Continuing the ride...

After about 3 hours in the land rover, plus various stops along the way which were some what pointless, we arrived at our destination.... a wrecked 1973 ship. I thought our ship was rusty... but then I saw this:

**** Well I had pictures.... but then the computer went mad and wouldn't work... so you'll just have to see them when I get home**********

I also managed to get soaking wet in all my clothes. I thought I could make into the ship without getting wet, hah, that didn't happen. Considering I'm currently living onboard a ship, it was interesting to think about what this did prior to it's on the beach and who lived onboard, etc. Where will the Anastasis be in 10 years? hmm..... some shipyard probably dead. However, the Ana has served thousands of people bringing them a new way of life. Every person that walks onboard leaves slightly changed, whether they were crew or patient or even just on a tour.

The Anastasis was in East London six years ago undergoing a huge air conditioning project. During that time, they provided a few surgeries for some of the local Xhosa people. One of the women who received a cleft lip and pallet surgery has come back to the ship week to share her testimony since receiving the surgery. She's now been able to experience life in her community and not be rejected by everyone around her. Besides the surface change, she spoke about how through her life experience she has grown closer to God and increased in trusting Him. In the midst of the dirty, torn apart ship, the stories of the lives this ship reaches remind us of why we scrub the corridors again and again.

In the very bow of the ship, a small plant had grown up inside the rust. I'm not sure how that exactly can happen, but it was a beautiful sight in the midst of the brown and red destruction. I probably would have never noticed the plant if it had been on the side of the road, but inside of the dark old ship, the green stood out as a beautiful living object. Many things in life tend to be like that....