"Lessons from Africa..."

1) Dirty job Every week two divers clean garbage and marine growth from the screens that cover the cooling water intakes on the Africa Mercy, so that the cooling water continues to pass, so that the engines and generators don't overheat. The visibility is usually very low, which makes their job extremely hard... Pictured: Olly Peet. Not every job aboard the Africa Mercy is glamorous. Toilets still get plugged, kids still throw up, laundry still needs to be done, and marine life still needs to be scrapped off the bottom of the ship. But this is all being done to the glory of God and in His service. Lesson #1-(for me) even in the mundane things and "gross" things of life, God can still be praised.
2)Yesterday (Thursday) I went down to the ward again, once in the morning and then later that night) to follow up with the two patients that I spoke with the night before. One of them was just starting her surgery. I listened to her, later that night, as Sally the crew member I was with, talked with her. She was in obvious pain, but her face had a calm assurance and peace. She was thankful for the surgery and to God for letting her have it done. Lesson #2 (for me) Even in our sickness and pain, God can still be praised.
3) The other person, told me that his surgery was being postponed till next week because his blood pressure was still high. I (in my western mind set) had expected him to be discouraged and be depressed...kind of like we (I), in the west, get when our plans don't come together as WE/I THINK they should. Instead he had a quiet, content smile. He said: "Praise God, He is still in control." Lesson #3 (for me) even in the disappointments and delays in life, God can still be praised.
4)As I write this update, it comes at the heels of me being in bed all day feeling sick to my stomach. (When you live in the world largest peitree dish...everyone shares their sicknesses.) I think about one of the gals from our Gateway group who, upon arriving here, was bit by some bug. (African bugs are really different than our western bugs...) Over the last week her arm has become terribly infected and they are working very hard to get the infection undercontol. She has been frustrated because she cannot work. But she has turned her time into trying to hear what God has for her to learn in this "season" of her ministry. Lesson #4 (for me) even in the derailment of our plans God has a plan and God can still be praised.
5)We also played some cards with another one of the patients on the Ward last night. Even though we could not speak each others language. We laughed and laughed and laughed. Lesson #5 (for me) even in the little things, God can still be praised

To sum it all up, the overwhelming thing that God has been showing me this week...in the good, the bad, the disgusting, the mundane, the fun and in the tedious, in all things...God can still be praised.