First Day of School

Early this morning, I was WIDE awake at 6 am thinking....wow....first day of school....I am a real teacher. These are words that I have always looked forward to saying someday. I have officially survived the first day as a real teacher and loved each and every minute of it. After today, I had to laugh at some of the words I never thought I would say/hear a student say on my first day of school.....
ie.
1. When discussing classroom rules...."Be safe....means that we keep both feet on deck so we
don't fall into the water".
2. When spinning the globe in social studies....."Raise your hand when you see the continent you were born in pass by" and seeing hands go up at very distinct intervals.
3. When introducing myself and what I like to do, being corrected that I do not enjoy soccer...but rather football!
4. When filling in the weather chart, needing to look outside for the weather as our 'walk' to school was down the hall, up the stairs and to the right!
5. Hearing the response to my question "Why is it important to be kind to those in need" - "Because God tells us to love them...because He loves them. That's why we're here isn't it Ms. Danae?" (wow...thank you for being in Grade 2 and understanding something so much bigger than yourself)

and of course.....
6. Saying "See you at dinner" to my students as they were leaving the classroom.

Greatly looking forward to Day #2!!!

Africa Mercy....Home Sweet Home!

After 4 months of planning, 5 weeks of training, 4.5 day stopover in Paris and a 7 hour flight from Paris to Benin....I have walked the gangway of the Africa Mercy and made it my home! I am still trying to adjust to walking straight on a moving surface! If you'd like to know how it feels to be on the ship, here is a fun experiment. Step 1 - Spin around 25 times. Step 2- Immediately try walking in a straight line down a narrow hallway.....Welcome to the Africa Mercy!! :D

In all honesty, it is absolutely surreal walking around on the ship I have only seen in pictures and on Youtube for the past few months. My bedroom really is as small as it seemed in the online tour! And....I am sharing a bunk bed with the only Danae I've ever met....and she is from Canada! What are the chances of THAT!?

We had a tour of the whole ship today and got to see the hospital waiting room and got to peek into some of the recovery rooms. I think this was the moment I realized where I was, why I am here and how excited I am that God brought me here. It hit home that this is more than an non-profit organization....this is a place of people who have come together to see the lame walk, the blind see, and those who have been cast out of society, healed. This is a place where the heart of God is being lived out by ordinary people in extraordinary ways.

Basic Safety Training

After 5 weeks of training here in Texas, I have finally reached the end of the course! My time here has gone so fast and I've met some incredible people that I will be serving on the ship with! 13 of these people left for an outreach in the Dominican Republic and will be coming to the ship within the next month.


This past week was Basic Safety Training. We were trained on how to fight fire on board, first aid/CPR as well as basic survival at sea (using life rafts, cold water immersion suits etc.). After taking this course, we were certified to be able to work on board any marine ship according to the US standards. Here are some pictures!!


Top: Haley, Terri and me using a fire hose

Bottom: Gearing up in our water immersion suits




Though I'm hoping to never have to use these skills, the training was very fun and I feel very prepared for helping with an emergency on board the ship!

I have been blessed with an amazing opportunity to have a stopover in Paris for a few days before going to Benin. I will be travelling with my friend Christina and we will be staying with a missionary family that she knows in Paris! We are so blessed to have our accomodations taken care of while staying there! We will be flying straight from Paris to Benin on July 27 to start orientation for the ship as well as with the school and will spend the next week preparing our classrooms and lessons :D!

Thank you so much for all of your prayer so far. I am so excited to put everything I've been learning this past month into action!!

The Road You Walk

I have been broken.

Mentally – I have come to realize that my view of the world has been shaped completely by the fact that I have been born in Canada…where poverty exists, but usually goes unseen. My problems seem significant simply because my need for food, water and love have been met… which unfortunately gives me permission to worry about the insignificant.

Emotionally - The only thing that separates me from any other person in this world is the fact that “I” have been born into this body in this particular country into this particular family...Why me? Why wasn’t I the one who was born into a tribe where the value of human life is so small that human sacrifice is justified? Why wasn’t I the one who was sold into the sex trade so my family could afford to eat? Why am I not the one who picks through trash daily, in hopes that someone has thrown out a valuable item or extra food?

I am now facing the question “what will you do with the privilege you have been given?”

We were asked to write a reflection of what we have learned this week….here it goes.

The Road That You Walk

If I walked a mile in your shoes

I’d soon realize that our shoes are the same,

Though we walk a different road.

I would realize that the potholes and dust you face daily

Sometimes make it difficult for you to see your destination.

If I walked a mile in your shoes

I’d soon realize that the steps you take look small,

But in the face of your reality are really quite big.

I would realize that the size of your step is not as important

As the energy and willingness you put into each and every step.

If I walked a mile in your shoes

I’d soon realize that though your shoes are tattered and torn

They are valuable because of the mere fact, that they are shoes.

I would realize that they have the potential to carry you through an endless number of roadblocks that I may never face.

If I walked a mile in your shoes

I’d soon realize that though the soles and laces may look dirty, you aren’t asking for new shoes.

I would realize that giving you new shoes would not help.

Instead, I can walk beside you and hold your hand and be with you on the road that you

walk.

Silence

We had a silent retreat yesterday....silence meaning we couldn't talk for about 4 hours. I've heard of silent retreats that last for a few days and I've learned, through these few hours, how much you can hear when you are simply silent. All of the sudden birds actually sing, and trees actually whisper and children actually laugh...its beautiful.

It's amazing how long it takes to become 'silent'. The thought of 'I need to be silent' even becomes a distracting noise. Pushing past that all though, it is in silence that God speaks. Sitting in a shady, grassy area in a gorgeous State Park in Texas, I read the words, "What a lovely, pleasant sight you are, my love, as we lie here on the grass, shaded by cedar trees and spreading firs" (Song of Solomon 1:16-17) It was in this moment that I remembered that my identity is found in God...the One who tells me I am lovely...that I am beautiful because He fashioned me. The one who whispers to me in the trees, and sings to me in the birds, and laughs with me through children. It was in this moment that I remembered to whom I belong.

Living by design

Today was not our official first day of the Gateway course but it was really the first day of content. Today we focused on the question "Who am I?" We discussed the intrinsic value we have been given by being made in the image of God. This value is unchanging and no matter what circumstances or challenges we have faced in the past, our worth is defined in God alone. We were all asked to take the DISC personality test online before coming and today was the day we were able to look at them indepth and apply parts of them to both "who I am" and also "what I think others expect me to be". It was great to have the opportunity and tools to self-reflect and to learn what areas I need to be broken and rebuilt. I really feel that the next month will be a major time of growth and change in me...a much needed change. My goal is to become someone who lives according to how I was designed to live...using the full potential God has given me, knowing that it would be a diservice to Him to ignore the potential He has placed within me.

"Unmeasurable are my limits for I call you Father
Unimaginable my potential, for you have called me daughter"

Down in the South

Wow....day one of the adventure is now complete!
I boarded the plane in Buffalo this morning, said a tearful good bye to my dalhouse girls and set off to Dallas. I had only one moment of hesitation the entire time...I spilled coffee all over my lap on the plane. Its crazy how I almost said "God is this a sign?"....a little spilled coffee...I got over that quick.

Christina, another teacher who will be coming to the ship with me, picked me up from the airport...instant bond! It was beautiful! We had a big welcome dinner with all of the participants from the training and then had a chance to get settled into our rooms and bond with the other girls here :D! Kinda feels like Uni all over again...only a bit older, knowing a bit more, and you can tell by the sound of the accents that I'm one of the only northerners haha!! But all is great...I'm a little eerie about the bugs and poisonous things but I'm sure with time, I will conquer yet one more of my fears :D! Thanks for all your prayers for safe travelling...God is so faithful.