Good Morning, 2013

I should take that back. When I started writing this blog it was still morning. Now it's afternoon. But still morning in the US where most of my readers are. So - Good Morning, Sunshine! Happy 2013!!

I did not make it to midnight last night. Confession: I didn't even try.  As I have gotten older, the luster of the midnight parties has waned a bit, and reality is, I'm a sleeper.  I'm a horrible, crabby, headachy person when I don't get enough sleep or my sleep patterns are disrupted. Trust me, it's better for everyone involved if I don't stay up. 

Apparently Conakry had some fireworks.  That just inspires fear in me, honestly. I mean, you know how much regulation there is in the fireworks industry in the States, and how many injuries/deaths occur each year because of fireworks?  Now imagine a land (Guinea) with no regulatory control over fireworks.  Thus the fear.

But anyway, my crewmates tell me they were nice.  Well, awesome. I'm not a huge fireworks fan in the first place.  Kind of a waste of money, if you ask me. (though you didn't... I'll tell you anyway. that's how I roll.. and it's my blog.)  I mean, cities in the US pay thousands and thousands of dollars, to see some shiny things for a few minutes.  Seems silly, no?  Well, it does to me. But hey, if you like it, go for it!  No judgement from me. I just don't like them myself.

There was food and dancing here last night, too.  I probably would have enjoyed the dancing, but I'm kind of foodie'd out.  They feed us very well here on the ship, especially through the holidays, with lots of sweets and richness... enjoyable, but I'm kind of over it. 

I chose to go to bed and get up this morning to welcome the new year with a run.  Last year at this time I was NOT a runner, nor did I ever think that I would ever become a runner!  Thanks, 2012, for stirring that up in me. Now I look forward to my morning runs.  My running friends are very dear to me and we have lovely conversations, funny and serious, as we're pounding the pavement (and the sand, and garbage, and dirt, and whatever else we run through.)  So anyway, I thought, what an excellent way to welcome the new year. It was lovely. 

Speaking of running, once I left the US I really thought my racing days were over. It was a great season, but I couldn't imagine training while living in Africa.  It's hot here, my friends, and two and three hour training runs aren't real practical. However, after thinking about it and chatting about it with some of my new running friends, I'll admit I'm considering it.  Half marathon training, for sure...I mean, I've already done a couple of those... and maybe.... MAYBE... marathon training. There are some pretty epic marathons in Africa, how awesome would it be to run one in a year or so?  Well, I'm thinking about it.  I'm also thinking that perhaps my enthusiasm is partially due to the cooling Harmattan season here (mid-70s at running time in the morning).  Once we move into hot season I may become significantly less enthused. 

We shall see.

In other news, our current crew is less than 200 onboard.  It's quiet, the meal lines are short, and the laundry room is empty.  This week we have a good 75 or so people coming in!  Saturday's Brussels Airlines flight alone has over 50.  Some are returning from vacation but the majority are new short-term crew.  It'll be a very different place here on board next week. 

Happy New Year!!  Welcome, 2013. I'm excited to see how this year unfolds. Thanks to all my followers, blog readers, donors, family, friends... you're my heros. Hugs to all - Krissy

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

This year was incredible.

So much Joy. Faith. Hurt. Stress. Changes. Learning. Travel. Pain. Sickness. Health. Family. Work. Redemption. Provision. Trust. Peace. Love.

Thank you, 2012, for being an incredible year.

My life is such an adventure, and I'm so grateful to everyone who has been a part of it.  Much love to all.

Progressive sunset - 31 December 2012 Conakry, Guinea

Thankful Sunday

I realize this is my third Thankful Sunday in a row. I like it.  A lot.  :)

Today I'm thankful for...

...Imported oranges.  African oranges are green, tough, bitter, and hard to peel (most of the time).  For Christmas we got imported oranges (maybe from Florida?) that were huge, orange, and sweet. Bliss.

...No fire drill this week!

...Christmas eve AM workout class with Missy's dad serenading us on the piano! I wish all our workouts were so lovely.

...Singing Silent Night in 6 languages on Christmas Eve.

... Open cabins! A couple times a year people can sign up for open cabins and people drop in and chat for a bit, enjoy some goodies, and then move on to the next open cabin. Like a big block party or something.

...Sunsets on deck 8.

...The acid bugs are significantly diminished - if you don't know, acid bugs are these 1-cm little devils that burn your skin with acid. (hence the name...) and they were all over the place on deck 8 this fall. They've diminshed alot, perhaps thanks to dry season? I'm thankful they're gone, or nearly gone.

...Answered prayers, divinely orchestrated conversations, encouraging words, the blessing of friendships.

...A pool!  I seem to forget we have a (small) pool up on deck 8.  I've sat up there a few times recently, reading, and it was delightful!

...Surprise donations! (THANK YOU!)

...A fabulous run this morning with a lovely friend.  I'm also thankful that my good runs and running friends make my thankful list every week. I'm also so thankful I have found my rhythm of runs/workouts/rest here that seems to work for me, and I'm getting used to running in the heat.

...Emma's plastic tea set and having 'tea' at the edge of the pool yesterday, with rocks as ice cubes!  So sweet.

...Air conditioning.

...New running shoes!!  My shoes are in bad shape and I've started having some hip pain, and I was dreaming of new running shoes.  Then Erin offered to bring some back with her - hooray!  So next weekend I'll be able to have an even better run! :) So thankful for her, too!

...Mandarin oranges found at a street market.

...The email I received yesterday that said the container I thought would arrive at the end of January is set to arrive a few weeks earlier! (it's not early, I just assumed it was end of January but assumed wrong!) Yay!!  This container is bringing my last box of stuff I shipped from the IOC, including some clothes, books, and yummy snacks/food I am very excited about. Also some gifts for friends here!

...Leisurely coffee with new friends.

...Sleepovers.

...All the photos of snow I've seen on Facebook and news websites, that I can enjoy looking at but don't have to drive in or scrape off my car.

...This picture. Excited for what this new year holds!

 



Much love to all - Krissy

Quirks of ship life: The lines are blurred.

Quirks of ship life: The lines are blurred.

In my previous life, for the most part, relationships were very ordered and delineated.  I had a circle of people I lived with or near.  I had a circle of church friends. I had a circle of dancing friends. I had a circle of coworkers.  I had bosses and managers and those relationships were different than coworkers.  I had other random social circles, too, but they didn’t interact much. Of course there was some overlap occasionally, but for the most part, these different types of relationships each maintained their own level of distance.  Bosses were distant and respectful. Coworkers, friendly but still a bit impersonal.  Friends in varying circles had varying degrees of relationship.  Close friends and church family were very close and deep.

Here… things are different.  My coworkers ARE my neighbors AND my church members AND my friends AND my bosses….. and it’s weird.  Figuring out how to relate to people can be difficult! As an HR professional, how do I spend all day figuring out problems and dealing with people at my company, and then sit down and have dinner with them, or babysit their children, or hang out and watch the sun set? Or how about when my roommate is having troubles at work -  I am the HR representative for the company she works for, along with a friend and a roommate?  How do you just hang out with your boss or your boss’s wife after work? I can imagine it’s hard for teachers who have to discipline the children of their own managers and leaders!  It’s just a very different community – don’t get me wrong, it’s a community I love!! It’s just taking some getting used to, and I’m still trying to figure out where I really fit in.  Definitely stretching me, these quirks of ship life!

More pictures from the Christmas season...

Here are a few more (better) pictures of some of the Christmas events I've already written about :) Enjoy! I'm back to work today- and I'm very happy about that. Cheers! krissy

Sinterklaas celebration (December 5)

Santa Lucia ceremony (December 12, I think)

The mens chorus (they're really good!) at Carols by Candlelight (December 23rd)

Our patients on Christmas!

Rob (Operations Director) said he'd sign anything for just 50 cents during the Winter Wonderland (early December)

Carols by Candlelight

Christmas on the Africa Mercy

Good Morning! I've written quite a bit about some of the traditions we have here on the Africa Mercy in regards to the Christmas season. It's been a very special time that has honored our multi-cultural crew.  On Sunday the Aussies took over and we celebrated in their style - a barbecue (Braii) and carols by candlelight on the dock! This is traditional in Australia, as of course, Christmas falls in the middle of their summer! Considering how warm it is here (around 90 daily), it felt much more appropriate than singing about snow falling!

Our crew is small right now, only about 275 on board. Here we are eating our yummy roast chicken and fixings on the dock.

We aren't allowed candles on the ship. There's special permission for the advent candles and the Santa Lucia candles during Christmas, but as for crew, we have to be on the dock. :)

 

This is where I spent my Monday and Tuesday morning - the Galley!
 

I don't do down time well - meaning, having five days off in a row is just too much for me, so I went out in search of work. I spent most of Monday and then again Tuesday morning in the Galley - helping prepare for our Christmas feast and scrubbing pots and pans.  There's always people working here, even on our 'days off', and I so very much appreciate them, and appreciate that they let me come help them out a bit :)

 

So Sunday was barbecue and carols on the dock, and Monday I spent in the galley. Monday night we had a Christmas Eve service for the crew, and it was beautiful!  There was a drama, two different choirs sang, then we all sang some Christmas carols.  The last advent candle was lit, and at the end of the service we sang Silent Night in six languages. (English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, and Swedish)  It was beautiful.

 

Christmas eve night we all participate in a Dutch tradition of placing your shoes out for Sinterklaas (Santa) to fill with goodies! This is kind of instead of putting stockings on the fireplace as we would do in the States.  Shoes go outside the doors and in the morning, surprise!!

 

Down the hallway of deck 4, which is only Crew cabins.

 

This was outside of my door - Santa, or Sinterklaas, or my crew members were good to me this year!! Special thanks to the AFM crew who put things out for every single person on board, no one feels left out on Christmas morning!

This is what I was up to on Christmas morning - plating cookies, pastries, and other goodies, and setting up the banquet table in the Dining room!

The dining room on Christmas morning. 
 

Christmas day there was a huge brunch - and I mean HUGE. A full breakfast line, full lunch/dinner line, with chicken, been burgundy, leg of lamb, prawns, etc. It is hard to remember in such an abundant meal that we are living in Africa! It was wonderful and I flitted from table to table greeting friends and family here on board. Then, because I had an early morning, I took a nap after the meal. That afternoon I spent time with some of the families on board, and had some lovely conversations with the people I am so honored to share the holidays with. It was a wonderful Christmas on board the Africa Mercy - thanks to my family here. I miss everyone back home, but of all places to spend the holidays, I'm glad this is where I am.

 

Merry Christmas!! Much love to all, Krissy

Thankful Sunday (With pictures!)

 I am so thankful for so many things, and I love blogging my thankful lists (Thanks again, Dianna!) as it causes me to recognize those things even more that I am thankful for!  And even, if I have my camera, to snap a picture!! 

 

So today, I'm thankful for...

 

...The dining room having soy milk again. We have it about two to three weeks and then they run out and we have to wait for the next container to arrive, which is usually a couple of weeks without soy milk. I miss it when we don't have it, but it makes me very much appreciate it when we do!

 

...The coolness of this season (The Harmattan) - instead of 95 and humid it's a much more tolerable 89 and somewhat less humid.

...A job that I love and look forward to going to work. 

 

...My mom sends me letters every single week.  (and she has since I joined the Peace Corps in 2009, with a brief hiatus while I was living in the states).  She writes me a letter on Sunday and mails it on Monday. Thanks to customs holding our mail here, I tend to get two or three at a time. I love it. There's nothing earth shattering or particularly enthralling in the letters, just an update on life... and I absolutely love it, and look forward to it. Thanks, Mom.  (If you want to make my thankful list, anyone else, feel free to send mail. :))

 

...our Deck and Engineering departments who have been working overtime in the last few days to get our fresh water issues under control and get us out of water restrictions.  Thanks so much you guys. You're my heros.

 

...Emma's joy when she got to lick the spoon during the Christmas cookie decorating time.  And her sweet little 3-year old voice, saying "may I please lick the spoon!"

 

 

...My amazing friend Catherine. I'm thankful for her for so many things, she just loves really well. But today I'm thankful for her craftiness.  She's a very talented artist and loves painting, and also making jewelry!  I brought her a bunch of beads from the states and the other day she made me some beautiful earrings!  I'm not much for jewelry, in fact I brought only one pair of simple silver hoop earrings with me and they were broken... Anyway, I don't think, in my adult life, I've ever had this many pairs of earrings at one time. :) Thanks, Catherine! 

 

...My donors. Thank you for partnering with me in this mission. I'm especially grateful for Microsoft Corporation matching employee donations!  I'm here because of your generosity, thank you.

 

... My dad, cousin, and Nana have all been in the hospital recently, but they are all doing better and are all at home for Christmas. I'm so thankful for that, even if I can't be there with them.

 

...My lovely friends Dianna and Gretchen, who run with me!  Even though I am slow :) Thanks, my friends. I'm so thankful for you.  And running.

 



 

 ... My ipod. I wouldn't have ever bought one but it was an awesome gift that I use every single day. Thanks to my coworkers from The Walt Disney Company who surprised me with this right before I left - I love it!

...Water restrictions lifted!!

...My pregnant twin sister sending me a picture of the baby bump.  It wasn't really real to me until I saw the picture - now I'm so excited to meet that baby next summer!!

...Natural peanut butter and all fruit jelly from the grand old US of A.  A gift from heaven that must be rationed.  Trader Joes peanut butter is also awesome, if anyone is interested in sending a TJ's care package... :)

 

 

...This movie, which I love, they showed last night on all the ships televisions.  Several of my friends had never seen it - a travesty!  I love love love this movie and I loved getting to share the joy with others.  It IS a wonderful life!!

 

 

 

Please, take a minute in the craziness and materialism of this holiday season, to be thankful for what you have.  We're all so blessed.  I'm missing home but oh so grateful for where I'm at and the calling that is on my life to serve here.  Much love, Krissy

Pass the Lefse...

Today is the 22nd of December, and the 22nd is my family's big-loud-messy annual get together, where we make Korv (Swedish potato sausage), and eat it, along with various traditional scandinavian side dishes like lefse and a whole smorgasbord of cookies and bars and sweets.

I love love love my life and family here on the Africa Mercy, but my heart is also getting tugged back with longing to the snappy-cold winter night full of laughs and memories. So, to my family there - enjoy it, I'm thinking of you, missing you all, and dreaming of someday being cold again. :)

I've got a few days off, now, and I've decided instead of sit around and do nothing, I'm going to find some work to do. I'm going to help out in the galley and the dining room, wash dishes, or whatever needs to happen.  Those poor galley and dining room workers don't get any time off like the rest of the ship does.  The offices are closed until Thursday, no surgeries, the wards are slowly emptying out thanks to no surgeries, and everything kid of just takes a breather for the next week - except the dining room and galley!

So anyway, enjoy your weekend, Christmas week, and beyond. I'll keep writing as long as I have words to say. :) Much love to all - krissy

Memouna Laughs

Hello my faithful readers!  I want to let you read a patient story written by another crew member.  YOU, my friends, are helping in this mission and serving people like Memouna who are desperate for the healing we can offer them. Thank you for being a part of this mission and for allowing me to be a part of it, too!  Much love, Krissy

 

Go down two flights of stairs on the Africa Mercy, and you’ll find you’ve stepped out of a ship and into a busy buzzing hospital. On the wards you’ll find kids playing, doctors praying, patients visiting, and plenty of African music. Listen . . . you’ll hear conversations in English echoed by translators in French or one of Guinea’s local languages – the chatter forms a background like white noise. 

One would expect that a 13-year-old girl would be among the chattiest – but not Memouna. 

 

Memouna’s pronounced facial tumor began above her left eyebrow, spilling down her face to the corner of her mouth and displacing her left eye. This tumor, a neurofibroma she has had since birth, left her looking like one side of her face was sliding off – like Dali’s famous melting clock in a desert. From behind the curtain of her deformity, Memouna saw the world with her good right eye. And . . . to her despair . . . the world saw Memouna. 

For 13 years she was taunted for her appearance. Moreover, superstitions run deep in West African culture, and physical deformities are believed to be the sinister mark of someone cursed. Memouna was not only teased by peers – she was completely dismissed. The drooping facial tumor became the source of a broken spirit.  

“She was not happy because in Africa people stay away from her. She would cry because she did not understand why no one liked her,” said Memouna’s 17-year-old sister, Aminata, the oldest of her nine siblings.  

“I had so many sleepless nights worrying how to help my child,” said Memouna’s father, who was trying to sell his car to afford her surgery when he learned the Africa Mercy was coming to Conakry. “I was told that no one would be able to do the surgery except Mercy Ships. I had no money to pay with . . . and then God paid!” 

On Wednesday, 26 September 2012, Mercy Ships surgeons removed Memouna’s tumor. After her operation, even under layers of bandages, the transformation was profound. Memouna’s profile no longer appeared rough and misshapen. Her face had been physically lifted from the weight of the tumor. Nurses hoped her spirits would follow, but removing years of social isolation is a much more complicated procedure. 

In the days after her operation, quiet Memouna said nothing, while her father and sister took turns staying at the hospital and speaking on her behalf. “I’m sorry, maybe she will talk more another day,” her sister would say to visitors. 

Mercy Ships ward nurse Lynne White said, “It was a long time before I realized she spoke. She was so silent that I didn’t think she could. But I can understand it. She went from spending her life keeping to herself with no friends, and then she came here and was overwhelmed by the attention.” 

One night a week after the surgery, Lynne came into the ward to find Memouna listening to headphones, nodding her head to music and mouthing the words. “I couldn’t believe it, so I did whatever I could to try to get a laugh out of her – I started dancing!” Lynne said. “Memouna just laughed and laughed. It was wonderful!” 

Two weeks later Memouna arrived on the dock with her father for a check-up. She kept to herself, waiting on the benches. “Is that my Memouna?” Lynne exclaimed. Hearing her name, Memouna glanced around to find Lynne, not walking, but dancing over to her. “It’s you, you’re here!” Lynne cheered, waving her arms in the air. 

 

Memouna clapped her hands and covered her mouth, trying and failing to hold back her giggles. 

Even though Memouna does not give up her laughter easily, she lets those who show her love see the real Memouna. In those moments, there is a cute teenager in a pink sweatshirt and orange nail polish . . . where a timid, downcast child used to be.  

 

The removal of Memouna’s tumor marks the beginning of physical . . . and spiritual . . . healing.

 

Written by Catherine Murphy
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos by Debra Bell

Relax, and take a sip

My lovely friend Maryke, (pronounced mah-ray-kah), has been a wonderful influence on me in many ways; The notable way for this post is she’s kindly pointed out how I tend to eat my meals quickly and then rush off. She’s encouraged me to relax, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and stay awhile.

It’s amazing how much this little thing has changed my days, attitude, and perceptions!! I have never been very good at just sitting around. I tend to need to have purpose or a good reason to be doing something. Intentional, planned coffee dates are completely different, I enter those with an agenda, or a list of things to talk about, or even just a reason to have it – catching up, storytelling, etc. But to just sit around together, with whoever is there, without a set reason or purpose except to simply enjoy each other’s company? Foreign. I got things to do and places to go, people! But reality is, while that might have been the case back in the States, it just isn’t the case here. Most of the time, I don’t have somewhere to be immediately, and I don’t have urgent tasks that warrant me running off. Life here on board is blessedly simple, convenient, and predictable. When I used to rush off after a meal, I usually ended up feeling restless, bored, irritated, lonely, or any combination of those things. Yes, I do continually have items on my to-do list. But ultimately, nothing so urgent that I can’t sit and enjoy the company of friends for a few extra minutes. And I’ve found, over the last few weeks, that I am much less restless, bored, irritated, and lonely.

Thanks Maryke, and Dangyra, and Yfke, and my other relax-and-take-a-sip friends. :)

My lovely friend Maryke

 

Until next time! Krissy