Loving My Babies

We loaded into the land rover once again, but something was different this time. I was in the driver's seat! Yup, you heard me! Just recently, I became a certified Mercy Ships Driver. This is a unique, special, and frightening privilege. For those of you who have visited 3rd world countries; you know that the roads are crazy and dangerous! Speed limits are nonexistent, drivers pass on the left and right sides of the roads, basically the road is chaos. Here in Liberia, there are no stop signs, or yield signs, and the traffic lights that exist, are not functioning. The potholes in the road are deep and filled with manky, rank, muddy water. If you hit a pothole, there is a good chance you will get sucked in it and end up in China, or need a crane to pull you out. Exciting stuff! Up until this point, I have been only a passenger on these adventurous roads. Honestly, sometimes I even close my eyes, just so I will not scream and scare the driver when I see the cars coming toward us. I never planned on driving here, but often our plans change... Let me tell you how this came to be. Remember my precious babies at the Sister's of Charity that I told you about a few months ago? In case you were wondering, I have not neglected them. I actually go to the Sister's of Charity every Wednesday morning, when I am not working. I am one of the regular members of this outreach team. My regular visits to Sisters and relatively long term status on the ship has ushered me into the role of being in charge of the children's outreach at Sisters. I love to hold the children, kiss them, sing to them, and play with them. Well, I was so touched and moved by my first visit to Sisters, that I spread the word and now many people want to come too. The desire of more crew members to be involved in this ministry required that a second driver be found to take an additional vehicle to the site. I was selected because I was one of the only people who go regularly to Sisters who knows how to drive stick-shift (thanks to my old lawn mowing business), on the right side of the road ( I beat the Brits on this one), and who was not afraid of the task! I am always up for an adventure! Therefore, I am now driving on the streets of Liberia! For all of you prone to worrying.... DON'T! I am alive to write you this story. I only stalled the car once in traffic, I made it up the big hill I was afraid of rolling back down, and I didn't end up in China! I am still in Africa... loving my babies.