WOW!!! So much has happened since I last blogged that I do not know where to start. We finished our out reach in Yams farm and had to leave it to our local villagers to finish. Part of what we (MERCY SHIPS) do, is not just go into a community and build something for them, but teach, involve and inspire those in that community to build for themselves!!! Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, but teach him to fish....... So, sadly we had to leave Yams Farm and start our real jobs on board the Africa Mercy. Wow! Do I have a big job! We serve somewhere in the area of 4000 meals a week and more when the hospital is completely full. I am the Manager over the Food Services Department which includes Dining room, Galley, and special events. Not to mention sanitation, safety and staffing.(but, I just did)lol. I am so blessed that God has given me the knowledge and the ability to do this job and has provided the opportunity as well. I find so much joy in seeing people enjoy the food and service that my team provides and in knowing that I am in the right place that God has chosen for me. I have a wonderful staff of both volunteers and locals from the countries we are serving in and have to work hard to balance them out throughout the weeks. Challenging? YES! Life Fulfilling? ABSOLUTELY!! I am thanking the Lord daily and striving to improve with every minute on board. Well, this is all the time I have right now........so more to come SOON!

So here is the more I said was coming......

In the classroom we were able to share the world with the children......no really....the world. We brought a WORLD MAP and most of the children there had no idea that there was a world outside of yams farm. When asked what the blue areas were on the maps the common reply was "clouds?" Even the teachers of the school had a tough time recognizing the different countries and continents of the world. The schools are not only small and crowded but they are not equipped with the materials that we have taken for granted since childhood. There are several different schools in this area and we were able to visit and share the map with them. The children do have order and song in the schools, they wear uniforms much like the Catholic schools in the USA. We also visited a Muslim school and were very well received by the teachers and students. We had a large team so as the teachers taught the rest of us did manual labor.....digging, dipping water from the well, moving dirt, making blocks, and I had the chance to do the surveying and leveling of the floor for the school. We have formed a unique bond as a team and work well together. It is sooo hot working that you basically start sweating when you get in the "Poda Poda" or van to go the work site and stop sweating when you are ringing your dirty clothes out at the end of the day. The crew of men that are working with us are really cool guys and have known each other all there lives. They sing, dance, and play around like kids....it is so cool to watch how they love each other. We had the chance to take them to the beach and play soccer, swim, and eat with them. I have made some wonderful friends that I will never forget. So now that our time for field service in Yams farm has ended I miss those guys and pray for them and there families daily. Okay tune in next week when I will talk about going to African Church................

Okay, a little information about our project in Yam's Farm. We (Gateway Team) went to the little villiage to help in the construction of a school. In this community there were about 300 kids sqeezed into a room about the size of a 2 car garage. In this room there were 6 classes and all were being taught at the same time. From pre-schoolers up to jr. high level crammed together. This room also doubles as the church and the villiage taylor shop. The first day we arrived to work in the community we were able to witness the first cement for the foundation being poured. That in itself is a task.....no mixer, sand, rock or trowls. We used "head pans" to carry the cement after we hauled the sand and rock from the east side of the villiage and mixed it on the ground with shovels. "Head pans" are exactly what they sound like....pans that are carried ....well...on your head!! After the ceremonial first pan we quickly got to work moving dirt and making( yes I said Making) blocks and pouring the foundation. Part of the team were school teachers and started working with the kids and the teachers......what a blast!!!! Okay got to get to work.......more to come.........

YAMS FARM WHARF

OKAY I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY...........

THIS IS MY FIRST BLOG THAT I HAVE WRITTEN IN AFRICA AND THE FIRST CHANCE I HAVE HAD TO REALLY SIT AND RELAX SINCE I GOT HERE!!! I HAVE BEEN STAYING IN A PLACE CALLED JEWWEY ROAD AND WORKING BUILDING A SCHOOL IN A SMALL AFRICAN COMMUNITY CALLED YAMS FARM WHARF. THE FIRST DAY WE ARRIVED THERE, WE WERE MOBBED BY HUNDREDS OF KIDS SCREAMING "ELLO, ELLO, OPOTU" WHICH MEANS " HELLO, HELLO, WHITE MAN." WE ALL FELT LIKE ROCK STARS, IT WAS OVERWHELMING. THE POVERTY IS UNREAL HERE. THESE PEOPLE LIVE ON A DOLLAR OR LESS A DAY. THEY LIVE IN LITTLE SAND BLOCK DIRT FLOOR SHACKS WITH TIN ROOFS, NO POWER AND LITTLE OR NOW FURNITURE. THEY COOK CASSAVA ROOTS AND LEAVES WITH PEPPERS AND RICE. PROTEINS CONSIST OF FISH AND CHICKEN AND PEANUTS. THERE IS NO RUNNING WATER OR ELECTRICITY. THE SCHOOL HOUSE IS THE ONLY REAL STRUCTURE IN THE COMMUNITY, IT IS ONE ROOM WITH A DIRT FLOOR AND ABOUT THREE HUNDRED CHILDREN OF ALL AGES. WE ARE HERE TO BUILD SIX MORE CLASSROOMS SO THESE KIDS CAN FIT AND HAVE SPACE TO BETTER THERE EDUCATION. WE BROUGHT A MAP OF THE WORLD AND ALL OF THE CHILDREN HAD NEVER SEEN ONE!! THEY NEVER KNEW THERE WAS ANYTHING OUT THERE OTHER THAN FREETOWN. EVEN THE TEACHERS WERE FINDING IT HARD TO LOCATE OTHER COUNTRIES........WOW!!! I HAVE SEEN SO MANY THINGS SINCE COMING TO AFRICA THAT HAVE BLOWN MY MIND IT IS HARD TO FIT IT ALL IN THIS BLOG. WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD BUILDING THE SCHOOL, TEACHING THE CHILDREN, AND INTERACTING WITH THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY..................................MORE TO COME.

BASIC SAFETY TRAINING

A LIFE SEEN THROUGH A NEW PERSPECTIVE

AS A PERSON MAKING A LIFE EFFECTIVE

LONG TERM, SHORT TERM, ITS A DECISION

HALF OF GOD'S WORK CAME FROM MEN IN PRISON

CALLED TO BE AN AMBASSADOR OF CHRIST

ACTIONS REFLECTING THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

CULTURE SHOCK, LESS, IF YOU'RE PREPARED

LOVE AND ASSISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO CARED

IT'S HARD TO TELL THIS IN A 30 SECOND STORY

THIS WORK WE ARE DOING SPREADING GOD'S GLORY

NOT HERE TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR PEOPLE

IN GOD'S EYES WE ARE ALL CREATED EQUAL

GAINING UNDERSTANDING OF LONG-TERM GOALS

OUR PARTNERS EFFORTS TO HEAL AND SAVE SOULS

REPENTING IN THE WAY THAT WE THINK

DISTORTED WORLD VIEWS WILL MAKE A SHIP SINK

UNDERSTAND THAT GROWTH COMES FROM TEACHING OTHERS

GOD GIVEN GIFTS PASSED ON TO OUR BROTHERS

THE GREATEST EFFECT ON A DEVELOPMENT CURVE

IS LEARNING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE

SO PRAY DAILY FOR A LIFE WITH A PURPOSE

ONE THAT'S NOT CONTROLLED BY THE POLITICAL CIRCUS

A SHIP THAT IS FILLED WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION

A CALLING FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST FASHION

WONDERFUL LIFE

THIS WONDERFUL WORLD I HAVE FOUND IN YOU

SHOWING ME THINGS THAT I SHOULD DO

NOT JUST THE THINGS THAT I SEE

BUT THE MARVELOUS LIGHT I RECEIVE FROM THEE

MAKING MY WAY THROUGH TIME AND SPACE

IN YOUR ARMS I'VE FOUND MUCH GRACE

BRINGING ME OUT OF THE MUCK AND MIRE

YOUR HOLY SPIRIT IS WHAT I DESIRE

I DON'T KNOW WHERE I HAVE PUT MY PAST

ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE FUTURE COMES FAST

ALL THE PATHS THAT I COULD TAKE

YOUR HOLY LOVE MAKES MY EARTH SHAKE

FOUR HOURS ALONE WITH MYSELF

THE CARES OF THE WORLD PUT ON THE SHELF

MY MIND RACES TO FIND THE FACTS

WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE SLIPS THROUGH THE CRACKS

REVEALING A SOUL THAT'S FRESH AND NEW

BUILT ON BEAUTIFUL LOVE FOR YOU

I CAN'T EXPLAIN THIS NEW FOUND PEACE

UNENDING LOVE THAT WILL NOT CEASE

ALL MY LIFE I HAVE BEEN EVIL BOUND

NOT LOOKING OR SEARCHING FOR WHAT I HAVE FOUND

NOT STRIVING TOWARDS A HEART THAT IS PURE

A PLACE TO GO I KNOW IS SECURE

AS YOUR LOVE HAS SOFTENED MY HEART

IT HAS GIVEN ME A PLACE TO START

A PLACE TO LAY MY BURDEN DOWN

WITHOUT A WORRY WITHOUT A FROWN

A TOWER TALL, A TOWER STRONG

BUILT ON TRUST AND SUFFERING LONG

WHERE I AM NOT LOOKING FOR THE BAD

BUT MORE TO SEE THE BLESSINGS I'VE HAD

A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE IF YOU WILL

WITHOUT A PIPE, A DRINK ,OR A PILL

A PURPOSE PURE AND ARRANGED

A FATHER WHOSE LOVE HAS NEVER CHANGED

A GLORIOUS GOD WHO MAKES THINGS NEW

WHO OFFERS THE SAME FOR ME AND FOR YOU

HIS BLOOD FROM THE CROSS POURS OUT OVER US

WITH HONOR, GLORY, WITH LOVE AND TRUST

JESUS CHRIST WITH OUT-STRETCHED HANDS

I FALL TO MY KNEES AND FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS

FIRST WEEK IS OVER

Wow! What a great day today!!! I am learning so much about my self and everything that God is doing in my life. Funny, a man can live for so long without realizing that nothing I have is truly mine. The Lord has had his hand on me for a long time just waiting for me to make the decision to listen to him. This has been a hard week for me because of Caleb's situation and my new found desire to be a mentor to my son. I know that God has control and I have nothing to fear when I give that control back to God. I have learned in this past year that when I humble myself and let God do what he does best that things turn out in his will. Those plans to prosper me, not to harm me to give me hope and a future are real!!!

Today was the end of my first week of training and tomorrow I go on a silent retreat. I am going to take a word fast and get close to God. All these questions left unanswered for years are starting to come to the surface.....THANK YOU LORD!!! Well, thank you to those who are following my blog and I look forward to letting you in on my journey. GOD BLESS!

EAST TEXAS TRAINING

Good morning! Another day in East Texas! Yeeee Haw www!!! Today we are hearing about KINGDOM PRINCIPALS with a 3 hour lecture and lots of class participation. Sounds like fun. I will let you guys know how it goes....................

IN CLASS

Today has been a great day! I have been learning a lot about my new crewmates and the calling that God has had on us all. I now know that I know that I know!!!! It feels soooo good to know my purpose and feel sure that i am walking in God's grace. I am finally listening to that still, small voice in my head and believing what it is saying to me. THANK YOU LORD!!!!!! I want to thank those of you who are supporting me and extend an invitation to others to "come on board" with me as a crewmate!Pray that the Lord guide and provide for me in this endeavor. Well, got to get back to class !!!! GOD BLESS

NEW BLOG!!!!!

HELLO EVERYBODY AND GOD BLESS!!!!