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!