Mercy Ship Kids Meet RFIS Kids

Mercy Ships in Douala, Cameroon

The hospital ship Africa Mercy operated by Mercy Ships has been docked at the Douala port since August 2017. This volunteer organization offers free surgery and healthcare to the people of Cameroon during its stay here until June.

These 2 teachers met earlier this year at a conference of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) in Kenya.  The one on the left teaches children of people who serve on the Mercy Ship, the one on the right is a teacher at RFIS. They hatched a plan to get the kids they teach together. And this weekend is when it happened!

Youth Group mixer games Friday

They have so much in common — a very international group of kids, parents serve as Christian volunteers in Cameroon, they’re 3rd Culture Kids in a small school away from their passport countries, and all speak English!

Worship a Youth Group Friday

About 14 of the 40 Mercy Ship kids and several of their teachers chartered a bus to bring them to Yaounde Friday, arriving on time to have lunch with us. Then for the last 2 periods of the day they joined the classes of their choices. Ron had 3 of the visitors in his Advanced Construction class and 3 visitors in his Auto Repair Class. Friday evening was Youth Group with food, mixer games, worship, and sharing.  They stayed overnight at RFIS roasting marshmellows over a campfire after dark, sleeping on mattresses under mosquito nets  in the auditorium.

Saturday slip n slide

Saturday morning breakfast was prepared for them then RFIS kids and staff joined them for devotions and outdoor games.  I think it was fun for them to have so much green space to play frisbee, soccer and water games.

Before leaving to go back to the ship, they had a group prayer time.

By the time the kids and staff said their good-byes, relationships had been made and there were hugs all around. In a few weeks the RFIS Middle School kids are going to Douala to visit the ship and see where the children of Mercy Ship crew  call home in Cameroon.

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