Waiting for 0318-US0201-CM

Every time I go to the fabric market, I stop in to see Rafaela and her mom. On one outing, I asked if she'd like her portrait taken. She agreed, and now we each have this photo.

Something I've been really excited for this month is that I think--I think--supply container 0318-US0201-CM will arrive on our dock... And inside is my birthday present!

Yes, my birthday is in March, but details, details... The container was "supposed to" arrive last month, and then at the beginning of this month, and then last Friday, but so far no dice. If you're wondering what it feels like waiting for a container full of supplies and goodies (and peanut butter for the dining room) that you KNOW is just around the corner, my friend Carys, with the help of her brother, the youth group, and a few other maties, made a very informative video...

But in between rocking in the fetal position in the ship shop, I supposed we've managed to get some work done. And now, if you think my blogs are better with soundtracks, play this next video and keep reading :)

We are almost at the conclusion of the Cameroon Field Service. As Media Liaisons, Renee and I recently hosted our final vision trip (bringing the count to 16) AND our final media team (of which we've had 10!!)! Sprinkled in the cracks were around 20-30 special events hosted on board and at the off-sites (including one still to go), and wrapping it all up had us breathing a big sigh and cheesing bigger smiles. And in my case, writing a long-overdue blog post. Yeah, I'm really sorry about that...

Since I haven't shared too much "work news" on  here for a while, here's what these past months have looked like: since January, I've hosted groups of donors and supporters from the UK, the US, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and one group of ship-brokers from all over Europe. That doesn't include Renee's four media teams and 2 vision trips. Once a group arrives, work stress fades away and the fun begins, because this ship seriously speaks for itself. It's amazing to see the way these guests, usually first-time visitors to the ship, are so deeply touched by their time here, by interactions with the crew, and with the patients.

One of the Swiss visitors playing with a cleft lip patient on Deck 7 (Photo: Saul)

We had been praying as a crew for a few weeks for the arrival of several containers carrying needed supplies, as well as a delivery of fuel to fill the Africa Mercy's belly before it sails in early June. Some of the deliveries had been running late... and later... until last month. One-by-one, all of the long-awaited containers started getting delivered. I remember one night, looking out my cabin window that overlooks our dock space, and seeing four containers that had just been delivered, lined up like a bunch of gigantic presents fit for a 152-meter ship! A couple days later, the prayers for fuel were also answered, in a BIG way. Crew were all snapping photos and texting each other, "Have you SEEN the dock?"

Let's just say, the port workers' Truck Tetris game was on point.

Although the ship engineers knew they had a long day of transferring petrol ahead of them, they projected a positive attitude about the whole thing. Now the trucks are gone and the dock is back to normal, and there is only one container still to arrive while the ship is in Cameroon: 0318-US0201-CM. And sometimes, I am tempted to whine with impatience, "Harumph. None of those containers brought anything for ME! I want what's mine already!!" Really now, have some patience, Kate!

Recently I was clearing out my personal email (and got it down from 300+ to 13 in my inbox, thankyouverymuch), and found an article that my friend Jenny shared with our small group some time ago, talking about the difference between anticipation and expectation. You can read it here--I'd recommend it!

I'll just highlight a couple parts here:

"I know what I want and how my wants should be met.... By dwelling on my detailed script, I turn inward with expectation; I focus on and clutch at what I think I deserve. And as I have experienced a hundred times... my wants and needs are not met how I thought they should be.... Therefore I release control in order to allow God to dazzle and woo me. He knows the desires of my heart far better than I do, for he created them and shares in them... I am learning to release my expectation of what the summer should be and wait instead for summer in eager anticipation, knowing that whatever form it may take, it will be good."

If my happiness hinged on the arrival of a precious package, on Skype working flawlessly every week, on getting along with every single crew member, on the ship never running out of gluten-free crackers, I'd be a pretty pitiful mess. (It sounds so hypothetical in typing, but... I also have some experience in this area). 

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” 

-- Luke 11:11-13

If I'm the one with the plan, holding onto the map of my expectations with white knuckles, then straying from the plan is stressful, and can feel like a failure. But God is the one with the map, and knowing that his perspective is simply higher than mine makes all the difference. There are days when I'm bent over with my nose to the map. Realizing how chronically incomplete my perspective is, I've started to ask myself in the middle of the chaos, "What do you want here, God? Where are you working right now? Where am I missing your glory in what's going on? What about it is bringing you joy?"

Justine was one of the first patients up the gangway (Photo: Shawn)

Pierre received surgery for windswept legs (Photo: Saul)

Some of the women who got to celebrate a successful fistula surgery (Photo: Saul)

(Photo: Saul)

(Photo: Saul)

God's work, his glory, and his joy, are manifest in the people we serve. They are truly incredible. (Also shout out to our talented photographers!) Looking at these photos, it's hard for me to believe that three weeks from now we'll be in open water, sailing back to the Canary Islands. Cameroon Kate will still be around after the ship leaves--she's coming with me. By late June she'll meet up with Canary Islands Kate. And then after a 5 week hiatus in the greatest state (if you have to ask which one, you probably don't live there), I'm excited to introduce you to my new friend, Conakry Kate.

Multiple personalities aside, I want to share with you that my time with Mercy Ships will not conclude when I return home this summer. At the end of July, I am returning to the Africa Mercy for a second field service, this time in Conakry, Guinea. I will be working in a new role, as the Executive Assistant. I got the chance to sit down for lunch with my future boss and team this past week, and I'm so excited for what this next year will bring. You will be hearing from me sooner rather than later with more updates, right here.

Clockwise: Warrie, AFM Managing Director (USA); Ally, Operations Director (UK); Keith, Programs Administrativ Manager (USA); me; Sandrine, current Protocol Officer (Switzerland); Jeremy, Partner Liaison (Togo)

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." 

--Ecclesiastes 3:11