Being onboard the Global Mercy over the past few months has been a privilege, a joy and sometimes a challenge! It is very special to be part of the first group of teachers and students to fill these rooms with learning, color, fun and laughter! The Global Mercy Academy has had many firsts over these past few months:
- First day of school onboard ever!
- First Jabulani day, Netherlands themed linked to our Rotterdam trip
- First parents evening
- First royal visitors, we had 2 in two weeks!
- First fire drill and academy muster
- And so many more firsts…
This week we celebrated the first Easter in the GLM Academy. Easter is always a special time onboard the ship and I may be biased but I think the time in the Academy is also extra special! This is a time when we can share the good news of Easter, Jesus’ death, and resurrection with the children in a very real way. Through whole school devotions, bible classes, crafts, and stories we can make the truth of Jesus become real for the students in our care. What a privilege it is to share freely about the gift Jesus gave us by dying for us. This is a privilege that is not always possible in some schools around the world and so this makes it extra special!
Easter Crafts
The students in classes throughout the Elementary department made crafts to help them remember the Easter story. From decorating eggs and making chocolate nests that remind us of the new life that we receive in Christ, to creating paintings that remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, to decorating Easter stones reminding us of the stone that was rolled away from the tomb. All of the crafts remind us that ‘He is Risen!’
Easter Breakfast
On the final day of school before Easter, maundy Thursday, we have an Elementary Easter Breakfast for the students. The wonderful parents onboard support us by preparing delicious breakfast treats for us to enjoy, including hot cross buns, fruits and veggies, pancakes, smoothies and much more. This is a special time to spend with our students culminating in the sharing of the Easter story by our principal, each class reciting their Easter Bible verse for everyone. It is a special moment to hear the students recite the truth of Easter complete with actions and excitement!
Easter Sunday
This year as part of the Easter Morning service the Elementary choir played the handbells and sang beautifully ‘Because he lives’. This was a beautiful way to start our Easter service for the first Easter Sunday on the Global Mercy and this song provides so many truths about what Jesus has done for us. We are also aware how blessed we were to meet as a crew to celebrate Easter this year, this is something we do not take for granted and are thankful for. The song the children sang reminds us that ‘we can face uncertain days because he lives’, I think these are perfect words for the season we are in. Things seem uncertain and we sometimes can’t see the end but the one assurance we have is that Jesus is with us, and we do not walk into those uncertain days alone.
By Katheryn Dungworth – Grade 1 class teacher
