My head is
spinning once again trying to take it all in and write something down that
might make sense. Hmmmm… I’m just shaking my head trying to work out how I
ended up sitting on a bed in a cabin the size of a postage stamp with 400
others (not in the same cabin) from 30 something different countries, sailing
on my way back to Liberia? Was that ever in my plan? I don’t think so!
Yesterday I was
treated to another dolphin show extraordinaire as a pod of them came alongside
the ship and played for a while, then as a special treat a school of whales
came by and as if to show off God’s incredible beauty, I saw 4, yes 4, shooting
stars a few moments before I lay my head down to be rocked to sleep. Today I
have seen flying fish and am bracing myself as I feel the air getting warmer
and the humidity rise. I have missed Africa
and can sense we’re getting nearer. It’s just too beautiful for words.
It has been so
good to have some downtime these last couple of months. Right up until the last
minute of being in Liberia Canary Islands
so the ship could go into dry dock. I really think it should be integrated into
every job in the world! We were still working but the gentle pace of the sail
calmed our spirits and renewed our energy. I was filled up to the brim with the
sights of vast expanses of twinkling blue sea, dolphins playing, clear night
skies pickled with stars and gentle breezes that got cooler the farther north
we came. Too beautiful for words.
It was good too
to spend time at home and catch up with friends. Though if I am honest, I find
it frustrating to pretend to connect with people in such a short time. There’s
just too many lovely people and quick hellos and goodbyes don’t really satisfy.
I’m hoping in the next year that I’ll be able to take a longer period of time
off and quench my longings to spend more time with you and just do life together.
I’m finding I’m in two minds when I come home as well. In one sense I am literally
repulsed at the utter greed of us who have so much (Christmas may be isn’t the
best time to come, I know). I find myself ‘needing’ to buy things that I don’t
even really need and as I do so, images of people who have nothing clash in my
brain and challenge my own greed. It repulses me. And then there’s a side that
really would quite like to have a place of my own and deck it out with nice
stuff and have cosy times. It’s not necessarily wrong I know and I have to
remind myself that the worlds are just so different you cannot compare. But
then there are times when need becomes more like greed and that is where I
struggle. Anyway, seeing friends and family was still great. Having cuddles
with my niece and nephews, cosy nights in, frosty walks, roast turkey, cox’s
apples, chocolate money, mulled wine, Christmas lights, hmmm, too beautiful for
words.
After the
whirlwind of home it was good to spend 2 weeks with Mum and Dad in Tenerife and for them to meet some of my ship family.
That was precious and has probably added to me missing them even more – but it
was worth it. My favourite time in Tenerife was meeting Mount Teide Spain and at
3718 metres it is by far higher than Ben Nevis
(1344m). I am of course not fit so the bit in the guide book that described
this walk for the ‘very fit’ as it is ‘highly strenuous’ and the, ‘high
potential for altitude sickness’ left me with some slight apprehension as we
set on our way. My muscles hardly complained but my lungs and heart wondered
what on earth was going on. Walking up and down the dock in Liberia
As I look to the
year ahead, I feel a mixture of excitement and apprehension. I have never
managed a team of 50 nurses and a ward of 70 beds before, nor did I have any
intention of ever doing so. It kind of crept up on me. But the lessons I learnt
on the mountain, though not new or deeply profound, were precious reminders of
how to tackle it.
- Take one step at a time – don’t look
up too often or you may be daunted!
- Surround yourself with good friends
to encourage and have fun with
- Take plenty of rest at regular
intervals
- Be prepared – get fit – spiritually,
emotionally, physically
- And as I came down the mountain, I
realised I didn’t even recognise some of the paths and even began to
wonder if we were on a different track. Some of them were just so long and
steep… did I really climb up this? It was then that God whispered to me
that sometimes He has to carry us because sometimes it is just too much on
our own. There’s paths He has to protect us from seeing in case we freak
out! And there are paths we just don’t have the strength to tackle on our
own. God’s amazing grace. I don’t know where I would be without it. Too beautiful
for words.
So that’s the
story for the last couple of months. It’s been a good one. I’m feeling happy
but slightly scared that the pressure of the next year might get the better of
me. I know it doesn’t need to and I know I don’t need to be fearful. So if you’re
the praying type, would you pray for JOY… I never want to lose the joy and just
being kinda silly. I wouldn’t feel like me if I lost that.
As we return to
one of the poorest countries in the world ( On the UN Human Development Index –
the UK is number 16, Sierra Leone number 177 and Liberia doesn’t even register),
I am excited that we can re-connect with friends there and show some love to
people who have been through so much and have so little. We have 10 months of
surgery ahead of us, meanwhile other teams will be re-building orphanages,
building schools and clinics, digging wells, giving some basic health
education, working together with local churches and anything else that comes
our way! I look forward to sharing some of the excitement and challenges ahead.
For now, I best
go. Thanks so much for all you mean to me. Keep in touch… with love and God
Bless, KWW
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