January 12, 2006: A New Year on the Anastasis

Dear brothers and sisters,
Wow - so many things to say in one email! The past month has been filled with God's activity in my life. Hopefully we can all hang on for the ride!

Chris's Story
Yesterday I met Chris, a former patient on our ship and a true testament to God's goodness. Chris puts a face on the situation in West Africa better than anything else I could ever write. I'm attaching a .pdf of her story to this email. Chris is a Liberian who nearly died at the hands of Liberian rebels. Rebels stormed her house when she was nine months pregnant and killed her parents. She went into labor as she and her brothers ran from the rebels, and delivered as they were running away. The stressful delivery, combined with the less-than-ideal conditions, caused a tear in her bladder that left her permanently incontinent. Her condition is called a VVF (vesico-vaginal fistula) and is shockingly common here in Africa. For six years she lived with this condition. Remember that, in this part of the world, we do not have "Depends" or other special types of absorbent undergarments. Because of that, Chris smelled and was constantly, always, wet. Needless to say, she was rejected in a massive way.

Early in 2006, Chris finally made her way to the Anastasis, where her condition was successfully treated. She now proclaims God's goodness to anyone who will listen. She plans to go back to school and become a journalist. Chris hopes to return to Liberia and build a house, where she can be reunited with her brothers.

Telling Chris's story brings tears to my eyes. I'm reminded of the blind man in John 9. The disciples asked Jesus who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind. Jesus replied that neither sinned, but that this happened that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

Saying Good-bye
I write this letter with a touch of sadness. This week, we lost one of our fellow crew members on the Anastasis. On the ship, our security is handled by Guerkha guards, Nepalese men serving in the British military. On Tuesday afternoon, Kee Thapa, one of our Guerkhas, was found unresponsive in his cabin. After 35 minutes of CPR and resuscitation, Kee was pronounced dead. He has a wife and 6-year-old daughter in Nepal, so I ask that you would please keep them in your prayers at this time. Kee was scheduled to return to Nepal on Wednesday, and I cannot imagine how devastating this time must be for them.

"The Human Ping-Pong"
That's what my friends have been calling me. Many of you are already aware that, in December, I was asked to leave the ship's Academy. I moved into the housekeeping department, but I hadn't been there a week before I was asked to serve as the interim librarian in the Crew Library while the regular librarian serves on another assignment for a few weeks. I didn't really understand God's hand in all this at the beginning, but now I am very glad that God is in control! Working in the library is a thousand times better than the Academy. The stress level is so much lower. At the end of the day, I go home. This may seem like such a little thing, but it is a relief to return to a 40-hour workweek. Your prayers have been heard! Praise God for meeting all our needs!

Christmas on the Anastasis
This Christmas was probably among the most peculiar Christmases I've ever had. For starters, it is a perpetual summer in Africa - definitely no "White Christmas"! The Christmas holiday is celebrated with almost-daily events here. Most of the events celebrate various cultures' Christmas traditions. For example, this year I participated in a Scandinavian Santa Lucia celebration for the first time ever. On Christmas eve, adopting a tradition from the Dutch, we all put shoes outside our cabins. The night was filled with people running around the ship, filling the shoes with gifts for their friends. On Christmas day, we celebrated with a Christmas service together in the morning and then filled the rest of the day with games, music, movies, and every other type of fun that you can imagine. The tangible gifts that we gave each other were not impressive - nothing was worth a great deal of money. But those gifts paled in comparison to the Divine gift that we were given in the form of a little baby and awesome gift of friendship that we gave each other. The day was a blessing and I am so glad I got to be a part of it.

Direction
I ask that you will all pray for me and pray for the ship. Currently, I am praying about God's will concerning my career and my future. Also, along with many others, we are praying about the great future of this ship and this organization. As God promises in Isaiah 43, "I am going to do something new... I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." We believe that God is going to move mightily through us this year. Never underestimate the power of prayer - we are praying that great things will happen in Africa and that we will have the privilege of being a part of them!

Dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, please know that your prayers are more valuable to me than gold or silver. You are the most incredible prayer and support team. I am privileged to have you as my support team. Thank you for everything you have done and everything you will do for me. You're making a mark on Africa that will be felt for generations to come.