Under my feet is a bridge between two distinct worlds.
I’ve left one side of the bridge with goodbyes to family and friends in the United States. I’ve said goodbye to my adult children, Kim, Andrew, Carol and two of their spouses, Erick and Kala. I’m missing my job with Vince and said farewell to my dearest of loves and friends, Guy, Patsy, Bobbi, Dolores and Lynn.
My bridge beneath my feet is the M/V Africa Mercy ship on a course in the Atlantic Ocean right now for Benin, West Africa. It is swaying port and starboard as I type this message on my laptop. Over 400 volunteers/missionaries are aboard this ship scheduled to arrive February 9 as long as sea conditions hold out. I have enjoyed the porpoises playing in the ship’s wake, jumping and diving and racing the ship. Since the ship travels 24/7, sleeping at night is a challenge so I pad myself with pillows to keep from rolling out of the bunk.
After so many years of planning, scheming, reworking, cancelling, crying, rescheduling, postponing and the like, I have arrived on this bridge on my way to the place my heart so much begged me to give into nearly 12 years ago. The time has come.
The bridge will end in Benin, West Africa. I have already begun my job as Administrative Assistant in this hospital ship filled with skilled surgeons, a dentist, an ophthalmologist, technicians, nurses of every skill level imaginable and a host of dedicated support staff who prepare food, clean floors, make sure this computer is working, pilot the ship, on and on! My office is down in the bowels of the ship next to the operating rooms and patient wards at the very heartbeat of this ministry. I am busy preparing an event upon our arrival with Benin medical official welcoming them to see our specialized equipment and procedures unseen in their nation.
May this year be devoted to God. He has placed this unquenchable desire in me to be here, on this bridge today. I pray it would be about those I’ve come to serve, not me. I pray that I’d see into the eyes and hearts of the people of the country of Benin. I want to know what has moved them so equally as my desire to cross this bridge today. May I see their joys, their loves, their talents, their fears, let them show off their children and let them be themselves. Then, I believe I will have been served on that side of the bridge.
I’ve left one side of the bridge with goodbyes to family and friends in the United States. I’ve said goodbye to my adult children, Kim, Andrew, Carol and two of their spouses, Erick and Kala. I’m missing my job with Vince and said farewell to my dearest of loves and friends, Guy, Patsy, Bobbi, Dolores and Lynn.
My bridge beneath my feet is the M/V Africa Mercy ship on a course in the Atlantic Ocean right now for Benin, West Africa. It is swaying port and starboard as I type this message on my laptop. Over 400 volunteers/missionaries are aboard this ship scheduled to arrive February 9 as long as sea conditions hold out. I have enjoyed the porpoises playing in the ship’s wake, jumping and diving and racing the ship. Since the ship travels 24/7, sleeping at night is a challenge so I pad myself with pillows to keep from rolling out of the bunk.
After so many years of planning, scheming, reworking, cancelling, crying, rescheduling, postponing and the like, I have arrived on this bridge on my way to the place my heart so much begged me to give into nearly 12 years ago. The time has come.
The bridge will end in Benin, West Africa. I have already begun my job as Administrative Assistant in this hospital ship filled with skilled surgeons, a dentist, an ophthalmologist, technicians, nurses of every skill level imaginable and a host of dedicated support staff who prepare food, clean floors, make sure this computer is working, pilot the ship, on and on! My office is down in the bowels of the ship next to the operating rooms and patient wards at the very heartbeat of this ministry. I am busy preparing an event upon our arrival with Benin medical official welcoming them to see our specialized equipment and procedures unseen in their nation.
May this year be devoted to God. He has placed this unquenchable desire in me to be here, on this bridge today. I pray it would be about those I’ve come to serve, not me. I pray that I’d see into the eyes and hearts of the people of the country of Benin. I want to know what has moved them so equally as my desire to cross this bridge today. May I see their joys, their loves, their talents, their fears, let them show off their children and let them be themselves. Then, I believe I will have been served on that side of the bridge.
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