Ben Abroad: May 2012

Hello loved ones

It has been a while since my last blog--- I was waiting for content and time!

Monday past marks exactly my halfway mark of my time aboard! Four months have gone so fast J I have secured a flight home and will arrive on September 24 via Brussels and London!

Last weekend I was planning to return to Kpalime, the town 2 hours north of Lome. Some of us wanted to enter Ghana and visit the popular Wli Waterfalls. I was told that there was a legal arrangement whereby we could pass the Kpalime border and stay 24 hours in Wli at a hotel responsible for us and avoid paying for a 30$ visa. Closer to the time I discovered that this was in fact an illegal arrangement. I know that it is very important that we do not put ourselves above the law or abuse the hospitality show to us in Togo. Also it is important to maintain a good witness to the people here. I am also dead against any form of bribery and seek not to pay an undue cent! For these reasons I decided to spend last week on the ship.

This was, nevertheless, an exciting weekend to be aboard. The annual short film festival was being hosted on Saturday. This is a black tie event. For the first time I felt that perhaps the smart clothes I was told I would need and subsequently brought with me are not totally useless here.

There were strict requirements regarding length, lines and even characters in the films. There were one or two music videos, horrors but the majorities were comedies. Following this there was a buffet and then a dance party. I am glad that I was not working during this weekend.

On Saturday I relaxed, watching the Formula1 and final game of the English Premier League season. It was absolutely heartbreaking but nonetheless very exciting. I hosted two friends of a day worker that afternoon. Visitors are only allowed on Sundays which means I can only host every second weekend. I have left hosting too late since next week no visitors will be allowed due to a function and the following week (which I work) will be the last for visitors in Togo. It is sad because there are some day workers who would really like to have their loved ones aboard and I would like to host them.

Last week I took part in a cooking competition. It was kind of like a Masterchef challenge where we had a pantry of ingredients and then 4 mystery items which HAD to be used. For the main course they were cinnamon bark, walnuts, chicken breast and a cassava (a staple root). Seeing the pantry before I had decided to make a curry (there were tinned tomatoes!) fortunately the mystery items were all suited to my curry! I included the cassava in the curry and when it was soft enough I crushed it or mashed it against the side of the pot which thickened the curry :) I put some cinnamon in the rice which gave flavour to the rice! I also put it in the curry of course! I put the rice in a ramekin, turned it onto my plate and spooned the curry on top of that. Then the roasted, crushed walnuts and oregano for colour and a swirl of cream and oregano around the plate :) I was very happy with it!

We then introduced the meal to the crew in the cafe area 45 minutes after we began and the judges tasted and gave feedback. They then judged the best two and I was one! So I progressed to the dessert making round (joy). I was content with not being 'chopped' but I didn’t actually want to go on and a make dessert. My competitor on the other hand was most keen. This time our ingredients were lemon juice, molasses, pumpkin pie mix and hazelnuts. I had minimal inspiration! I began the half hour by melting butter, lemon juice, sugar and oats together with the hope of making a crust or base. That sadly never had enough time to harden in the oven. The pumpkin pie mix was ready to eat (which stumped me) but I added cinnamon sticks to that (seeing as they had faired me well so far!). The mix was VERY sweet and in hindsight I should have added the lemon juice to that! I then roasted the hazelnuts with the molasses. I began with honey and then the loose oat base on top of that, then pumpkin mix and the nuts which had been rolled in cream. This time I went for a square shape since that was the only shape I could find!

I ended up coming second to a far superior and better planned pumpkin biscuit and lemon/molasses icing. I won 5$ :) I was glad I entered and was calm throughout the cooking which I was happy with. I also learnt from the comments of the judges. It was the first competition of its kind but is likely to become an annual event. I am trying to find some images and will try update the blog or preferable post them next time.

Also, in my free time last week I managed to walk along the Boulevard Circulaire- an arched road through central Lome which has many interesting restaurants such as KFG and Al Donald. In total I walked 14km that afternoon. I also visited the University of Lome, a news house and TV broadcasting center. I was privileged to see where three day workers live and share a meal with them at one of theirs’ houses. I also tasted Degue- a treat of couscous, yoghurt, sugar, milk and ice in a bowl. It is considered a drink but was a filling as a meal!

Much of this activity is inspired by the Run/Walk to Guinea Competition. The challenge is for a group of 6 to run or walk, during the next 2 months, a total of 1600km (the distance from Togo to Conakry, our next destination.) My morning runs and afternoon walks are amounting to something J

At my mum’s request, I am also applying for medicine at University of the Free State as well. This application has to be posted and received by the end of this month. Ideally I would not like to have the additional expense of living away from home while studying which would burden my prospective student loan all the more. Can I ask for you to pray that the Lord’s will be done with regards to my applications and that He would make it clear where He wants me.

Please could you also pray for safety and smoothness in our last few weeks of service and subsequent sail to the Canary Islands. We will be sailing in less than a month. Lastly please also pray that this course of cortisone tablets I have had to resort to would eliminate the eczema from my arms and now behind my legs for good. Thank you

After the Film Festival (Sam, center, had to borrow my suit reluctantly to attend a dinner at the Swiss Embassy a few days later- he describes suit wearing as aweful)

A US ship which shared the dock for a few hours. This Hish Speed Vessel 2 can reach 50knots- pretty fast for an ocean vessel!

Al Donald Fast food

Eating Degue with Damaris, a German nurse.

At Armand (far right)'s house. I met Armand while visiting Moukaela in the ward. He is a translator. The meal with mashed cassava which we made and ate inspired my use of cassava in the curry later that week :)

Peeling a cassave

Blog 14 (01/05)

Greetings all!

I was blessed to be able to spend this past weekend in Ghana, Togo’s western neighbor.

After filling in all the paperwork and officially disembarking Africa Mercy, myself, Josh, Elise, Juan and Bronte made for the border. We got through, changed our CFA and dollars for Cedis and then deliberated between taking an air-conditioned bus or not- the prices being 8 and 9 Cedis. After jumping in and out of Tro Tros as they are called, we settled for the cheaper and hotter bus. 3 Hours later we arrived in Accra, the jewel of West Africa.

We had planned to watch The Hunger Games- a new film based on a novel that is taking the US by storm. The cinema’s website declared it would be showing from the Friday we arrived. We were VERY disappointed to arrive and find out that it would only screen 2 weeks from then. Juan had in fact only come for the weekend in order to watch it!

We skimmed the other films and headed for the food court. I had fried chicken. From Accra Mall we walked across a few highways- crossing one, all four lanes came to a complete halt to let us j-walk. I was embarrassed. We got to a market but had no energy to convince the sellers that we were just looking. We took a rest and I bought some water. The cheapest way is in 500ml plastic bags which cost about R0.30. I bit a whole in one corner and began squeezing it into my water bottle. Apparently I squeezed to hard as it exploded from one sealed end, all over my shirt and pants. Despite cooling me down, it was rather embarrassing.

Determined to find the KFC in Accra we caught a taxi (with a driver who actually had no idea of where the place was). He dropped us off and we sauntered through a market and decided to give up the search. We were now headed for Ryan’s Irish Pub. Juan has been to Ghana a few times so he knows the good spots. This was one of them. I was most pleased to find a genuine pub! A Stormers hat even hung on the wall and Super15 rugby was playing on the TV. I had a Savannah Dry and a disappointing chicken and mushroom pie. It was a good evening.

We then got to a bus station around 8 30pm. God graciously provided us with a Tro Tro bus at a tenth of the price as were going to pay for a private taxi due to it being fairly late. We were heading for Elise’ friend’s house in northern Accra. At 10pm we were welcomed into this large, three storey house which is used as a leadership training venue.

A good thing about the humidity in West Africa is that one can travel very light. I think half of the weight in my bag was food! Also one only needs a pillow and a mattress to fall asleep- so no hassle of sheets.

Awaking on Saturday, we drove to a stall and bought pawpaw, coconut, mango, avocados and bread. We sat on the roof of our accommodation from which we had a good view of the neighbourhood and ate our breakfast with tea. Those were the most delicious pawpaws I have ever eaten. After our late breakfast, the lady with whom Elise had organized the house came around to meet us. After chatting with her about the work they do and our travel plans, we caught a tro tro to a bus station. We then split up with Juan who had already been to the slave castle we planned to visit. He was heading straight for the beach. We then travelled to Elmina Castle, 3 hours away. We went in with one of the last tour groups at about 4pm. It was a pleasant time of day in that it was not too hot and the sun was good for photos. The castle is really spectacular. It is the largest European building in Africa and the oldest south of the Sahara. It was where slaves were kept by the Dutch and British before they crossed the Atlantic. We were really glad to have gone.

As dusk dawned, we found a taxi willing to take us the 3 hour trip to Tema, from where we could go to Ada Foah, the beach camp. As it was late and there was no rank, the tro tros were not a viable option. Due to traffic, we only arrived in Tema around 10pm. Our driver did not know our final destination so he left us on the side of the road. We asked another two taxis but they too did not know the place we sought. We walked to a petrol station which was closing but there was a man leaving who offered us a lift to the taxi rank. He told us that he was a king in his tribe. He was heaven sent.

As we walked into the rank the first man to approach us knew where we were going and offered us a good rate. He also offered us his phone to call Juan since Bronte’s wasn’t working. He was also heaven sent. Sadly we still couldn’t get hold of Juan. Some spent the hour assuming that Juan had given up waiting, turned off his phone and gone to sleep. Some even saying what we were going to do to him when we found him. Having faith in the man who claims to be my father, I bet Elise that he would in fact, be rather waiting anxiously for his friends. Usually the camp is located by boat but due to the hour, no boats were traveling the last stretch. We woke a sleeping man and he walked us through a sleepy village and some sheep on the way to the camp. After passing one of the villages he told us that he would need to be escorted some of the way back since the community we had walked through offered sacrifices of human blood!

Around 12 am we arrived at the camp and heard these beautiful words “You friends with the afro guy (Juan)?” We found Juan sitting at the fire with some new acquaintances. And I made a dollar. After refreshments and recounting our day, we went crab hunting on the beach. The camp manager, however, insisted that we go back to the camp and leave the sea since people had made sacrifices to the water god that day and she might take one us. Some of the beliefs we encounter here are truly surprising. The boys set up our hammock and the girls investigated the palm branch hut with sand floor. I had an excellent sleep in my new hammock.

We woke up to an invasive rooster crowing below us. After dozing indefinitely we climbed out of the hammocks which had not dropped at all and then went for a swim in the river. The water was clean and refreshing. We ordered breakfast which took a rather long time to arrive. I had a banana pancake which really made me feel as though I were on a relaxing holiday- which I was. We played Frisbee in the river which was good fun and then I had a midday nap. We had a delicious late lunch- mine was chicken, spaghetti and African tomato sauce and then we hurried onto a boat up the river. We had left later than hoped so we could not find a tro tro. Much to the surprise of Ghanaians, we got a lift on the back of a flatbed bakkie. About two hours and a tro tro later we arrived at the border and passed through without any issue! The Lord is so good at looking after us when we travel, sending us cheaper or free lifts when we could not find public transport. I really see the love, care and provision of God this weekend.

This is a picture i took from the internet. At this week's dental sterilisation, the team saw the 3000th patient this field service. I am priveledged to have been there on such a day. I am half in the back, middle.

Last week Anna arrived safely in Wales where she will spend 3 months with my aunt Mandy and my uncle Stuart. Could you please pray for her time of growth and learning there.