Wednesday 13 June - Playing Games

We didn't have the closing ceremony on the island of Talaud because the winds and waves are still bad and there is no dock for the boats to pull up to so all unnecessary people scheduled to go off today and tomorrow have been cancelled.  They are refiguring the final day in Manado and how to get all of the patients off. It has been pretty interesting how many things keep changing because there is no dock. One option they have is to lower down a lifeboat with people in it and then they will transfer to a barge to go to shore. The only problem with that is you can not raise the lifeboat back on to the ship with people in it. People will have to climb some type of stair/ladder thing to get back on the ship. Could be very interesting. It is amazing how quickly we become accustomed to things and when it is broken we all ask what do we do now?

Needless to say, things are pretty quiet on the ship. They at still doing some final surgeries because it was moving so much they didn't want to try and cut with the ship in motion. In X-ray, we did one CT, cleaned, and talked. I decided to work on writing x-ray test questions so that kept me busy for about 2 hours. After lunch x-ray divided into 2 groups and we went to play games with some of the patients and escorts. They were so funny playing xbox 90 (kenitic?) bowling. I played dominos with about 6 people. I combined two sets of them so we would have a longer play time. It was pretty fun to watch them laugh and enjoy themselves. For many of them it will be the only time in their life that they will get off the island. So much they will never see and yet this is how they live.

I helped serve the food again. Jennifer was on the same line as me serving the officers and volunteers. It is fun to see how people look at us and remark how the volunteers are helping with the food, too. We get a lot of thank yous and we are being recognized throughout the ship. I worked out with Jennifer and she had me do strechy bands. I'm a bit sore now and I am sure I will be even more sore tomorrow. It is good just to burn off some food.

Tonight at devotional we shared some of our experiences and tender mercies we have received.  I talked about praying when I was trying. To remember what I needed for the dark room. One person talked about feeling lost and not knowing what they could do to keep the self busy and praying and having people come up and say I need help or would you like to do this. One lady said she was feeling.low because she worked in the admitting area the first two says and the. W not scheduled to go off anywhere while in Indonesia. She thought I will not get or do anything with the people and experience the culture. The next day she was assigned to go help in the wards and the fun she has had playing with the people and helping home has allowed her to had her Indonesia experience. It is so windfall that I can feel how people Re coming to the understanding we  all the same no matter where we live. Love you guys. Caroline (Mom)