From then to NOW! :)

Soo…. I think I’ll just stop promising to update my blog within any specific time frame anymore. I WISH I could say that I was too busy holding sweet little African children, listening to music and updating patient assignments, but I’ve actually been really busy with many OTHER things that I have neglected to update you with up to this point! Let me start from the top:

1)I officially extended my Mercy Ships commitment to August 15th after much prayer, thought, and GENEROUS financial contributions of SO many of YOU! :) (I think it's pretty amazing because it's only 3 days off of my original goal of 6 months that I didn't think I'd be able to achieve!)

2)As part of my extension time, a special opportunity came up.
After, again, much prayer, I felt the Lord leading me into a new open position as Co-Clinical Ward Educator along with my partner-in-crime, Kate Wilson (my fellow general ward charge nurse & Aussie extraordinaire!). Melissa Strimbolus, the current Clinical Ward Educator, is completing a 4 year committmentt on the Ship, and leaves at the end of June (next Monday to be exact). That left her job open.

I have always loved teaching and felt a pull on my heart, but needed a further indication from God. The Lord definitely paved the way for me to join the job-share position with Kate as he specifically answered my prayer to raise up a second person for the job. I am SO excited to be teaching and welcoming in the new nurses and look forward to working with Kate on tackling the education of multi-lingual, multi-cultural nurses!

(In case you are wondering, "Clinical Ward Educator" is the position in the hospital that handles all the ward nurse training; orienting new nurses, training charge nurses, training preceptors, and organizing education for the entire health care crew.)

3)I’m also joining a group of teachers in July for a 2-week “summer school enrichment” mission trip to Bo, Sierra Leone (the place where I went in April to visit my World Vision Sponsor child). It is in partnership with a Methodist church in the Washington D.C. area. The connection with this trip is, an old Mercy Ships friend of mine from the Togo outreach (Kristen) who's old home church IS this Methodist church. She had told me about her church's ministry and work with a hospital and child rescue center in Bo, Sierra Leone. I was able to jump in and join a 2-week mission trip that was going to Bo during the time I was going to be in Sierra Leone. AWESOME!

I really wanted to do some off-ship ministry in country with this second trip to West Africa, and this was the perfect opportunity! So I was able to take a 2 week "leave" from the Ship to join the team of teachers to go to Bo.

So, I will be in Bo from July 22-August 6th, working as the team “First Aid Coordinator” and teaching basic English and Math skills to 5-7 year old children enrolled in the school! Gooo Krio!!! That I am {thankfully} rapidly learning!

That's the update for now! I do promise there will be more to come (and pictures! :) CUTE, and AMAZING pictures. :) Stay tuned! :)