On Being Exceptional Children of the King

My blogging perch for the evening

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

Happy Mother's Day!

We're still healthy on the Africa Mercy. I hope to go home in June and then return to the ship when it is possible, but it's not clear at this point when that will be. I may seek temporary employment and/or take an online class while I'm home. That's about all I have for an update, and this info is on the "Fundraising" page that is linked at the top of the page (or in the drop-down menu if you're on your phone). The rest of this post is thoughts and reflections since my last update. Don't hesitate to send me specific questions that you may have!

For better or for worse, there are a lot of new rules about how to function in the time of COVID-19. But most of these rules have exceptions. 

And when you have 200+ people between the ages of 0 and 72 who come from over 30 different countries and who are all basically in the same household because we live and work and eat practically on top of each other in the same 152-meter floating metal box that also sometimes doubles as a hospital, arriving from West Africa by sea to be welcomed by a country that none of us are from without any stamps in our passports--I guess something about that makes us "exceptional".

Sometimes being exceptional doesn't help. But other times, it works in our favor.

Impromptu worship on Deck 8 organized by a couple of crew

One of the highs of last week was Wednesday morning, when the Captain announced that the crew had received permission to go on the dock under the same Spanish laws that allow nationals to walk around their neighborhoods. After spending more than a month on the ship, what an awesome gift!

In Spain, specific times for walking outside are separated by age. So the children under 14 got to go outside first, from noon to 7pm. Other crew went up to the top decks to watch the "pioneers" descend the gangway, cheering as they explored the new territory. As for all the other adults, it was our turn at 8pm, and our faces say it all.

In Reception, counting down the seconds until 8pm!

It was lovely to stretch our legs for a few days! Unfortunately, early Saturday morning we learned that there had been a misunderstanding, and they needed us to stay off the dock again until further notice. In this instance, our exceptional circumstances aren't working in our favor, but we're praying that this privilege opens back up next week!

Walks on deck 8 will have to do for now. No complaints about the views here :)

But sometimes these exceptions mean that we're very lucky, like the fact that we get to be together, and that we're all healthy, and we're able to embrace each other, even if it's to say goodbye to members of our "ship family" as they go home. How many people get to do that right now?

The chaplain who delivered the teaching at this morning's service said, "You're a child of the King! Don't act like an orphan!" Her message was very thought-provoking as she encouraged us to embrace that identity, and I've been thinking all day about what that means.

God doesn't forget one of his children. He counts each of our hairs, for crying out loud! Knowing this, what business do we have living powerless lives, thinking that anything we do is meaningless? It not only makes me consider the activities I'm choosing to fill my time, but also the manner in which I pursue them. Are there things I'm doing that I believe to be meaningless? That could be a sign that something needs to be pruned from my schedule. But it could also be a sign that my heart towards that activity needs to change. Have I surrendered this activity to my Father's direction? Could that be what makes all the difference? From that perspective, even the smallest of deeds can move mountains.

Making cookies with the Youth Group. 

The other day, the youth group made cookies. As they shared them to crew around the ship, they also offered to pray for them. It was amazing to see how stress and pressure seemed to visibly melt off of crew members when they were shown such a small random act of kindness! And it was also amazing to see the youth gain momentum. At first, they were slightly nervous to pray for crew who they usually don't interact with. But they became increasingly excited to pray for each new person. Watching this act of encouragement was encouraging for me as well. Isn't it amazing how these things multiply?

Do any of us know what the coming months hold? Rather than fighting it, we're learning to relax into the "not knowing". It really does force me to lean hard on God, and I realized it's been a while since I've done so. Maybe you've experienced the same thing? I pray so.

Just to share a few other positive stories of amazing deeds and creativity. I just can't get enough of stuff like this!

• Some Good News with John Krasinski
• Rival gangs teaming up to help their community in South Africa
• $1 million in Mother's Day flower baskets for seniors
• I love hearing about celebrities who redirect their talents towards COVID-19 relief. Just wow :)
• Opera singing couple holds concerts in their driveway to bring their neighborhood together

This song was playing as I walked through the dining room the other day, and the line that says "I'll be patient one more month" made me smile. Life may be weird right now, but life is so much more than just right now. :)

This is a secular song about an earthly father contemplating his limits, and the kind of father he wants to be. But when I listen to it, somehow the focus on our human limits makes the reality of our heavenly father who numbers the hairs on our heads even sweeter.

Quite a Month

The view from where the Africa Mercy is quarantined. We are very fortunate. :)

I hope you all had a blessed (although different) Easter. I don't think I need to tell you that it's been quite a month for Mercy Ships--I think it's been "quite a month" for everybody, everywhere!

I wanted to provide an update from the Africa Mercy. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions!

The Ship's News

• During normal operations, the Africa Mercy relies on volunteers who arrive every week from all over the world in order to run the ship and the hospital at the highest, safest standards. As travel restrictions began to take effect to reduce the spread of the virus, the decision was made to suspend surgeries in Senegal, and the ship has been locked down since March 14.
• To reduce risk to the crew and the Senegalese health system, the decision was made to relocate the AFM to the Canary Islands, at least until the immediate crisis related to COVID-19 has passed.
• To be more specific, we are moored in the port of Granadilla, on the Island of Tenerife. Although this is a new port for the AFM, the ship has been to the Canaries many times for routine maintenance each year.
• As part of the national quarantine measures in Spain, we are not allowed to go on land.



A photo we took for a friend who was no longer on the ship

• There are currently 239 crew on board--down from over 400, plus 260 Senegalese Day Crew. We are all healthy and safe (and we can't complain about the view from our port). It still sounds like a lot of people, but the ship feels empty compared to normal.
• There are some very dear friends of Mercy Ships here in the Canary Islands named Thierry and Lydia. They take up many complicated and exceptional logistics questions on behalf of Mercy Ships, communicating with the government of Spain and the port and doing absolutely everything they can to make sure the crew of the AFM are taken care of. They are truly our Aquila and Priscilla.
• Mercy Ships is evaluating how the organization, given certain operational limitations, can be utilized to assist in the global COVID-19 response.

The ship arrived in Tenerife the morning of Tuesday, March 31st.

Financial Update

For AFM crew who are still on board, Mercy Ships has suspended monthly crew fees until August, which means my monthly expenses are lowered by about half at the moment.

Starboard side

If you are currently a monthly donor, I will be putting info on the Fundraising page of this blog, and I can send an email when there are updates, so be on the lookout for that. If you're not a monthly donor and want to stay in the loop in that way, let me know via email, WhatsApp, or social media and I will add you to that email list!

I know that for many people, finances are not as certain as they were a month ago, and perhaps there are a lot of questions about what to prioritize. At this time, I am grateful to share that I am financially "okay". If you need to make any adjustments to your monthly giving, you can contact Mercy Ships Donor Services during business hours (US Central time) and they can assist with that. For convenience, I've posted their contact info on the fundraising page.

Personal Update

Laurianna and I followed along to my friend's
yoga podcast. I can recommend it! You can find
the podcast by searching "Jessica Jeffcoat"
wherever you listen. We found it on Spotify.

Thank you for your continued, support, prayers, and encouragement! I'm doing well, and have enjoyed a long Easter weekend with the rest of the crew.

Work is keeping me occupied, but I am finding time for self-care. And although we cannot go on land, it sure is nice to look at! The photo at the top of the post is the view from the port side of the AFM. I've always loved watching wind farms. :)

Remember that time when we thought we had plans for April? HA. Originally, I was planning to take some time off this month to visit the US. From there, I was planning to return to the ship before travelling to Liberia in June with the Advance team to help prepare for the ship's arrival there in August. But as March progressed

• quarantine measures made travel impractical if not impossible.
• flights went from being great bargains to non-existent!



The ship hadn't seen rain since October!

• finally, the Dakar airport just closed. And that was that.

Now the only way to have plans is to hold them loosely, so that's where I am right now. Needless to say, the next five months will look very different than planned, and I'm sure you can relate. I am looking forward to seeing so many people the next time I visit the States. I'll just be a little late. ;)

Bonus factoid! 

In case you missed it, the Africa Mercy is not the same as the U.S.N.S. Mercy, which is a US Navy hospital ship operating in the port of Los Angeles. Just wanted to clear that up in case there was lingering confusion. Although I'm sure the crew of the Mercy could also use your prayers.

Truth for this time

When I think about the rapid changes of the past month, and our current period of waiting, I also think about how we have a God who created the universe and can do anything he wants. He chose to come to earth as a human for 33 years, then he died and went to hell and back in the span of three days--talk about rapid change! He did this so that we could be free forever.

Palm Sunday service on board

Even when we don’t experience freedom the way we’re used to, this weekend we got to celebrate our true freedom!

I've also been thinking, this is a period when most of us just don't get to rely on feeling "useful" in the way we're used to (unless, perhaps, you're working in an essential role, in which case, THANK YOU!).

As we go forward, how can we use this time differently than we did before? How can we use it to reflect God to those we're connected to, even if we don't see them in person?

Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)

May god strengthen and encourage you each day as you have need. And let's not miss an opportunity to reach out in encouragement to others. We all need it.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

Mid-March in Dakar, saying goodbye to departing crew on the dock.

Goodbyes are hard. :(

The pilot that steered the ship into Granadilla.

  

My friends knew I wanted to go snorkeling on my birthday, but we couldn't leave the ship, so they transformed one of the meeting rooms into an underwater scene! I was totally blown away--I felt so loved!

Just before sunrise on Easter morning.

Easter colors! We clean up alright ;)

In defense of moto drivers in winter coats...

Despite the fact that sub-70 temperatures are virtually unheard of in this part of the world, Senegal, like many of the countries in West Africa, enjoys its own version of "winter" called harmattan. If you've been following me for a while (which, first of all, wow, thank you!), you may remember it from a few posts I wrote in Benin as a season that lasts from November through at least February. During this time, it's not uncommon to spot motorcyclists donning winter-style coats to brave the early morning "chill", a slightly comical sight for anyone who's ever experienced their eye lashes turning into icicles.

For years, I could honestly say I had one single memory of feeling cold in West Africa. I was in Benin, swimming in the pool at Hotel du Port in Cotonou with my friend Elisabeth in December. As I climbed out of the water, a passing breeze raised goosebumps on my damp skin. The fact that I remember this five years later shows how profoundly unusual this experience really was!

However, in defense of moto drivers in winter coats, my experience of harmattan in Dakar has been different. When the sun is no longer overhead, the air cools down significantly, and I can be found at one of our favorite rooftop restaurants sitting quite comfortably in a sweater and a scarf! I do enjoy reverting ever-so-slightly back to my typical Minnesotan wardrobe :)

The view at night from one of our favorite restaurants is very pretty! (Despite my phone photography)

The hospital continues to operate while I sit in my office two decks up. January marked the beginning of the Ophthalmic surgery block. Patients who are blind from advanced cataracts in both eyes are led into a room on deck 3 where they are prepped for surgery. After a 20 minute procedure and a day with an eye patch, they get to see clearly again, and enjoy their regained independence! One of my favorite portraits in the hospital corridor is of an eye patient from Guinea named Babadi.

Although there is no physical difference, the transformation is evidenced on his face! The story I've heard is that his first words to his wife were, "You're even more beautiful that I remember!" Smart move, Babadi ;)

As a general rule in life, I think it's healthy to do one thing every day that scares me. Not only did it help me when I was getting used to life in Benin and the unexpected was a daily occurrence, but it is also a helpful encouragement to "do hard things" in my relationships and as I engage with people  who are different from me. This mentality often reminds me that sometimes success doesn’t come from turning out the perfect results—sometimes, victory just means trying something for the first time.

A bowl of thieboudienne (rice and fish)
I "helped" with when visiting a friend. I was so
excited that I forgot to get a "before" photo!

Directors of two of the companies in charge of processing our supply containers came to the ship last week for a courtesy visit to the hospital, and to share a meal. It turned out to be the most "shared" meal I think I've ever eaten! My coworker had arranged for one of our wonderful local Day Crew who works in the Galley to prepare delicious Senegalese meal--thiebou yapp, or rice and beef. It was then served in a traditional Senegalese way, by eating with our guests out of a shared bowl. 

When eating in this way, each person eats from the "section" of the bowl closest to them. In my experience, the rice is usually garnished with seasoned onions and other yummy boiled vegetables, and the host makes their guests feel welcome by rolling a piece of carrot or a choice chunk of meat into their section of the bowl. I had been the "guest" at one of these meals before, but this was my first experience as the host. My Senegalese bowl-mates were no doubt more experienced at it than me, but they still smiled and nodded encouragingly when I sheepishly asked them if I was doing it right! The Senegalese are nothing if not generous. ;)

Visiting a mosque with Ka (left, Day Crew), Andrea (center right, writer), and Mamifa (right, Day Crew).

Mosque of the Divinity is stunning, and I would always see it every time we drove somewhere up the west coast of Dakar. When I went with friends, a man who worked there was happy to tell us about how it was founded and built.

Ka, me, Aliou, Andrea, and Mamifa

Cow's grazing my Senegal's "Pink Lake". This photo doesn't do it justice--it was really pink that day!!