The pictures are of the crew and some of the people on the dock that was a part of the celebration.
Woo stinkin Hoo
Today at 0830 we arrived to Monrovia, Liberia. As we arrived they were setting up for a ceremony and we all stood out on the decks and waved to some Mercy Shippers and local Liberians. As I stood there I was quite overwhelmed for a moment. I started to think about what this country has gone through in the last decade and all the help that is needed for it to recover. I also pondered on the idea that I get to be a part of the solution. They need health care and more particularly they need surgeries. During the civil war, almost all of the Physicians left the country. Now there is a big white ship that offers some of the services they require. As I am standing on deck 7 pondering all of this my hair is frizzing up by the minute and rivers of sweat are running down my legs that are covered by a long skirt that is covering my knees (knees in Liberia are considered "rude bits" are never to be shown in public) and I recite my mantra "I will prevail" . I also know that I will be a part of bringing hope and healing to those of Liberia. Woo stinkin hoo!!!
The pictures are of the crew and some of the people on the dock that was a part of the celebration.
The pictures are of the crew and some of the people on the dock that was a part of the celebration.
Flip Flop-a-liscious
Woo hoo!!! We are not sailing anymore and can wear flip-flops again. My feet were so happy to be free again!!!!
Liberia, Cocaine, Piracy
[ edit Feb 5th - below is the Blue Atlantic captured with 2.5 tons of cocaine on board in barrells. It sits right across from us at our port (already emptied of its cargo and crew but now with guards on board, the cocaine was removed and disposed of already)...you see it here in this picture where our arrival ceremony set-up is in progress with the white chairs]
We are currently sailing far off the coast of Sierra Leone due for arrival in Monrovia Liberia Monday or was it Tuesday? Just in case we failed to mention that...
Things are still exciting in and off the coast of Monrovia Liberia such as the following news report: Liberia in record cocaine seizure
In other news, we had a combination *drill of fire, lifeboat, and pirate. Yes, Pirate! Piracy is still very real and present and it's not the funny 'laugh-out-loud' adventure from Disney. Here is a current link: Rise of modern-day pirates
Guess who already has Gurkhas onboard (for years now)? You only get one guess.
Yes, things are pretty exciting around here...
* During our drills we had a real-life man overboard (MOB) procedure and had to turn the ship around to check and see, everybody was mustered and accounted for BUT ANYTIME someone reports something of that nature and are not sure exactly what they see we treat it as very serious.
The above pic is the actual cocaine boat that Tyrone was talking about, it is parked next to our ship on the opposite side of the dock.
We are currently sailing far off the coast of Sierra Leone due for arrival in Monrovia Liberia Monday or was it Tuesday? Just in case we failed to mention that...
Things are still exciting in and off the coast of Monrovia Liberia such as the following news report: Liberia in record cocaine seizure
"Barrels containing about 2.5 tonnes of cocaine have been seized from a ship off the coast of Liberia." ~ BBC NEWS
In other news, we had a combination *drill of fire, lifeboat, and pirate. Yes, Pirate! Piracy is still very real and present and it's not the funny 'laugh-out-loud' adventure from Disney. Here is a current link: Rise of modern-day pirates
"Mr Singer, of Securewest International, says it is now commonplace for ships to take on security staff if their course crosses pirate territory - his own company provides teams of ex-servicemen, including former Gurkhas." ~ BBC NEWS
Guess who already has Gurkhas onboard (for years now)? You only get one guess.
Yes, things are pretty exciting around here...
* During our drills we had a real-life man overboard (MOB) procedure and had to turn the ship around to check and see, everybody was mustered and accounted for BUT ANYTIME someone reports something of that nature and are not sure exactly what they see we treat it as very serious.
The above pic is the actual cocaine boat that Tyrone was talking about, it is parked next to our ship on the opposite side of the dock.
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!
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!
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