BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

I am so sorry you have not heard from us in awhile - - for about a week and a half we felt more like real missionaries of old. No internet, no phones, no IM - - eegads, what is the world coming to? So below is actually the message I wrote to send to you guys over a week ago.

The Anastasis is preparing to leave Ghana on Feb 25, next port of call is Monrovia Liberia.

Pulling up stakes in a country after 10 months is hard to do since most of us have made some very dear connections with local pastors, churches, ministries and even shop keepers. This means a lot of goodbyes and thank yous’, hugs and tears.

We hosted an onboard thank you to the community - - mostly pastors and political figures for the tremendous amount of support they have shown to us during our stay. That means waxing floors, spit shining the chrome, polishing the brass - - that’s where my team comes in. The floor and stairway is so shiny it caught me off guard when I started up the stairs and I thought the floor was wet. I actually had to touch it to know that my Nicholas had been up all night re-waxing the reception area. During the reception our Guest of Honor, Minister of Health was left speechless after viewing the long list of programs and surgeries we had performed for the country of Ghana. The room would gasp when seeing the before and after pictures of some of the facial deformities. BUT – the very first thing he said when he started his speech made me as proud as a peacock. He said, and I quote, “If Ghana could keep our country as clean as this ship is kept clean we could eliminate a lot of diseases”! The more I thought about what he said I began to understand how a department (housekeeping), often seen with such insignificance could really change a nation! If the Minister of Health instituted cleanliness standards in the hospitals, clinics and other public areas, it could change the face of health for this nation.

We are still in the midst of debriefing the crew from this outreach. A time they can verbally and as a department try to bring closure to one ministry before opening up and getting involved in the next. It is a tougher process for some departments than others. I was privileged to be the leader of a very difficult debriefing because the emotions were running very high - - lot of passion in their experience. Passion is what brings most of us out of our comfort zone and lands us in Africa in the first place. I have one more debriefing to do for someone else’s department and then it’s my turn to be debriefed as a Department Head and then as a Debriefer.

We are in the mode of gearing back up for the delivery of the Africa Mercy. Don Stephens, Founder and Cal Huge, CEO are making a visit to our ship in the next few days and hopefully we’ll have more insight into the transfer process and timing. Although we left Midland with thoughts of us going directly to the Africa Mercy and her being our first and only assignment, I can see God’s hand in how it has all played out. There has been a tremendous learning opportunity here. A time to knit our teams together to act as a team in time for the transfer when all these skills will be so vital. I am made aware almost daily that God is in this because this job is bigger than I am and yet it all gets done and it all gets done with excellence. Some days I wake up almost in a panic over what we are facing - - the transfer of all assets and people from one ship to another. Then I realize those near panic attacks are just reminders to thank God for walking through that day with me - - this is all Him and nothing about me, my talents or skills. I dare say no one in the world has had this exact job and so we are breaking new ground the closer we get to the transfer. I look forward to the challenge ONLY because I know my God is doing it and not me.

We went on a last visit to the “Save Them Young” orphanage. Musical chairs, story telling with a Godly message about caterpillars and transforming ourselves, singing, coloring, gluing, basketball, soccer and face painting. I guess you can tell by the pictures which one I opted to do.

Thank you for your time to read about our lives in the mission field. Now ask yourself where your mission field is - - we all have one you know! As we share our experiences through these semi-weekly updates, we’d love to hear from you too. Some say they don’t write because we must be too busy to read and answer every single one. I say - - humbug! I can’t get enough of friends and family emails – it tells me something is thinking of me and praying for us. I thank God for every one of you as you walk through this with us.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Continued recovery from back pain for Susan
2. Continued health for Robert
3. World Outreach Ministry as they continue to train pastors in West Africa and also continue to bring salvation messages into Pantang Psychiatric Hospital
4. Mercy Ships as we forge new frontiers with the delivery of the Africa Mercy
5. Godly, qualified people to volunteer into this ministry
6. Keeping our focus as a ministry on God and what He wants from us - NO MORE NO LESS

Blessings Always,
Robert & Susan Blanchard
Missionaries in Ghana