After leaving Cape Town at 06h20 yesterday morning (December 26th), I have arrived back at my home away from my two homes! (Indiana and Cape Town, if you're confused!) I'm back on the Mercy Ship for the next month, and I'm so excited to be here! This is the first glimpse I had of my ship home - other than from the plane when we flew over the harbour area on approach to the airport. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera handy. :-(
My travels went well. I flew from Cape Town to Johannesburg and then boarded my South African Airways flight from Johannesburg to Pointe-Noire, Congo! The most eventful part of my flight was getting drinks knocked on my legs not once, but twice, by my neighbour. He was definitely making the most of the free in-flight drink service!
The flight landed in Pointe-Noire on schedule, less than four hours after leaving Johannesburg. Immigration and baggage claim went very smoothly, and I was met at the airport by my friend and work colleague Philip, who was in the Purser's department as a translator in Guinea and who has been working as a Receptionist this year.
We drove through the busy Pointe-Noire traffic - although nothing compared to that of Freetown or Conakry - and soon the M/V
Africa Mercy was in sight. It was quite something to come home again to my ship home after more than a year away. I was surrounded by many hugs, greetings and love from my ship family.
In a sense it's as if I've never left. As much as things change with Mercy Ships, they always stay the same. The only downside is not having my pretty wife by my side this time round. It definitely adds a bittersweet element, to be sure! But I'm excited for all that God has in store for this next month ahead! :-)
Port fire engine outside our dock area. I've already noticed that the infrastructure here is definitely better than other West African ports.
My cubicle. I'm in a four-berth, but I actually have a whole cubicle to myself. :-)
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