A lot has transpired since my last post back on March 20th.

After isolating the ship crew and patients from the outside world we were able to successfully care for and discharge our remaining patients. The hospital staff miraculously accomplished this while the operations crew prepared the ship for sail to leave Dakar. On March 27th, we set sail for the Spanish Canary Islands.

In the middle of this crazy time of pack up and ship preparation, I personally hit a speed bump. A week after we created our ship bubble, sealing ourselves off from the outside world, I came down with a fever (101F). After notifying my doctor friend, I was placed in an empty family cabin to be isolated. My bunk mates were forced to stay within our cabin. The next morning, though I felt better, I was administered a COVID test by two of our lovely nurses fully outfitted in yellow isolation gowns and various safety accouterments. The test consisted of two swabs. The first swab was the back of my throat, no big deal. The second swab required going up my nose and needed to be twisted for 10 seconds against what I can only imagine was my brain. This was unpleasant but only caused a single tear due to physically squeezing one of my tear ducts. It was not as bad as I thought it would be but not something I plan to do again.

About 8 hours after the test I was notified the test came back negative, but was told I needed to stay in isolation for another 24 hours for observation. A little mandated rest was welcomed. To date I am the only person on board who has been tested for COVID.

We arrived in the Canary Islands on March 31st. We have been confined to our ship since this time (Except for a brief 48 hours where they allowed us to walk on the dock) and as a result we have remained COVID free. On April 14 we finished our two week quarantine period. Due to the Spanish lockdown we are unable to receive visas to enter Spain (aka leave the ship) but we are allowed to transport people to the airport to fly home. Since April 14 we have slowly been sending people home (mostly medical folks we had on board to help in case of a COVID outbreak).

The plan for the ship from here is to enter a maintenance period (Also known as “Shipyard”) so that the ship will be ready to return to Africa as soon as it is safe to do so. To perform maintenance on the ship will require new contractors to arrive, meaning our “Bubble” on board will break and we want to make sure all of our highest risk crew are able to get home safely before that happens.

My personal plan is to stay with the ship through shipyard. I will re-evaluate in August. I have transitioned from “medical supply” to “general supply” and will be taking over as the Supply Manager in the coming weeks as members of my department take leave. What I do following August will depend on what Africa and the rest of the world looks like in these crazy COVID times.

As difficult of times we are in, it has been a blessing to be a part of such a wonderful community on the ship during a time when much of the world has been forced into isolation. We have been healthy and safe and not had to worry about things such as “social distancing”. We have filled our time with ship olympics, dance parties, movie nights, concerts, trivia nights, stand up comedy, and many board games. These last couple months in ship quarantine, trapped just outside of paradise, in many ways have been the richest community I have felt on board.

Sadly, over the last couple weeks, much of that community which developed over the last few months has departed the ship. Though I am sad about many friends leaving, I am thankful for the memories I have shared with such amazing people. It is also a blessing to live in an age where through technology people are so accessible. For many of the people who have departed the ship it is not “goodbye”, but merely a “see you later”. Particularly now that people are going home to a “Social Distanced” and isolated world which is inherently reliant on online messaging and video conferencing.

Like much of the world, this next season for me is filled with uncertainty. I will be taking on a new role and the crew make up of the ship will change significantly. Though this transition is disruptive and I am leaving behind one of my most fruitful stretches with Mercy Ships I am excited by the new opportunities in this next season. My time with Mercy Ships has been filled with many great memories but has also been riddled with trials which have changed me on a fundamental level. I welcome this next season as another part of the work God is doing in my life and as an opportunity for me to further the mission of this life giving organization.

Thank you all for your continued prayer and support! Please continue to be vigilant in your own health and safety. God bless!