Perfect Strangers, New Best Friends

It’s hard to believe I’ve been in Texas for 3 weeks already. Sometimes, when I recall the terror of that Greyhound bus ride, I feel like I have just arrived. However, when I look around at all the friends I’ve made and how comfortable I am in my new surroundings, I feel like I’ve been here for months.

I’m having a great time at training. I learnt a lot about Mercy Ships as an organization, the God we serve, various aspects of missions, life skills, conflict resolution, cross-cultural communications, etc. We had a silent retreat last weekend. It was very refreshing just spending a day with God in silence. I will definitely do that again.

Even though our class of 32 started as strangers, due to the open and safe environment fostered by the instructors, there has been a lot of deep and meaningful sharing of personal experiences, and a lot of tears have been shed. It is very inspiring and encouraging to hear others’ stories. I learnt that many people are facing the same kind of challenges I am. Together we can encourage each other, and grow to be the kind of person God intends us to be. I think by the end of February, we will become a very tightly bonded group.

A few notes about living in East Texas:

• It can get cold! 2 days ago, the temperature was around -10C with windchill! I am totally not prepared for this kind of weather.
• Unlike the weather, the people are very warm and hospitable. They ask how your day has been, and they actually care about your response.
• My stomach is adjusting to a new schedule. Dinner is served from 5 - 5:45pm. I can't even remember the last time I finished dinner before 6pm.

Riding on a Greyhound, praying all the way

After a very eventful bus ride, I finally made it to the Lone Star state!

In an attempt to save $150, I decided to take a 16 hours Greyhound bus from Atlanta to Tyler, Texas. Since I have taken many long bus rides in Africa, I figured this wouldn't be too bad. Afterall, the Greyhound bus seats are big and comfy. It would be like flying longhaul in business class, right?

Some lowlights of my trip:

• The bus terminal was in a shady part of town, with lots of people loitering around outside, reminded me of East Hastings in Vancouver. It was around 11pm.
  
• At soon as I saw the inside of the bus station, my heart sank and wished I had flown instead. The place was totally packed, lineups everywhere. Total mayhem.
  
• I stood in one line to check my first bag, and was told I need to be in another line to check my second bag. That line wasn't moving, and they were already calling for my bus number to prepare for boarding. Yikes!
  
• 2 hours later, I finally got on the bus. It was a full bus, and my seat wouldn't recline.
• I was trying to get some sleep, but was wakened up at about 3am by some noise and a sudden jerk of the bus. The bus has drifted over the right lane onto the grooves on the side of the road, driver woke up, and jerked the bus back into the lane. That was scary. However, whoever came up with the idea of cutting grooves into the side of roads was a genius.
  
• I was really tired, so was trying to put that incident behind me, and get back to sleep.
• 5 minutes later, it happened again. Sound of tires on grooves, and a sharp jerk to the left.
• I was wide awake for the rest of the trip, praying all the way.
• On the way into Jackson Mississippi, an ambulance with sirens on was behind us. Bus driver moved over to right lane, let ambulance pass, and immediately moved right back over to suck the wheels of the ambulance. Cyclists would appreciate how smooth that pacelining maneuver was. We were passing EVERYONE on the interstate. A Greyhound bus tailgating an ambulance, can you picture that in your mind? I prayed even harder.
• Fortunately, the bus just couldn't keep up and the ambulance finally dropped us. Whew!
• They changed drivers at Jackson. I was happy to be rid of the sleepy crazy speeding driver. Unfortunately the second driver didn't show up for 2 hours! At least I hope he had plenty of sleep.

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. I arrived 2 hours behind schedule, safe and sound, with all my luggage. What a crazy beginning to my trip!

I want to thank my adopted family in Atlanta for staying with me at the bus station, helping me navigate through all the madness. If I were there by myself, I would have freaked out for sure.

I'm now comfortably settled in the Mercy Ships campus, meeting a lot of interesting people, and enjoying my training.

Mission, Baking, Liberia, Ship

I'll be going on a mission trip, baking on a floating hospital in Liberia!

Mercy Ships is a Christian medical charity that runs the world's largest civilian hospital ship and offers free medical operations to people in 3rd world countries. They'll be in Liberia, West Africa, in 2008, following the example of Jesus in bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor. I will be serving as the baker on board, baking bread and making desserts for the crew of almost 500.

I am extremely excited about this opportunity. I feel clearly this is the direction God is leading me. I am privileged to be able to use my passion and skills to serve others and to glorify God.

Please keep me in your prayers. Please pray that I will continue to strengthen my faith and trust in God, that I will obey Him and continue to do His will. Please also pray for my health and safety while travelling and in Africa.

I am amazed at what God has done in my life in the past year, and I am excited to see what He has in store for me this year as I serve in Africa.

Stay tuned!