THROUGH THE EYES OF THE INNOCENT

THIS IS GRANNY - AGE 3 ENJOYING A DAY OF BALLOONS, BUBBLES AND JELLY BEANS

My friend Patti and I had the privilege this past week to meet such a basic need of William from the orphanage. He had complained his eyes hurt a lot and he couldn’t see to read anymore. We figured he needed glasses of some sort so we brought him into town where the real adventure began. For those of you that have ever been frustrated at ANY medical facility let me tell you I’ve never encounted anything quite like this….to start off with they charged us a late fee for coming into a clinic when it was open, had no patients and all the employees were sitting around with nothing to do. Late for what? Okay, so we paid the fee, filled out the paperwork took it back to the counter. Then you had to take the receipt 6 steps across the hall to the man in another room whose sole purpose was to take the money. He wrote out a receipt and sent us back to the first man who tells us to take a seat until the “escort” could come and get us. He escorted William 10 steps behind us in the same room when he was good and ready then gave him a paper that he now had to take to man #1 so he could write up how much the next step was going to cost, then to man #2 to pay – sit for the escort till he called William into a room in the same place we were – then back to man #1, man #2 to pay for drugs, to the pharmacy, to the escort, to the waiting room, to the escort to another test, back to man #1, man #2 to pay for that part of the test, escort to sit, escort back to man#2 to pay for the glasses ONLY TO FIND OUT they don’t keep the glasses in the Eye Clinic! That would be too logical. We had to walk ¼ mile down the road to the hospital for him to pick up his glasses. What touched our hearts so was when William said “Grandma Chocolate, thank you so much, no one has every done ANYTHING for me before”. It was a great opportunity for Patti and I to share with him about the work our supporters do back home, people who make it possible for us to be here and bless others - - that as God gives us the resources to pass on it was now his turn to pass on blessings to others because that’s God’s way. Pay it forward. Try it today and see how blessed you are.

There is nothing better than spending the day with two young men from the orphanage at our home this time. We invited Peter Jr. and Jeffrey to a day of tours, dinner and a movie last Friday. I thought it was the highlight of our week but the excitement in these two boys told us it was the excitement of a lifetime for them.

They arrived at the ship so handsome in their best clothes with smiles from ear to ear and chattering like two school girls. They greeted us with the traditional formal handshake and bow when they speak to someone of respect but they were still calling us Grandma and Grandpa Chocolate. We just grabbed them up and let them know they are our friends. As they approached the ship for the first time Jeffrey kept asking us how such a big ship can float when it is so heavy. He had never been so close to a ship before. Remember, these boys are from the country, they are not the sophisticated city folk. Jeffrey wants to be a civil engineer and needs to get back to school in the fall in the 10th grade and Peter is 22, was a child soldier at 11 and wants to finish high school (10th grade) then become a marine engineer. Remember the war interrupted most all education and education comes at a price here even for public school. We are looking for sponsors for their schooling but more on that a little later.

As we started up the gangway I saw some hesitation in the boys while they overcame their fear but their excitement and interest forced them forward. They stood in the lobby with HUGE eyes saying over and over “I can’t believe I’m here - - this is beautiful”. We took them directly to our cabin to get the boys a soda before we started the tour. Robert asked why type of soda they wanted and gave it to them. It was in cans and we didn’t know they had never opened a soda can before, so after a few tries at poking a hole in the can Robert decided it might be best to do it for them. The tour was no less than perfect, I know God was watching these boys because when I wanted to take them to the bridge which is closed without Captain’s permission the Captain happen to be all alone. I asked the Captain if I could introduce him to the boys and you should have seen the boys’ faces when they found out they were shaking hands with the CAPTAIN! It was so precious. They bowed LOW while they shook his hand and kept saying they never believed they would ever see a real Captain. Capt. Jonhard not only allowed us to the bridge but gave the boys a personal tour complete with a quick lesson on chart and compass reading. I’m not so sure the boys caught any of what he was saying because they were still so stunned and kept staring at him waiting for the moment he would lift off the ground and fly. They saw every inch of the ship we could provide to them and they have the same feeling we do - - “She’s beautiful”…these boys got the full $1.00 tour as we got permission to take them down into the engine room and also see the shaft. Unfortunately, I was along taking pictures and the heat down there got to me in just over 5 minutes and I had to get out but they saw and heard a lot from Robert in that time. Just as we were coming out of the engine room Ebenezer Yeboah appeared at the top of the stairs and we introduced the boys to him. Ebenezer is a Ghanaian who serves as a 3rd Engineer and has been on the ship a long time. Ebenezer donated his time to talk to the boys about engineering as a career and the rewards and the sacrifices. He also restated to them the need to finish high school with good grades before going on. The boys are more excited than ever to get back into school.

We went back into our cabin and watched Fantastic Four. They sat on the edge of their chairs in wonder how someone could be on fire and live and they pulled on their faces when Mr. Fantastic stretched his face to shave. I think they started to understand these things were not real and then the scene with the trick motorcycle riding came up and that was not real also - - when we told them people can actually do that they started laughing and hitting each other in the shoulder. Of course no movie is complete without candy so we gave them each gummy lifesavers and wondered why they wouldn’t eat them…we found out later. On the way off the ship Jeffery told us to look down at the water line against the ship and said the ship was boiling. It was just the water discharge that gives off a lot of bubbles! It was a beautiful day of seeing everything through the eyes of innocence. Why didn’t they eat their candy? When we drove them back home that night we knew. The first thing they did was give the candy to the other 42 orphans in the home and it would not have been right for them to have kept it for themselves but they needed to share with the family. Boy, do I feel stupid at times and this was one of those times.

We also have a tip for those who wondered how you can get just 1 more gallon in a gas tank that is already full. Here’s how you do it - - fill up the tank, remove the nozzle, BLOW INTO THE TANK, replace the nozzle and repeat process until you squeeze in at least another gallon. That’s a trick we learned here this week from the gas station attendant.

I’ve been on vacation all week. Even if it meant the first day of my vacation was spent at work it is just knowing you are officially on vacation that makes it all feel so different. My department is very busy packing and preparing for closure of the Anastasis. There are crew members on the Africa Mercy working long hours 7 days a week to be ready to sail her this way as of May 4. Please pray for them as they are writing they are very tired and need physical, emotional and spiritual help from God to finish the jobs at hand.

PICTURES FROM THIS WEEK: http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?userid=92780&cdate=20070426

ADDITIONAL PICTURES FROM LAST WEEK YOU HAVEN’T SEEN:
http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?userid=92780&cdate=20070408

OTHER PRAYER POINTS
* Healing for Susan’s back
* Transition of the Anastasis to the Africa Mercy during rainy season
* Emotional, physical and spiritual refreshment for all crew members

* Sponsors to allow the children of Christian Orphanage to continue high school.
* That God accomplishes in this season what God wants accomplished in the orphanage and not what we think is best

1John 3:16-18

Love and Grace,
Susan & Robert Blanchard