since i have been back.

I arrived back to the ship on Oct. 10th in Port of Spain, Trinidad at the end of a long and busy port. On Oct. 15th we arrived in Castries, St. Lucia. Castries was my first full port back on the ship and my first port in my new job as Onboard Events Team Leader. It was a challenging port but a great port. I met some Americans who were with the Peace Core and serving in St. Lucia. I went snorkeling for the first time with my American Peace Core friends.

The events team.

Snorkeling for the first time.

From St. Lucia we went to Bridgetown, Barbados on Oct. 28th where we unfortunately had to go to anchor and not be open to the public for most of our visit. I had the opportunity to lead a street evangelism team as well as go on a team that fed breakfast to children in a very poor neighborhood. I also got the opportunity to paint a kinder garden.

Street Evangelism Team.

Kids Breakfast.
Painting the Kindergarden.


Barbados to Guyana.
Guyana was a shocking port for me, it was different from any country I have ever seen. I saw a lot of poverty in Guyana, I saw things I have never seen before and it opened my eyes to the need in the world. It wasn't odd to see people with out shoes, it wasn't odd to see someone standing on outside bathing themselves in a bucket of water, it wasn't odd to see shacks build out of anything that could be found, it wasn't odd for people to have no running water or electricity, it wasn't odd to see children walking around with no shoes on and just in underwear, it wasn't odd to see trenches full of garbage and dirty water, and it wasn't odd for me to feel hurt in my heart for these people.

Going from Guyana, a country in South America that is considered part of the Caribbean but is actually very different from the Caribbean because it has no sandy beaches, palm trees and blue waters was then shocking to arrive in Curacao. Curacao is a desert like island with perfect blue water, barley any poverty with European developted makes it a tourist location. It was a big change but it reminds me that everyone needs God and his love, from the homeless man laying on the street to the rich tourist at the beach. Curacao was a quiet port, ministry was defiantly happening but it was defiantly a time for the community. We were able to spent Christmas and new years in Curacao. The Lord really blessed us during our time in Curacao.

I began the new year of 2010 in the beautiful Curacao. I am looking forward to what God has for me in the year to come and I am extremely thankful for the things God has done in my life in 2009.