Ben Abroad: September 2012

Blog 25 28/09

If you have yet to hear, I am home.

After 36 hours, 3 blessed flights and a wonderful day in Brussels I arrived in Cape Town on Monday morning.

My disembarkation from the M/V Africa Mercy was brought forward on Saturday due to extra security measures needing to be taken, resulting from the political strikes happening in Conakry. There was a chance that the other Mercy Shippers on the same flight and I would not be able to reach the airport as a result of these.

After much prayer and planning we were blessed with a smooth and secure airport run. Once there though, I was shocked with the realisation that I was lacking the Visa exemption. Unlike the other people in the group I was with, I was the only one to have not flown into Conakry and was therefore not emailed this important document. The first man was most unhelpful and would not try and help me, simply sending me away.

Praying a lot I passed this man to another lady who had just opened a booth. After some time she allowed me through, relieving my acute stress.

From Conakry we flew to Banjul- The Gambia- to allow passengers of and receive more before departing for Brussels. Arriving early in the Belgian capital, I met a good family friend, Laurent. We went to the apartment he was staying in, ate and went to a large market with the best looking produce I have ever seen!

We then dropped his friend at the train station and walked around the richly historical and cultural areas of Brussels, seeing Cathedrals, quaint streets, the famous Mannekin Pis and many state buildings. After much walking on the cold Sunday morning, we went for mussels. Laurent had always told me about ‘The mussels from Brussels’. They certainly were delicious!

He then dropped me at the airport where I caught my light to London. From there it was a hurried passage through the large terminal five to my gate where I was one of the last to embark.

The Lord put a wonderful man in the seat next to me (or me next to him!) and we chatted at length about Mercy Ships and the functioning of such a religious organisation. He really helped me to digest some of the experiences of the last 8 months.

Having my bag checked twice (and passing the check both times!), I met my family at 8 am. I was very glad to have my Grandma and Betty there as well.

The Lord filled my flights with safety, comfort and good company. My bags met me in Cape Town and nought was amiss!

Now for the last days aboard Africa Mercy.

As the baker was taking leave, I volunteered to make breakfast and bake in my last week. This meant rising at 3am in order to prepare porridge, boiled eggs and French toast/crumpets/pancakes/cheese scones/biscuits for the crew. I sincerely enjoyed this different experience of the galley. With Zamani, a day worker experienced in the bakery, we would bake about 80 loaves of bread and then by lunch I would be finished, giving me time to sleep or complete the things that needed to be before I left. It also meant I had the evenings off to go to talks or socialise.

I hosted a small, 3 course dinner for friends a few days before leaving. We had salad with a Dijon dressing, prawn curry over cinnamon rice and chocolate coffee cake with cookie-dough-ice-cream. I was blessed with unexpected speeches and a few tears.

We also had a pizza and games night and cinnamon roll breakfast. The last days were very relaxing and pleasant.

Again, thank you for reading this year. Thank you for praying and supporting me. If you would like to meet up to chat about my experiences or email me, please do.

Now I will be working as a waiter at the Cavendish branch of the Food Lovers Market and helping around the house. I must also confirm my studies with UCT in the coming days.

Simon, Anna, Mum, Bex and Betty at the airport- I arrived on Heritage day!

My pot of mussels!

We made over one thousands croissants in the bakery two weeks ago!

Crumpets- a Hedge House Guest House recipe!

Galley tradition on ones last day!

Zamani and me with fresh white loaves

Laurent and me at a public garden

Mannekin Pis in his latest attire

Laurent and me at lunch

This Upside Down Pineapple Cake was on the menu the first night I arrived on the ship. It looked delicious but I was sick. The chef promised to make it before me before I left- she left it to my last night aboard :)

Love Ben

Blog 24

Today marks two weeks until il be home! I am very much looking forward to returning and being reunited with family and friends once again. The Cape Town spring beckons me. I know that Cape Town is where I want to live and I certainly regard her as the Mother City.

Following my desperate plea for prayer for Tom the ward cook, the dilemma was quickly resolved. I was out in town when he got a call from the Chef asking him to come to the ship for a medical. After Tom passed this he was rehired. That’s answer to prayer!

Last week Monday was the main medical screening for this field service. The screening is a process of ascertaining which patient (in both meanings of the word) hopefuls we can and cannot help. Much planning and organising goes into screening day and most of the crew help in one way or another. From security, escorting, translating, personal info noting to handing out water, cookies and sandwiches.

As in Togo, I helped with security. After finishing work some of us first gathered to make 2000 peanut butter and jam or peanut butter sandwiches. This was very fun and got me energised for the long night ahead. At 2200 we relieved the first security shift at the venue, Palais du Peuple. I spent the next 9 hours guarding a door to the building before leaving at 7. Then there was time for a few hours’ sleep before returning to the screening at 1400 where we remained until the end at 2100.

There were no security issues and all went well on the day. 3500 people came through the gates- many more would have been turned away before then for headaches or referred to dental or eye screenings. About 200 were given appointments and some would be followed up on as we ran out of time. Since we have a ten month field service here I think the word will get out and as we screen further inland, we will fill all possible beds.

Please watch this moving 2 minute film made following the screening day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBf_T7KvHZo

After hearing of the reported 100$ Sierra Leone visas as well as my Ghanaian bunkmate's terrible travels to Freetown a few weeks ago I decided to not try and visit Guinea's southern neighbour. Instead I would spend some of my last free weekend on one of the islands. Roome Island is reportedly the best for tourists possessing a hotel, restaurant and the cleanest beaches. Despite trying to avoid west African travels infuriation aspects- we still encountered many. Leaving the ship an hour late we spent another hour arguing prices with the boatmen and despite their insistence that it was becoming late and that we must hurry, they were the ones causing the delay. Eventually we had more than 20 people standing on the dock who thought we provided good enough entertainment for their Friday night.

We arrived at the island after dark and were led by a local man to a round roofed shelter. We set up our hammocks in here and made a fire on the beach. We roasted marshmallows and put them between biscuits, making s'mores.

Some of our group of eight put up hammocks outside. As is began raining in the early hours, they soon joined us in the shelter. Sam, the only one without a hammock complained of cockroaches as he slept on the floor!

In the morning we were able to see our surroundings for the first time. The beach was beautiful. We could view the other islands nearby and their presence no doubt contributed to the calm water. After a swim I had breakfast and we the packed up so we could relocate to the other beach- one with fewer houses overlooking it. Before leaving, however, Sam, as the only French speaker, had the task of satisfying the eight of us and the man whose shelter it was. Of course the man hadn’t told us the price the night before and we assumed that the inflated drinks he was selling us would cover our simple stay. Poor Sam was talking for one hour and gave up in the end. It certainly made me think how we can be so determined to save 1 or 2 dollars that we will argue and waste the little time we have on the island. The other side of the coin is that as the first Mercy Shippers to camp on the island, we set the cost for the next hundreds of crew members who will visit during the field service. If we pay too much crew will continually be overcharged.

We spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and in a brief spell of rain after which the sun returned as hot as ever. We enjoyed using the life jackets from the boat to ride the waves. We left in the mid afternoon and arrived safely an hour later. The Lord answered our prayer for good weather and safety- as He certainly did on screening day.

Since returning on Saturday night I have not been particularly well and am actually off work today. I have seen the doctor and received the medication and should be back to strength in a few days.

I don't have any major plans before returning home. Just a few last chores.

I leave Guinea on September 22 and arrive home on the 24. My name was on the departures list this morning. I am not sure I will blog again until one last one once home. Could you please pray for safe and smooth travels over my three flights. Also for a peaceful reintegration into life at home.

Thank you for reading over the past 8 months.

Love Ben