Christmas on the AFM...

Christmas on the Africa Mercy is a special time, and maybe more so than elsewhere. This is because we are here so that we may be Jesus to the world's forgotten poor, and we are all called to Mercy Ships to do exactly that - whether in the Dining Room or in the Operating Theatre. It's our common love that draws us here. And we are all part of a bigger picture - the Great Commission - to be Jesus to a fallen world.

Yes, we do have decorations and trees. But it's much more than that. It's about remembering the sacrifice God made of sending his Son to earth as a baby. It's about remembering all that He did for us on that cruel cross. And it's about being thankful. My prayer is that you experienced God's love this Christmas in a tangible way, and that you'll show that love to your friends and family and those around you throughout the coming year. God bless into 2012!

Here are some more photos of our Christmas here.

Door decorating is one of our Christmas traditions.

Candace's cabin door.

Christmas frosting on the ship shop windows.

Nativity scene near the ship shop.

Gifts outside cabin doors.

Christmas brunch buffet.

There was a large Africa Mercy gingerbread model...

Complete with swimming pool...

And name and port of registry on the stern!

Happy, happy Christmas!

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year. Much love, Murray & Candace :-)

Arrival in Tema, Ghana!

After a five-day sail from Freetown, Sierra Leone, the M/V Africa Mercy pulled into the Port of Tema, Ghana, at midday last Thursday. (15th December) Our arrival went smoothly and it was great to see our Advance Team waiting for us on the dock with a big sign welcoming us to Ghana. We have a lovely dock on the main quay of the harbour - our area is fenced and allows us plenty of space to run or walk, or park our Land Rovers.

We are in Ghana for a little more than two weeks now and I've already done some exploring into Tema and the surrounding areas. There is a lovely mall just outside of Accra and it almost feels as if you're in South Africa when you walk around in it - so many South African retailers, like Shoprite, Mr Price, and Game! The road infrastructure is great too, and I think I'm really going to enjoy my short stay in Ghana!

The Tema pilot boat approaches.

Pilot clambers onboard...

... And the pilot boat heads back to port.

Approaching the breakwater.

Tema is one of the largest ports in the region, with a substantial container terminal.

Advance Team waiting on the dock.

Tug stands by to assist in docking procedures, if necessary.

Bunkering at sea...

Last Tuesday (13th December) the Africa Mercy had her first experience of bunkering at sea. This happens when a tanker comes alongside the vessel on the open ocean and fuels at sea - as opposed to being refueled in a commercial port. It is a process that can be fraught with risk; not only to the vessels and crew involved, but to the environment too. Thankfully both the crews of the Africa Mercy and the Chemical Progress were professional and the process was incident-free.

The refueling was a pretty lengthy, overnight process, taking some 16 or so hours, but we were soon on our way again to Tema, Ghana!

The clear blue waters of the Atlantic as Africa Mercy awaits Chemical Progress.

The tanker approaches followed by a fishing vessel, also waiting to be fueled.

Chemical Progress.

The Bridge - note the little puppy!

Lines are made secure as the ships manoeuvre together.

Crew line the deck to watch proceedings.

Bow of Chemical Progress as seen from the Dining Room windows.

Propeller spins as the tanker departs.

Sailing away...

To refuel yet another waiting ship!

Winter Wonderland 2011...

Every year, in the last few weeks leading up to Christmas (and usually during the sail), the ship plays host to the Winter Wonderland Christmas market. There are stalls selling homemade jewellry, crafts, cards and gifts, and it allows crew the opportunity to buy small gifts for Christmas day. The Winter Wonderland happened this past Monday, while we were sailing along the coast of West Africa, and loads of fun was had by all the crew.

Christmas wreath in Town Square.

Nativity Scene in the Cafe area.

Christmas Trees in the Midships Lounge.

Crew members enjoying the Winter Wonderland festivities.

Dolphins!

One of the many joys about sailing is undoubtedly the wildlife encountered out on the open ocean. On Monday we sailed through a pod of literally 100s of dolphins. They put on a spectacular show - jumping, somersaulting, and playing in the waters alongside the Africa Mercy. It was an amazing display of creation glorifying God!

A pair of dolphins come leaping towards the AFM...

Followed by many, many more!

Dolphins swimming alongside the AFM.

Several dolphins followed the AFM for many miles.

Later many dolphins appeared at the bow. They are such beautiful, graceful creatures!

Welcome break...

One of the most popular places to be during the sail is on the bow, and no time is more popular than directly after supper, when the sun is slowly slipping beneath the waves. Mercy Shippers love to frequent the bow at this time, after a hard day's work. Spontaneous worship music breaks out, as does the laughter and chatter of good friends reliving stories from the last Field Service.

It seems strange but being out on the open ocean, when we are not performing surgeries and healing people, the community onboard seems closer together - for once we don't have a constant stream of arrivals and departures to disrupt our daily lives, and everyone seems content. There are no patients to be concerned about, and those worries seem far away.

The challenges of the past seem but a distant memory when sailing - and as we sail closer to our destination, you almost will the ship to slow down, so that you can savour at least one more day at sea, away from the many complications and difficulties of living in a commercial port. At least, that's certainly how I feel when sailing... But that's just my opinion. I am able to look at the bigger picture and see the greater good for which Mercy Ships stands. I've seen the hope and healing that Mercy Ships provide, and I'm excited for our future Field Services and the 1000s of people we can reach through the amazing tool of the M/V Africa Mercy. As cliched as it is to say (in Mercy Ships circles), I know that Mercy truly is on its way - even when we are enjoying a deserved break!