Catching up...

Well Stephanie has really got the hang of this blog thing, as you can tell.

Since I have started the other blog http://AFMmenu.com for the food service part of the ship I have gotten some good feedback, comments, & suggestions.  They feel the quality of the food has gotten better since I have arrived, but this is not to pat myself on the back.

Most of the people I have working in the Galley right now are willing to change the way they have been taught or how they think to embrace new 'tricks' or 'sciences' of food that I have learned along the way.  And the creativity they already have comes thru pretty well in some of the preparation styles and cooking they have done lately.  I usually get the credit for it, but if I hear it verbally from the crew I reassure them someone else has done the 'good job' and to make sure they repeat the compliment and encouragement directly to that cooking team.  The results of well placed compliments and encouragement will sometimes launch a person(s) into that 'extra mile' within the food they cook and their service within our department.

What I have realized a long time ago from watching it over and over again is that you need to pass on what you know, quit being stingy, quit trying to keep everything to yourself thinking that if you always control everything and do it yourself they will never be able to live or work without you...because life is just not that way.  You want to have good food all the time even when you are not cooking?  You need to teach them what you know and encourage them to go beyond that.  Give them the recipes or instruction they ask for and let them do it, let go...allow for mistakes.  It produces courage and commitment to do or be better next time.

Jesus always talked about discipling, teaching, spreading good news...why does that not run over into other aspects of our lives?

Do we become afraid someone else is going to take our place, that we will be replaced?  Yes.  Because eventually that will always happen.  But that should allow us to grow and progress.  Food is what I know.  I am not the final authority.  And if I want to bless everyone and not be selfish I need to be able to teach what I know, share it, make everyone else as good or better than me...why?  Why not?  To not do it the reasons could only be selfish.  ------

I have been settling in as much as I can and our numbers will jump again significantly in the following weeks.  For me it has been nice because I know my role, responsibilities, my job.  Stephanie has been working at other jobs before her more permanent one 'kicks in' on outreach.  We have both been feeling the effects of living in community again but right now the emotional strain does not leave me as exhausted as it used to...either from getting older or maybe more mature (but thats questionable) I don't let it use me up like it sometimes can...But we will see how this theory holds up under 10 months of continuous outreach and community living. 

As for Stephanie?  Well read it for yourself, she blogs more than me nowadays!

Bliss

One of my favorite things is the ocean. I love to surf in the ocean, watch sunsets over the ocean, and even smell the ocean. But to me true bliss is sailing out in the middle of the ocean with the breeze in my hair, with my sunnies on, listening to Jack Johnson and knowing that I am exactly where God wants me. I love that I can also experience these things with other people who value them like I do. Today I spent some time with my friend Sarah. We have so much in common and I feel like I have known her for much longer than I actually have. I know that it is a common experience within Mercy Ships but I am always blessed when it does. So now I am a bit pink on my left side (because I was turned towards Sarah) and loving it.

Response #4

Tuna Fish...Yes!

Tuna Fish is on the way...and no, I don't have a problem serving it plain WITHOUT mayonnaise.  Actually that would be easier and mayo is already supplied at the side 'condiment' tables in the dining room.

But, I can not guarantee that somebody from salads will not do it...because I want them to have some creative freedom to produce salads (and sometimes that will include mayo).

I think it will arrive at least by late March, maybe earlier.  Depends on containers.

10 years in the making

In 1998 I felt called to join the Africa Mercy as a nurse in Africa (which they had just bought and hadn't even started renovating). Little did I know this dream would be realized 10 years later. In those 10 years I went to nursing school, worked at many hospitals in many different specialties, worked on the Caribbean Mercy, got married, and moved many, many times. So here I am, on board the Africa Mercy, out in the middle of the ocean, on our way to Liberia. In some ways I feel so prepared for the next 10 months, but mostly I know that I will need to depend on God more than ever. I will see things and experience things that I never have before. The nurses that have been here for the last outreach talk about how the nursing care is so basic, but the emotional stress is very complex and strenuous. So please pray for our crew, we will need it.

To Clarify...

My original Current State of Equipment post (the very first one) has caused some questions about how the equipment is running...the equipment in the kitchen is running fine except for oven number 3 seems to have a mind of its own and is real loud (But I posted 2 days later to also say the 3rd oven had been fixed on the 21st of January)...Peter (my boss) told me that the right side braising pan did not work (when I first came) but there was a work order in for it, BUT apparently it was fixed some time back and Peter was not aware of it, so neither was I.

 

These posts are just made as general knowledge and to let the crew know where we stand when we are trying hard to put out quality meals that everyone enjoys, or at least most people enjoy. hahaha!

 

And I have enjoyed Glen L. checking up with us several times to make sure things are running right.  Thanks to Glen we can steam the vegetables again! (that post was on the 29th, the part came in!)  Kevin was fixing the tilt feature on braising pan number 1 when I first started working.

 

Arthur, Kevin, Glen have all been great and have a lot more to do on the ship than serve the galley...but make sure and appreciate them as they have been a great service to us in Food Service! 

Deja Vu Dinner? (this Sunday night)

What is that you may ask?  Its when after a few days you come to Dinner/Supper thinking, 'where have I seen this food recently?' then it hits you like Deja Vu...Oh!  Thats what our dinners have been the last couple of days!  (leftovers, repeats, play-it-again...whatever you call them at home)

Flip Flops... They flip and they flop

Today we had our presale briefing and our captain was giving us the rundown on the rules for sailing. My favorite thing the captain said was about proper footwear during the sail, "Flip flops, they are nothing, they flip and they flop". He has the dryest humor ever and is practically hilarious without even knowing it.

Today was our last day to get off the ship and go into town before we sail to Liberia. SO I went out twice. First I went out with some friends and went shopping and ate a bunch of last minutes snacks that will soon be unavailable. Then I came back to the ship, cleaned up a bit, and went out with some other girls for Mojitos and Sushi. Both were fantastic. When we were leaving the restaurant I heard a bunch of people yelling and realized it was a group of guys from Mercy Ships, one of which was my husband. Tyrone wasn't yelling though, he was busy ducking in his chair. I suppose he didn't want me to suggest he come home early, not that he would have anyway.

CSE

Thanks to Glen for fixing the steam option on #2 oven, he was just waiting on the part to come in!

The Q

Some have expressed problems with the questions, comments, suggestions entry form so I have simplified it even more, you can find it right on the side-bar on the left hand side.

Thanks for letting me know!

Zoo? Brazilians? Black Sand?

Well now I have some pictures up that I can give you a link to and they connect to the following posts in the past:

In this post Stephanie talks about a zoo that is called Loro Parque which I now have extensive pictures on...this trip was given to Mercy Ships crew for a very good discount, we even had a chartered coach bus for transportation there and back, it was in Porto De La Cruz. Which you will also see the birds that flew around during a show that Stephanie was squawking about.  There are many pictures of Mercy Ships crew at the park as well.  People we see and work with everyday on the ship.

The picture album includes spending the day with our 'just returning with new baby' Brazilian friends (originally met on the Caribbean Mercy) Rodrigo, Tatyana, and Estevam (here is an earlier post that alludes to their return). We rode around with them while they purchased items for family living on board. Things like 1400 diapers to last for the year while trying to evaluate the growth of the baby in order to get the right size diapers for the right period of time.

We also stopped by a nice beach...here the sand is black from the volcanoes. Its natural to them, but kind of weird for us.

TENERIFE PICTURES

Tragedy in Santa Cruz Port

Instead of rewriting someone else's work or news, here is a brief post on another blog from the Peet's who are on board the ship also...their link is also on the right hand side of this blog.

This tragedy occurred not to far from the ship.  

Menu Update

Posted for upcoming week end of January to Beginning of February. (on Menu Page)

Land sick no more.

This morning I went up on the sea wall (in the designated area). I brought my ipod and my desire to spend some time with my Jesus. It was more than fantastic. I sat up on the wall with my capris hiked up and enjoyed the sun penetrating into my skin. All I could see was the sun and the waves, the sight was purely majestic. When we lived in Texas I hated that we were so far from the ocean, now each day I wake up to the ocean noises and beauty.