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.

On Wednesday my team of faithful Bible Study Leaders piled into Land Rovers and headed out to New Matadi, like we do every Wednesday, and arrived to our usual welcoming crew. Most of the children from the orphanage and neighborhood come out and greet us by name and escort us into the compound. Usually the compound yard is bare except of children playing. This week when we walked down the… Continue reading

We are so blessed on the wards and in the OR to work with surgeons that really, genuinely care about their patients. It gives me great joy to see Dr. Gary round on his patients. He takes time to answer the patients questions and he shows them that he truly cares. He has been on the ship for over 20 years and knows the cultural implications of West Africa. He… Continue reading

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)… Continue reading

Let me first start by saying I asked permission from Naill Harbison one of the contributors from the blog over at ifoods.tv to repost this here.  Naill has put together 25 reasons he would never own a restaurant and I would have to say 99% of the reasons are the SAME reason why I struggle with thoughts of owning my own.

Just last week (or was it 2… Continue reading | 1 Comment

Just a quick word about this - a little over two weeks left to contribute to the Liberia Fund!!!

We will have a great ‘Goodbye’ lunch of African food cooked out of our galley on December the 5th which will officially be the last day local Liberians or Visitors will be able to come aboard before we pack up and make plans to leave.

I want to thank our generous contributors -… Continue reading