Last Post.

It has been 3 weeks today since I arrived back home. I must confess that today feels like the first day that I have had to do nothing. Above is a picture of me at the grocery store for the first time in 19 months..... it was a bit overwhelming but good to have options. In the last 3 weeks I have celebrated Christmas with my family, traveled to Austin Texas and Atlanta Georgia to visit Emily and Carmen, volunteered at a conference called Passion 2010, visited with friends in St. Louis and interviewed/ landed a job.

I would say I am adjusting well. I think I have been so busy that I have not had time to really think about the differences between my two worlds. I know my heart is still trying to figure out where it needs to be, and how to be equally balanced. I know that as time goes by God will provide clarification and direction and until then I will continue to live faithfully in the place He has placed me.

As a follower of Christ I am called to live passionately for Him where I am so that is what I will continue to do. I was reading Tozer the other day and came a cross this line. "Among the many who profess the Christian faith, scarcely one in a thousand reveals any passionate thirst for God." I want to be that one in a thousand.

Since my blog is called What Jess Did In Africa Today, and today I am in America this will be my last post. Thanks so much for reading and supporting me over the last 2 years.

My friends in Africa would say God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. There is never a time when God is not good.

As I say good bye to this season of my life, the dust will always remain on my feet.

Heading Home.

I am all packed after spending all night downsizing my 2 bags of 40 kilos to 1 bag at 22 kilo...slight mix up on the bag allowance. I did good only a few tears were shed when I had to part with some stuff that I did not want to part with. I was just trying to look at it as God trying to simplify my life just a little bit more. I think i did good after 19 months  gone all I have returning with me is one little bag. 

I head out tonight at 8pm from Tenerife, spend the night in Dublin, fly to Chicago in the am, and then to Stl early evening tomorrow. Please pray that the snow holds of until I get there. I do not want to have to relive last years disaster at the Chicago Airport. 

It has been an adventure of a life time and thanks for reading and keeping up as I went along. 

Merry Christmas... and Happy New Year. 

We made IT.

We docked this morning around 8:30 am in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. We were welcomed by our very own trumpet player. Every time the ship comes or goes from Tenerife this man is there playing his trumpet for us. He was there last year and sure enough he was there this morning. In fact he was the only one there welcoming us. The entire crew loves to hear his music as we approach. It actually is rather moving. Around 10:30 am the mass exiting of sea loged crew began. I asked a few of the kids what they were doing today some answered the park, some answered getting ice cream but one little girl answered We Are Going to McDonalds. What ever the activity be I know we were all glad to be able to walk on dry land. The site of green grass and the smell of flowers and vegetation was enough to make me happy, oh the beauty of simplicity. 

The Trumpet player

Video clip of the arriving tunes

The Numbers...for Benin 2009

This post is for those of you who get amazed at the stats. I must admit they are rather impressive. However the glory goes to Him not use, for we are nothing without him. 

996 reconstructive and plastic surgeries;
185 cleft lip and palate repairs;
1161 general surgeries;
2 local surgeons trained;
3,521 cataracts removed;
570 other eye surgeries (pterygia and stabismus);
2 local eye surgeons trained;
33,851 eye evaluations and other treatments;
7,083 pairs of sunglasses distributed;
5,689 pairs of reading glasses distributed;
18 community eye field workers trained;
154 obstetric fistulas repaired;
4 local surgeons trained in fistula repair;
231 orthopedic operations;
10,175 dental patients seen;
794 dental hygiene patients;
13,174 oral health education;
25 oral health teachers trained;
2 dental assistants trained;
28 patients received palliative home care;
6 Burkitt's Lymphoma patients received palliative support;
19 families trained in wound care;
10 agricultural staff trained;
23 local agricultural trainees;
1 hostel constructed for agricultural college;
19 mental health workers trained;
119 church & community leaders trained in mental health;
50 prison officers and workers trained in mental health;
2 church leaders conferences attended by 602 attendants;
and 12,000 people watched the Jesus Film and many made a commitment to Christ.

That brings the total to about 80,000 people who have been directly touched by this ministry in the past 10 months. WOW.

⁹ I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;

         I will sing praises to You among the nations. 

    ¹⁰For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens

         And Your truth to the clouds. 

    ¹¹Be exalted above the heavens, O God;

         Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 57:9-11

Day7. Peek At The View.

Here is a peek at what I have been enjoying for the last seven days. It has been lovely. The sail is still as smooth as a baby's butt. Praise the Lord. Our ETA for Tenerife is Saturday morning, I leave one week from today, and I am 80% packed already.

There is a light at the end of this tunnel.  

Sunday... Day 6.

MERCY CHRISTMAS.... From our ship to your home. haha

Day 4.

We are still moving,  and this is how I spent my afternoon. :)