to do some snorkeling at a wreck of a small fishing boat that is close to our ship. It was fascinating to watch the great variety of fish with fantastic colors darting here and there. I had loaded up on the bug spray and sun screen before entering the water (we had to walk a distance before entering the water) and there was this little school of tiny fish that were transparent with a dark stripe down their sides that accompanied me where ever I swam. They seem to make a slight clicking noise and it was fun to be escorted by them. I think they must have liked the smell of the combination of chemical I had put on. (Can fish smell??) Bill is excited to start a scuba diving class this next week, so perhaps there are some diving trips ahead of us!

Thanks again for checking up with us on this web site. Again, we welcome your comments and look forward to hearing from you!

God's blessings!

Bill and Rebecca

2004-10-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

First day of screening for eye surgeries - Trujillo.
Posted by Hello

2004-10-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

This PET was delivered to a man in Trujillo.
Posted by Hello

2004-10-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

This gentleman came to the ship to request a PET and as you can see, he is very happy to have received. He lost his leg in an accident.
Posted by Hello

2004-10-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Cooking Saturday breakfast for the Crew - Captain Kathy and Bill and...
Posted by Hello

2004-10-23T11:29:00.002-07:00

To give you a perspective on the size of our ship...here we are docked in Cozumel last July, 2005
Posted by Hello

2004-10-23T11:29:00.001-07:00

Scrambling those eggs!
Posted by Hello

2004-10-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

Rebecca at work in Reception.
Posted by Hello