Monday, January 5, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
My Favorite Liberian Names
My favorite Liberian names
Godgive
Playboy
Surprise
Darling Boy
Blessing
Present
Hardtime
Lucky Boy
Gurl
Lovetee
TeeGurl
Babygirl
Baby
Sunday (boy)
Favorite phrases heard on the ward
"Mama, it is not good for baby to eat the shoe."
"Larry, Do not eat the contaminated waste."
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Sometimes its confusing
I noticed after a nice email from my friend Beth back home that the author of the post was not showing up in our updates...so I corrected that!
Stephanie was/is the one that is sick right now (a lot of sleep and antibiotics seem to be the cure...).
Even though the outreach is over, we still have to pack up and prepare to sail. Then the sail will last another week before we arrive in Tenerife.
Stephanie and I will continue to work on board (because as you can imagine no one ever stops eating!) and we actually don't return to the 'states' till the beginning of February. So 'everything' is not quite 'over' yet.
We saw a significant decline in financial support over the summer. I know some of our financial supporters are probably going through a tough time - the economy, layoffs, personal, and/or financial problems.
In light of that, our plans are to return home in February, look at locations and job opportunities, then decide what to do next...and then hopefully be able to work full-time (save and raise money) and do mission/volunteer work short-term each year.
The transitions we will be making are:
Whew! There's a lot to completing a mission and also going home to start the next 'adventure'. I would not suggest it to people who are prone to have anxiety attacks!
Sincerely,
Tyrone
PS. I have some pictures and updates of the money raised for the Liberia Fund and also my own tales of work and friends made...I know I have been slack of my writing duties lately, I'll try to catch up on the sail.
Stephanie was/is the one that is sick right now (a lot of sleep and antibiotics seem to be the cure...).
Even though the outreach is over, we still have to pack up and prepare to sail. Then the sail will last another week before we arrive in Tenerife.
Stephanie and I will continue to work on board (because as you can imagine no one ever stops eating!) and we actually don't return to the 'states' till the beginning of February. So 'everything' is not quite 'over' yet.
We saw a significant decline in financial support over the summer. I know some of our financial supporters are probably going through a tough time - the economy, layoffs, personal, and/or financial problems.
In light of that, our plans are to return home in February, look at locations and job opportunities, then decide what to do next...and then hopefully be able to work full-time (save and raise money) and do mission/volunteer work short-term each year.
The transitions we will be making are:
- The end of outreach is always hard, packing up, saying goodbye...
- After outreach is a time for rest (physically, mentally, spiritually) it takes time to comprehend all that you have experienced in a year in an environment like this.
- Life goes on, and we must keep the ship afloat while we still look to ahead - cleaning, packing, sailing - and those are work things, then its the personal version of cleaning, packing, traveling...
- Saying goodbye again when we actually leave the ship and all the friends we have here on board.
- Going home, visiting friends, family, and supporters (which includes some more travel)
- Adjusting to being gone a year...and the changes back 'home' we have missed.
- Getting back into society and going back to work...
Whew! There's a lot to completing a mission and also going home to start the next 'adventure'. I would not suggest it to people who are prone to have anxiety attacks!
Sincerely,
Tyrone
PS. I have some pictures and updates of the money raised for the Liberia Fund and also my own tales of work and friends made...I know I have been slack of my writing duties lately, I'll try to catch up on the sail.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
All I need
Wounded. That is how I feel. I am sick and I am tired. We went a way this weekend because the whole ship had a black out yesterday so we stayed at a beach and it was really nice to be off the ship. The moist, salty air felt good to my wounded lungs.
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
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
Friday, December 5, 2008
It is over
The last 2 weeks have been a fog. I am exhausted, 10 months of an all-out sprint just feels too long... but the joy in my heart says it was worth it.
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 every word.
We have sung
It is raining all around me,
I can feel it,
It's 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 makeshift 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.
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 every word.
We have sung
It is raining all around me,
I can feel it,
It's 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 makeshift 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.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
25 Reasons I would never own a restaurant
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 weeks ago?) I emailed a friend (thanks for the info Bobby M. !) about zoning issues and building. (Bobby's one of those architectural type genius's) But before I get too far off the subject here is Naill Harbison's post that I can wholeheartedly agree with AND this may explain a few things to those people who think us Chefs should always 'open our own place' - sometimes it's better as a dream in our head, than a reality:
Posted by Niall Harbison
Being a chef and having worked for some pretty famous people one of the first things I am always asked when I meet people is why would you not open a restaurant? I have even been made offers by people willing to put up the money to open here in Dublin and although usually politely declined here are the real reasons why I wouldn’t open a restaurant……..
1. Having worked for Paul Allen I have seen how wealthy technology can make you. I have never seen a restaurateur with a boat like this……
2. We are entering into a massive recession and there are far better restaurateurs out there than me who will fail.
3. Over a third of restaurants close within the first year of business
4. I don’t want to my busy time of work to be Friday and Saturday evenings when my friends are all out having fun.
5. Having a Monday and Tuesday as days off is not that appealing either!
6. I don’t want to spend years of my life working in an aggressive and stressful environment.
7. I don’t want to spend my life in fear of getting slaughtered in a restaurant review
8. I don’t want to work in a business where staff turnover is so high.
9. I don’t want to spend 70% of my time in a place that has no natural light.
10. I don’t want to worry constantly if I am going to go out of business just because business has been slow for 1 week.
11. The customer is not always right when it comes to food and I don’t want to have to pretend they are just to keep people happy.
12. I don’t want to smell like fat all the time.
13. I would rather not injure myself using sharp knife/hot oil/ovens etc
14. If I invested the couple of hundred thousand needed in AAPL and GOOG stocks instead I would be considerably richer in 3 years time.
15. I love what I do at the moment too much to sacrifice that for anything.
16. There are a lot of chancers working in the restaurant business.
17. I don’t want to stand on my feet for 18 hours a day.
18. All of friends would be expecting freebies when they came in. It is very hard to say no to friends but this kills a lot of restaurants.
19. I would drink too much of the amazing wines we would have in the cellars
20. Unless I sold cookbooks and had a few restaurants (thus losing quality) I would not be very wealthy in 20 years time.
21. I don’t want to spend 80 hours a week behind a stove.
22. Cooking can become a chore instead of being something that you love doing when it is mass produced.
23. I don’t want to have to wear a hat for 70% of my life.
24. Being in a large freezer first thing in the morning is one of the most horrible experiences in life and one I don’t want to repeat until I am dead.
25. I would end up washing dishes/cleaning toilets/scrubbing floors when somebody phones in sick at the last moment!
Yep, that about says it! (and sums it up quite nicely) ~
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Coffee Night
Last Friday night our Queens lounge was transformed into a Coffee House. My dear friend Selina and I did the baking and Karoline did the ambiance and that room was transformed. It was so nice to hang out with the other ward nurses in a relaxed environment and enjoy some coffee and yummy snacks. The lights were dim we had candles (battery powered of course) and there are new wall-mounted fans that kept the room cool enough to enjoy our hot coffee. The night was a success, yay ward nurse activities team.
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