Tough Weekend

Anne was poorly yesterday (Sunday) with some strange sickness / dilerium. The doctor thinks it may have been due to the chicken she had at the local Beninese restaurant Saturday night, but whatever it was it made her poorly enough to spend the day in ICU onboard, hooked up to drips and machines that go Bleep. I did take some photos but she wont allow me to post them (spoilsport)! She's back in our cabin now and doing better though obviously not fully well again yet. I guess that if you're going to get ill in Africa then the Mercy Ship is the place to do it!

Memories

I recently found these old pics of the AFM whilst it was in the North East of England getting converted. The sunrise picture was taken from deck 8 whilst the ship was being pulled out of the dry dock in Wallsend to be towed back over to the Hebburn dockyard. Rob had arrived at the dockyard after the gangway had been lifted and had to be hoisted onboard the vessel using a dockyard crane and 'cage' along with Mark and Chris. Oh happy days!!

Pool? What Pool?

I mentioned yesterday that Nathaniel will enjoy playing in the pool with some friends during his party on Saturday. At present the pool we have onboard is on of those big circular vinyl things that can be emptied and folded down when we sail. The original plan of the Africa Mercy showed her with a pool fitted- but this was one of the things that was abandoned during the conversion project due to lack of money . However whilst in Tenerife this year we hope to have a permanent steel pool fitted to the top deck of the ship which has been paid for by an anonymous donor. This will be a major blessing to the crew for years to come, not just for recreation but for fitness and as a place for the crew to gather outside of work hours. God is good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Yesterday Nathaniel achieved the grand old age of 7! The day started with a pancake breakfast (after opening his present - a car transporter), and then after dinner (Burger and chips) he had his cake. His party will be on Saturday afternoon when four of his friends will be coming round for games, more cake and a swim in the ships pool. Simple but fun!

Our Back Yard

What do we see when we look out of the windows at the dock here in Benin? Well the dock here is much busier than Liberia. Whenever a ship berths behind us there is a constant stream of trucks squeezing between our landrovers and the safety fence. This means that at times it is very noisy and dusty and you have to be very careful when walking out of the dockyard to avoid the vehicles and workers. However it has been our home for the last 7 months and it is amazing how quickly you get used to your surroundings - whatever they are like. The dock in Togo should be a bit more spacious next year, but we'll have to see exactly how it turns out!

View from the dockyard gate towards the Africa

Mercy

Looking aft towards the mouth of the Harbour

Looking forward towards the dockyard gate

The Africa Mercy viewed from the 'Fishing Village' in the port.

Market Trading

If you want to buy something in Africa then 9 times out of 10 you have to go to the market. Whenever you visit your senses are bombarded with sights, sounds and smells that can leave you totally over-whelmed, but it is an experience that most are more than happy to repeat and plenty of our crew enjoy popping out to see what they can find.

Meet the Ancestors

Here are some photos of Rob's Great Grandad. He lived (and died) in South Africa. Rob used the pictures last week in one of our community meetings onboard. James Richard Cairncross died in 1903 at the age of 43 (Rob's Grandad was only 1 year old at the time) of Black Water fever
Great Grandma with Rob's Grandad