Surgery Begins!

The Nursing Crew of the Africa Mercy

Screening Days

Screening individuals to determine if they are candidates for surgery has begun. These are difficult, exhausting and trying days. While I have not yet participated in the screening process in Togo, I wanted to share some striking images that capture the raw joy, suffering, sorrow and hope these days present for both potential patients and screeners.

Dirty Jobs 2

Today the ship underwent a scheduled blackout. Electricity was turned off (including air conditioning) and volunteers were recruited to assist with the cleaning of the pipes which carry seawater onto the ship to cool fresh water which cools the engines.
Periodically these pipes need to be cleaned as they become clogged with shells and barnacles. Embracing another opportunity to work in the engine room, we headed down to Deck 2 and suited up. Conditions were hot and humid, and the aroma one of a clam bake. We painstakingly inserted long wire bristle brushes into each of 1500 metal intake pipes which carry sea water onto the ship to dislodge any marine life.

Jeff the Welder

with the cooler panel of 1500 pipes

to be cleaned

Ginger, Dennis the Welder and myself hard at work

The moment the entire ship has been waiting for: Ginger restarts the Harbour Generator and electricity returns

A Ship with a View

The Front Yard

(Starboard)

Lome is quite the bustling port city. Gazing over the top deck of the starboard side of the ship I see a flurry of activity all through the day and night. The scene reminds me of a sort of "Lego Land" with cranes and vehicles of all kinds, lifting and lowering heavy sacks of grain in nets onto other little Lego vehicles for transport. Little Lego people are busy at work wearing little Lego helmets. The nightscape features big Lego rats and big Lego cockroaches cleaning the dock of any spilled grain. The Back Yard
(Port)

Ahhhhhhh....the backyard. Definitely the place to be, with views of crashing waves, farmers watering their crops and members of the Togolese Navy participating in early morning swimming exercises. This is Africa. (TIA!)

T is for Togo!

This morning we arrived in Togo and as the ship pulled into port, we were greeted by a welcoming reception on the dock, complete with Togolese marching band and African dancing.

The Africa Mercy Ship will be docked in the capital port city of Lome for the next 6 months.

Coming into port, a welcome and familiar sight of beloved fishermen with their nets in their wooden pirogues

The pilot boat approaches to escort the Africa Mercy to the dock

A warm welcome from Togolese waiting on the dock

Oh when the saints come marching in!

West African Dance Party!

Bon arrive a Togo!

The gangway is lowered as we touch the African continent at last

Boston Represent!

Thrilled to the gills to be rockin' out the nursing care with some of Mass General's finest!

We love that dirty water!

Boston, you're our home!



Becca (center) representing Ellison 18 and Rachel (right) from the Emergency Department

I'd like to give a shout out to Bigelow 13 and Blake 6!

A Meal Fit for a King

One of the great joys of returning to the Africa Mercy Ship was reuniting with my Nepalese friends, Lok, Krishna, Ganesh and Chitra. The Gurkahs, known for their bravery and strength (and now their amazing culinary skills), are soldiers who serve in the British and Indian armies. They also serve around the world providing security for ships in foreign ports. They are away from their families in Nepal for 9 months a year to serve aboard the Africa Mercy Ship. Their friendship is a gift and I am delighted that we are now neighbors, living in cabins down the hall from each other. I have already enjoyed ice cream and an authentic Nepalese meal in their cabin. When we learned that they would be cooking dinner for the entire crew on Saturday, we asked if we could join them in the galley to learn their culinary ways. My Gurkha friends are truly the bravest of the brave and most generous of the generous. We are overwhelmed by their generosity, hospitality and humility. I am so grateful for their service to keep us all safe and their presence in the ship community.

Lok and Krishna preparing the curried cauliflower

Ginger preparing to shell hundreds of hard boiled eggs

Chitra prepares a mountain of chicken the size of Everest

Chitra boxes with the bread dough for puri, a fried Nepalese bread

Ganesh rolls out the puri

Sharon and I give it a try

into the hot oil

and there is always time for dancing!

The meal was a delicious and tremendous success!

Life at Sea

"Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink."
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Amazing the vastness of the ocean, to be at sea for 10 days with no sight of land.

The ocean is teeming with life, including dolphins, whales, flying fish and crew members enjoying sunsets on the bow.

Mighty Ships!

A film crew from the Discovery Channel Canada has joined us on our voyage to Togo, documenting the sail, the screening of patients and the first surgery aboard the Africa Mercy Ship, to be featured as one of the "Mighty Ships" on their television program sometime this summer. Stay tuned for further details!

Rockin' and a Reelin'

Oh What a Night! The ship was rockin' and reelin' as we hit some rough waves. Clocks were falling off walls, cabinets were flinging open with the contents flying out and sleeping was quite challenging. Depending upon which way your bed was positioned, you were at risk of rolling out or on a wild see-saw ride with your head rising and falling. Many crew members were seasick. These verses accurately describe the events of our journey:

They saw the works of the Lord,

His wonderful deeds in the deep.
For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;

in their peril their courage melted away.
They reeled and staggered like drunken men;

They were at their wits' end.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and He brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;

the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,

and He guided them to their desired haven.

Psalm 107:24-30