God and Glue

To my dearest wonderfuls back home who have been a constant joy...I miss you all.

So much has happened since I last wrote to you all. I will try to give a brief glimpse.

Her Excellency the president of Liberia: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf came on board to give an official thank you speech to Mercy Ships for their service to her country. I suppose it all started with the frantic preparation...both teams scrubbing floors, windows, walls, moving highchairs, and in general touching nooks that seemed untouched for years. The whole place looked brighter. And then we left it up the the amazing hospitality people to transform it. And transform it they did. Sparkling glasses and saucers and rows and rows of handmade desert bars and decorations. It was glorious. Ellen ( my roommate ) and I snuck down via the galley and watched wide eyed as all the escorts and guards milled around in the dining room. We listened to her speech in the International lounge. It was beautiful and heartfelt and I was awed and honored. The entire meeting to just a fraction of the preparation time, but it was well worth it and I'll never forget it.

Saturday Costume Party! Our entire cabin seemed to have been sewing for days and planning for many more. We had snow white and a character from a Jane Austen novel, and we had a rose/cupcake. I was Esmerelda, from Hunch back of Notrodame. Each person came up to say what or who they were. I was so impressed with the creativity...There was A little white lie, Sponge Bob, Laura Ingalls, etc etc etc. And then afterwards we all went up to the Queens Lounge to celebrate Jeneen's Birthday. She was Jane Bennet. We had cake and talked and talked and talked. It was the perfect end to a gold-tinged day.

Last Sunday I went to the Pillar of Holy Fire church for the last time. I had gone there faithfully when I first came to Liberia. I had forgotten how serene and beautiful it was. No loud blaring speakers or keyboard or shouting or pews. The front is open and it has three walls woven of reeds. There is space between the between the walls and the ceiling...supported by wooden polls...that lets the sunlight filter in the whole way around the room. And they have wild flowers tied to the walls. The goodbye service was golden. I cried. The music...voices and drums and shakers. And then we had a lunch of oranges and banana chips and cookies afterwards. And I got to hold the beautiful children, carefully stowing away their faces in my memory.

That Tuesday the vice president of Liberia came to the ship. This time they catered the event. I had been flu-ish sick since Monday so I missed it, but they told me all about it. I'm 99%recovered and did Swimmer's Watch with Ellen yesterday from 12-2am. It was also the first day I worked. Swimmers watch was fun-I called it my firefly job.

Today the day workers left. We had the best Liberian lunch ever and anyone that had ever worked on the ship came. We had a big thank you service in the international lounge. It was beautiful. And sad. Last night I went to the prayer room on deck 2 and prayed the God would grant a graceful closure and blessing on their work here as well as abundant blessings on each one's life. Today we prayed for the day workers in the galley and dining room and there were hugs all around. And then May-Ellen left at 5pm. We are down to 6 in our room and 3 on our dining room team. Too many goodbyes. But God is the glue that holds us together in spirit.

And that is why, my dearest wonderfuls, I am constantly reminded of the blessing you all have been to me. And in all this craziness called life, blessings on you to.