Hard labour!

YES! This is me, in overalls, cleaning in the café on board the ship! Believe it or not, but it was actually fun!

There is a lot of stainless steel products in the café and they need lots and lots of cleaning!

I also helped to clean out a medical air storage tank used to provide oxygen to patients in the hospital.

Pirates & Fairies

Tom Schoenit and me at the Pirates & Fairies party at the Holmes' house!

Doesn't Tom look sooooo much like Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribbean as Captain Jack Sparrow!!!!

This was a real fun themed party and everyone went all out. A great way to just have some fun!

My 3rd Newsletter!

Miracles

We, here at Mercy Ships receive many prayer requests from people who are or were part of Mercy Ships and families and friends.

One of these is a very special family. Jan & Elizabeth Tuinier. They went on maternity leave quite a couple of months ago.

Elizabeth has been experiencing problems with her pregnancy at the late stages - what is called preeclempsia (something to do with high blood pressure, not sure of it all). Now, as you can imagine, we all were very worried for her and all prayed a lot for her.

There was a possibility that the labour will have to be induced for the baby to come earlier than the expected date if necessary.

So, this has basically happened. The baby had to come earlier. Elizabeth was in great danger during all of this. She had a lot of bleeding and all sorts of other things were happening - basically her life was in danger. Then, the beautiful little baby girl, Grace Isabella, was premature, so she was not yet out of danger herself. Elizabeth had to be put in an induced coma (I hope my terminology is correct).

A lot of prayer went up! The Lord did wonderful things! Elizabeth was finally after a long time out of immediate danger. After having been in the coma, she was incoherent, not knowing a lot of things and not being herself and sure of her surroundings and all.

God is wonderful and brought her back to the here and now!

Grace Isabella is also healthy. Now, both mother and daughter is safely back at home!

Elizabeth is from the Dominican Republic and Jan from Netherlands. They are currently living in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Jan has been trying to get Elizabeth’s 1 sister to come and stay with Elizabeth and Isabella, in order for him to be able to go back to work. I am not sure how many of you are aware of the difficulties of getting visa’s . In the DR it is very difficult to get a visa to Europe. With lots of prayers going up, Elizabeth’s sister got a visa within 2 weeks (which is unheard of in the DR)! GOD IS GOOD!!!

This picture is of Jan, Elizabeth and Grace Isabella!

Miracle 2

Angela Curtis has been working in the Mercy Ships New Zealand office. She became ill and went to hospital.

Angela got pneumonia and her life became in danger. She was put in an induced coma. She actually experienced God giving her a choice to live or to go to heaven.
She has a daughter, Tessa, who has not left her mother’s side if she could. Tessa was the reason Angela chose to live. A lot of prayer went up for her as well!
GOD IS GREAT!!! Angela has become ill again, but this time they knew what to do and what it was… She was interviewed on the BBC Radio Station here in the UK.
My words cannot express what she actually went through, but it can give you a glimpse of the miracles we see or hear happening all the time! It can also give you hope of what God can do for you!
God loves each and everyone of us! He is great, good, merciful and kind! He is our Abba Father! Hallelujah!!

Life in general…

Life in general here with me is going well. I am missing everyone, but am enjoying it here!
Please always keep me in your prayers and I will keep you in mine. Let me know if there’s anything specific you would like me to pray for.
We have been going on hikes on 2 different occasions thus far! What exercise I tell you! It has been fun and good for trying to get fit or trying to stay in shape…hehehe…
Also, we now have Lorah Styer here, who is part of the Crew Services Department. She came from the IOC (Mercy Ships Head Office in Texas). There she was a hairdresser. She has been offering her hairdressing services to us, which we gladly accepted!
Lorah has also been organising events for us. One of these events is called Ultimate Frisbee. For those of you who do not know it, here is a link to the website (which will give you much more accurate information than I can) www.whatisultimate.com .

Comments are always welcome on my blog!
Thank you for your support!!!
God bless,
Mathilda