Living on a ship

So when you live on a ship with about 400 people from about 35 different countries you are bound to meet all sorts of interesting people. I was blessed to meet some really great people before I even got to the ship, while waiting in Brussels.

Most of the gang.

It was great to be able to form almost instant friendships with them and really helped me feel settled my first week here. Since then I have constantly been meeting new people.  On-board Mercy Ships you are always meeting new people. People come and go, staying a week to years.
The ship is kind of like our own little city, and there is really a lot of stuff to do. Dance parties on the dock, amazing sunsets nearly every evening, drum lessons, bible studies, church, our very own Starbucks (the only one in Africa, or so I'm told), games, movie nights, ballets (the school kids performed the Nutcracker for us last night. So cute!), the Ship Shop where I can stock up on junk food and the list just goes on!

African dancing to worship songs

Beautiful sunset over the ocean

Bethany and I decorating for Christmas

Kevin and I hanging out at Starbucks

Melina always has the best scarves!

An exciting game of spoons.

There is a pretty good group of Canadians on the ship, so we got a picture the other evening for the Mercy Ships Canada Christmas Newsletter. And yes I took a Canadian wintery sweater with me to Africa. It can get chilly on the ship! I thought it was kinda funny how a lot of us had a shirt that said something about being Canadian on it. Canadian pride!

The bearded guard.

As exciting as living on a ship full of people can be it is nice to get some quiet time in. Surprisingly easier then you would think. They have a prayer room to use (not always quite as the walls are paper thin and someone next door likes practicing their recorder :S), my cabin can be empty sometimes and its always nice to go up to deck 7 or 8 and get some fresh air (well sometimes fresh. Sometimes it just smells like a stinky port). And on deck 8 we have our two trusty guards, making sure we are always safe (actually though. When they are sailing its to keep the pirates away thinking there is someone on deck).