Farewell Sierra Leone...

It was with some sadness in my heart that the Africa Mercy pulled away from the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown at around noon yesterday. Sierra Leone has been my home for the last eight or so months, and I was leaving behind many friends as we sailed into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

The day started bright and early for those in the Technical departments - Deck and Engineering - as they loaded the last of the vehicles and did final checks on the engines. Shortly after 11h00 we had a complete muster of all the crew prior to the pilot embarking the vessel. The gangway was closed and lifted shortly thereafter and we were soon away from the dock and under our own power in the river. The pilot disembarked and we then did some final lifeboat tests before sailing along the Freetown peninsula - passing the lighthouse at Cape Sierra Leone - and into the open waters of the Atlantic.

I take with me very fond memories of Sierra Leone. It will hold a special place in my heart. I pray that God would continue to bless the people of Sierra Leone as they rebuild their nation. Please also pray for us as we are now sailing a five or so day voyage to our next port of call, Tema in Ghana, for a Christmas break. May God bless you and thanks for following my adventures in Sierra Leone! Here are some more photos from our departure yesterday afternoon.

An empty dock the morning of our departure.

Lifeboat drill and muster.

Pulling away from Freetown's Queen Elizabeth II Quay.

Day Workers and former crew on the dock to wave us off.

The pilot boat approaches...

... Takes the pilot onboard...

And speeds back to the port.

The faithful Sierra Ferry M/V Bai Bureh docked at Government Wharf. Sierra Ferries were a huge blessing to Mercy Ships during our time here.

Passing the bridge leading into Aberdeen.

The lighthouse on the point at Cape Sierra Leone.

Another view of the lighthouse.

With Candace as we sail into the Atlantic Ocean, leaving Freetown and Sierra Leone behind.

Farewell Sierra Leone! Thanks for everything and may God bless you!

Farewell Pastor Mark...

I've blogged about them before, but this past Thursday was one of the last times I'd see my amazing friend and brother in Christ, Pastor Mark Sesay. We sail to Ghana soon and it will be very sad leaving Pastor Mark and his wife Bridget. They have been huge blessings to Mercy Ships - and to myself on a personal level. I will miss them and am so very thankful for their diligent work and partnership with us over the past year. I hope to see them again soon!

With Pastor Mark Sesay.

No-Shave November...

Several crew members took part in No-Shave November this last month. I was one of them, and was very happy when December 1st arrived and I could finally shave off my facial hair. Of course, I decided to have some fun shaving it off...

Stage One: Unshaved...

Stage Two: Foo-man-chu...

Stage Three: Dirty Moustache...

I don't think I'll be sporting either of the above looks for a while, though!

Greg and Becca's Wedding!

It's always special when God brings a couple together - a common love of serving God through missions and Mercy Ships often has the potential to forge a solid bond. I've seen it happen with many friends here on the ship.

A large proportion of Africa Mercy crew turned out to witness the wedding ceremony of Gregory Kulah and Becca Taylor yesterday afternoon. Greg and Becca met on the ship and are both serving as Long Term crew, and Becca is one of my Gateway sisters from back in June/July 2009.

It was a lovely service followed by a beautiful reception at the Team House. It was great to escape the ship for the day and witness how God brings people together through serving Him. Congratulations Greg and Becca!

On the way to the wedding we passed this vehicle... Now that's quite the decoration!

With Candace at the church. Ignore Alex's fingers in the background. :-)

Hanging out with Phil at the Reception.

With the happy couple. :-)

Day Worker Thank You Celebration...

It is the end of November and our Field Service in Sierra Leone is slowly winding down. The Hospital has closed and is being cleaned and packed as we make ready for sailing. The last In-Port fire drill happened on Friday morning and the At-Sea muster lists went up on Friday afternoon. Also on Friday was the Day Worker Thank You event.

Mercy Ships employs some 150 - 200 local Day Workers who assist us in our operations in any given port. Some, like Pastor Mark and Bridget, help with our arrivals and departures over at Lungi; others, like Santigie and Patrick, help drive crew to and from the ferry terminal. The Hospital also has many day workers who help in a wide capacity of roles, from translators to launderers and cooks. Deck and Engineering also have many watch keepers and paint-chippers who ensure that the Africa Mercy is kept in tip-top condition for sea.

Thursday was the last day for the vast majority of our day workers and so on Friday we hosted a Thank You celebration to honour our hard-working day workers. There was an amazing African lunch before the official event in the International Lounge. There was lively African worship followed by speeches by the Captain and our Managing Director. Once the function had concluded there was ice-cream in the Cafe area.

It was a great day and made the Mercy Ships family feel very special to be able to partner with so many amazing day workers! I pray that they will continue to bless Sierra Leone in their future endeavours, and may God bless them for all that they have done!

Our Captain addresses the International Lounge.

Ice-cream in Town Square.

Packed cafe area.

Farewells on the dock.

Back to Tacugama...

For the second time this Field Service I found myself, with a few close friends, headed out overnight to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary this last weekend. It's no small wonder, since it is definitely my favourite place in Sierra Leone. This is how our lovely weekend unfolded.

We departed the ship at 9am on Saturday morning and arrived too early to check-in for our lodge. So while they prepared the lodge, we decided to walk to Charlotte Falls, about a 90-minute trek away. We walked through the small village of Bathurst, passing the quaint church of St Peters and St James Parish, founded in 1816, on our way to the Falls. The waterfall itself was beautiful, with crystal clear water cascading over the rocks. There was a small pool near the bottom of the falls, where we waded and enjoyed the serenity of the Sierra Leone countryside.

We returned to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary a little after 3pm and checked-in to our Eco-Lodge, Christo. The rest of the afternoon we spent relaxing, reading and napping in the comfortable surroundings, as all around us the birds chirped and the cries of the chimpanzees resonated through the jungle. Supper comprised of spaghetti followed by s'mores roasted by candlelight. It was the perfect end to a great day.

During the night we awoke to the sounds of thunder and the bright flashes of lightning as a storm moved through the night sky. Hard rain pounded the roof and for several minutes sleep was evasive. But soon the rain died away and all was silent, apart from the noise of the jungle insects outside. It is strange to be only an hour outside of the city and yet hear nothing of the city itself. All you can hear are insects, animals and birds. It is so peaceful here.

Sunday morning came and we were brought a lovely traditional breakfast, including grapefruit, bananas, oranges, eggs, bread and butter with jam or cheese. We then had a guided tour of the Sanctuary and it was lovely to see the work they do in rehabilitating the chimpanzees. Most of these chimps had parents who were killed for bushmeat, and the babies were raised as pets in the city. Tacugama rescues these chimps and rehabilitates them for their release into the wild.

After our tour we checked-out and walked down to the Congo Dam, and then headed down to the main road where our driver picked us up. Shortly we were speeding back through the city streets of Freetown, and were dropped outside the port gate near the Africa Mercy. It was a lovely weekend that left the four of us refreshed and ready for the final few weeks here in Sierra Leone.

Tacugama do a wonderful work with Sierra Leone's chimpanzees. Check out their website here. Here are some more photos from our weekend away.

You have entered the Western Area Forest Reserve!

The West African jungle is simply beautiful!

Phil and I survey the scenery from the Falls.

Candace and I.

Christo Eco-Lodge.

S'mores by candlelight.

Clinging on tight!

This plant closes its leaves if you touch them - a defence-mechanism.

Another pretty flower - reminds me of a Red Hot Poker back home but on a smaller scale.

Congo Dam.