Friday, May 21, 2010

So... what's there to do?


So... What do you do on a Saturday night in rainy season in Lome, Togo? Well... if you were on the M/V Africa Mercy, you could dress up in your best and come to an all crew film festival! Our international Lounge was packed with well-dressed folk, and we laughed ourselves silly at all the marvelous films our fellow crewmembers had created! Then we went to the town square to watch the award ceremony!

Yum! Salad bar!


Some days we have a very busy air conditioner, and we all wear jackets. Some days are rainy and cool, and we all wear jackets, even indoors. Some days (like today) are so hot by 9 a.m. outside that we wonder if we accidentally fell in some giant's oven. That's when the summer tops and fans all come into active service on board. Yet the brave African dock workers continue to haul and lift their loads as if it were nothing.

Today I paused to appreciate anew God's sweet provision. I have the most delightful students in the world. They are so much fun to teach! Even in the heat! And then, at lunch time--we had a salad bar! I want you to know that all those people in the kitchen who gave up their careers and income to come feed people like me, put out a full salad bar with even feta cheese (Yum!) and artichoke hearts. Can you believe it? Here I am in Togo, and I am eating my favorite treat, artichoke hearts. Go figure. I feel astonished and blessed, and so grateful to whoever thought to send such a treat to our galley, and whoever thought to put it out for our salad today.

Do you know what? I'm not surprised that the first thing Jesus is going to do with us is have a big party with a huge banquet! Yum!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Mercy Ships' Dental Team goes to the prison




Last week the team of dentists, hygienist, sterilizers, dental assistants, counselors and Togolese translators entered the prison here in Lome to minister dental care to the prisoners.

This was coordinated by Prison Fellowship. These dedicated local men and women visit the prisoners regularly, holding church services and Bible studies, offering vocational training and helping construct work spaces for the overcrowded prisoners. Here you can see their work spaces which they gave to our team to use. Comfort Yeboah, a long-term crew member from Ghana, can be seen teaching about dental health care with a local translator. You can see the attractively finished shirts in the tailor training room hanging on the wall behind the waiting prisoners. They can learn weaving, tailoring, making plastic baskets, and other work that sells well on the streets of the city.

I have had the opportunity to visit this prison with Prison Fellowship. What wonderful appointments the Lord gives us to refresh others!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Thunderstorm Mercy

We are entering the rainy season here in Togo. That means that we have sudden intense rain storms with cooler winds, lots of lightning and rumbling thunder. I love them! Today is Roses' birthday. We sat out together on deck 7 for morning prayer, enjoying her day and the storm. Then she shared with me that for some a thunderstorm is not so lovely.

I was surprised. I was looking upon that storm as God's grace, putting nitrogen back into the ground, and soaking the crops of Togo. I thought briefly of the prayer requests that came out of Kenya not so long ago that the rains would return so the crops would not die another season...

Then she explained. She grew up in Nepal. As she had been sitting out this morning watching the storm roll in, the night watchman had come by. He said quietly that he did not celebrate such storms. He comes from Nepal. His aunty and her daughter were both killed by lightning when it struck the shed where they were milking the water buffalo their family kept. Roses explained that many people die due to lightning each year in Nepal.

I looked soberly out upon the storm's majesty, and realized that I had underestimated its power--just like we tend to underestimate the might of God!