Courage

During the Advent season this year on board the ship we have been learning about courage.  Courage is defined as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, or pain without fear.  We learned of the courage of the shepherds and that getting through the night not only takes wisdom but the right spirit.  We learned of the courage of Mary and Joseph and how they listened to the voice of an angel and heard God's directions through a dream and obediently and courageously followed the will of God. I am learning to be courageous, too, as I strive to follow God's plan for my life.  I certainly have been to the far reaches of the earth as I left the comfort of my home to live on a ship that has taken me to the coast of West Africa, to the Canary Islands, and now to Madagascar. It has taken courage to wait and see where the ship would go next as Ebola continues to spread and claim lives in the very place I  visited in the past year and then spread to neighboring countries. No one can predict how long the Ebola crisis will last, but the ship will stay away from west Africa for however long it takes to be a safe place once again to provide the services we offer. It has taken more courage than I thought possible to be away from my family and friends this year at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It takes courage for every patient to come to the ship and walk up the gangway and enter the hospital ward to be cared for by strangers.  The ship is a place of hope and healing for many, but not for all.  And those who can't be helped have the most courage of all as they return to their life that has not been transformed.  And then what we can still do is show compassion and love, for love never fails even in the face of discouragement.  May you be blessed in the year to come and may you find courage to follow your dream and be filled with love and hope!