Thanksgiving is a time when we Americans cram around a table filled with family and friends and share a bird roasted for our occasion. The past two years Thanksgiving has looked differently to me, but this year was probably one of my favorites. This year will never leave my mind for the rest of my days. It was a crazy beautiful international mix of 16 of my friends crammed around a table on an outdoor terrace sharing an Indian feast. After the meal we went around sharing what we were thankful for. The list was long and included all the standard answers of family, friends,and health. It also included all the standard Mercy Ships answers of good coffee, nice chocolate, cheese, laundry detergent that smells nice, and all the other things this big white ship makes you miss about home.......but as I sat listening I couldn’t help but think what I was thankful for was more than all of that. Something so simple sounding at it’s core, but life altering in actuality. Opportunity was the one word answer that left my lips. I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given simply by where I was placed on the earth. This outreach I have had the absolute honor of leading the training program for local Congolese nurses. I have learned so much from these lovely ladies and have had my world view shaken on numerous occasions. They have taught me so many things just by spending time in their presence, and it has made me so incredibly thankful for everything I take for granted. I have never had to put the basic needs of my family up against the luxury of education. I have never had to decide if my money should be spent to get me to class on a big white ship or to provide lunch to my children. I have never had to go to work day after day knowing that even if I gave it my all I would still witness multiple deaths almost helpless to change the outcome because I simply didn’t have the education or the resources. I have been given opportunity after opportunity in this life considering it to be a “right”. Everyone deserves an opportunity to change their path, a chance to put a spin on their life to better themselves and change their ultimate outcome. I cannot explain the joy I feel knowing that I am in a position to pass the gift of opportunity on..... thank you for providing a way for me, for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this amazing organization.
