[Tyrone] Some of you probably even forgot that you were subscribed to this blog since we post infrequently now that our lives has changed once again.  But this (Stephanie getting pregnant) too was an answer to prayer and a hope that we had!  I still enjoy working at Pepsi Bottling Group (the physical aspect of it is whipping my butt into shape and I am losing weight!) and in my ‘free time’ (I say that loosely NOW) whipping up great meals and doing experiments in our kitchen at home, my last one involved curing my own pancetta/bacon and then air drying it by hanging it in the closet along with the occasional watermelon carving or two…my food obsessed website is over at http://tyronebcookin.com and I post more regularly about food and aspects of it there.  Also we are both pretty current and ‘real time’ with comments and messages on facebook.  So you can find us there if you are not to intimidated by the internet.

We can hardly believe its AUGUST!  And that we just came back from being in West Africa and Europe at the end of February and already are ingrained in our jobs, church, and life here in Northern California! (Thats right, not Alabama, Florida, or Texas…sorry!)

Write us an email, drop us a line, leave a comment, ask a question…we still love hearing from all of you out there and we will still post blogs on our life updates (although not as frequently as when we were traveling and doing mission work) and hopefully you can at least expect baby pictures by late March!

Tyrone & Stephanie

After leaving the hip we spent an amazing month traveling all over Europe. We went to Dublin, Madrid, Rome, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels, Sheffield, leeds, Kirkubright, and Edinburgh. Some of the places we visited dear Mercy Ship friends and other places Tyrone and I explored the city together.  All of it was amazing, although the constant  traveling was exhausting. I am so thankful for this time. It was a great time of reflection and transition.

After our whirl wind tour we stayed with Tyrone’s sister and her family. It was so great to hang out with them and see how much our neice and nephews have grow. We stayed there for 10 days and unfortunately we were very busy trying to get every thing ready in order for me to take a travel nursing assignment. I am still in awe that  I actually got an assignment exactly where I wanted to be when the travel nursing industry is struggling so badly. All I  is “Praise the Lord!!”

Now, I am sitting in the ancorage cafe at the IOC in Tyler, TX  trying to make sense of it all. I have spent the last 3 days spending time with my dear friend Jennifer, which has been so great to catch up with her. We have also had a chance to meet up with other friends here in Tyler. Tyrone and I shared with our Sunday School class at Grace Community Church about our time on the Africa Mercy. I love sharing our experience with others.

Tomarow we fly to San Jose, Ca. My travel company is providing us an apartment in South San Francisco. I am so excited to cook, do laundry in our apartment, go grocery shopping, go to the park, and work at a hospital and get payed for it. I am so excited to live near my friends and be a part of my old Bible study and be in a group of people who know me.

Please pray

that Tyrone finds a job were he can be challanged and enjoys his  job

we find a reliable, cheap, used car

that I can find a permanent job when my travel assignment is over in 8 weeks

we continue to adjust back to American life

we continue to grow in our marriage and our relationship with the Lord

we find ways to serve the Lord in short term missions or community missions.

We will continue to update our blog so stay tuned. Thank you for all your support through out the year.

There have been many crew members that that have been true friends  to me and then there were those few that challanged me to grow. I am so thankful for the hugs and encouragement during my ugly cries and moments of “what am  doing here?” I am amazed of the Lord’s provision of friends that have just learned these lessons and are  willing to walk with me on my journey. When I came to the ship the last time I was single and friendships were all I had but this time Tyrone and I came as a team and he is the best teammate ever. He helped me keep everything in perspective, he listened to me talk about my patients and  listented to me as I verbally processed this crazy year on a hopital ship in Africa!

I have always loved to laugh, you know that deep belly laugh that makes your eyes water and your shoulders to shake. I have learned from my girls at Mama Victoria’s orphanage that even in grim circumstance you can still laugh till your side hurts. Those nine girls know how to laugh and have fun. They are incredible women of the Lord and I miss them  so much, already.

The faces that occupied the beds were my patients but so much more than that. They were individually unique. Some drove me crazy and others became good friends. They all had a story.  Most of them include living  in a country that went through a 14 year civil war. All include tragedy and now they contain a new hope of being accepted back into their village after being out casted due to their illness. Being at their bedsides made me laugh, cry, shake my head, raise my eyebrows (the Liberian way of saying yes), sing my heart out, and hope for a better future for Liberia.

Thank you  for sharing this year with me.

On Friday afternoon the Africa Mercy pulled away from her home for the past consecutive 10 months and the better part of the last 4 years. Many of the crew were on deck 7 or deck 8 waving to the 20-30 faithful supporters. I was sleeping, yup I slept through the whole thing. At one point  I woke up to my cabin being searched for stow-a-ways. After 10 days of coughing so hard my whole body aches but I am starting to feel better, Praise the Lord. Now I get to enjoy the sail. It is truly beautiful. The weather is hot during the day and breezy,perfect for the sunsets, and the meteor shower last night was majestic!!!

I love to sail!!!

I have been feeling unrest. Tyrone says it is normal for me right before a big transition. I think he is right. I do get uneasy before my life is going to change drastically. I have been really working on casting my cares upon the Lord and being anxious for nothing. But I still have this feeling of uneasiness.

When we got back from the beach I was listening to a song by JJ Heller that hit me to the core of my anxiety. As she sings this song my heart opens and the unrest slips away. How can I feel anything but peace when I have a God that is all I need? As my lungs burn each time I take a breath I needed to hear her remind me that He lets me catch my breath even in the valley of death. I needed to remember He is All I need.

I don’t need a thing
My good shepherd brings me all
You are all I need
You let me catch my breath
Even in the valley of death
You are all I need

All I need to be complete is your love
Your blood that covers me

You lift up my head
You provide the wine and bread
You are all I need
There’s no need to fear
Even with my enemies here
You are all I need

All I need to be complete is your love
Your blood that covers me

Goodness and mercy are following me
You are all that I need
You make a home for me
With pastures of green as far as I see
You are all I need

All I need to be complete is your love
Your blood that covers me

Lyrics by JJ Heller

The wards are closed, the last patients left today, and now it is over.

Exhausted or not, it is over.

The memories have been made, the babies have been healed,

the patients have laughed, cried, and lifted their voices to our God.

The kids have played in the hallways, ran around with stickers on their heads, and given us much needed cuddles.

The women have knitted hats, blankets, and socks.

The men have played countless hours of checkers, Jenga, and Uno.

We have sung

Great things He has done,
Greater things He will do.
Unto the Lord be the glory,
Great things He has done.

and have meant very word.

We have sung

It is raining all around me,

I can feel it,

Its a lot of rain.

I asked Jesus to bring more rain

until we are full,

until we are full of a lot of rain.

And knew it was not talking about water coming from the sky,

but of God Almighty’s blessings in our lives.

A ward, B ward, C ward, D ward, and ICU are all packed up.

The halls feel desolate.

I keep waiting to see Micky cruising down the hallway with his make shift car.

There are no Mama’s sitting by the stairway chatting with those who pass by.

The translators  have turned in their badges and have walked down the gangway for the last time,

It is over.

I am tired.

But satisfied.

We did our best,

more than our best.

We loved, cried, played, and gave the best care anyone could have given.

It is over.

Until next time.

We rushed down the gangway just after the President of Liberia entered the ship with her entourage. We only had a 30 minute window. We are not allowed to leave the ship when she is coming or going. It was a bit of a rush, we had to get all 8 of us (who go out to New Matadi Bible Study) into the Land Rovers before the entourage began to move again. As I walked down the gangway I couldn’t help but think that it was royalty that we were going towards and not dashing away from. The nine girls that I have fallen in love with are daughters of the KING OF KINGS and therefore royalty.

I have tried to prepare myself for this fateful day that I would have to say goodbye, but I was not prepared for what actually happened. We decided to play games with the little kids in the orphanage because we predominantly spend time with the older kids. Sarah brought water balloons and we had a balloon toss. It is so funny to see their excitement and joy.

The girls trying Pop Rocks for the first time. Regina started screaming there was energy in her mouth. It was very funny!!

We then split up and we played games with our girls. Which was hilarious. These girls love to laugh and play. Later we split into groups and prayed for each other. And eventually I gave them each one last hug and told them each how much I love  them. We got in the car and drove away.

I wish I could better express how the day went. To be honest I don’t remember all the details. I mostly remember them laughing during the games and tears in their eyes during the goodbyes. I know I have said this before but I truly wish you could know them. They are so lovely.

I want to thank you so much  for  supporting us this year so I could know them, hear their laughs, and be their friends. It has truly been an honor.

Eventually we all sat down and Mama Vic stood up and then it started to make sense. One of the boys had a hand written paper of the itinerary and the program began. First they sang some songs about being blessed and choosing to follow the Lord no matter what. I couldn’t handle it. The tears came, plenty, plenty. I started to think about what these 9 girls mean to me, how far they have come, and how much I will miss them. After the singing we were each of us girls were presented with a dress and the boys were given a shirt. As each of us were given our gifts one of the kids said thank you. As my big yellow dress was being put over my head all I could think was, no thank you. Thank you for teaching me what true forgiveness is, thank you for teaching me what a hunger for the God’s Word looks like, thank you for teaching me how to laugh in the face of adversity and trust and believe that God will carry my burdens and help me achieve my dreams.

At the end of the program Mama Vic stood and said ” Tank you for coming out each week and teaching them about God. I have seen them change. They use to give me hard time. They used to fight and be vexed (angry). They have changed and it is cause you people have shown them how to love God. Tank you”

All I could think was, “No, thank you”.

Dr. Jose is from Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands. He has been working ashore in West Africa for over 2 decades. I am not sure how he does it but he finds children with problems I have never even seen before. He has brought many of his patients that he has been working with for a long time onto the ship. Many of his patients need their esophagus dilated due to swallowing something like bleach and causing them difficulty or inability to swallow. Dr. Jose can be abrupt but he has the biggest heart, especially for his patients. When he is rounding and the patients are allowed to start eating and drinking he says “You need to drink juice and eat biscuits (cookies).” in his Spanish accent. When his patients see him they give him cuddles and high 5s, even though all of the procedures they have had done.

Last week one of the translators overheard the mama’s talking about Dr’s that she had never heard of. Esther heard them referring to Dr. Patch Patch and Dr. Juice. She asked them who they were talking about and they answered “Dr. Patch Patch is Dr. Gary cuz he patch up faces. Dr juice is Dr. Jose cuz he says “drink  Juice, drink juice.” When I told Dr. Gary and Dr. Jose about their nick names they laughed, actually I think that they really likethem.

When I first met Esau he was not smiling. Actually he was screaming his head off, to be exact. See, Esau started developing a bump on his right eye that made his eye bulge out and within a couple of weeks he lost his vision. His mother and father was killed in the war, his older brother Matthew (age 22) has been raising Esau since he was little. Matthew and Esau live in Bong town which is about 4 hours away by car.

Esau had his eye taken out because it was no longer viable. Dr. Tom also took a biopsy of the tumor and Esau was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma. There are 2 types of this lymphoma, endemic and sporadic.

Sporadic Burkitt’s Lymphoma is found in Europe and North America and is very hard to cure. Endemic Burkitt’s Lymphoma is what we see frequently here in equatorial Africa and is what was causing Esau’s right eye to bulge and his left eye to join in the swelling. Last Saturday I gave Esau his first Chemo. My first thought was, “umm since when are we a Oncology Hospital?”. But the reality is Esau was still bleeding and was not ready to transfer to St. Josephs Hospital, the place where we send our patients for chemo for Burkitt’s. Esau really needed to get that first dose so Dr. Wolfgang and I gave it to him and Praise the Lord he did well and the tumor start decreasing within the first 12 hours.

Esau has the most amazing laugh. He tosses his head back and laughs from the depth of his belly. He is a lover. He gives hugs to anyone who will take and he waves with both hands at everyone who passes him. I went in to see him today and he climbed up onto my lap and gave me his trademark gap tooth grin and slobbery kisses. He will be leaving the ship soon and will continue his chemo at St. Joseph’s. Please pray that he will continue getting better.