January.

Wow it has been a month, a great way to start 2009 and a blog! (Just a little disclaimer, I absolutely love reading blogs, but not sure how great I will be, I’m not a writer, but hopefully with time I will get better.)
I was able wrap up a great Christmas vacation and ring in the New Year with my wonderful family in Oklahoma. I worked a week in Phoenix and then spent a great week in East Texas learning more about Mercy Ships and confirming my decision of spending several months later this year serving with Mercy Ships on the coast of West Africa in Benin. I then ran the PF Changs Rock & Roll ½ Marathon with my running buddy Gretchen, which makes for 2 ½ marathons within 4 months. (I was not a runner until last April… who knew?) It also has been a month of sharing my dreams and plans with friends and co-workers. Definitely harder than I thought it would. Even though I am so super excited to spend most of this year in Africa, a continent that I love, I am leaving a job that I have been at for 4 ½ years and a city that helped me discover a little more of myself. Not to mention the people that I have met and the friends that will forever be a part of my life. It’s hard…. bittersweet, but I know that I am following God’s will, being obedient, taking a step of faith, and I have a complete peace that truly transcends all understanding (Phil 4:7).

At the Mercy Ships International Operations Center in East Texas

January Follow-up.

So in that short paragraph a lot of information was shared, so to expand of my life plans for the year 2009:
At the beginning of April I will be experiencing an amazing opportunity of helping pilot a Child Life program at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. An opportunity that when I first heard about it was, “This is so me.” I am volunteering with a volunteer abroad program called Connect-123 with about 5 other Child Life Specialists. I think it will be a great growth and learning experience and I hope to gain skills that will assist me with serving in other parts of Africa with children. The pilot program is February- May and I will be there from April to May.
Afterwards I will volunteer/ serve with Mercy Ships. I’m still working out all the details of exact time and my job on the ship. Which I will update you all as soon as I know. But let me tell you about Mercy Ships. My good friend Kelly first told me about Mercy Ships about a year and a half ago and I remember thinking that is an amazing organization, but not really thinking I would serve with them one day. But God is good and here I am. Mercy Ships is a floating hospital that visits different countries along the West Coast of Africa bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor. Last year they were in Liberia and as I write they are sailing to Cotonou, Benin, where they will be docked from February 9th- December. The “Africa Mercy” is the hospital ship that is currently operating along the coast of West Africa. This purpose built hospital includes 6 operating rooms, intensive care and ward bed space for up to 78 patients. Doctors and surgeons from all over the world provide free medical care for people who would otherwise have no access to surgery or in many cases even the most basic care. Please check out their website www.mercyships.org
Needless to say I am excited and honored to serve on Mercy Ships helping to bring hope to Benin.
So I started a blog so that anyone that wants to read about my journey can.