Week 6 - April 5-11
This week we have been entertained by events happening every night. Monday’s are small group, Tuesdays are pub quiz which is Mercy ships approved trivia, Thursdays are community night, which is like a midweek service at church, Sunday we held our first annual Mercy Ships Olympic Games, and then scattered throughout the week has been pong pong tournaments, fiesta night, and comedy night. Sometime during the week we had a meeting updating us on the latest with Covid-19 and what that means for us crew members on board. As for the latest with this information, Spain has closed it’s boarders until May 10th. As of right now, we are still looking into the process of many of us flying home. This would allow the ship to operate with less people and get the necessary people on board to help with ship yard (annual summer maintenance of the ship).
The Olympics were split up in groups of 4. Each group represented a country and we had a total of 22 teams! Our MC of the Olympic Games was such a jokester that had us all laughing uncontrollably!! For example, she said “I’m so surprised all the counties could make it to this one location due the the covid-19 situation what a miracle!” My group represented the country of Guinea. The Olympic Games were sack race (with a garbage bag), paper airplane race, Gumby suit race, egg toss, eating a mysterious food and a relay race. It was so fun to just forget all of our worries and fears of the future and just be normal and have fun with each other.
During the work week it has been such a blessing to just be with others and laugh doing whatever the task. From cleaning freezers to washing massive industrial dishes, everyone has been such a joy to be around. I think we have all just been so grateful to have community and be able to grow closer together in a time that seems to want to distance everyone for one another.
An update on patients from the hospital: Seven year old Zackaria asked his mother, “is it possible to remove the white things in my eyes?” With the help of Mercy Ships he was given a date for cataract surgery. The mother replied to her son, “God-willing, that will be possible.” Zackaria began counting down days until his surgery. Every day he would ask how many more days till his surgery. Four more...three more...two more...one more... then finally, surgery day! Six weeks later post op, Zackaria had his final check up and had a celebration of sight on the dock. He was given glasses to help him focus and had fun joining in the celebration. He is back home now and his family has sent personal messages to Mercy Ships. His procedure has touched so many lives. His mother states, “Now Zackaria can see better, he hardly stays still and is constantly moving about. I am so happy! I never thought that Zackaria would have this opportunity to have the surgery. Even I was suffering from something that Mercy ships has healed.”
God did that. We were just His hands.
For the unknown amount of weeks ahead on the ship, I am praying that I can be present in very moment and be truly thankful for all the Lord has given me.
“ALWAYS BE HUMBLE AND GENTLE. BE PATIENT WITH EACH OTHER, MAKING ALLOWANCE FOR EACH OTHER’S FAULTS BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE. MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP YOURSELVES UNITED IN THE SPIRIT, BINDING YOURSELVES TOGETHER WITH PEACE.” EPHESIANS 4:2-3
Written by Lauren Craig
2020 Global Health Collaboration Missions Scholarship Recipient
Working with Mercy Ships
Tenerife, Spain