So today was actually the most eventful day ever. I've been really stressed so I took the afternoon off to watch a movie with another lady on the ship. I was plugging in the cords and setting up the tv in a cabin and it blew up. I don't actually remember much beyond that because according to her and the firemen and medical people; I was thrown down to the ground. My friend ran outside to get a breath thing (they're all over the ship for safety reasons) that is used if air is contaminated. It's not a gas mask because it gives oxygen. I don't know how to explain it. Anyways ... she tried to help me and realized that the fire from the tv was getting larger so she got a fire extinguisher and pushed one of the fire alarms. She tried to get the fire out but was unsuccessful and couldn't get out so she hid in the bathroom.

Within a few minutes which probably felt like hours to her, the firemen arrived. They got me out first because they heard me moaning in the corner so I was carried out initially to the hallway, then further away from the fire, and then to an area where a medical team took over. I was given oxygen, some kind of needle for something and some of the blood was washed off. I have never been so covered in blood. It really is not a pleasant smell. So, right before they were going to put an IV in I regained consiousness and within a little while I was alright. I'm pretty shaken up from it, but I think I'll be okay.

My friend is fine. They didn't find her for a little bit so she ended up with quite a bit of smoke inhilation, but she had a bandana and she soaked it in water and put it over her face which is why she is okay now.

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I had to leave that space there because it is vital that you look at this picture after reading the explaination of my day above.

Now this lovely picture needs a description. Today was a fire drill day. Either every or every other Thursday we have a fire drill. 'Victims' are used. I got to be a fire victim today. All of those things did happen. I got to get ketchup ALL over me which I can still smell now even after showering and putting on a lot of perfumed lotion. Some interesting moments were while I was being carried because there was not stretcher right where we were so two of the firemen (one of whom I babysit for his kids, so that was REALLY funny) carried me and my shirt was having this great little habit of riding up so I would try to subtly pull it down. And then when the medical team was checking on me, they made a comment about injecting a needle and I quickly moved my arm and they laughed, as well as they were going to check something and started to raise my shirt and I was very very very fast to pull it down. They did not need to check whatever they wanted to check. They also did not do everything that was neccesary because they didn't want to get ketchup on everything! I wonder if I'll get the day off tomorrow

I hope I scared you a little bit!!

Helpful Hint Of The Day:

DO NOT PUT KETCHUP ON YOUR ARMS, NECK, FACE, IN HAIR OR ANYWHERE ELSE BECAUSE THE SMELL DOES NOT QUICKLY GO AWAY AND MOST PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT YOU FUNNY, HOWEVER IT DOES MAKE FOR AN INTERESTING STORY!!

I just thought I would post a picture of my updated room. I am still living in the same place, but I switched my duvet cover last week and it's way cuter. Hearts versus the apples!! And my roomate left so I got to move to the bottom bunk which means no more climbing up to my bed using a table to get up and no more having to turn off my light early!! I redecorated it and it's a lot more personal so I like it a lot. I'm finding it a lot easier as well to do stuff like devo's because a place to sit is quickly accessable rather than a trek!! (just a note ... send me a letter/card/anything and it'll get displayed on my wall and brighten my day daily!!)

I love you all lots and miss you more than you could ever know!

Nothing to say yet words will pour out

I feel like I should post since it's been a little bit, but I don't really have too much to say about what I've been doing.








I never pictured myself as being the homesick type. I've spent enough time away from home not really missing it, that my emotions in the last while have suprised me. I have learned that I definately appriciate my parents a lot, and that I should show them more that I care. I've learned that phone conversations don't satisfy and yet I try often.








It's hard being away from home as others experience grief, joy, frustrations, and new growth. Yesterday marked one year since my Grandpa died. It's moments as I write this that I wish that I could cry as I wanted to. My body has neer really been the type to let me cry but if people saw my inner tears that flow maybe they would understand me better. However, that's another frustration that isn't worth being dealt with online. My thoughts really don't often flow to Grandpa, but the past few weeks have been filled with memories of spending my days sitting beside him in the hospital the last week, and more specifically of driving up with my Mom to the care home, walking in, being harassed by a rude worker, and then being greeted with news that broke every part of my Mom's heart. It hit me too, and I really am sad, but I had never seen my Mom broken, and that broke me more than anything else.

Go, silent friend, your life has found its ending:
To dust returns your weary mortal frame.

God, who before birth called you into being,

Now calls you hence, his accent still the same.

Go silent friend, your life in Christ is buried;

For you He lived and died and rose again.

Close by His side your promised place is waiting

Where, fully known, you shall with God remain.

Go, silent friend, forgive us if we grieved you;

Safe now in heaven, kindly say our name.

Your life has touched us, that is why we mourn you;

Our lives without you cannot be the same.

Go, silent friend,we do not grudge you glory;

Sing, sing with joy deep praise to your Lord.

You, who believed that Christ would come back for you,

Now celebrate that Jesus keeps his word.

(Text by John L. Bell)Copyright 1996 WGRG The Iona Community (Scotland).Used with Permission - S-903740

It's just like, seriously so hard to be away from home and not being there for others. When I consider what my options would be if I were at home, I don't like them. In no possible way do I wish that I were living at home, going to school, or working, because none of those desires would fufill me but I wish I could be there to give my Mom a hug and tell my Dad that I love him. To call up the friends who do know who they are, and talk to them, go out for coffee and just support them as they go through the stuff that's going on. So. Most specifically. I'm sorry. I know that some will read that and not understand, but that was not for you. I'm sorry to the few specific people who are reading this and know exactly what I am talking about. I'm sorry that I'm not there for you right now. I'm sorry that phone conversations have not been able to occur between us, and I'm sorry that you have to go through what you are going through.

I just found these picture on my sister's blog. They're really old, but they made me miss home a lot more and yet be comforted so it's all good.

I had to leave after writing that because a roomate was leaving to go back home and I needed to say goodbye, so it's now early afternoon. On Saturdays and Sundays we have to get up for breakfast and make our lunch because only two meals are served, so on days like today, when I sleep in, I am pretty hungry. Everybody is always in a good mood around dinner because they're finally eating. Wow. That was random. Sorry-o.

I do actually have some prayer requests if you are into that.

1. I need to make a lot of decisions about what next year will look like. Where I will live, what school I will attend, and what program to persue. Currently the only answer I am mostly certain on is the program, which will be Child and Youth Care of some kind which will lead to a career as a Child Life Specialist.


2. Peace with being here. I'm going through a lot of doubt and having to figure out a lot of things, so it's tough to trust that I made the right decision.
   
3. Joy with my work. It's a lot of the same and a lot of working with people who don't just go get a job done; they dilydaly a lot and I would rather just get it done so we can have more time off, but we often will spend so much time on tasks that really aren't that hard to do.


4. 
   
   My health. I had bronchitis before I came and it really isn't getting any better. I don't feel gross always, but I just have random coughing fits that bother me. As well, my heart rate has been really high lately. I'll be sitting doing something menial, and feel my heart, and it will be really really fast, so it kind of worries me. Supposedly heart rate can relate to stress, but I don't think I'm too too stressed. Obviously, there's a lot going on in my life, but I don't know what would be causing that.
   

That's about all for now. I'll maybe write and add some more tomorrow or sometime soon. I'm babysitting for some kids in about an hour for the evening so that will be nice to not do much. People will probably come over once the kids are in bed and we'll watch a movie or something. I'm definately hooked onto 24. We watched season 4 last week and we're on season 5, and I love it. I never really expected to watch so much tv in like consecutive hours, but it's fun. I always know what I'll be doing in the evenings!

I love y'all and miss y'all.

Murder Mystery Night

Last night we had our murder mystery. I was Mrs. Elizabeth James. I was 19 years old, from England, and traveling with my Father. I was quite worried about him because my Mother died suddenly at the beginning of the year in a freak horse riding accident. I was with my husband but quickly came home to care for 'Daddy'. While I was gone my husband had an affair, so I was currently in the middle of my divorce. I really was worried about Daddy. My goals in life (as we were given goals) were to keep Daddy happy, find him a new wife, socialize with everybody, and find the murderer. I quickly learned that no one would really listen to a 19 year old.
All of the guests on our ship, as the game was a murder mystery based on a cruise ship met in the 'ballroom' for an announcement from the Captain. While he announced that the war had just happened, we all feined shock and suddenly the lights went off. When they came on to our suprise the Captain had been murdered. I of course fainted as any social 19 year old lady would. We moved to some other room in the ship and continued there. We were to talk to everybody. On my way from the rooms I found the Captain's log book in another lady's bad. I was not quite sure why she had it so I kept it until I could figure out who I could share the information with. However, as I already explained, no one listens to a stupid 19 year old. I learned by the end of the game that my Daddy's goals were to basically get rid of me. He did not like me at all. I was this horribly doting daughter who wouldn't leave her Dad alone. It turned out he had arranged the death of my Mother and if he couldn't find me a new husband he was going to arrange for me to 'disappear'!! I can't even begin to explain how frustrating it was to play this dumb girl that no one would listen to because I had so much information that no one cared about because they thought I had nothing of importance to say.
Needless to say I wasn't the murderer. I rather wanted to be. I did end the evening being engaged to a man whose wife my 'Daddy' had killed. Well. It was fun!! I can't wait until we have another one. It was a little bit long, but definately fun!
My costume consisted of material that I think is for curtains wrapper around me, pinned rather interestingly, a belt and a shirt with jewlery that I fashioned myself being the extravagent lady I was to play. It was great!

Cece Beach

Today our department went to the beach. We work 8-5 Monday to Friday with one of us on duty each day (including weekends) so it was nice to have a day off to just relax under the sun. I am definately sunburnt (again ... I know) but I did wear sunscreen today!! It's partially to do with a anti-malaria pills I am taking. They make the skin succeptable (wrong spelling I'm sure!) to sun burns. Not the best thing when you live in a country with a lot of sun. The rainy season, which has been going on for like 2-3 months is done (or at least at the tail end) and it is lovely outside. It was great to be out. Working all day means I'm indoors so I usually try to spend some time each night outdoors. Tonight though, I don't have as much of a desire because I am sunned out!

Though this picture definately doesn't show the sun; I love watching the sunset. I watch it roll off the end of the sea and I know that it's heading home to those whom I love. It makes me feel like the world isn't quite so big and that you all aren't quite so far away.

I took a lot of pictures because I just wanted to try to capture the beauty. It's rather hard to capture it with a camera, but hopefully you can appreciate the rare quality that I saw. There is so much devestation and brokeness here, but the water (while dirty in many places) is so pure and beautiful. It just reminds me so much of God's power.

The footsteps reminded me of the story of a man having a conversation with God about how sometimes God was with him and sometimes he walked alone, but God told him that the times where there was only one set of footprints was when God had carried him through the hard times when he had felt the most alone.

Just a thought to post here.

I put a lot of pictures up partially for me because then I can see them when I get home in case something happens while I'm here.

I know I put some pictures of the Liberians up, but for the most part I am not taking lots of pictures of the people unless they ask or there is a specific reason. These people are not a show. I don't post the pictures so that you will be moved. I want to show my experience. I don't want to make a huge deal about everything. I don't think these words are being expressed in the way that I want them too; however, I just really don't want to make a spectacle of the people. I want to earn their respect, and taking their picture just for my sake is not what I want.

I also have a prayer request. Today we found out that our crew fees are going to be going up almost $100 per month as of January. That means that I am going to have to figure some things out. I knew that the fees would go up slightly, but basically everyone on board is slightly suprised by the announcement. If you could pray that God will move in the area of finances, that would be great. I hate asking for money. I was talking to my sister today about that today. I really didn't like asking for money before I came because I don't think it is the world's responsibility to pay for my trip. However, this is a significant increase in the amount of money that I need. I know already that God will provide. I'm just not quite sure how. This next line is literally making me cringe. If you are interested in financially supporting me, please email me or my Mom. She can give you any information that you need. (gary_schroeder@shaw.ca). As well looking online at the Mercy Ships website will give you any information that you might need. The most important thing is that my name cannot be on any cheque so when you fill things out, you just need to put my name as the 'missionary' that you are supporting. I feel like saying sorry for asking for this.

I have been learning a lot in the past while that prayer is important. I have been so encouraged by the people who have sent me emails just saying that they thought of me and prayer. I truly truly appreciate that.