a few more 6 word phrases (6)

Sailing to Madagascar. Tamatave we're coming.

Successful start with an unexpected turnaround.

Headed back out.  No more surprises.

Swell waters...but not too much.

Smooth sailing, beautiful ocean, vast skies.

Whales. Wind. Stars. Glory on display. 

Arrived safely a week ago Sunday.

Dock sweet dock.  Home sweet home. 

Coming into port...what a gift!

 Peacefully and gently tugged into place.

Beautiful weather, calm water, answered prayer.

Crew gather on deck to wave.

Blessed distant reunions with treasured friends.

Day crew send massive beach greetings.

Red shirts and big sign welcomes!

The town we've come to love.

Waves (of another kind)! Jumps! Smiles! 

Tears! Excitement! Joy! Reunions are bliss.

Welcome aboard new crew and old.

Pieces of our hearts in place. 

There she sits. Ready for action.

Gangway is down - shore leave granted.

The hospital will open on Monday.

Surgeries will start. God's love: tangible.

Please pray for life change galore.

Love being a part of this.

No photo credit is due me.

Surely there'll be more to come. 

life right now: 6 word phrases.

No more dry dock (for now).

The ship is in the water.

We are back in our cabin.

It truly is home sweet home.

Immigration is onboard to check passports.

Sea trials tomorrow, praying for success.

Ready for Madagascar, let's go now.

We trust God and His timing. 

Surely there'll be more to come. 

Sailing...God is at work.

Flip flops are packed away and the cabin is secured...we are sailing!

As of 3:00pm today (Monday, September 15), "the AFM has traveled 235 NM and has 4246.7 NM remaining. It is cloudy with a visibility of 6 miles with an easy rolling and surging motion."

photo credit: Josh Callow, the incredible. 

We left Las Palmas, Gran Canaria on Saturday evening, and we are heading to Cape Town,  South Africa.  After a few weeks in South Africa, we will be sailing to Madagascar where we will have our next Field Service.  Click here to read the press release: Going to Madagascar

Someone asked what we thought of going to Madagascar... honestly, in many ways, it doesn't matter to us where we go - we're just glad to be going to a place where this vessel can carry out its mission of bringing hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor. 

But even in the midst of the excitement of going to Madagascar...we're still heartbroken about all that is happening in West Africa in regards to Ebola.   We agree with our friend Jenny as she wrote:  

"West Africa and its people, are deeply rooted in my heart, and in the hearts of all Mercy Ships crew, and will remain so always. My most heartfelt prayer is for an end to Ebola in West Africa and the suffering of her people, and to be able to return there as soon as possible."

And as our friend Bethany put it, "Please continue to pray for West Africa as the Ebola outbreak is still rampant in many countries. It may be off the news but it's far from over."

Our friend Kirstie, who was part of the Advance Team in Benin, also put some beautiful words to the fact that we're not going to Benin on her blog. Even though we won't be there for this next field service, it's amazing to think of what God has accomplished through the Advance Team and the prayers that have been poured into that country.

Here's just one tangible example of God's work in Benin: the before and after photos of the site that was chosen to be the Dental Clinic for the Field Service:

It may never be used as a Mercy Ships Dental Clinic (or maybe it will some day down the road!)...but we are confident that God will put it to good use for the local Beninois population:

"the Advance Team leaves behind this newly renovated facility, which has been turned over to the Ministry of Health and will allow them to expand the following services in Zogbo: vaccinations, hygiene, HIV screening, family planning and an extra maternity ward." Read more here

No, God is not sending this vessel to West Africa at this time - and even if we don't have all of the answers behind that reality, we can trust that He's got good plans in store for West Africa and for the Africa Mercy...and for each of us.  

He is at work in West Africa even if this big blue-&-white vessel isn't physically present - thankfully, we're not his only plan for bringing His love and presence and hope and healing to West Africa.

He is at work on the Africa Mercy.  He is at work in Columbus, Georgia.  He is at work in China and Costa Rica and Bulgaria.  He is at work in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Monrovia, Maryland.  He is at work all over the place...and He invites us to be a part of His work.  What a miraculous honor!

May we have the eyes to see how He is at work...and the courage to join Him.  

For now we're joining in with the waves as they crash their praises to their Creator...enjoying the sail...looking forward to what the next few weeks and months hold in store.  

Surely there will be more to come.

Leaving...Sailing...

It's a little hard to believe that it was just a week ago that the Africa Mercy pulled away from our dock space in Pointe Noire.  

Leaving is always rich with so many emotions...sadness to say good-bye to a place and people that we loved before we ever came (and will continue to love long after we're gone)....relief that we're finally setting out on the next part of the adventure...thankful for all that God accomplished through this vessel and her crew....amazed by the lives that were forever changed....concern over the sail and the seasickness that may come...happiness to know that we're heading in the direction God wants us....

One of the most fun parts of departure is hearing the cacophony of ship horns (and vuvuzelas) saying good-bye.  There's something special about the sounding of a ship's horn. 

All in all, there was a general sense of peace and excitement as the mooring lines were loosed, the lifeboats were checked once more and we sailed away from Congo.  

Congolese dock worker waiting for the instructions to let our mooring lines loose

Some of the Africa Mercy Deck Crew handling the lines

Mr. Josh doing an incredible job (as usual) of capturing the goings on of the AFM

One of the tugs getting ready to be attached to our vessel - these little boats do BIG work

Another tug doing "doughnuts" in our honor as we pulled away!

Looking back on our home for the past 10 months....it's a bit surreal to see it so empty

The leaving may have been peaceful and smooth...but "peaceful" wouldn't have been one of the best words to describe what was happening in our cabin.  We had been told that the ride might be a bit rough - that the ocean had some swells.  Our Captain was correct.  As the ship was teetering and tottering, we found out just how unsecure the contents of our cabin really were. After some adjustments - most involving bungee cords across cabinets and doors - and listening carefully to what was rolling around so that it could be removed - and after some cleaning (including soaking up some of the contents of the fridge that found their way to freedom), we settled in to the sail.  And what a sail it's been.  

Last week was quite rock-y and roll-y -- but overall a really nice week. Thankfully, we've had little to no issues with seasickness. We had a full week of activities for the kids (while Nick - and the majority of the rest of the crew - worked!).  Some may think it would be difficult to keep kids from getting bored and going stir crazy during a 2 week sail...but that's not been the case for us.  We're finding that a little planning and creativity go a long way!   

Some snapshots and collages from our week: 

Sunday

Cement Mixers being unloaded from a ship in the port as we were leaving

Monday 

Time on the bow...some of the best time during the sail

Fort City in the International Lounge

Tuesday 

Crafts in the Cafe

Wednesday

Crossing the Equator and Prime Meridian - usually a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity...we are officially "Double Diamond Shellbacks"

There's a buoy marking the general area (but no yellow lines or flashing X's...and certainly nothing that made the ship bump as we passed over)

Dutch Games and Pancakes

The only dolphin to be seen (until today!)

Majesty in the skies

Thursday  

Games in the International Lounge

Friday

Rock Party in the Queen's Lounge

So there's been lots to do (and this doesn't even include all the activities in the evenings....) and there's still a week of sailing left!

We've "turned a corner" (quite literally as we've passed Liberia and continued our journey up the West African Coast) and the seas are much calmer (though we've been told there may be some interesting weather coming in the next day or so).  Nothing has flown off the counter in the past 24 hours - but we're still keeping things in their "secure state"!  

We've got another week of sailing....another week of kids' activities in the morning and dodgeball on deck 7 in the afternoon...another week of spending evenings on the bow....another week of lunch picnics with a most lovely view - water, water, everywhere...another week of especially creative exercising...another week of freedom on the open ocean....

Another week of enjoying being right where we are supposed to be...

Surely there will be more to come. 

Drill #40 Getting Ready for Sailing

Engine testing...bunkering operations...at sea drills....

We're getting ready to sail!  We're still a few weeks away from departure but the preparations for leaving are well under way. 

We had our first "at sea drill" of the season today.  The Captain said we did well.  Thought the world (or at least our world of friends and family!) might like a glimpse into it...   

The alarm sounds...announcements are made....instructions are given...and we head out to our muster station ("B" this go round) on deck 7 - picking up a lifejacket on the way.....

Lined up to get a life jacket

The Cash Kids loooooove wearing life jackets (they'll be thankful if we ever actually need them)

Trying to make it all a little better with gummi bears...worked for one, not so much for the other one.

 Whole lot of orange...the Dutchies must love that.

some Palmers and Cairncrosses seeing if they can touch their toes

Elsa and Caroline....our lifeboat can't help but have a good time with these 2 around.  

A walk to/tutorial of the Lifeboats (they actually swung them out...but we didn't get to get in them....)

Drill is over, life jackets off, smiles back on (thanks to Nick for making funny faces beside the camera)

 Put 'em back, ready for next time

 Add another mark to the chart

Please pray for us - "us" being the Cash family and "us" being the crew of the Africa Mercy and "us" being Mercy Ships worldwide - as we prepare to leave Congo and head to the Canaries for about 8 weeks of shipyard maintenance (including a time where the ship is dry docked).  This is a very busy time for all of "us" -- there's much to be done.

Please pray specifically for:

• containers to be released from the port authorities
• patients who still need significant healing
• our Captain - for wisdom in leading and managing a very complex ship
• the loading of fresh water and fuel for the 2 weeks of sailing
• the safety of our deck crew as they operate machinery and load vehicles, containers, etc.
• the good-byes that will be said in the coming days and weeks (to day crew, to local friends, to crew mates who are heading home)
• the Advance Team who is already hard at work preparing for our arrival in Benin

After the sail, the Cash Crew will be in Grand Canaria for about a week - we'll move off the ship into a hotel (this is required during the dry dock period - no children can be on the ship).  Nick will continue to work (commuting back and forth to the ship) and the other 4 of us will play (or something like that)!  On June 25th our family will leave to go on holiday - we're doing a bit of traveling in Europe. We'll return to the ship in mid-July - and hopefully get to move into our new cabin.  So there's all kinds of exciting things coming up for us.  (including Nick's transfer into Chaplaincy NEXT WEEK!  Please feel free to pray for that transition).

What an adventure....one that we're glad to be a part of - and glad that we've got YOU as a part of it, too.

Surely there will be more to come.

Please Pray & #SailWithUs

• bunkering
• abandon ship & security drills
• muster station
• securing the cabin
• water restrictions
• sea sick meds
• pre-sail briefing

...phrases that we hadn't heard prior to June 2012 (or at least hadn't heard in the context of living onboard a ship!) have become pretty normal parts of our vocabulary!  We're sailing tomorrow!  Please join us in praying.

bunkering = taking on fuel.  another ship pulls up beside us and fuel is transferred...no need to go to the gas station, it comes to us.  

Prayer on Leaving Port*

Be with us, O Lord, on this voyage, to cheer us and keep us safe**.  Let nothing afloat or on shore cut us off from you.  May we please you in everything we do. Bless all on board, whatever their responsibility. Enable each of us to do his duty. Help us to be good shipmates and bring us in safety to our next port, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. -Amen-

*this prayer was on the "Apostleship of the Sea of the USA" website...we know nothing about this organization and are in no way "endorsing" it - we just like the prayer! 

**changed the original wording just a bit

Also, be on the lookout for the hashtag #SailWithUs on facebook, twitter & instagram.  It's a social media campaign of sorts that should lead you to a plethora of amazing pictures, posts and stories from the pat 35 years of Mercy Ships' history (plus plenty of "what's going on on the sail" posts).

A few of the faces God brought into our lives in Guinea....can't wait to see who we get to meet in the Congo!

So long Canary Islands.  Congo here we come.

"Let nothing afloat or on shore cut us off from you.  May we please you in everything we do...."  Yes, Lord.  May it be so.  

Surely there will be more to come!