I am the worst blogger ever!!!

Ok so today I am babysitting little baby Stephen Trapnell so while he is taking a nap I thought I would right to you a summary of what I have been doing in Togo since January. It has been a really difficult field service for me just missing friends and family at home and just trying to work through what I want to do with myself once I am finished with Mercy Ships. I have been praying a lot as well as thinking about where I feel God leading me. I have decided that I am going back to school for my Social Work diploma and Bachelor degree. This will mean 4 years of University ahead but I am so excited to have a new dream that I feel God has led me to. So I will now back up and try to explain.

I decided that this field service I needed a change and to get off ship more so I became involved with a Mercy Ministry at a special needs school called APHEM. I do every Thursday morning for about 3 hours. It not only breaks up my week but it allows me to be able to use what I feel is one of my gifting's and that is just loving on people especially children. So in this ministry as I came to know and love these kids I started to think about how I could truly help people with disadvantages. God brought to mind social work, so I started researching it and the more I looked into it the more I thought that it would be a good fit. So I am going to be starting and online course on May 7th it is a literature and composition class that is a prerequisite for the actual university courses. Then I plan to enrol for the Fall 2013 semester at Mount Royal.

I will be hope this summer for 6 weeks I leave the ship in 44 days so it is fast approaching and i am getting very excited to see all of you. Prayer points to keep in mind for the last stretch before comic home are......
1. That my textbooks for my course would drive on time since the class starts in 9 days.
2. That I would take in every moment on the ship and keep a positive attitude.
3. That I would be able to stay healthy physically and spiritually.
4. That I would be able to handle leaving the kids behind at APHEM.

This is me teaching the Bible story at APHEM

The kids colouring with the help of one of the dedicated teachers.

Me and my favourite little girls Anita.

Emanuel our wonderful translator, the kids adore him.

One of the crew members helping a little boy with his pencil.

Juan with the boys they loved his hair :)

I had the kids make puppets this is Merriville with the one she made. So proud.

I was also in a the play Godspell at Easter I will post a few photos from that. It was definitely a fun show but a lot of work for only 2 weeks of practice, I have a copy of the show on DVD if anyone wants to see it when I return this summer.

The set.

Rehearsal the hour or so before the show.

Ok so I hope to see you all in about 6 weeks.

Check out my newsletter, Merry Christmas

So sorry

So since I am terrible at blog posts I am now asking for help. Seeing as it is nearing the end of the Sierra Leone you can ask me a question and I will do my best to answer and post a picture with each question. So get asking and I will get answering. :)

Change A Life

Hey so I know it has been a really long time since I have posted and for that I am sorry. It is not something that comes easy to me but I also know it is important. So I am going to try and fill you in on a few of the things that have been going on in the last month or so. I gave blood for the first time in my life, at first I was freaked out because I thought I would be able to feel my blood flowing out of me. However I soon found out this was not the case. It is such a unique experience as well because we do not have a blood bank on board so we are on a list and when they need blood in a surgery they call you down. Now this is interesting in several ways, way number one is that you know that all the blood they take is needed and will be used immediately. Way number two for me as a hairstylist is that I could get called down at any time, I happened to be in the middle of a haircut when I got called. And way number three is that you have the opportunity to meet who you have blood to. I so wanted to take up this offer but never had the chance, but I did get the 10 yr old boys name. His name is Karamouko Djanea and he had a maxillary tumor. The surgery was a huge success and he has now left to go back home to Guinea.

I have also had opportunity to get off the ship and see some amazing beaches. I feel so blessed to be in such a beautiful place. But as much as I love being here and seeing all that this country and its people have to offer I at times miss home. I don't miss the weather or even necessarily the surroundings, like the mountains. But I miss the people, I miss being able to share these wonderful experiences with the people I love and am closest with. I also miss being there for the exciting moments like my friends weddings. It is a weird feeling because I know that non of you will ever be able to fully understand what I am experiencing here even if I was a great writer, and I also know that I will never be able to understand all that I have missed.

This week leads into another ship holiday, and I will be spending the weekend giving back and rejuvenating. Friday I will be going to a vocational center to minister to sexually abused women, and just to love on them and show the love of Jesus. Then on Saturday I will be going to the beach to recharge for the week to come, and Sunday I will probably go to another local church. I will hopefully be writing another post sooner then the last but until next time pray for the love of Jesus to flow in and through me to those that I am around and with.

I love you guys so much
Jillian

The Journey Continues

So I have been on the ship now for 3.5 weeks Friday will be 4 weeks and so far so good. I am settling into a routine and I love my job. I have made some great new friends and am really excited to see what God has in store. I will post a few pictures of my life here on the ship. I will post one of my room and one of the salon. It is a blessing to be in such a unique atmosphere I feel totally and completely blessed. I have this week gotten to move down to the bottom bunk which is a blessing. My bunk-mate switched cabins so now I get the bottom bunk :).

This past Sunday I went to a local church and let me tell you I will never complain again about not wanting to go to church because I am too tired. We had quite a journey to get there. So first we walked about 5 min to the junction of savage road where we caught and arcota which is a local motor bike and the cheapest and fastest way to get around. We then took about a 3o min ride to get to the base of a really large hill. We then proceeded up this hill over a river and 20 min later arrived at the church on the very top of this hill. I don't have any pictures because it is not really safe to carry them around, but let me tell you the journey was long and strenuous. After church we went over to the pastor and his wife's home for lunch and they served us amazing food, spicy but amazing none the less. There house was about 10 min from the church. The most amazing part of it all was that this lady Esther is one of out day workers on the ship, that means Monday through Friday she makes that journey just to come to work and on wednesday and Friday climbs back to the top of the hill to go to evening prayer services. If that's not dedication I don't know what is. Everyday at home we find something to complain about but we do nothing to change our circumstances, and yet here everyday these people could complain but they don't they overcome obstacles and just keep on going. It is a beautiful thing to see. I have everything and more I need on the ship, and if I don't get off ship it does not even feel like I am in Africa. We are so blessed and we don't even see what is in front of our own eyes. My challenge to you is to open your eyes and look around. See the beauty, see the struggles, see the obstacles and overcome them with a positive attitude. I promise you that you will feel so much better for it.

Ship Life Begins

So I arrived on the ship yesterday after 2 weeks in a village. We built latrines which were much needed because they were replacing the maggot hole. Yes that's right the maggot hole. I have no picture of said maggot hole because it was a little too disgusting for that I don't want anyone fainting while reading my blog. We led a week long VBS and that was a really big success it is exciting to hit the ground running. It was very emotional saying goodbye to the people on Yams farm they gave us dresses and shirts and just gave us word of affirmation that make me know I am here and doing the right thing. I love the people there and especially pastor Marks heart, these are Africans that know it takes hard work and dedication to change there environment. I think that the hard work they put in to assisting in building the latrines is amazing. God is good and I am excited to start on the ship serving Him with my talents and gifts. I got the key to my salon today so that is exciting. And I am in a 4 berth cabin which is good. I have Kelly and two other girls that I am sure will be wonderful once I get to know them. Anyways I am kind of not focused becasue there is so much new that I have to process.Exciting times are ahead I know this for sure.

My Final Night in Texas

OK so this is the collective bags of my roomies and I, 3 peoples stuff for a total of 4 years.

OK so tomorrow I am leaving Texas which has been my home for the last month. We will be leaving at 5:45 am. We will drive to Dallas fly from Dallas to NY then from NY to Brussels, then Brussels to Sierra Leone. I have a mixed bag of emotions. I am so excited to go on this new adventure and to see what God has in store. I am sad to leave the people I have met in Texas and we leaving the last close place I will be to anyone I know for a long time. I am happy to meet new people that will most likely become life long friends. I am nervous about adjusting to the new culture. I am super nervous for the trip well once I am on the flight I will be good. I just dislike checking in. But most of all I am excited and now getting tired since it is late but I want to thank you all for the prayers on this whole journey. I will update you has soon as I can but it probably wont be until first week of August and I won't be on the ship until July 28th. Anyways bye for now.