The Bridge - Especially for Grandaddy!

The kids got to visit the bridge back in August during our sail from Tenerife to Guinea....they got to go again this past Wednesday with their Flat Stanleys and Flat Stellas.  There have been field trips galore around here!! Did we mention that they got to go to the US Embassy - aka "Candyland" - week before last?  We never got the full story out of them...but they had fun in the Landrovers and each brought home a bag of candy (which I can honestly say I haven't eaten a SINGLE piece of)(I had plenty of candy of my own from the 2 packages that we received...)

Here are a few pictures (most were taken by Caroline) and the kids' reports from their field trip to the Bridge: 

Grades 1-3

 Caroline's Report:  "There were lots of buttons.  There’s a window in the floor. You can look through it and see how close you are to the dock.  There are phones & computers you can use if there’s an emergency – especially on the sail.  Mr. Charles Davies gave us the tour.  It was pretty quiet…but sometimes there were noises like “nrerrhhgh” and “woooooo."  I liked that it was quieter than the engine room.  They do a lot of neat and important things in the Bridge...but not alot when we aren't sailing...but some.  That chair is big.  I wonder if Captain Tim ever sits in it...like maybe just sits in it for fun?  to read?  or eat a snack?  I would sit in it and watch a movie if I could."    

 

The Window in the Floor (picture taken by one of the teachers...if you look carefully you can see Caroline's purple flip-flopped feet in the bottom left corner - she's holding the camera!  and Eli's Star Wars shirt is in the bottom middle...)

Flat Stanley in the Captain's Chair

  

Eli's Report:  We met in the café.  Mr. Charles led us to the bridge.  First he showed us the engine controls and the rudder controls.  There are 2 ways to control the rudder.  I have no idea how to explain that.  The engines do not move the ship – the rudder does. 

He showed us the radar.  The radar tells us where the ship is and where other ships are.  Right now it's not very smart and it thinks we’re going to collide into something because we’re sitting still at the dock and other ships are moving so close around us. 

We took pictures and took turns holding onto the wheel.  Then we left."

 

Always good to have a Sprinkler System Alarm Panel

Flat Stanleys and Stellas all over the map!

So there ya go.  Stop #3 on the Tour de l'Africa Mercy.  Lots more stops to come! 

Other things going on:

• We are perfecting the art of making Rice Krispies in our cabin.
• Nick is nearly caught up on the four hundred something emails that were waiting for him after his trip back to the States
• Eli is learning how to do multiplication and division. 
• Caroline is at at disco party as this is being typed.
• Emma is as beautiful as ever.  We're looking forward to seeing what God has in store for her life (and we're enjoying what He's doing in her and through her right now!)(though she's GOT to learn that screaming is not an appropriate first response if someone is frustrating her!).  She's the Cash kid who enjoys Ward Worship the most.  We are confident some seeds are being planted deeply in her heart...seeds of love for the nations and a heart for true worship.
• We are all learning more and more about being exactly who He has made us to be...and learning more and more about doing exactly what He's called us to do.
• Life changing surgeries and procedures are happening DAILY around here.  Seriously.  It's mind boggling the work that is being done in this place....
• God is challenging us, stretching us, growing us....and constantly reminding us of His great Faithfulness & Love.

Surely there will be more to come.  So thankful for that.