September through early November of 2014 of my life were spent aboard a 90' gaffed rigged sailing vessel, by the name of the Encounter. A program supported by Torchbearers Austria, the Kingfisher Project offers sailing retreats, school programs, and a seven week Bible School for young adults ages 18-25. Having spent 11 months participating in the Torchbearers New Zealand Capernwray school after graduating high school, I had always been looking for an opportunity to volunteer with the programs represented internationally.
Having grown up an island child, raised in a maritime focused family, this unique experience to spend over two months on board a sailing vessel, exploring the Aegean Sea was the program that called my name.
Not only did I learn how to perform all the deckhand responsibilities, there was a component of leadership practice that I was placed in the position of. Even though the students were all peers, I was given the position of making sure the ship was cared for in the way that she deserved. That meant organizing watches, training students on deckhand responsibilities, and managing what I could understand of the sailing when it took place. Of course, Cappy Theo and Sandra (the directors of the program) were there to really instruct when my limited experience shown through.
It meant two months spent within a community that came from various backgrounds and experiences, learning how to work and learn together. It also meant two months with nothing but bucket showers, swimming almost every day, immense storms with some dangerous situations, getting stir-crazy in the rain, lots of chores (everybody LOVES cleaning the hull..), and deep friendships. We were unified through a shared experience of who God was, and what community could look like... and even through the distention that can happen when 16 people share 90 ft of space together. It was a time of incredible healing, as we were given the space to learn who we were, and what directions our lives had brought us all thus far. Speaking for myself, it was a time of retreat- I only took my camera, no computer, and very little phone access. I couldn't work on projects outside of the ship life (which drove me crazy sometimes) but also gave me the time to process through a great deal of life, within a community that was doing the same.
I love the unpredictability of the sea, when we are at the mercy of the weather. Some days, that means no wind and no direction. Some days, that means a wild day, where one might almost go overboard with waves crashing over the deck. Other days, it is a gentle peace. Any day, I love it.
Because I was working most of the time, the photos of sailing I have are limited. But here's a preview....
