Guinea and the sail

Blog 23

Guinea and the sail

Brenda van Straten (SA) on the radio, sending down the Guinean flag bearers Michelle, Carys and Lara.

the group that went to the island. The man in black is a friend sam met whose name i never learnt. Sam, me, Rox and Sandy.

Michelle and me before arriving in Guinea

A few SAn crew having a laugh

South African crew!

As scheduled we arrived in Conakry, Guinea last week Wednesday. It was a wet and welcome arrival where we were met by the Advance Team (a group of Mercy Shippers who left the ship 4 months ago to prepare many things in Conakry so that we can hit the ground running once here), the prime minister of Guinea and a Mercy Team (a group of short term servers from a church that come to help with certain projects). Obviously and sadly it is very easy to simply compare Guinea with Togo as I found people comparing Sierra Leone with Togo in my first few weeks with the ship.

Perhaps comparing to ideals is better. Conakry has a small peninsular and this houses many important state offices, popular sites and the port. It is wonderful that we can be walking distance from many things around town. There are many restaurants and markets around and many different things can be found. Last week I found the fish market and bought calamari for a very good price (I cooked some in garlic and the rest in a spicy tomato sauce).  The peninsular is much militarised due to the various departments and presidential palace here. Many roads are blocked to cars by spikes and armed bakkies! It is nice though to be able to run on these roads without fear of cars.

Our berth is rather close to the port exit and the port authorities are pleasant to deal with. We don’t, however, have the luxury of our own dock which increases the safety measures in place. There is a cholera outbreak in Guinea so our hygiene and enforcement thereof on the ship have also been stepped up. Could the health of all the crew and day workers be prayed for please? And, of course, an end to this outbreak.

This week the new day workers began work. The galley has been very full, having 8 extra staff. This will only be until they have all been trained, then they will divide between the two teams. As I’m sure you will remember I wrote about a friend/ day worker in Togo called Tom. Tom was told that he could come and work in Guinea as the ward (hospital) chef. He raised the 160$ from donations that he required to travel from Lomé. Upon arriving he was told that he was never promised a job and did not have the paperwork to prove it. Yesterday I met up with him outside the port gate where he waits, trying to get my boss to call him. I hassled my boss until he called Tom to explain the situation regarding Guinean worker/ non Guinean worker restraints. The galley has finished hiring staff. My boss said that he would speak to Human Resources today to make some sort of arrangement whereby Tom can work. Could you please pray that a solution might be found soon and that Tom is not left in the awkward position he is currently in.  

Thank you

I spent my second to last free weekend in Guinea relaxing and reading while it rained outside- enjoying the little of winter I might get this year. I also went for a drive away from the peninsular which was helpful in learning certain landmarks such as the Grand Marché and our screening venue for Monday and possibly Tuesday’s potential patient screening. I will be able to help with the overnight security the night before the screening and then will have a few hours’ sleep before swopping with a galley worker from the other team on Monday afternoon so that they might get to experience screening day as well. Around 4000 people are expected to arrive for the screening. Could you please pray for peace and safety during this screening as well as opens ears to hear the Gospel?

On Sunday morning 3 friends and I went to one of a few islands off the Conakry coast. We were fortunate in having a beautiful day and in attaining a boat willing to take us there. Owing to the culture here, shorts are not appropriate for wearing ouside. I am, as a result, wearing my tailored ones more often. Due to pollution we may not (and wouldn’t want to) swim at the beaches around the peninsular. The islands have beaches which are somewhat cleaner and not polluted with sewage. We did not have too much time on the islands but did manage a swim and to see a hotel of sorts that looked rather run down. Thankfully the sea was not rough- many people have drowned crossing over due to unsafe boats. I may return there to spend the night next weekend. That would be instead of going to Sierra Leone. Leone is looking like an expensive trip with visas being a reported 100$. We are still investigating though.

With less than four weeks to go I am fast wrapping up my time here.

Once again, thanks for reading!

The last of Tenerife

Taken at the Cross on the hill. Africa Mercy behind.

Im sorry there are few images on the blog, so far. The internet has prevented me uploading them. Il try and get the rest up asap!

Blog 22

At sea once again! What a privilege and surprise to look out the window in the morning (not in my cabin!) and to see the ocean. Sliding to and fro on the office chair while typing this is only a minor inconvenience of sailing. We did sail a day later than hoped but I gather that we are still due in Conakry on the 22 August, next Wednesday.  I am so looking forward to reconnecting with a few day workers from Togo and to enjoy West Africa!

In the past week I have become friends with a beautiful Tenerife family. About two weeks ago a couple stopped and talked to a group of us Mercy Shippers and expressed interest to be visitors aboard as they were 3 years ago when the ship went to the Canary Islands. I took Jorge’s email address and contacted him a few days later. Last Thursday I hosted him, his wife Candela and their young daughter Chloe.  We ate dinner and I showed them around the ship- they both speak English very well. I soon discovered that they are both doctors. Candela specialized in radiology and Jorge did translating instead- he speaks 4 languages! Before leaving on their bicycle and long board skateboard, they gave me a CD of Jorge’s old band, the first album of four. Thankfully it’s in English!

On Saturday they invited friends and me for breakfast at their apartment- about 3kms away. Sam, Michelle and I went and were treated to such a delicious and healthy spread of food. Scrambled eggs, organic bread and croissants, local preserves and goat’s cheese. These were followed by organic cakes.  We were so spoilt! We relaxed around their beautiful coffee table books- which I am now determined to find- and then hurried back to work at 1. 

On Monday I went to a fairly local black sand beach on the island’s north coast with this family. I was fortunate in having Monday and Tuesday off- before our Wednesday scheduled departure. As seems to be popular in Spain, visits to the beach are made in the late afternoon- after the heat of midday. I also met family friends Xavier and Ann, who speaks about 7 languages! We had to hurry home for Chloe who needed to get to bed and we said our farewells from their apartment.

I missed dinner that night as I had had a special and big curry meal for lunch. Friends Hannah and Michelle and I had heard of an Indian man who makes curries and serves them from his apartment. We went there and were the only ones, when we left there were about ten more patrons and a queue! We were served about   6 bowls of different curries, plus a started and dessert. All for a very reasonable 7 euros- especially considering that ‘menu of the day’s go for about 9 euros and Indian restaurants are in short supply.

I was very pleased that despite working the last weekend, I managed to do a fair amount. On Saturday night as Sam and I were walking out of the port- heading for a cross on the mountain, Juan’s taxi from the airport arrived. We accompanied him back to the ship and then headed out to the cross. It turned out to be quite the walk in the end and we arrived at dusk. It was beautiful up there and we had a good view of the ship. We then walked into town for ice creams/sandwiches/cool drinks/smoothies- depending on our hunger. 

On Sunday I was able to run to a pebble beach, have a quick swim and then run back for work. I actually ended up being team leader for a few more days since Josh worked on the other team for a few days. He worked with our team on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Monday and Tuesday mornings I enjoyed breakfast in town and going around historical sites and a beautiful public resource center as well as looking for a few last items. I also went out on Tuesday night for what was potentially our last night in Tenerife. With the Olympic closing ceremony on Sunday and other late nights such as these, I was pretty exhausted after working Wednesday and yesterday. Unusual for me, I slept in very late today, even missing lunch!

The last days in Tenerife cantilevered into farewells to friends, welcomes to returning or new crew and many good memories. The time in the Canary Islands was very special and a blessing. I am however, ready to return to field service, wanting to do my best and much in the four weeks I will have.

Thank you for your time in reading this. Could you please pray for the safe travels of all those to Conakry: the ship, day workers and crew.

Hannah, Michelle and me after curry lunch



Jorge, Candela, Chloe and me



Jorge's first album (still trying to add more photos!)




The Santiago Cross we walked to

Our Curry Buffet

Me, Jorge, Candela, Chloe and family friend, Ann.



Goodbye Tenerife!

Bollullo black sand beach



The dolphin show at Loro Parque

Breakfast at the Serrano family. they gave me a tub of goats cheese when we left!

Rox, Chris, Henry and me at Loro Parque

 Blessings,

Ben

Two weeks on

Blog 21

Two weeks pass so quickly aboard Africa Mercy. These past two weeks brought 40 new long term crew members from Texas, just finished with their Gateway course and great times inside and out of work hours.

About 12 days ago we returned to the galley which has new tilt skillets, stoves and other kitchen equipment. Although some work remained to be done on the deck heads (ceilings) we had to return to be able to cater for the increasing crew size. Our time in the crew galley was not unpleasant and often there was less work than there were people.

 Breakfast for dinner scones

 Brian's (center of bench) farewell at a Gelato Cafe. The photographer insisted we say 'Sex' instead of cheese

 Honey Orange walnut bread :)

 A monument on the way to the beach this morning

The group that I watched the Olympics opening ceremony (very good - I thought) with.  

Last weekend Chef Ken went on leave, leaving me with more responsibility and freedom. Sunday morning breakfast was fun as we were able to bake the bacon (not deep fry!) and see how well-done people like it. Turns out it is not, in fact, dark brown and fragile. We baked figs wrapped in bacon (thanks for the idea, Dad!) and fried mushrooms with garlic to go beyond the usual Sunday cooked breakfast.

On Monday I took a bus to Siam Water Park with some friends. Siam is a great water park with a variety of tube slides of different intensity. We went on one which allowed for four to share a life-raft-y tube and be propelled high up a steepening wall. I also went down a very steep one where the slide passes through the shark tank. Sadly due to the speed and the water, one cannot see a thing! It was a long and tiring day out, but very enjoyable.

On Wednesday a menu change meant that our team was to make pizza for dinner. Pizza, as I have mentioned in another blog, is a tiresome and time consuming task. Other than the crew favourites BBQ Chicken, Margarita, Ham and Olives, Pepperoni and vegetarian pizzas, I decided to add a Cajun Sea food and Pesto chicken on a mayo base to the menu. Both of these were well received  J On Thursday we had the interesting opportunity of serving ‘Breakfast for Dinner’.  As the day was winding down, our new team leader came and introduced himself. His name is Josh and he arrived with the Gateway group. He will be here for at least the next 2 years. I am looking forward to working under him.

This morning I ran 10km to a beach North of Santa Cruz where I had my packed breakfast, read and swam. Afterward I walked back to the ship. I am enjoying my running a lot, especially with the iPod running sleeve which arrived two weeks ago along with other items I had ordered online. I now know much more information about my runs.

On Monday the ship needs to undergo an Inclining Experiment so 90% of the crew is being taken to an animal park called Loro Parque. After that we are even being taken out for dinner. Essentially this means that I have a 4 day weekend. J

So far, despite being somewhat homesick after dad left, I am having a great time here. On the 15^th we should leave for Guinea. I do miss West Africa and can’t wait to return there and see a new country, new day workers as well as those from Togo who will be serving for this field service as well. Please pray that my last 2 months might be as blessed and enjoyable as the first 6.

Love Ben