August 15th has come and gone now, and I am left wondering, “where did 6 months go?” At the beginning of the outreach, when I first arrived onboard the ship on February 28th, the 6 months loomed before me like a distant horizon. In my mind I knew it would sneak up behind me and surprise me , but at the same time if felt like an eternity away.
Well, now it was here and gone. So strange.
If it was difficult to leave the Africa Mercy during the Togo outreach in 2010 after 3 months, leaving the Africa Mercy after 6 months showed me how much deeper you can lay down your roots. I cannot tell you how many times people kept saying, in shock,
“ What? You’re LEAVING? I thought you were long-term?”
Ha ha! I heard it SO many times. In many ways, this outreach has been an eye opener for me at the importance of long-term crew and their need to be supported as I’ve “subbed” into a long-term position the last 3 months of my time there in the Ward Clinical Instructor position. The In so many ways I still feel like I left with so much left in transition for all the hospital staff, and can’t help feeling a sense of abandonment to them in the midst of this need, and yet the Lord reminds me it’s not about me or what I can see, but Him and His plan. I continue to have peace about his timing even in the midst of not seeing how or why.
So here I sit, in Holland, at the home of one of my good Mercy Ship’s friends, trying to adjust back to the Western world of order and cleanliness. The friends I made on the ship and relationships I’ve left behind remind me of the importance of what can happen when you fully give yourself to the Lord’s work. Not that I have done that anywhere near perfectly, but at the same time I see so much of the hand of God, that I just can’t deny his work.
Which leaves a wonderful segway into this next season of life- the unknown future. I know that in the days, weeks, and months ahead, God will be just as faithful to lead and guide and direct me unto HIS purposes as I continue to process through Sierra Leone and how it seems I fit in with His plan for this world.
In response to that, I cannot continue without thanking each of you who have been the direct hand of the Lord through your support of me financially and in prayer. Truly, truly, truly, without you, I would NOT be here. God worked a miracle through the financial support you have all given me to even complete my 6 months. I would covet your prayers in the future as well as I pray and process through my experience in the upcoming months.
For now, I’m on an 8-day European “tour” which essentially means visiting Mercy Ships friend to Mercy Ships friend in Holland, Germany, and Belgium before flying back to America. This time, I know, is such a gift, and I look forward to the break before the full jump back into my cultural reality. So here’s to long train rides of prayer and processing! Stay tuned as I hope to be posting pictures, etc during my long train rides. May God continue to guide and richly bless each of you.
Love in Him,
~Anna~
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