Ben Abroad: Odds and ends

Blog 16 05.06

I managed to take screen shots of the Africa Mercy Chopped film so that you can see what I created for the cooking competition a few weeks ago. Sadly the quality is not that great but I think you will get the idea. I could not manage to get the dessert but thats ok, I was happier with my main!

Last weekend there was a South African braai at the land based team house. The braai was organised by South Africans but we were certainly in the minority. Michelle, a fellow SAn, and I spent the afternoon making Braai broodjies, salad and condensed milk/mayonnaise potato salad- a new experience for me! We left the ship in terrible downpour and then sat in traffic for half an hour. Luckily we had a bag of Lays for company.

The team house is pretty perfect for a braai. It has three stories and the top is very cool to braai on and look out over the city. The rain did stop so we were able to leave the shelter of the roof. We braaied some focaccia that I had made the day before and sirloin which had been marinating overnight. For dessert we even had peppermint crisp pudding (the chocolates brought from SA)!

On Saturday I went to Lake Togo with friends Brian, Josh and Tom. We were ferried across the lake to Togoville where everyone tried to get money from us. Most keen was a man at the rather large and impressive Catholic Church. Thankfully our host, Tom, was just as reluctant to support the grabbing hands and the day turned out to be rather inexpensive.

Later that day I went out with Yao, a galley day worker, to celebrate his 30^th birthday. After taking me for a tour of Lome on his motorbike we eventually found the Mercy Ships favourite restaurant, Cote Jardin. I know that Yao is incredibly wise and hardworking which is why I wanted to take him out to commend him. However, just talking to him I was inspired by how he made a decision to rise above his impoverished circumstances at a young age, acquiring a masters in English and a good job in the port. His circumstance was well illustrated to me when I discovered that our waiter was Yao’s class mate at university. While Yao was diligent, he was not.

On Sunday I ran to the Ghana border and back- a total of 20kms. I was pretty exhausted after that! The president, who was due to visit at some point during the day, cancelled as he was out of the country! I was not surprised at all. I met up with Abdulai, a day worker who I work with in the dental sterilizing room, and he showed me where he lives and his neighbourhood. I unfortunately had to rush back to meet up with my friends to do something together before Elise, a very good friend, left the next day. We ended up watching the Bourne movies.

On Wednesday I went to the last day of dental treatment for this field service. I felt privileged to attend on this day but was nonetheless very fatigued as it was the week where I work 6 days out of 7. During this service the team managed to see over 4000 patients- one and a half thousand more than the target originally set at the beginning of the year!

Seeing as in two weeks’ time we will almost certainly be sailing, I would like to inform you of my plans and duties during the time in Tenerife and Las Palmas. When we sail the galley shift changes to one day on - one day off. This allows for fairness of days worked during the sail. Arriving in Tenerife around the 25 of June, we will revert to normal shifts. We will be in Tenerife for about one week and many people will leave during this time. Following this we leave Tenerife for Las Palmas, another island in the Canary Islands, where we enter dry dock. This is expected to last 10 days or so day but there are rumors of delays. Before we are due to exit dry dock I have been granted personal time off (the 11 July). This is also the same day that my dad will arrive in Las Palmas following time spent in Spain. Amazing how it works out! We will then have 9 days of touring the two large islands, Las Palmas and Tenerife. Very exciting! Apparently when I return to the ship it will be in Tenerife where it will undergo more maintenance work.

I have been told that I will be required to team lead in the galley for a few days/weeks while Rachel has left and we await the arrival of the new team leader. I am a bit anxious but also excited for this position- should it happen that is.

I have been checking my balance in my account versus the money spent ofver the last 4 months and am aware of exactly how much has been consistently added to my account. Sadly there is no way of me knowing who the money came from and when- other than in a 15 day period. Therefore withdrawing random amounts irregularly makes it difficult to know how much was added each bi-month. I would therefore like to thank my donors who gave once and the ones who have kept giving as my time here progressed. I hope I am aware of who each of you is so that I might thank you in person when I return.

As for prayers, pleased continue to pray for my eczema which simply oscillates between terrible (while working) and not too bad (when I am off). Please also keep praying for peace in my heart regarding my studies next year.