Vision Trip friends interviewed on Birmingham FOX

Our new friends at IMS/IOS have been busy getting the Alabama community aware of their vision of assisting Mercy Ships. This is an interview that Gene Robinson, CEO/President of IMS had this week with the local FOX affiliate. It is a great piece and I invite you to view it as he and his wonderful daughter, Sharrie, share their perspective on our trip!

Back to Reality as I know it.....

Today is my first day at home. The trip home was relatively uneventful. When I arrived in New York City I received a text message from a friend that a very dear friend of mine had been taken that morning to Hospice. My heart was broken. I couldn't get to Texas fast enough. All I could think of was Bill.
Katie picked me up in Dallas and we started the long trek home. We visited some about my trip, but most of it I am still having a hard time putting into words. I feel very sure that it will take me a while to process all that I have learned on this trip. I can tell you one thing tho, I will never be able to look at life thru the same set of eyes that left but two short weeks ago.
I got to Tyler about midnight and headed straight to Hospice of East Texas where I was able to spend some time with Bill. He had only a few lucid moments in the day, but I was fortunate enough for one of those moments to have been with me. He asked of my travels and was so very glad to see me. It seems while time seem to have stood still for me while I was in Africa, life continued everywhere else. I left his bedside at almost 3 am, my heart heavy with grief. An amazing man, a man who provided me with so much strength, now labors for every breath. I hope he has the opportunity to go home soon.

Trip to the Agriculture Project

On our last day we got an opportunity to visit the agriculture project. A wonderful man named Jean Claude leads this project as they train leaders in the community to grow food not only to feed their families, but also to make a living.

But more importantly they also feed the soul. As we drove up on the site, Jean Claude was leading a bible study before they started for the day. It was amazing.........here they were in the middle of nowhere, studying God's word. They certainly had their priorities in place.

These are my two favorite photos of the visit.

4 wheeling photo!

Four wheeling Africa style

I was going to post one more photo, but seem I have devloped a few "technical" problems. Really don't have much time. I have one more meeting, then shower and go to the airport to begin the journey home tonight at 11:05 P.M.
Today was great. Long story and photos will follow, but I laughed until my sides hurt! A much needed outlet.

Off to Paris!

(photo added) Just needed my daughter to solve my technical shortcomings!

It definately is a small world!

Well, let's see. A girl from Texas blogs from Africa (which by the way she didn't even know how to do that until two weeks ago) The blog is read by a new friend Allison's father in New Zealand. And then the girl from Texas hears about it in Africa. Be very afraid. The world is very small. Of course it never occurred to me that google alerts for Africa Mercy (there I did that one on purpose) goes to everyone! She shared that story with me tonight during a reception for our guests! Allison is the Director of the Nursing Staff aboard the ship.
A special big Texas hello to Allison's dad!!!! It certainly served as a good laugh for the evening.

Tomorrow will be a long day as the Vision Trip guests will be our guests in the Operating Room all day! See ya then Allison!

GABC Choir has some competition

While I know that back home, the GABC choir is doing thier 4th celebration, this morning we went to an African church. These people don't take worship for granted at all. It was interesting to watch the French speaking preacher translate into the local language Fon and then our translator, Franc, into English. I feel sure that we were not getting the full translations that the congregation thought were mighty funny that we didn't get at all.

They sang in English especially for our group! It was amazing. I know that I will never hear "Your All I Want" in the same way ever again.

Going to the craft market this afternoon and then going to try to rest a bit. It has really rained, so we decided not to drive an hour and a half to Ouida. Good choice I think!

Well shoot...........can't figure out how to turn the one photo! I will figure it out when we get back.