Mercy Shippers

Mercy Shippers are an unique breed. Our time on the ship shapes who we are by the end. We change in so many ways. When we leave the ship, its hard to explain life to people that have never experienced it. Don't get me wrong, I imagine we can talk anyone's ear off about our experiences. However,  we make it a point to reunite with other Mercy Shippers because we connect in different way than any other friendships. We live life 24 hours, 7 days a week together. We share memories and pick up habits that are unique to those have been on the Africa Mercy. I came up with the list below when I was home stateside hanging out with some of my friends from Mercy Ships. Hope this bring a laugh to those Mercy Shippers that know what I'm talking about! Thanks for the memories everyone! 

• Playing the word "Milch" in scrabble and shuddering thinking about the taste of shelf-life milk. 
• Magnets replace nails in hanging wall decoration.
• Common meal conversations include your GI tract or what noises your toilet is making. 
• We leave messages on sticky tack instead of voicemail.
• Looking for hand sanitizer as you walk into a dining room. Did you also know there was a "hand sanitizer" dance move created by the AFM youth?
• When meeting new people you ask- their name, where they are from, what they do and how long are they here for?
• You use starboard and port when giving directions, even if you're on land. 
• Its too quiet if there no "humming" generator background sound. When the air-conditioner shuts off, you know a blackout will soon follow. 
• You are hungry at 5pm for dinner. 
• In a house- there are cabins and decks not bedrooms or floors. 
• You're the only one dancing or clapping your hands at church. 
• People think you have an European accent because you use holiday, rubbish, cupboard, and lovely in conversation. 
• There is more than one name for a surgical instrument. You learn them all. 
• Starbucks is out of your price range and Walmart is a bit overwhelming. 
• Your work commute is long if its involves more than one staircase.
• Flip flops all-year long footwear. 
• You learn different eating habits: using silverware for finger foods (or vice versa), teaching what peanut butter is good on like apples, and grilled cheese sandwiches are always an option for a meal. Cinnamon toast and tea are often dessert. 
• A torch could be a stick with fire, or just a flashlight.  
• When you watch TV, you usually watch more than one episode at a time. 
• Sayings like "happy as a clam" may not translate well. 
• You have a lot of four digit phone numbers memorized. 
• You're friends are also your dental hygienist, physical therapist, and electrician- and possibly your neighbor. 
• You are aware that there are more holidays to celebrate than you can imagine. 
• Pirate gear is a must, even if you really don't live on a pirate ship, but a hospital one. 
• Two minutes is more than enough for a shower. 
• Everyone is on the same pay grade. 
• You feel weird without a badge on. 
• It takes you longer to get to the kitchen and laundry room than your workplace.
• You can bet on hearing worship, prayer, music, and have amazing conversations at any time of the day. 
• Most of all, you get to know hundreds of amazing people. Its more than a job here, we're family. 

Timing

As I got off the plane in Sierra Leone, I finally felt the humid heat I had missed for so long. There was a gentle breeze coming off the ocean. It felt good to be back. I had traveled 30+ hours in the same clothes including sandals- I got crazy looks from fellow Thanksgiving travelers in D.C. and Brussels. It was the first time in Africa for a passenger I met on the plane, I told him "welcome to chaos" as we enter the airport custom area. No lines, just a huge mob of people trying to get places. I waited patiently until I finally could show my passport and all it took was to say "Merse sheep" and I smiled as they waived me through to the only luggage carousel in Lungi airport. I was greeted by one of the security men and the only response I had to "How d'body?" was "Tell Papa God tenki!" He helped me load my heavy bags since my arm was still in a splint. It felt good to see a familiar face in the crowds outside the airport. Bridget and her husband, Pastor Mark, have been helping crew come and go throughout the year. I also know Bridget because she was one of my last patients the week I left in September. It was so good to see her smile and know she is better since her surgery. I took a taxi, a ferry, and a landrover- that was about 3 hours of waiting to get home to the ship. With all that time to hurry up and wait, I had time to reflect at my time stateside. As we slowly crept through the streets in Freetown- it started become familiar to me again. People, young and old, were still out late at night... men with baby strollers pushing coolers of drinks around, women sitting next to their lanterns selling the catch of the day, children carrying baskets of plantains and water on top of their heads. The streets like Sani Abacha and Kissy Road were packed with taxis and poda podas carrying people to and fro. I was getting anxious to get to the ship when we were on Fourah Bay when a poda poda came very close to hitting us. I am still a little squeamish when it comes to near miss car accidents since mine, but this time I couldn't close my eyes. It is common to see phrases painted on the front pertaining to God on these buses and this one I saw clearly.. "God's Timing is the BEST." Simply put, but the most important lesson I needed to learn that night and for the past year. Despite illness, the setbacks, canceled flights, missed days on the ship, discouragement, and I can go on... I saw God's hand at work through it all. Really in all that and God was working? Yes, He was. God's plan was for me to be stateside for 76 days. I might not know the BIG picture yet, but He does, and I can rest that His timing is the best. 

I Will Go

I Will Go by Starfield... another song that reaches deep into my heart. 


To the desperate eyes and reaching hands
To the suffering and the lean
To the ones the world has cast aside
Where you want me I will be

I will go, I will go
I will go, Lord send me
To the world, To the lost
To the poor and hungry
Take everything I am
I'm clay within your hands
I will go, I will go, send me

Let me not be blind with privilege
Give me eyes to see the pain
Let the blessing You've poured out on me
Not be spent on me in vain
Let this life be used for change

I wanna live for you
Go where you lead me
I wanna follow you
Send me!

plans

I apologize for the month in a half absence from my blog. Today, my plans failed again. The planes took off without me bounded for Sierra Leone and I am still here in Texas. I am more sad, scared, and questioning God today than two months ago when I had to buy tickets stateside. I arrived home to have gallbladder surgery and everything went well. I was on the road to recovery, resting, and visiting friends and family. While in Tyler at the end of September, I was in a car accident leaving me with a three fractures in my right arm. That is when I posted the song below on my blog. With the pain and a long cast on, I could not use my right arm and was prevented from going back to Africa until the doctor ordered my release. That came just a few weeks ago and I bought tickets immediately for today. I said my goodbyes to friends and ate all my favorite foods this past week. My packing day was scheduled for Friday so I could spend the weekend with my parents. However, my dad is now in the hospital about to have heart surgery tomorrow. Please pray for him and my family. I am here for to be here for my parents. Right now, my plans are on hold... for Africa, for the future. This breaks my heart more than anything. I have to give my plans to God. I had hoped to update my blog with news with my return to Sierra Leone, but this is not the case. What can I say to make sense of it all? I rest in God's unfailing love and promises that I will never walk alone. The passages belows have been comfort to me as some days it has felt I am alone and others I see His hand moving me along His will.


"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” 
Esther 4:13-15

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:3-8

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 10:28-29

Theme Song of my life

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

Blessings, Laura Story