Cape Town 2012...

It's been over two weeks since my last blog post and some may be wondering where I am... Well, I am in fact home in beautiful Cape Town for six weeks, having a break from Mercy Ships. The last time I was home was in March 2011 and Table Mountain was certainly a welcome sight as my Air Namibia flight (Accra - Windhoek - Cape Town) approached the Mother City.

I have been in Cape Town for nearly two weeks now and have spent much of my time doing wedding preparation for my upcoming marriage, painting the house and other chores, training for my 22nd Argus Cycle Tour, and playing with my adorable nephews, Rhyenn and Jesse.

The lovely Candace arrives in Cape Town tomorrow, and we get married this coming weekend. It is certainly an exciting - and busy - time!

Here are some photos from my flight home and time in Cape Town thus far... :-)

Planes on the runway at Windhoek - most notable is the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) plane.

Flying above the Namibian plains.

The great Orange River - the natural border between Namibia and South Africa.

St. Helena Bay - about 200 kms north of Cape Town.

Voelvlei (Afrikaans: Bird Lake) Dam - one of the City of Cape Town's water sources.

On final approach to Cape Town International.

Touchdown!

The day after I arrived we went to Constantia to look at a rose garden. It's stunning here!

Lovely home.

Dad and I braaing meat at my sister's school.

We also had some excitement with bees in the back garden!

But thankfully the majority of them had left - leaving just a few robber bees stealing the last of the honey.

Honeycomb.

The remaining bees huddling together in the corner.

Changes since 2010...

The Africa Mercy has been docked here in Togo for well over a month now, and I haven't had a chance to get any pictures of the surrounding area up just yet. Well, today I made it my mission to get some photos to show how things have changed - and stayed the same - since we were last docked here in the Port Autonome de Lomé in 2010. Enjoy!

The replacement forklift has arrived to replace the one lost in Freetown's port last year.

The Transportation tent and container on the dock.

The new Hospital tents on the dock - they are actually inflatable (the white ones).

The ship's swimming pool now has the Mercy Ships logo on the bottom!

Togo's Navy still share the waters by the AFM.

There is much activity across the port where Crystal Plage, a restaurant and beach resort, used to be. It is now just a pile of rocks as the harbour is being extended.

Barges and construction equipment where the port is being excavated.

Elsewhere in Togo, there is much development. The transportation infrastructure is far better that what it was back in 2010. Here are a few photos to highlight the positive development that is occurring.

The Beach Road is complete - and has working street lights!

This building was just a concrete shell in 2010. Now it is a modern financial institution!

Another view of the Ecobank headquarters.

Heading towards the port along Beach Road. Note the road signs too!

The large empty space that was just outside of the port has now been converted into a paved parking area for trucks. It really has eased the traffic flow in the port!

Togo's Lighthouse...

If you're a frequent visitor to this blog then it will come as no surprise that I've located Togo's rather unique lighthouse. It is located further from the coast than most normal lighthouses, and is perched high up on a water tower, making for quite an interesting lighthouse! And it is active, flashing two beams of light every 10 or so seconds.

The lighthouse is visible up ahead. This photo was taken after turning off the Beach Road by the coast (behind us), so it gives an idea of the distance from the lighthouse to the sea.

Looking back at the lighthouse in one of my side mirrors.

Introducing Candace!

Meet Candace, my amazing fiance from Indiana, USA! She's a nurse and works with the Admissions team here on the Africa Mercy. We met last year and have really enjoyed getting to know each other over the last few months. We made our engagement official late last year in Tema, Ghana. I'm excited to share my life with her!

Hospital Open House 2012...

Before the start of every Field Service, the Hospital opens its doors to the general crew, so that the whole ship can get a taste of what it is like to be a patient or a nurse on the Hospital deck of the world's largest charity hospital ship. This important event happened this past Monday, and I was there to capture - and experience - the fun and activities.

There were many different activities, including wound-care and learning how to do dressing changes, how to insert an IV, how to intubate a patient and many more. It was a great evening learning about the pivotal role that the Africa Mercy hospital plays in many West African nations - it is, after all, the reason why we are here.

Trying my hand at wound-care. (Not a real wound, of course. :-) )

Inserting an IV.

I got that elusive "vein"!

Match the name with the Hospital equipment.

Suctioning a lung.

The Captain tries his hand at intubating a patient.

Eeyore is ready for surgery!

Crew members learn how to suture.

Sterilising machines.

X-Ray room.

Our CT-Scanner.

Candace and I at the Open House. :-)

Togo Update...

Well, we are already on the cusp of February and I have not had much chance to keep my blog updated. So, I will give you a run-down on the events that have characterised my life on the AFM since I last blogged some three weeks ago.

Being back in Togo is just like being home. It is such a change from Sierra Leone and it is lovely to be in a nation where everyone remembers who you are and why you are here. I have gone to the market several times and have enjoyed interacting with the street vendors, and have also enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere on the streets – certainly when compared with Freetown’s crowded roads!

This last weekend I went to the Maison Bethany Orphanage, one of the Mercy Ministries I was involved with back in 2010. It was fantastic to be back and to see the children who still remember me! It’s amazing that a bond can be forged across cultural and language lines. We did the story of Joseph and his colourful cloak, and then did a craft where the children decorated a cut-out of Joseph with felt and fabric. After the activity we played games inside while it rained outside, and then once the rain had eased I played soccer with the boys in the garden. It was great to be back!

And then moving to the primary reason we are here: The Hospital. We have had a large influx of medical volunteers over the last two weeks and are preparing to open the Hospital in the next week or so. Tonight is the Hospital Open House – where non-medical crew can experience a taste of what it is like to work in the Hospital – and then on Wednesday we have our main screening event at the national stadium in Lome. This is where we screen for potential patients. We expect several thousand people to turn up, and we will not be able to help them all. But we do pray that everyone who is there on Wednesday – whether we can help them or not – would have a Divine appointment to receive a taste of healing in their lives. Be it spiritually or physically, we pray that God’s will would be done! Your prayers for this event and all that needs to happen that day would be most appreciated!

So that is what has been happening here on the AFM in Togo. I don’t have any other work-related news from my side, other than life in the Purser’s office continues at a brisk pace, and I am very much looking forward to my break back in Cape Town in February and March. It would have been almost 11 months since I was last home – the longest stint away from Cape Town that I have had since joining Mercy Ships in November 2007.

On a personal note, I do have an exciting announcement to make, but it deserves its own post. Stay tuned for that!

Arrival in Togo! (# 2)

This is the second time in the last two years that I have sailed into Lomé, Togo. The previous time was after a sail of over ten days. This time the sail was only ten hours! And by 18h00 this past Thursday the Africa Mercy was securely tied to our familiar berth in the Port of Lomé.

I am happy to be back in a country that I know so well - but I am much more excited about all the additional people that we can now reach. Some people may have been left two years ago still needing a slice of healing in their lives. They may have felt despair and neglect. But God is faithful and has brought us back to Togo, and we are here to continue the work that was started in 2010. I'm excited to see what's in store this Field Service - are you?

Here are some more photos from our arrival.

We felt very blessed to be given a naval escort into the harbour!

Pilot swings close to the Africa Mercy.

The pilot clambers aboard.

Approaching the Port.

With Candace as we sail towards Togo.

A new harbour tug.

Ships in the port - it is far less busy than Tema.

Heading towards our dock - on the left of picture.

Another older tug stands-by.