Week 11: Free Time – On the Ship

I get the sense that a lot of people wonder what there is to do on the ship when we aren’t working so here is a small window into our free time on the ship. There is a pool up on deck 8 so it’s wonderful to spend time swimming and reading in the sun. There is a gym on deck 2, so we can work out. There is an awesome midships/café area where we can gather and have coffee, chat, play cards, do puzzles, watch TV together (among other things). There are tables and chairs up on deck 7 where you can sit and read, pray, get some sunshine, etc. You often see people sitting in the dining room talking (a lot of that goes on here), or skyping home. There is a library where you can get some quiet time, read and explore the books (this is one of my favourite places on the ship). There are various conference rooms where we can have birthday parties or watch movies together. There is a galley for all the crew that like to bake or cook their own food. On top of all this, there are always lots of activities planned, whether it be trivia night, laugh night, movie night, smoothie night, dancing, Bible studies, workouts, etc. And this is just the stuff you can do ON the ship. Realistically we try to spend a lot of time OFF the ship, but I'll talk about that at another time.

One new thing: My friend Caitlyn and I decided we were going to rent quads (ATVs) and drive up to Mahambo (which is a nice beach town about 3 hours away). This was her goodbye trip in a sense, because she left the day after. We each brought one of the day crew that we had made friends with, and it was really special to share this adventure with them and allow them to experience their own country in a way they never had before. We were so excited but let me tell you, when we first got on those quads and she started to explain how to use them, I was SO nervous. However they were so easy to use, and we soon realized that we didn’t need to go around all the holes in road, we could just drive straight through them. The most beautiful views you can imagine, just rolling along as fast as we wanted. We explored the back roads of Madagascar, driving through small villages, and it was epic. Quads are the perfect vehicle for this because we could basically go anywhere. We went through giant puddles, down tiny paths, up hills, around herds of Zebu, into fields where children got so excited when they saw us. On the way back, we found an uninhabited strip of beach and spent some time racing along the beach, driving in circles and just having a blast. By far, one of the best adventures I have ever been on.

One thing I observed: It is very easy to be removed from the patients if you don’t work in the hospital. Last week I didn’t have a team and I don’t think I stepped down there once. Even though they are so close, it is definitely something you have to be very intentional about. It’s easy to get caught up in the little frustrations of daily life and work when you forget who we are doing this for. On top of the difficulties of having crew come and go constantly, the patients also come and go. Sometimes they are only on board for 2-3 days. It becomes startling when you go down to the ward and you don’t know any of the patients. I think it’s a little bit like the vision/media teams, in the sense that unless you are directly involved, you could have no idea that they have come. There are so many aspects and dimensions to this community, it’s sometimes hard to keep track of them all. But at the end of the day, we are one community, all working together for a common purpose, and I am reminded of this at every community gathering, when we all come together to laugh, to worship, to learn, to give, to praise Him. It’s definitely something I’m going to work on, being intentional about going down to see the patients and spend time with them, as well as meeting the new nurses.

One thing I felt God was telling me: There’s been one verse that’s been on my heart lately, and I spent some time looking into it a bit further. Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. (NLT)

For we are God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)

1) For we are God’s masterpiece/workmanship/handiwork

                -Masterpiece=a work of outstanding artistry, skill or workmanship; an artist’s best piece of work

                -Workmanship=the degree of skill with which a product is made or a job done

                -Handiwork=something one has made or done; making things by hand

We were actively made by God, by His hand and skill, made to be his best piece of work.

2) Created anew/created in Christ Jesus

                -Anew=in a new or different, typically more positive, way

                -Create=bring (something) into existence

We were remade in Christ Jesus. We were sinful so God sent Jesus to break that mold and make us again in a more positive (better) way. A new work of art.

3) To do good works/for good works

                -Good works=charitable acts; that which is morally right; righteousness

This is the purpose, why God created us, specifically for/to do good works. Created anew so that we have the ability to do good things when before we were too sinful and selfish to do good. Only God is good, therefore we need his spirit to do good things. Made anew for righteousness.

4) Which God prepared beforehand/in advance/He planned for us long ago

                -Prepare=make something ready for use or consideration

                -Beforehand=before an action or event

                -Plan=decide on and arrange in advance

God was ready, He did this ahead of time. He had already decided on His course of action and arranged everything in advance.

5) For us to do/that we should walk in them

He prepared the good works so that we could do them. Not talk about good works, but DO them. Not plan good works, because He has already done that. Just DO good works. We are to walk in them, as if they are ‘good work footprints’ that we can simply follow along in, completing the good works God prepared. Walking implies action, actively completing them, continuing to move forward with a destination or goal in mind. Walking the path God set. Being obedient.

Summary: Through His son, Jesus Christ, God has actively brought us into existence with His hands and skill, in a new, better way, so that we can walk in the path of righteousness that He has set out before us; so that we are able to do charitable acts that He has already decided on and arranged, giving us His spirit so that we can do these things.

When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. - 1 Corinthians 4:12b-13a