We're off again!

It seems like just yesterday we were surrounded by unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar place, now I feel like I am surrounded by family.  At the end, it always feels like the time flew by and that is true here.  We have completed the classroom phase of our On Boarding training and are heading off this morning to Haiti for a 2 week field practicum.


This will be the last part of our training where we will get to apply what we have learned in the classroom.  We will be working with Nehemiah Vision Ministries in Chambrun, Haiti, located 15 km north of Port Au Prince.  They help children, families, and their communities meet the basic needs of life.  They also believe in providing them with an opportunity to live in an environment where they can be trained and equipped to contribute to their own personal development and eventually to the rebuilding of Haiti.  Please pray specifically that we would have a safe trip and that we would truly let the light of Christ shine through us.

http://www.nehemiahvisionministries.org

We will most likely not have any contact while we are in Haiti, which is why I am posting this now and I will try to post as soon as we get back.  We will return from Haiti on July 30th and Jess and I will be turning right around and heading to Las Palmas on Aug 1st to meet up with the ship.

The rest of this post will be a recap of the remainder of our time here in East Texas.


We were extremely blessed to be visited our parents this past weekend.

My dad and I even got matching Mercy Ships shirts!

In the end, it was hard to see them go, but we have truly been blessed by all of the love and support we have received from them.

THE IOC (International Operation Center)

I am still amazed by how beautiful East Texas is.  The campus here is filled with trees, rolling hills, and even a working farm where they raise cattle to sell and also sell eggs.

Our group was so big that they had to split us up into two dormitories.  Normally we would all be in the family dorm but Jess and I have been living in the "Bosun" dorm, which I have named "The Cottage In The Woods"  There are 13 of us in the lower level of this dorm, which sounds tight but has been very manageable.  Jess and I have were extremely blessed to have our own room with our own bathroom!

The campus even has a small hotel and cafe that is open to the public.

Our parents stayed here while visiting us, it was great to have them within walking distance of our dorm!

This is the "Oasis" our dining room where we would eat lunch and dinner.

A wonderful, quiet screened in porch off the back of the oasis, that I found to sit and read in the mornings.

The view is amazing!

During our last full week here Jess was in BST(basic safety training), so I was helping out in the warehouse with two of my colleagues.

One of the many pallets that we packed full of medical supplies and other necessities that is being sent to a women's clinic in Sierra Leone.

Administration building.

The Wheelhouse Classroom where BST is taught.

Most of our classes were held in the International Lounge.

We are sitting at the airport waiting to board our plane so I will bring this to an end, and hopefully post as soon as we return in two weeks.

My Kind of Church

Cowboy Church!  A Texas must see!

I am in love with the cowboy church. We attended Wood County Cowboy Church twice now and will be returning this Sunday.

The people have been incredibly warm and welcoming, including the pastor.  The pastor's speaking style is reminiscent of the pastor from our home church.  He has great passion for the Word of God.   And the Worship Team - hallelujah!!  It was like George Straight singing right to me...

We finished off the Gateway classes, which included some great interactive activities.  In addition, our kids on boarding program also finished up.  There are eight kids who will be new to the ship, and they have been learning about life onboard and the country of Benin, our outreach destination.  Below, you can see the Africa Mercy pictured along with self-made pin-up dolls with which they have used to explore the ship.

Last week, for the fourth of July, we celebrated by watching fireworks.  I have not done this in many years for two reasons.  First, the shows that I had been to in the last decade have been somewhat disappointing.  The shows did not last long nor were the fireworks as brilliant or numerous as when I was a child.  Second, the fireworks' magnificence was greatly dimmed by the incredible distance from which one was supposed to watch.  However, Fatherheart, an organization that assists single pregnant women, put on an amazing show.  And the fireworks were so close.

This week, I participated in the Basic Safety Training, which Joe completed during week one.  My training was abbreviated, and we did not complete the practicum aspects of fire safety and personal (water) safety which means I am not maritime certified.  However, I did still practice the ring toss.  I even tried on the immersion suit, which is the tele-tubby looking outfit.

We have a final project due on Tuesday.  I do not want to ruin the surprise, but I will post pictures afterwards.  Joe and I have wrenched every possible creative drop from our blood to produce our final product.  The project is supposed to convey something we learned during our four weeks in class.  And then, next Wednesday, we leave for Haiti.  We will be there for two weeks, working with Nehemiah Vision Ministries.  We will not be posting to the blog at that time as the internet band-width is limited.  We will send an update Tuesday, before we leave, and will post again upon our return.