Sunday, September 25, 2011

Worship

This retreat weekend ended with worship in the International Lounge and a dance for Yahweh by our high school girls.

Retreat Weekend on the Ship

This has been a lovely weekend onboard our hospital ship. The chaplaincy organized a retreat for us, including on Thursday evening an overview of the significance of the tabernacle, a Sabbath meal (Friday evening), and a walk through interactive displays in various places symbolizing the various aspects of the tabernacle and its significance to Christ. On Saturdy there were workshops for writing and creative arts, and a time for worship in the evening. Then this morning there was a time of meditative worship in our International Lounge, and an evening service. I have been richly blessed.

Ancient Manuscripts Visit Africa Mercy

This Sunday morning a team of university professors and others brought a display of ancient manuscripts to our ship for us to enjoy. The collection features around 44,000 pieces and has been commissioned to take God's word out to the world. After being shown here in Sierra Leone it is traveling to Liberia. I think of Jesus' prophetic words, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Again in Romans 10:17-18: "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the earth." We were blessed to witness firsthand these ancient manuscripts which testify to the enduring Word of God.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Youth Leading, Another View

Here are the singers! The drummer is hidden.

Youth Leading

Our youth led worship last Thursday. They were excellent. Most of the 400 crew members were present, singing along enthusiastically.

Teacher Night Out

After a hard week's work, the teachers go out for dinner at Momba Point Restaurant. Yum! Amazing to find a restaurant in Sierra Leone that will prepare everything from Lebanese eggplant humus to American Pizza to Japanese sushi to African fish dishes! What a fun team: we all relaxed, laughed and ate a lot.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Woohoo! We have new teachers!




We are delighted to have new teachers join our staff this fall, as we sorrowed over Christina, Amy, Ben, Danae and Estelle leaving us in June. So here you are! In the first photo you can see Hennie (science, Netherlands), Kelly (French, Switzerland) and Kayleigh (first grade, USA). In the second photo is Elizabeth (returning) and to the right, Rebekah (third grade, USA). And in the third photo you see our wonderful volunteer, a friend of Brian Blackburn, who came to teach PE. Emily is sitting with our famed British math teacher, Tommy Farrell.

So you see it--we have another amazing and deligthful team aboard our good ship Africa Mercy!