When two become three on the way to Israel

Maryna Domshetyn was looking forward to her baby being born in Israel. Instead the 20-year-old Jew from Ukraine gave birth en route to the Promised Land! Although nine months pregnant when Maryna and her husband, Dima, Boarded the Iris at Odessa for the early May sailing, the child was not expected for two weeks. All that changed when at 0400 on the third morning of the sailing, following a stormy night, Ebenezer ship coordinator Shirley was awoken by a knock on their cabin door to find a sick Maryna standing there with Dima.

At first it was thought Maryna was just seasick, but three hours later the ship's doctor concluded that she would soon go into labour, The Ebenezer volunteers and intercessors when to prayer.

By lunch-time Maryna was experiencing pains. The doctor, however, was concerned that it would not be a normal birth and Captain Oded contacted Hifa about the situation.

Preparations were made to land a helicopter with a medical team on the Iris. But the plan was defeated by the bad weather.

Instead, it was decided to divert the Iris to Limassol , Cyprus, just tow hours' sailing away. Maryna was taken to hospital, where she gave birth to a healthy boy. The Iris continued on her way again and Dima went ahead to sort out immigration formalities and prepare accommodation in Israel. Lynette, an Ebenezer intercessor/Volunteer, who spoke Hebrew, accompanied Maryna and stayed at her bedside, taking care of communications and arrangements for her and baby Daniel to complete the journey to their new home in Israel. The family was soon together in the Promised Land and Daniel was circumcised on the eight day!