The Short Of It:
We are still here in Elizabeth City, NC working on boats with Maritime Ministries. We didn’t make our original deadline of having the boat ready to move aboard by the end of the year, so we are taking some time to slow down and hear from God about his plans for our boat and our family.
We’ve just ended the busy season of boaters coming to stay in our docks as they head south for the winter. We have learned lots about the power of hospitality and met some cool people.
Come January Aaron will become the “dorm dad” for the men’s dorm here at the college where Maritime Ministries is located. Unless God changes our course, we have committed to staying here till summer. Which means moving out of the RV and into a dorm parent apartment here on the college campus. We will continue to train with Maritime Ministries (which is located on the college campus) and work on fixing up our boat “Selah.” Our dorm parent apartment will have a view of the Intracoastal and the docks (and it’s own washer and dryer).
Dock Happenings:
The mizzenmast is back up! We re-installed the mizzen (rear) mast. Yay! It took about 15 volunteers to hoist this baby back in place. This was a major repair and it’s quite the accomplishment to have it done.
One thing I love about being here is there always seems to be a steady flow of visitors coming and going. Many are one timers but many come around enough to become friends. One such friend is pictured here teaching Aaron how to tighten the rigging (all those wires that keep the mast in place) on Selah after the mast had been re-stepped (put back up)
Cruising season
October and November are busy season on the docks of Elizabeth City, as the hurricane season ends in the south, boaters head for a warm place to winter. Most cruisers we met were headed for the Bahamas and surprisingly most of this years cruisers were French Canadians. Most spoke great English though. This fall busy season the ministry touched base with about 95 different boats/boaters. We learned lots about the power of simple hospitality and free hot showers!
Two boaters made an impression on me. One was a Canadian lady who knocked on the RV door to ask for a ride to the local vet to collect the ashes of her beloved 16 year old dog who had passed away while they were docked here. As we rode home from the vet she said, “I’m not sure why, but if all the places he could have died, I was glad it happened here at the Christian college. For some reason it brings me peace.” I wasn’t quite sure how to minister to this couple during there loss, but Gods comfort and grace supersedes our abilities to “get it right”
The other boater was actually a kayaker. He slipped in on a busy day on the docks and it took us a while to realize that the kayak tied to the end of the docks wasn’t the accessory of a larger boat, but the main mode of transportation for Bob. After receiving a bad diagnosis from his doctor and not having much family around, he decided to jump in a kayak and pursue a dream he had of kayaking from Virginia to Florida. Probably in his late fifties, early sixties, his equipment and kayak were very basic. We offered him a stay aboard one of the ministries sailboats for the night on a real mattress with a proper pillow. He told us he had spent several nights tied to trees along the banks of the Intracoastal with the kayak as his bed. (We later learned that his story touched one boater so much he bought him his own sailboat to continue his journey on!)
A busy day on the docks and a rainbow! Although the majority of boaters are couples, I was a little surprised how many boaters came with kids and even a couple babies!
Two of my favorite boats from the season
Rielle and I and our other MM crew helped sailing journalist Emily move her boat. Another boater who’s come around enough to become a friend of the ministry, Emily and I had several conversations about my Christian beliefs.
The Annapolis Boat Show
We got the join the ministry at the US Sailboat Show which is a huge boating event that takes place every year in Annapolis, MD. The only non-profit at the show, Maritime Ministries attends in conjunction with “Kings Fleet,” an international network of boats in ministry. The goal in attending is to network with other boaters and to spread awareness about boats serving a greater purposes.
At our boat show booth. You can see Everett is thrilled to be there, next time we will leave the kids at home.
Abel at the docks of the boat show. The highlight of the boat show was being able to tour lots and lots of beautiful sailboats. Piles of shoes abounded on the docks as no one is permitted to wear foot wear while touring fancy boats.
Not your typical parking problem. Annapolis docks during the boat show.
Boat Parade
We hope you and your family had a great Christmas! We got to participate with Selah in the city’s annual boat parade! After spending a few hours with friends decorating Selah, the day of the parade the boat would not start (battery issues). After hours of trouble shooting by our leader Dan, finally at 5:30pm the engine turned over. It was a cold night but a blast!
Warm and buoyant. Wearing winter jackets under life jackets was a tight squeeze
Rielle and her friends help hang lights (left) Selah the night of the parade (right)
That’s all for now. Thanks for following along on our journey!
Laura
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