We're on track to arrive in Monrovia tomorrow morning about seven. We were six hours ahead of schedule, so they've used the time to practice different maneuvers. It's a good thing everything is still tied down as we've made a lot of turns. Earlier today we had a swell from the starboard side, causing the Africa Mercy to roll from side to side. This ship is so stable that it likes to return to the upright position as soon as possible. That makes for a regular rocking motion.
I stayed up until three this morning to listen to the Super Bowl via NFL radio and watch the Game Center updates on the big screen. We don't have satellite tv during the sails, so there was no chance to watch it live. Our bandwith is minimal, so a few of us gathered in one place to listen together. Let's just say I was the only one disappointed in the outcome. When I checked my email this morning, I had one letter of condolence. Others offered their condolences throughout the day. A few people overheard and thought that someone in my family had actually died, so I had to tell them that it was just that the Patriots lost! I think I've done pretty well, considering I only managed four hours of sleep last night. A couple who arrive Friday night will bring a recording of the game with them and I've reserved the International Lounge to show it Saturday evening.
Busy day today, but somehow didn't seem to knock too many items off my 'to do' list. Worked through lunch (which ended early to accommodate our prayer time at 1245) and right after dinner I had to go to Toastmasters. I was just an Ah-counter tonight, to it was an easy night in that respect. Next week Monday will be even busier. I'm scheduled to give my 10th speech at Toastmasters in the evening and right after that the HealthCare Services Open House begins.
Good night!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Come Sail Away...
This afternoon we lifted the gangway and sailed from Tenerife with the tunes from Teodoro's trumpet touching our hearts. Teodoro is a long-time friend in Tenerife. If he's on the island when we arrive or depart, you can bet he'll be on the dock. The standard is Amazing Grace, but it's quickly followed by other favorite hymns that speak of God's faithfulness and our call, as well as give praise. When we arrived around midnight just before Christmas, Teodoro was there. We heard the strains of Amazing Grace before we picked him out, atop the sea wall near the light (you can barely pick him out in a similar location in the photo from today). That night it was Great is Thy Faithfulness that stood out in my mind and heart; today is was To God be the Glory. You know what? We're headed off on a grand adventure. I have only a general idea what lies ahead in Monrovia. We've been there before...in fact, it seems we just left! But God doesn't allow himself to be put in a box, one doesn't really know what will come next. But this we do know: God is faithful and it's all about him, not me, not Mercy Ships. To God be the Glory.
The first picture shows it a bit better, but the seas are not smooth...not rough, but definitely not smooth. I spent most of last week seasick (the headache and dizziness thing, nothing more) and we were still in port, so you can imagine what it's like now. It's a good time to curl up in bed with a dvd or book, but work beckons. Tomorrow morning I have to present HealthCare Services activities at the Liberia briefing for the crew. If it's still like this, I'm not sure how I'll fare. It may end up being a very brief briefing!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Preparing to Sail
Quick request if anyone out there is reading this. Please pray for our staffing needs in HealthCare Services. We're in critical need of operating room nurses, dentists, and various eye specialists. If you know of anyone who fits the bill, encourage them to apply at the Mercy Ships website!
Ran into town this afternoon so I could get a yellow fever vaccine. It's good for 10 years and mine is due this summer, so figured on getting it here. Unfortunately, when we (several of us planned to get them) arrived at the vaccination center, there was no doctor and apparently he isn't open on Tuesday evenings. Now we're hoping to be able to get it tomorrow morning, though shore leave ends at 0800, so we'll need special permission for that.
Since I was already off ship, I continued to a supermarket to complete my final shopping for the next several months. In all my trips to the stores, I had forgotten to by hand soap! Sometimes the ship shop carries it on board, sometimes they don't. I've learned over the years to simply stock up on what I want. Also made the requisite stop at Viva Maria's so I could buy three fresa y limon (strawberry & lemon) fruit drinks. I drank one in the restaurant, one while waiting for my Chinese takeaway (next stop to use up Euros), and put one in my freezer when I returned to the ship. I'll enjoy that one later!
It's nearly midnight and it's just dawned on me that if there is any chance of an 0800 yellow fever vaccine tomorrow, I am going to have to leave the ship by 0720 in order to walk there in time. Good night!
Ran into town this afternoon so I could get a yellow fever vaccine. It's good for 10 years and mine is due this summer, so figured on getting it here. Unfortunately, when we (several of us planned to get them) arrived at the vaccination center, there was no doctor and apparently he isn't open on Tuesday evenings. Now we're hoping to be able to get it tomorrow morning, though shore leave ends at 0800, so we'll need special permission for that.
Since I was already off ship, I continued to a supermarket to complete my final shopping for the next several months. In all my trips to the stores, I had forgotten to by hand soap! Sometimes the ship shop carries it on board, sometimes they don't. I've learned over the years to simply stock up on what I want. Also made the requisite stop at Viva Maria's so I could buy three fresa y limon (strawberry & lemon) fruit drinks. I drank one in the restaurant, one while waiting for my Chinese takeaway (next stop to use up Euros), and put one in my freezer when I returned to the ship. I'll enjoy that one later!
It's nearly midnight and it's just dawned on me that if there is any chance of an 0800 yellow fever vaccine tomorrow, I am going to have to leave the ship by 0720 in order to walk there in time. Good night!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Nativity Scenes in Canary Islands
As I've walked around towns on both Gran Canaria and Tenerife, I've marvelled at the number of nativity scenes displayed in public places, often sponsored by the town. In Gran Canaria the city of Las Palmas sponsored a sand sculpture contest that depicted the various stages of the account of Jesus' birth, from the annunciation to his role as Shepherd. The mall had a detailed layout that included women washing clothes and men baking bread.
In Orotava, the Nativity scene fills half the town square, directly in front of the town hall. It has details I've never imagined in when I considered Jesus' birth...pink flamingos anyone?
Monday, December 31, 2007
El Fin de Ano
The year is slowly winding down and I STILL haven't completed a newsletter. We are docked in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for the holidays. This is a busy port, with cruise ships calling in on a regular basis. Each day I like to walk down the dock and check out the names of the ships and later return to the Africa Mercy to look up each one on the internet.
This week the German AidaDiva wins the prize for having the ugliest interior (I haven't seen the interiors personally, just the photos posted online). Done in an ultra-modern style with garish colors, it is basically a party ship. I know I wouldn't be happy on that ship.
The other end of the spectrum is Cunard's newest fleet member, Queen Victoria. Her interior is elegant and classic, with the curved lines of earlier eras. For a mere $66,000 per person, you can have a suite that is 1000-2000 sq. ft. for a 16-day sail. With that you get a marble bathroom with whirlpool tub, dining room that seats 6, and an oversized balcony. They should have a good view of the fireworks tonight, as the suites are at the aft end of the ship and facing the island. The Queen Victoria's bow web cam is currently facing a less pleasing view...the Africa Mercy stern!
Of course, the Queen Victoria has had it's problems in its first 3 1/2 weeks at sea...first the champagne bottle didn't break at the commissioning and they currently have an outbreak of norovirus. The bottles of hand sanitizer are on a table at the bottom of the gangway. Rumor has it the toilet evacuation system hasn't always worked as expected. Those of us on the Africa Mercy in June can relate. My toilet (at the end of the line) didn't work for about 4 months.
On another note, we've been saying a lot of farewells recently. Several staff in my department recently left after completing commitments of two or more years. In those instances, the crew member receives a picture of the ship and a clock if it's been 10 years. When I made the presentation for the most recent staff member to depart, my good friend Jean Browne, I was reminded of the words adorning our cake at the millennium celebration: "Thank you Jesus for making the time count." I do a lot of things in life, but it really is Jesus who gives meaning and purpose to what I do. He makes it all count for eternity. No, I can't spend $66,000 for a suite on a new cruise ship named after a queen, but I can pay about $400/month and use my skills in service to my Lord and King. I can bring a glimmer of hope to those who would otherwise have little or no hope, to those for whom a new year doesn't necessarily hold a promise of anything better or different than the year now ending or the ones before them.
On that note, I'm off to check out the fireworks and welcome in the new year here in Tenerife. Newsletter tomorrow, I hope! Need to start the year off right.
This week the German AidaDiva wins the prize for having the ugliest interior (I haven't seen the interiors personally, just the photos posted online). Done in an ultra-modern style with garish colors, it is basically a party ship. I know I wouldn't be happy on that ship.
The other end of the spectrum is Cunard's newest fleet member, Queen Victoria. Her interior is elegant and classic, with the curved lines of earlier eras. For a mere $66,000 per person, you can have a suite that is 1000-2000 sq. ft. for a 16-day sail. With that you get a marble bathroom with whirlpool tub, dining room that seats 6, and an oversized balcony. They should have a good view of the fireworks tonight, as the suites are at the aft end of the ship and facing the island. The Queen Victoria's bow web cam is currently facing a less pleasing view...the Africa Mercy stern!
Of course, the Queen Victoria has had it's problems in its first 3 1/2 weeks at sea...first the champagne bottle didn't break at the commissioning and they currently have an outbreak of norovirus. The bottles of hand sanitizer are on a table at the bottom of the gangway. Rumor has it the toilet evacuation system hasn't always worked as expected. Those of us on the Africa Mercy in June can relate. My toilet (at the end of the line) didn't work for about 4 months.
On another note, we've been saying a lot of farewells recently. Several staff in my department recently left after completing commitments of two or more years. In those instances, the crew member receives a picture of the ship and a clock if it's been 10 years. When I made the presentation for the most recent staff member to depart, my good friend Jean Browne, I was reminded of the words adorning our cake at the millennium celebration: "Thank you Jesus for making the time count." I do a lot of things in life, but it really is Jesus who gives meaning and purpose to what I do. He makes it all count for eternity. No, I can't spend $66,000 for a suite on a new cruise ship named after a queen, but I can pay about $400/month and use my skills in service to my Lord and King. I can bring a glimmer of hope to those who would otherwise have little or no hope, to those for whom a new year doesn't necessarily hold a promise of anything better or different than the year now ending or the ones before them.
On that note, I'm off to check out the fireworks and welcome in the new year here in Tenerife. Newsletter tomorrow, I hope! Need to start the year off right.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Walking
While back in Blyth, I began wearing a pedometer, just to get an idea how much I was walking since it seemed I was moving nonstop and didn't have time to walk in the evenings after dinner. I was concerned that I wasn't getting enough exercise...until I accumulated more than 8 miles in an afternoon. That was my first indication that it wouldn't be hard to get exercise on the Africa Mercy! That's still my record for a workday, but most days I manage to get 2.5-3 miles in and then I push it over 5 miles by walking from one end of the dock to the road.
Today I was short of my goal, so after dinner three of us headed to the dock, black clouds gathered above. After only one lap, the showers began and I wasn't in the mood to get soaked. (I'm not a wimp, it's just that the average daily rainfall in Liberia at this time of the year is over 4". That's a lot of rain.) We all headed in and I consoled myself that I wasn't too far from my goal. After checking emails, however, I decided I really did want to get my 10,000 steps in for the day. I remembered that the deck 4 corridor, aside from having the ugly pink linoleum, actually provides a nice walking track. There are no high thresholds and you only have to backtrack if you want to do the single corridor all the way forward. It's climate controlled and less crowded than the dock, where one must contend with toddlers on tricycles and joggers. A complete lap is 300 steps, so it would be a tedious way to do a few miles, but not bad for less than one. Now if only I had my roller blades with me...
I'm looking forward to being home in three weeks, heading to the mountains to climb trails there and wandering through the neighborhood. I walk a lot less when I am in the US. There are few sidewalks and lots of traffic. I can't quite picture myself walking to Walmart, although I will ride my bike to the ophthalmologist's office.
Another things I'm looking forward to is picking blueberries. Mom's almost finished with the 17# I picked two years ago.
Today I was short of my goal, so after dinner three of us headed to the dock, black clouds gathered above. After only one lap, the showers began and I wasn't in the mood to get soaked. (I'm not a wimp, it's just that the average daily rainfall in Liberia at this time of the year is over 4". That's a lot of rain.) We all headed in and I consoled myself that I wasn't too far from my goal. After checking emails, however, I decided I really did want to get my 10,000 steps in for the day. I remembered that the deck 4 corridor, aside from having the ugly pink linoleum, actually provides a nice walking track. There are no high thresholds and you only have to backtrack if you want to do the single corridor all the way forward. It's climate controlled and less crowded than the dock, where one must contend with toddlers on tricycles and joggers. A complete lap is 300 steps, so it would be a tedious way to do a few miles, but not bad for less than one. Now if only I had my roller blades with me...
I'm looking forward to being home in three weeks, heading to the mountains to climb trails there and wandering through the neighborhood. I walk a lot less when I am in the US. There are few sidewalks and lots of traffic. I can't quite picture myself walking to Walmart, although I will ride my bike to the ophthalmologist's office.
Another things I'm looking forward to is picking blueberries. Mom's almost finished with the 17# I picked two years ago.
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