Just one of those days...

...when you didn't know that you wanted something to work out until it doesn't...
...when everything seems to be going against you...
...when nothing goes your way...

today was one of those days.
i cried in frustration.
actually sobbed a little bit, i was so frustrated.
cried, because i didn't know it would mean so much.
and it did.
and it does.

it's funny how easily you can be defeated.
i kind of don't want to bother continuing to try...
only to be frustrated again.
i guess this is part of 'life' in Africa.
but, who knows...we'll see...

g'night.

Despair Diverted...

Quite an ominous title, I know. Now, before anyone infers that I am in the depths of depression or that things are not right with my ship world...please give it time and hear the blog out.

I am constantly finding out how things work here on the ship...learning new things every week as I experience them personally or through others. One thing that I learned this past week is how exciting it is to get snail mail...or how sad it is to check the folder and see that there is nothing for you. For hospital staff, we pick up our post in the HCS office, and we know that there is new post from afar because they 'announce' such via a sign outside the door stating, "Mail from Texas is in" or "Mail from Holland is in". This week, the second shipment of mail from Texas had come in since docking here in Togo.

This announcement thrilled me, for whatever reason (especially since I hadn't gotten mail the first time), and I told Linda and Naomi (our lab techs, and fellow auxiliary hospital crew) that mail had arrived, and I was going to check it. Naomi asked me to check for her as well since I was heading that way. So, I trotted off down the hall, and into the office, only to discover that there was no mail for me...but there was mail for Naomi.

So, with my heart a little less happy than before I started down the hall, I grudgingly brought Naomi's mail to her and stated that I was sad that I had not gotten any mail. Yes, complaining uselessly, I know. But, I did it anyways. And, I also believe that I told a friend back home that I had begun to despair that I wouldn't get any mail, even though it was only the second time that mail has come and that the outreach had just begun. But, despairing none-the-less. Despairing because, even in this day in age with all the technological advances we have with communicating through blog comments, Facebook, and e-mail...there is still something about getting something via snail mail.

The next day rolls around...my moment of despair further from my mind...and I get an e-mail from one of our secretaries in the HCS office saying that there was mail for me. Confused, I walked back down to the office and entered, all the while shaking my head and saying, "But, I don't understand. I was just in here yesterday, and there was no mail for me." She simply just shrugged her shoulders while I ruffled through the letter index, searching for the folder marked with an 'R'. Sure enough, there was a envelope marked with my name.

Without going into the details of the letter and the contents in the envelope (aside from a Starbucks card for use here on the ship)...I was being pranked... I was a bit confused, but wanted to get to the bottom of who did it. (Please note, it was not a bad "prank". It was actually quite cute and hilarious. And very much appreciated.) Not really knowing where to start, I showed the letter to Miriam, and we brainstormed who it could be. I told her that I was determined to find out who did it, even if it came down to cross-matching the writing of friends with the writing on the envelope.

I didn't have to go too far or do that much sleuthing. All I had to do was venture down the hall a few doors to the lab to find the culprits. After looking at some samples of writing in the lab and some interrogation, Linda finally admitted that the writing was hers...but the brains behind the operation, she blamed on Naomi. With my letter writer mystery solved, I happily hugged Linda and Naomi, and thanked them for being so thoughtful to me and trying to divert my no mail despair. Thanks once again, ladies!

Onto other news...

The first two days of surgery have been successful! The Mighty Ships crew from Discovery Canada left after following a few of the stories through to the recovery room. More and more patients are being admitted as the surgery schedules fill up, as are the beds on the wards. On call duties are being fulfilled and the rhythm of the outreach is slowly being drummed out...

And so it begins...

Hospital evacuation drill. Done.
Patients arriving...in progress.
Surgeries to start...TOMORROW.
And, so it begins. From where I stand, all the wards are stocked, as is our recovery room and OR pharmacy. And to me, that means...everyone is ready to rock. Judging by the excitement in the air, I think there are many others who feel the same way that I do.

For many of you who don't know me...I tend to be pessimistic at best... Lately, I've been getting a lot of comments from friends and family back home, stating that I seem really happy. Which, kind of comes as a bit of shocker to me. Not saying that I am not. I'm very glad that I made the decision to be here. But, a bit of me wonders if maybe I portray a less than real truth through my blogs. But, I also know that I write how I talk...so basically, it is what it is. Below is a surmisation that I had come to when responding to a friend's message.

"hahaha...wanna know a secret? i don't know why everyone is making such remarks over my blogs. julie says that i sound really happy and so did gen. but, i think that gen was right...perhaps i am just enjoying this season...it's one that i've been looking forward to for so long. i guess, what i am doing may seem incredible...but if you were here, you would realize that i am only one of many. and some of the people here are so young, or they have done things like this before - and i wonder to myself...what took me so long? but, i have to remember...that God has prepared me...even if i don't completely believe it myself...for a season such as this..."

So...let's rock. ;-)

My new work place...

Hey Guys!

As promised...here is a peak at the Oak Fountain Hospital, my new work place for the next few months...

This sign greets you at every entrance into the hospital on Deck 3 from the top decks.

What one of the wards looks like here at the hospital. They are all on the port side of the ship. There are 5 beds on each side of the room.

This is our ICU section for the outreach. We just have 3 beds set up, rather than an entire ward. We aren't running the ICU ward or Ward C (there are 4 wards: A, B, C, and D) because of the noise that the generators create...hence the trip to South Africa in August to get them replaced.

In this photo (of D ward), you can see that there are mattresses under the beds. These are for the patient's caretakers, usually a parent, so that they can stay with their child while recovering from surgery here on the Africa Mercy.

This is the sign that you see on our door. Welcome to the pharmacy. Please note that crew clinic hours are from 13:00 - 14:30. :-) We are located on the starboard side, towards the aft of the ship.

A peak into my work space. The pharmacy has two rooms: a front room where I've been spending most of my time, and a back room where there is another work space and our medications.

A peak into the back room of the pharmacy. This is usually where one can find Miriam.

Opposite of the work space in the back room is our rolling racks!

Here is the end of our hall (which is opposite to the wards). Past this door, you can find the 6 operating rooms here in the Oak Foundation Hospital.

I hope that you guys have enjoyed seeing just a bit of what I see everyday here. I really wish you were here so that I could give you a personal tour myself. There is so much more to it than what these few pictures dictate.

Now, I'll leave you with a quote Dr. Parker used in a few of his lectures:

"At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.’

Hungry not only for bread-but hungry for love.

Naked not only for clothing-but naked of human dignity and respect.

Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks-but homeless because of rejection.

This is Christ in distressing disguise."

- Mother Teresa

Work hard. Play hard.

Hey Everyone...

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to you. Last I wrote, I was preparing to head out to our first official screening day for the outreach here in Togo. What can I say about it? It went well. Not a lot of people came, which is awesome, since that is what we were praying for. We did, however, get surgeries booked, x-ray and CT scan appointments booked, as well as casting for club feet. As it stands, screening has been pretty successful, new process and all. By the end of last week, I think that they had screened over 2,500 people. Please continue praying for the remaining screening days!

Since screening and now...we've had two open houses for the Oak Foundation Hospital (the name of the hospital here on the Africa Mercy). The first open house took place this past Thursday, where medical staff from all over Togo were invited to come aboard, see the hospital, meet the staff, and learn a bit of what we do and why. All of the hospital staff were required to participate in putting on the open house. All the wards and departments were open so that they could ask questions and get more information. We also worked as hosts/hostess, servers, and parking attendants (my job for the night). It was a blast, but a long night - and I hope that we represented ourselves well. I promise to put up a picture tour of the hospital for you soon!

The second open house was held last Friday (yup, back to back open houses)...but, this time, the hospital was opened up to non-medical crew. It was a fun-filled night. The ward nurses set up different stations for people to go through that taught them about inserting IVs, feeding tubes, and a chance to be in their shoes. All the operating rooms were open, with games revolving around some of the surgeries that they do - VVF, ophthalmic, general, etc. Even the kids on the ship were able to get involved, as they got dressed up in the OR to operate on a monkey, and learned how to stitch things up from our surgeons.

This weekend marked the beginning of hopefully many outings to come. What ended up being a group of 17 of us from here on the ship took a weekend trip out to a town called, Kpalimé. It was about a 2.5-3 hour ride northwest of the port here in Lomé. It was uncomfortably amusing having 19 people squish into the taxi-van/bus (originally intended to carry 15 passengers). I was lucky enough to be sitting not too far from an open window, and it was amazing watching the landscape pass me by. There is no way that I could describe to you the beauty that I had seen. It was awesome passing by the African villages and seeing the thatched huts and the people busy, going about their day.

It was a fun...although not completely relaxing weekend. We ended up having 5 hotel rooms to divvy up between the 17 of us. Our group then split off with a few of them going to see waterfalls and the other group (me included) heading to the market. The market was very lively and full of color. As we walked through the streets, you could hear children singing. They sing this song that I have grown to love and sing along with them. Basically, they sing it any time that they see a white person.

"Yovo, Yovo,
Bonsoir.
Ca va bien,
Merci."

It essentially says, "White person, White person. Good evening. It goes well (or I am well.). Thank you."

On Sunday, we all went for a hike up to the tallest mountain peak in all of Togo, Mount Agou. It stands about 986 meters (3234 ft.) tall. I never knew that I could sweat so much until yesterday. I also developed a healthy appreciation for water and keeping hydrated. Thankfully, it had rained enough the night before so the air was cooler than it normally would've been, yet the path wasn't all that muddy. We had a guide take us up the mountain, and he showed us various things...like how the locals get different dyes from the plants in the forest, as well as little tidbits about the area...like how it was one of the first areas to develop fruit.

As we made our way to the top, there were various villages built into the mountain side that we passed through. So very interesting to see how other people live and thrive. I was, and continue to be, astounded. We seemed to hit each village on our way up as they were having church. So, as we walked along the path, you could hear the drums being beaten to a tune of worship, even if it was unfamiliar to me. In one village, as soon as the worship music stopped, you could hear the music of the children's voices, saying, "Yovo! Yovo!" and then breaking out into song. At one of the villages, the children were outside the church and even came up to get a closer look at us. I love putting my hand out, and having their tiny palms smack mine...and then wander around my hand, amazed at the feel of my brown skin. They are just adorable, and they make my heart ache for my little ones back home.

When we reached the top of the mountain...we had a bit of a relaxed celebration, complete with human pyramid, jumping photos, spelling photos...and one of me being tossed in the air. I am sure that the guards were wondering just exactly what it was that we were doing.

On the way back down, we passed a village just as we met up with the road that winded back down the mountain we just climbed. We figured that this was a great place to take a break and wait for the rest of the group to catch up. As I was sitting on a log, resting, a little girl came towards us with a baby. As I watched her walking our way, I saw that she was intent on walking up to someone in particular - me! With a big smile on her face, she handed me the baby. And as soon as the baby was in my arms, the people from the village across the way erupted into laughter. I looked at the little girl, pointed to myself and said, "Je m'appelle Tatiana." She then proceeded to tell me that her name was Florence, and that the baby I held in my arms was named Emil. :-) Eventually, I returned the baby, even though Jens was trying to convince the little girl to let us pack the baby in our backpacks to come back with us. Thanks to Micah for taking this photo as evidence for me!

We had just enough time to head back to the hotel, take a quick dip in the pool to cool off, and then catch our taxi-van/bus to head back to the port. Walking back into the Africa Mercy, we were greeted by one of our Gurkhas with a big smile, and the cooling rush of air conditioning to meet us. As fun as it was to get away for the weekend and explore...it was sure nice to be back.

This week, we are preparing for the official open of the hospital. Our patients start to come in on Wednesday, 24 February and our first official operation is to commence on Thursday, the 25th. I am going to be spending the next few days before we open stocking the wards and the operating room. Everyday, it's starting to look more and more like a hospital...and even though I know that there is tons of work ahead of us...I can't help but be excited.

Three weeks in...Let the bruising begin!

I have been here for three weeks already. Weird. Although, I must say, that things are starting to pick up...and it didn't take too long to get the ball rolling. After our briefing meeting once docking in Togo, we started unbracing things in the hospital. In the pharmacy, it meant removing the braces on the rolling racks, unsecuring the cupboards, and moving boxes around (lots of moving boxes around). For the nurses, however...they've been working hard the last few days, bleaching the ward surfaces (as seen in the picture here, taken by Ali, I do believe...she also writes an amazing blog.), stripping and waxing the floors, and setting up the wards. They've been working hard...and yes, they are pretty amazing!

The first weekend here in Togo was a fun one, I must admit. On Saturday, the ship underwent a blackout so that teams could work on the cooling system and fix some problems that they have been having. As a result, shuttles were organized to take crew into different parts of the city to swim at the local hotels.

Now you may be wondering why on earth would we be sent off to swim at pools in hotels...when we are surrounded by beaches? It's because rip tides are common along the coasts here in West Africa, we are told...which makes the lovely beaches dangerous for swimming. :-( But, I must admit we still had fun. A few others and I got loaded into one of the land cruisers and headed off to the Palm Beach Hotel, located in downtown Lomé.

It was a great area for us, since we wanted to explore a bit, as there was a local market in the same area as the hotel. We spent most of the morning roaming the streets and checking out the local vendors. It was an...interesting...experience. A bit overwhelming, for me at least. It was awesome to see the liveliness and some of the color of the city...but, a bit frustrating as people are constantly coming up to you and trying to put things in your hands to buy. I think that might take some time getting used to.

After roaming the streets, a dip in the pool was very rewarding and we spent most of the afternoon there. It was glorious finally being able to swim in the water (as I was continuously tortured by the thought of cool waters while sailing) and get some relief from the heat. We spent lots of time relaxing, reading on loungers in the shade. A great day out on the town, all in all.

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of having my first West African church experience. We attended an Assemblies of God church just on the outskirts of Lomé. When we arrived, we were put at the very front of the church, facing the congregation (which I know is an act of honoring us as guests). For those of you that know me, you know how much I don't like speaking in public, or being put in any kind of spotlight. It was a bit unnerving for me, but I got over it quickly as I was swept up into their worship. It was amazing. Everyone was singing...just about everyone was dancing...and no matter what the preacher or the worship leader was doing or saying or singing or praying, the congregation continued with worship. They were so into praising God, that I couldn't even hear the worship team...all I heard were the hearts and voices of the people in the church. Can you imagine what that would be like?

Another thing that blew me out of the water...knowing only North American church services...is how giving these people were. And how joyful they were about it, too! I think that they must have taken up 4 offerings in the service, and every time, the congregation danced...DANCED!...their way to the offering baskets. I loved watching the ladies move in unison down the aisles and up to the front of the church. And, they gave every single time in that fashion. I just sat there, blessed by their joy to invest in their church and in their congregation. Especially when I sat there and considered their circumstances...the neighborhood that the church was located in, and likely where they live, and just knowing the statistics about the country that they live in. In comparison to what I am used to...all I can say, is that they may be poor in material aspects, but they don't seem to be poor in the Spirit. Poverty truly isn't just a state of what you can see in the physical with your own eyes...

At this church service, Jean-Claude introduced Mercy Ships and what we are here to do. Then, we each had to introduce ourselves (Jean-Claude also acted as our French translator), state where we were from, and what we do on the ship. It was really cute, because after we were introduced, the pastor commented that the congregation also had a Leah and a Tatiana. She actually came up to meet me. I couldn't help but smile. After the service, I got a picture with her. She was so cute, and so excited. Everyone seemed eager to meet us, to shake our hands, and to bless us for what we are here to do. As exciting as it all sounds, it was also a bit overwhelming. Especially for me, who doesn't always do the best in large groups of people and when I don't know most of them.

After the service, we were invited into the pastor's quarters for refreshments and snacks. It was nice to sit and chat and meet the pastor and the elders of the church. And definitely honoring to be treated in the manner that they received us.

We got back in from church around 1 pm...and I ended up spending the afternoon (from 1:30 pm to 5 pm) playing soccer out on the dock with some other people from the ship. It was lots of fun, but I have bruises and aching limbs to prove that I was out there for so long.

Today was business as usual...still setting up the hospital (yes, it takes a lot of time!), preparing to stock the wards, preparing for screening, and tidying up our work space. Speaking of screening...we start tomorrow. And, I'm going! I'm a bit nervous, as I heard that screening can be quite shocking for someone who hasn't seen things like this before. Tomorrow may be different, as we are not mass screening like they have done in the past. As some of you may already know, there is a presidential campaign and election happening in Togo this month. Due to this, the Togolese government has asked that we not hold a mass screening day like they did in the past, where up to 4,000+ people show up, hoping to see if we can help them.

This year, we are having smaller screening clinics...on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week for the next ten weeks. We are hoping that we can reach the people that we need to, and not to diminish the hopes of people we won't be seeing tomorrow. We are also hoping that we can convey to them that hope is not lost if we don't see them tomorrow, but that they can come to another screening day, and hopefully be seen. We are really hoping, even in spite of our best efforts, that masses upon masses of people don't come...but, there is a good chance that they will, as most are desperate for help and see Mercy Ships as their last shot. Since Mercy Ships has done mass screenings before, tomorrow, we will be holding a "double screening"; meaning...rather than seeing ~200 people (as planned for the rest of the screening days), we are hoping to see ~400 people.

Please pray for everyone going out tomorrow (myself included)...please ask that we are given clarity when seeing and screening the patients, helping with crowd control/security/escorting, or wherever we can help. Please ask that we are able to show compassion and mercy. Please pray for those that we can't help - that they rest in the knowledge that even if we (as humans) can't help them, that does not mean that the Lord has abandoned them. Pray that we have a good rest tonight, as it may be a long day tomorrow. Pray that we have peace, and energy, and anything else that is needed. Here's hoping and praying that tomorrow goes smoothly!

Now...it's off to bed. G'night whoever is out there. Dream sweetly...

The age old question...

Today, like every Thursday, we had our Community meeting. It's a time where we all meet together, go over a few announcements, have praise and worship, and a speaker. Okay, maybe it's like church on Thursday night. I remember Sarah saying that they were her favorite meetings, and I think that I am starting to understand why. Here on the ship, it's nice to gather as a community, and to focus on one thing that does unite us...our faith in God. I know that Sunday is usually considered the day to go to church, and we will...but we are encouraged to go out into the community and come alongside the local churches. So, in the end, not everyone here on the ship will be going to the same place on Sunday. So, needless to say, it's nice to gather together.

In our community meeting, Becca asked the question..."Why are you here?". It's funny, I've asked myself that. (Most times, I've wondered..."Am I really here? Is this really my life?!") Usually...I don't answer myself. It gets harder to answer the question when others have asked me, and they have. I can't remember what I've come up with...I am sure that it had something to do with my desire to use my education (which I do believe that God has blessed me with) for more than my own purposes and survival. And that is a truthful answer. Although, I've often felt it a bit incomplete. Today, I think that I finally found the answer to that question for myself.

Have you guys ever not been able to express yourself...but found that a song could so accurately? As if were written explicitly for you? I'm not saying that these songs were...as a matter of fact, I know that they weren't...but, they projected everything that I could never say.

During worship, we sang a song that I have loved for some time called "Everything", by Tim Hughes. The lyrics are as follows:

God in my living,

There in my breathing,

God in my waking,

God in my sleeping.

God in my resting,
There in my working,

God in my thinking,
God in my speaking.

Be my everything (x4)

God in my hoping,

There in my dreaming,

God in my watching,

God in my waiting.

God in my laughing

There in my weeping,

God in my hurting,

God in my healing.

While we were singing this...it all made sense to me. I'm here to live and breathe God. I'm here because I want to incorporate Him in everything that I do. And, as if to help my thoughts along...the worship team mashed up "Everything" with a chorus from another song of Tim Hughes' that goes as follows:

Here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You're my God

You're altogether lovely,

Altogether worthy,

Altogether wonderful to me

And, there my friends...is where I found my answer. My answer is, I'm here to worship...and I don't mean just clapping or lifting my hands or attempting to sing pretty songs. I mean, learning to worship God with everything that I am and in all that I do. I'm here to bow down...and I don't mean on my knees, I mean surrendering in all aspects, saying "Here, take my life." I'm here to say that He is my God.

This is the view from the port side of Deck 7 where we are docked in Togo.

So, dear friends...dare I ask you? What are you here for?

We're not in Kansas anymore...

Okay, okay...I know that we were never in Kansas to being with...but...you know...

Anyhow, the point of this blog is to let you all know that we arrived in Togo safely and smoothly. The captain and his team did an excellent job pulling into port, and it was amazing seeing the welcome and celebration that our arrival received. So, I apologize...but this isn't going to be a lengthy-wordy blog much like the last two that I have written. Besides...a picture is worth a thousand words, right? Enjoy...

This was my first view of land...if you can make it out...it's there, way in the distance. And, this is how I saw it. I was on Deck 8, peeking through the railings over the deck on top of the bridge. This was at about 9:30 am Togo time...which is like 2:30 am in Alberta, 1:30 am in British Columbia and California...and like 11:30 pm Hawai'i time (I think).

As we got closer and closer...you could see the little fishing boats...and the industrial aspects of the port in much more detail. There were lots of fishing boats/fishing canoes in the area outside of the port. You could even see them throwing in their nets or gathering them. It was kind of cute, because often times, the fishermen would wave at us as we passed by them on the Africa Mercy.

This is our pilot ship coming out to meet us and help get us into port to dock.

This tug boat also came out to meet us...and there were some fellow Mercy Ship'ers on board from our land team to greet us!

At the end of the port, we were greeted by some people from the Togolese Christian churches. They were playing horns and dancing to a few known African worship songs...one that I had just learned earlier this week, "You are the Most High God."


They followed us down the dock as we were coming in...all the while playing songs and dancing!

Throwing out mooring lines and getting tied down to the dock.

And, where we were going to be docked...there were MORE people waiting to greet us and welcome us to Togo. In the back there, you can see drummers and dancers.

People were even looking on at the celebration and music from outside of the dock.

Clementine, carrying the Togolese flag down the gangway out to the ceremony on the dock.

While the celebrations were going on, they were building a compound around our area on the dock to provide some safety for us. It's a really busy, working dock....trucks and bikes and tractors are always zooming on by! This way, we have our own space where the kids can play and we can safely get off the gangway as well.

The crowd that had gathered as the ceremony begun.

Mercy Ships and the crew being welcomed into the country of Togo.

Mark Thompson, thanking the Togolese country for allowing Mercy Ships to return, and for us to be here in this time.

A few dignitaries coming on board the Africa Mercy.

This is the fourth time that Mercy Ships has come to the country of Togo. Mercy Ships was first welcome to the continent of Africa and the country of Togo in 1990. Mercy Ships had returned twice since then, with the Anastasis. This outreach, however, is the Africa Mercy's first visit here to Togo. Here's hoping that everything that God wants to accomplish here in the next 6 months gets done! Amen!

One more sail sleep...

...AND THEN WE'RE IN TOGO. Hahaha, that sounds pretty exuberant, I think! Spirits are pretty high here on the ship, as people are laying out on Deck 8, trying to cool down while gazing at the starry night sky or talking about where to go on shore level. In Togo, things will shift yet again, as more people join the current crew. We will be preparing and setting up the hospital after the sail...and by the end of this month, we should be starting surgeries, and patients and day-crew will join the rest of us here on the Africa Mercy.

The new and returning crew (this would include myself) spent the last two days in orientation - learning about all sorts of things, from the proposed objectives for the Togo outreach to cross-cultural adaptation to thriving in community (because at the heart of Mercy Ships, it's what we are) to managing stress and conflict. All of these were valid topics to discuss and were helpful as well. Helpful because in a community such as this, it's better to understand what your worldview looks like, and understand that it will likely vary from another person's worldview. Differences will occur and can cause much misunderstanding in this kind of community. Being aware of such differences can hopefully help you understand the other person, rather than take offense, and avoid conflicts. As amazing and unique as this community is, we are all still human in the end...

It was really interesting for me because we had discussed expectations in these sessions as well. I think that often times we forget that other people have expectations of us, whether or not we have expectations of them. Also amusing for me as this past week, I have been reflecting upon expectations. I thought that I come to the Africa Mercy without expectations...just a blank slate. But, as I started to settle into life here, I realized slowly that I did have some expectations, conscious or unconscious... Not saying that it's a bad thing, just that it requires some adjustment to my thinking...an adjustment that I hadn't initially anticipated on making because I wasn't originally aware of the expectation. I've learned quickly that you have to be willing to make lots of adjustments and be flexible in this environment.

I'm also realizing that having expectations isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as you are flexible when situations don't line up with what you originally thought...and as long as you are aware that they are your expectations and perceptions. In everything, you have to be willing to be flexible...and maybe even change.

I'm still finding it a bit hard to find a quiet place. I know where they are if I desire to seek them out. But, part of my doesn't want to go there and isolate myself. I'm afraid that I might be left out or miss out on something. I like the hustle and business of all the people around, even if I don't want to join in. Luckily, I think that Hannah feels the same. We can often sit by each other and ignore the business...and ignore each other, but be happy for the quiet company. Well, I can't speak for her, but I know I feel that way.

At least we get a bit of a quiet before the storm...before life here on the ship gets even busier. And with that...I would love to share with you the objectives that have been laid out for this outreach. Even though this is a shorter outreach (6 months, compared to their usual 10 months) due to a longer shipyard stay in South Africa later this year...it looks like we have a packed agenda. And, while I do tell you about what I do (because, let's face it this blog is all about my perspective)...there is so much more going on that I don't see or won't necessarily be a part of...but, I think that it's more than worthwhile to mention. So, here they are:
* 2400 – 2600 surgeries affecting 2100-2400 patients...including opthamology, maxillo-facial, facial reconstruction, VVF, orthopedics, and general surgeries
* training opportunities for local doctors...opthalmic (2-3 doctors), maxilo-facial and plastics reconstruction (1-2 doctors), ortho Ponseti technique of non-surgically fixing club feet in infants (1-2 doctors)
* WHO training – Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (training 24 public workers
* training of 1 biomedical technician from a public hospital
* providing mental health services for ~400 people
* drill water wells in partnership with GAIN (a Canadian organization)
* agricultural training for staff members of 3 local NGO's
* Pastor’s conference for Togolese pastors
* dental program, as well as dental assistant training for 4 people
* construction of clinics (4 in Benin, 1 in Togo)
And, our theme for this year is: "Thinking outside the Hull".
(Thanks to Hannah, for all ready typing out the list so that I could copy and paste!)

So, it was exciting to hear what they have planned...and it will be really awesome to see it all come together!

Please pray that we make it into port safely tomorrow. Pray for the hands that are guiding this ship into position, that they avoid any other fishing vessels that may be near the port, and also their fishing nets, as it might affect the livelihood of many.

I hear that there is going to be a Welcoming Celebration of sorts and prime political figures from the Togolese government will be at port to welcome the ship and come aboard. We are all dressing up in our "Sunday Best" and standing out on the decks to watch the celebration ceremonies as we make our way in.

Please also keep the people of Togo in prayer with their pending elections...we were told today that the elections in 2005 had quite a bit of violence. But, before the elections in 2008, the UN stepped in and asked them to make changes to their election processes, and as a result the 2008 elections only had isolated outbreaks of violence. So...guys, please join us in prayer that the elections bring about a peaceful change for the people of Togo.



With that, I'll leave you. Expect another blog soon, since we are going to be on land in less than 12 hours. G'night whoever is out there. Dream sweetly...

The sail...so far...

So...as you all are aware, we set sail for Togo on the 31st of January...and yes, we are still sailing. I think that we have been sailing for 7 days now...and have about 4 more to go. Some of you may wonder why it takes so long, and the reason being is that this Danish ferryboat can only go so fast! I do believe that we are sailing at about 12 nautical knots per hour (times that by 1.51 to convert it roughly into miles, or to get kilometers, times by 1.852 for the exact measure).

According to Murray's Facebook status, we are somewhere in the Atlantic off the coast of Cote d'Ivoire, getting closer and closer to Togo. And, you can tell. I think that the humidity and heat set in a few days ago. When we were closer to the Canary Islands, the air was cooler and it was easy to get a chill from sitting outside for too long. Now, as soon as you open a door out onto the decks, you get hit with a wall of mugginess...and you can feel it. To say it in a cliché, it feels like you can cut the humidity in the air with a knife. Welcome to the weather I will be experiencing for the next 6 months.

Currently, the seas are calm and ever so blue...deep, deep blue. (It's beautiful.) I have confessed many times my desire to jump off the side of the ship to cool off, even if only for a moment. However, I am sure that the captain would not appreciate the man-over board lesson many would have to learn, even though we've done it in drills. The ship gently sways side to side now, and I have become ever so accustomed to the swaying motion that I can walk in straight lines without knowing that I am compensating for it. Yes, I have my sea legs. And, I am pretty sure that I've had them for awhile. It's funny how you adjust to things without knowing it. I didn't realize that I was used to the rocking of the ship, until the night before we set sail, and I was on land, still thinking that I was moving.

But, let me tell you...the seas were not always this calm, the gentle rocking of the ship, not always this pleasant. The sail started off a bit rough, as we hit a low pressure system that was moving towards the Canary Islands (which also caused quite a bit of flooding for them). The swells that we encountered caused the ship to rock from side to side, upwards of 25 degrees. For those of you who have a hard time understanding what that means...look at the picture of the protractor...now imagine everything in the area that you are in suddenly shifting to the left by 25 degrees...and then to the right 25 degrees...and so on, and so forth. This is the reason why we spent the week before sail running around and securing things throughout the ship...and trying to do it well.

However, despite our best efforts, things still ended up crashing down...especially on Monday night. That's when we hit the swells the hardest, and had to change our course twice to avoid even more swells. It was quite alarming for me, as I was up late when it got bad...so bad, that I ended up falling out of a chair as it slid across the floor in the mid-ships lounge. Lucky for me, Sarah was there to break my fall. Lots of people on the ship were seasick, and if you think about what we were dealing with, you can understand why.

Luckily, I have been spared for the most part for the seasickness. A lot of people had to stay outside, or avoid being on the computer or reading. I spent my days pre-packing, staring at counting trays and counting pills. Definitely a great way to get sick, if you were prone to it. The only time that I didn't feel 100%, was when I went to bed on Monday night with all the rocking. It's funny, because they say that laying down can help you if you feel seasick. Yet, I wasn't feeling nauseous until I laid down to sleep (but, no vomiting...yay!). Thankfully, after much prayer from myself, people back home, and I am sure others here on the ship, Tuesday morning, the seas started to calm, and they have only gotten better since. (Thank God!)

My week has been pretty mellow. I was lucky enough to spend some of my time orienting with the ward nurses, as they had orientation together all week. (I have also been dubbed an honorary nurse!) I got to sit in with them as they learned about the surgeries that they do on the ship, how they are done, and what we are likely to encounter. I also got to watch a video depicting the life of women with VVF (Vesico-vaginal fistula), and how surgery greatly changes their lives. There are a lot of things going on in West Africa that we would never see, or dream of having to live with in North America, because they are usually taken care of right away within our health-care system. Things that could've been nipped in the bud years ago, fester into big problems in Africa, because basic health care isn't available to everyone. I am slightly jealous of the nurses here, as I see that their jobs of ahead of them, while challenging, will be greatly rewarding. Yet, I also know that I can't do what they do, and they are quite admirable in my mind. When I wasn't sitting in on their orientation, I was pre-packing in mid-ships, and was ever so thankful for the hands that have helped me thus far. I am no where near done, but I also know that I am pre-packing for the entire outreach. I don't have to have it all done within the sail, as I will also have time when we get there. But, I also know that the more that I get done now, means the less that I will have to do later, so I have been trying to get as much done as possible.

The nights have been filled with getting to know others here on the ship and random activities. One night, we played a game of sardines...and I had a blast. There have been numerous card games and board games going on, as well as movies.

Yesterday was my first "day-off" on the ship...with no where to go. At first, I wasn't so sure what I should do with myself. But, my day filled quite easily. Waking up late sure helped! But, after lunch, while I was on the hunt for cinnamon rolls, I ended up in the crew galley, and kind of just ended up helping out with frosting cakes for a little girl's birthday party here on the ship. Do I know the little girl or her family personally? No. But, can I help out and be somewhat involved anyways? Yes. You have to love the little things like that about living in community. After dinner, a few of my new friends and I hid away in a cabin and watched a movie, and later on laid out on Deck 8 to watch the stars...and sleep under them.

Otherwise...things that have also filled my week have been...
- I have moved bunks in my cabin about 3 times now. We were at full capacity (4 persons), but then one of our cabinmates, Rachel, moved out, as she has been here on the ship for longer than 6 months and got an up-graded 4-berth room on Deck 4...with a window! I started off with the bottom bunk closest to our cabin door...then traded with Annette when she came in (and we had 4 people) to the top bunk (still closest to the door). Now that Rachel has moved out, I moved into her bunk...which is still a top bunk, but farther away from the door. At least now, my pillow won't fall off my bed so easily!
- I have read a book called, "Foreign to Familiar"...a very interesting book about cultural difference...and how to relate to others from different backgrounds than you, rather than to be offended by them. Understanding cultural differences sure helps, especially when living in a closed community such as this, and when going to a country that may have different customs than you, like we are.
- A few friends and I have started a work out group! Trying to do ab work-outs or video workouts is quite interesting when doing it on a rocking ship! Sure adds an extra element that you normally don't encounter on dry land.
- I am trying to learn French. For those of you who know how awful my French actually is...please don't laugh. I am hoping that after this, I might be able to sing the tubing/rafting song properly.

Well...I think that I've rambled long enough for now...hopefully, there was something in there for all of you to enjoy. :-) Happy Sunday, to however is out there...

Ship Tour...ish...

So...I realize that I have been here for almost two weeks...and I have not shown you guys what the ship looks like...on the inside! My apologies! So, I have decided that this blog, will do just that. I do recognize that I should also write another update and I have a few other blog ideas...but one thing at a time. ;-)

This is reception...I know that there is no one behind the desk here, but usually there is. This is what you see when you walk into the ship from the gangway. Reception also happens to be on Deck 5.

This is the cafeteria...the cause of much angst for me. This is where we get all our meals...and trust me, they feed us well. Since I have come here, I have heard of a phenomenon called,"Mercy Hips" and I feel that I am still well on my way to gain enough weight to donate blood, if need be. Also, you all would be happy to know that I actually eat my veggies...usually twice a day, with lunch and dinner. It's awesome only having to walk up two flights of stairs to Deck 5 after work and have dinner all ready made for me. I don't know how I'm going to go back to being domesticated and cooking for myself after 6 month of this...

These are some of the stairs that lead from my deck (Deck 3) up to the other decks...and coincidentally, as the sign on the ground says...the route to the bow of the ship (who's access is also from Deck 3).

Once you come down said stairs onto Deck 3, you enter into the cabin area. My cabin is on the far left. Once the hall splits, there are two doors on each end (as seen on the right)...when you go through those doors, you enter into the hospital. Yes, my work place also happens to be on the same deck as my cabin. Definitely no 15-20 minute commute involved here!

Now, we are back on Deck 5...in the "mid-ships" area. (to note, reception and the cafeteria is at the bow of the ship) This is the cafe area. We are looking at the ship's Starbucks on your right and in the background there is the ship shop. The stairs to your left lead up to the top of "town square".

This is the the top of "town square". There are lots of sitting areas...and in the back left you can see the computer/internet access area for all the crew. This is also a wireless hotspot...hence a common place where I can be found. :-)

This is the library, which is also located on Deck 5. As you can see...it's actually 2 rooms big, full of books. We can also rent DVDs here. The cool thing is that it's open for 24 hours, which is awesome.

Back up on Deck 6, at the bow of the boat...kind of above the cafeteria, is the International Room. This is where we have all of our ship wide meetings, our Tuesday morning ship wide devotions, and our Thursday night Community Meetings.

Heading past the town square on Deck 6, you find the laundry room...this is also where we borrow vacuums to clean our cabins. (Yes, that means I have to carry it up and down 3 flights of stairs.)

Last, but not least, I am showing you the crew galley, located towards the stern of the boat on Deck 6...where we can cook our own meals if we like or bake up a feast. I hear that this is the place to be in the evenings, as you will undoubtedly get fed.

If I haven't told you before...there are 8 Decks on the Africa Mercy. Deck 8 is where the outdoor pool is located and is all open-air. Deck 7 has offices, conference rooms, and also has some outdoor areas. I don't have pictures of Deck 2, but there are more cabins down there, as well as a gym, and the ship's boutique, where you can pick up or donate items for use.

I hope that you've enjoyed the mini-tour. Sorry that it took so long. More to come later...and that's a promise! <3