tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34180673177675528382024-02-21T04:58:13.924-05:00A is for AfricaAlainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-65425371132647673592011-04-28T22:27:00.008-04:002011-07-11T12:34:51.214-04:00S is for Salone<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWtZYAezkxtQ_6N4KTiMoOCwutrohvtMD7vUUhkG_To-KvfhwFbfH2VBkwNtvl9x7AVSSAc1Y9RvOrshGg5io0PxZHuAQ6cB5RfkXvN5b5L_pACpu088meUNvhx_CpcKmXLOeHQJGYVNF/s1600/Sierra+Leone+flag.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628129237948986130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWtZYAezkxtQ_6N4KTiMoOCwutrohvtMD7vUUhkG_To-KvfhwFbfH2VBkwNtvl9x7AVSSAc1Y9RvOrshGg5io0PxZHuAQ6cB5RfkXvN5b5L_pACpu088meUNvhx_CpcKmXLOeHQJGYVNF/s200/Sierra+Leone+flag.png" /></a>I have arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone to serve as Plastic Surgery Team Leader on the ward aboard the <em>Africa Mercy </em>for 3 months. In this role I will be responsible for training a team of 15 nurses who have been designated to care for the plastic surgery patients. My job will be mainly a mentoring and teaching role, educating the nurses about different plastic surgery procedures and the care of patients with regard to wound care using sterile technique. Many of the plastics surgery performed aboard the <em>Africa Mercy</em> is to release old burn contractures with skin grafting. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLUSXR3ZApk-tBn6tWubEw6HSR2RuLU0JkJeF9dzm1_TbX35SyMhlm1BQonXwHoIdAxwo2Ng3iu9RQ9QZ6zIE7yr13vkAV7SFxD39PGNmEndAAwxGmKNffZXtNXf7eiCDdiXHBcy01gs9/s1600/sl+africa+w+SL.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 293px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627818364805025298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLUSXR3ZApk-tBn6tWubEw6HSR2RuLU0JkJeF9dzm1_TbX35SyMhlm1BQonXwHoIdAxwo2Ng3iu9RQ9QZ6zIE7yr13vkAV7SFxD39PGNmEndAAwxGmKNffZXtNXf7eiCDdiXHBcy01gs9/s320/sl+africa+w+SL.gif" /></a> Sierra Leone or "Salone" as the country is affectionately referred to by its citizens was first discovered by the Portuguese in 1462 and given its name which means "Lion Mountain" for the beautiful lush green mountains rising up from the ocean behind Freetown.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8j85MU3cQhr-HFNHPQWyZWY8cVA425xAjsEvzsGv9sjtmbBOQhtR1Qk8kERK0RCFHVpjBgFU5WEfwVqo7INRKu3mX6TZnf1U-GQVmwe8Hfbj0endlmZXUHUm83x20sofkbK2bZmLTP-A/s1600/SL+world+atlas.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 293px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627818665764173954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8j85MU3cQhr-HFNHPQWyZWY8cVA425xAjsEvzsGv9sjtmbBOQhtR1Qk8kERK0RCFHVpjBgFU5WEfwVqo7INRKu3mX6TZnf1U-GQVmwe8Hfbj0endlmZXUHUm83x20sofkbK2bZmLTP-A/s320/SL+world+atlas.gif" /></a> Sierra Leone underwent a devastating civil war from 1991 to 2002, resulting in over 50,000 deaths, thousands of orphans and victims of brutal war crimes. The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels engaged in forced recruitment of child soliders, burning of villages, rape, amputation and disfigurement of civilians. The events of the Sierra Leone Civil War are depicted in the film, "Blood Diamond" as well as in the autobiography of child soldier Ismael Beah, "A Long Way Gone."<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEridSOgXCkYUISGLfPFCsTI9JRyhSa6nktG-iklZcTo7xL8UVipYW3B8GAFXkC_1ciZFfeY3GfUtp-b4dDjWJMJ5Z53AeNCscIgkkh4Snri0Voe2aGCd4lqR05gsBlVuU_0EYIagE3YM/s1600/longwaygone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627820109624787778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEridSOgXCkYUISGLfPFCsTI9JRyhSa6nktG-iklZcTo7xL8UVipYW3B8GAFXkC_1ciZFfeY3GfUtp-b4dDjWJMJ5Z53AeNCscIgkkh4Snri0Voe2aGCd4lqR05gsBlVuU_0EYIagE3YM/s320/longwaygone.jpg" /></a> The documentary film "Sierra Leone's Refugee Allstars" tells the story of so many Sierra Leonean refugees who lived in refugee camps for over a decade in neighboring Guinea.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4vfGqMzJmi8U2QSLx2mTTrHNoXuprKTQob1UGVLX0GlGd8LLtl6_lnIoA_dCSyEUPFpqHXUO3ZGqCZUegxzXom_T_k8X1EyWeI47QAgm0zkrYvW3H6_ihu12IKq7GYfS9y9616-OFGhY/s1600/ref.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4vfGqMzJmi8U2QSLx2mTTrHNoXuprKTQob1UGVLX0GlGd8LLtl6_lnIoA_dCSyEUPFpqHXUO3ZGqCZUegxzXom_T_k8X1EyWeI47QAgm0zkrYvW3H6_ihu12IKq7GYfS9y9616-OFGhY/s320/ref.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628133866755127538" /></a>Sierra Leone just celebrated its 50th Independence Day from England on April 27th. Banners, penants and flags are waving all over Freetown as the citizens look to the future for a brighter Salone.Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-13993281328066066502010-07-20T12:36:00.000-04:002011-07-11T13:06:29.073-04:00Jean<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DnqPhcl3ZFfgZBTtrNMgQHyRJApK-UgKw9YO4t9-08x7CC9pKv6iQofGkdcpbPJzS9ClZ608iSQVvB_qrnC5Yfnvx3WuD0FIefls9aJ5phFpqBiwHGJchSu9uvDY_Te9PA79YQASLyEP/s1600/Jean+front+pre"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DnqPhcl3ZFfgZBTtrNMgQHyRJApK-UgKw9YO4t9-08x7CC9pKv6iQofGkdcpbPJzS9ClZ608iSQVvB_qrnC5Yfnvx3WuD0FIefls9aJ5phFpqBiwHGJchSu9uvDY_Te9PA79YQASLyEP/s320/Jean+front+pre" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628137808739379842" /></a>Jean Loko began developing a lipoma on his back in 1992 after he was caught in a battle between government and opposition forces in Benin and was beaten on the back with a rifle. The tissue damage resulted in a swelling which continued to grow over the course of 18 years into a 7 kg lipoma which limited his range of movement and ability to work as a tailor and he abandoned his business.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzmyVJyDie9djo-TlBT9MPHqYrlYthKBAuyB3BbvSV9g-R9RH6QfD0LsMyQrL00CEOiG8L-ds0cyQQmh21Vsug_rjUE_PUySQuhQCfZQHsT6q2YAHnCbTrtqY9WTVP4wvSkYdokVQgLf9/s1600/Jean_Pre_Surgery.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628135533030637874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzmyVJyDie9djo-TlBT9MPHqYrlYthKBAuyB3BbvSV9g-R9RH6QfD0LsMyQrL00CEOiG8L-ds0cyQQmh21Vsug_rjUE_PUySQuhQCfZQHsT6q2YAHnCbTrtqY9WTVP4wvSkYdokVQgLf9/s320/Jean_Pre_Surgery.JPG" /></a>Jean also had to battle the cultural aversion to deformities, which are often viewed as a curse. The father of seven, Jean was rejected by his two oldest sons because of the growth. He had sought treatment at the local hospital where doctors told him they were unable to help him with his problem. He heard about the Mercy Ships surgical screening on the radio. Although he was a bit fearful that he would meet disappointment again, he went to the screening anyway.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGAS_2qXLgCluurnBfMNQoYli_9hya64dtbMH8TiHa3XbzxCUwhr0aVIHpDHunTKr5aRI8snzL0h3RDlAUutBxGa1uddmToOA6pNxnmTIEgVf4JX3rU_q0kBjnDUcVYfPVkeSEmabu5Dk/s1600/Jean3.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628135664458585378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGAS_2qXLgCluurnBfMNQoYli_9hya64dtbMH8TiHa3XbzxCUwhr0aVIHpDHunTKr5aRI8snzL0h3RDlAUutBxGa1uddmToOA6pNxnmTIEgVf4JX3rU_q0kBjnDUcVYfPVkeSEmabu5Dk/s320/Jean3.JPG" /></a>“But I was chosen!” he said with a combination of surprise, disbelief and elation. After removal of the lipoma on the <em>Africa Mercy </em> Jean stayed at the Hope Center and returned daily for several months to the post-operative department for wound care. On one such visit, nurses thanked Jean for his patience with the wound healing process to which he replied through a translator “I have new life.”<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_D3h8xW9zFVHQ_PPJRLs2A1R_3Dt_B_MwQ0MY5u1CmjoyNi11lvo9GMNeLztzwlxGTtLqy-CG0ogiXtoJ2L34Qf4poYXEzk8jv3v2k6fpjUd6dRDCnoVODpKPSoo8wpbrNqjeIlGx-yy/s1600/Jean_Post_Surgery.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628135859824393666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_D3h8xW9zFVHQ_PPJRLs2A1R_3Dt_B_MwQ0MY5u1CmjoyNi11lvo9GMNeLztzwlxGTtLqy-CG0ogiXtoJ2L34Qf4poYXEzk8jv3v2k6fpjUd6dRDCnoVODpKPSoo8wpbrNqjeIlGx-yy/s320/Jean_Post_Surgery.jpg" /></a>The volunteer surgeon aboard the Africa Mercy successfully removed the lipoma that had caused him so much misery. When asked about his experience, his usual serious expression turns to a brilliant smile. “I just thank Mercy Ships for what they have done for me. They gave me my life back.”Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-12856665109661083422010-07-01T21:14:00.007-04:002011-07-10T15:00:32.895-04:00Abel is Able!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19narP0UU2VqzUHy2NHP0R5qVmBkaM3xjpk3FMxKgc53-tF93MYOQ5fqO80FBejvfsayGiLp9X-NNLPEARDOtbMKTVuBItd5n4yCl5E2dzpTJCAfl409aqYYp-5IPeRbo9xQ-54Owu_xL/s1600/Abel+Dalome.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627773538491709010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19narP0UU2VqzUHy2NHP0R5qVmBkaM3xjpk3FMxKgc53-tF93MYOQ5fqO80FBejvfsayGiLp9X-NNLPEARDOtbMKTVuBItd5n4yCl5E2dzpTJCAfl409aqYYp-5IPeRbo9xQ-54Owu_xL/s320/Abel+Dalome.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Abel is a joyful eleven-year-old, who loves to make new friends. His attitude is surprising when one considers the physical problem he has been living with for most of his life and the reaction of most people to that problem. His parents first noticed that he was having difficulty learning to crawl. His muscles had stopped growing, but his bones had not. His leg bones could not grow correctly because there was so little musculature to direct and support them. His legs began to bend backward at the knee, forcing his upper thighs out behind him. His parents took him to three different doctors, but none of them knew what to do for him. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy_lgGIz2SlhNC2QWgL3-frS7XwXlClZ5D_PVfAsKFbhMsLPifVmdYnZ_ByqtjJTwA52RlB-NxD6A8u0OWBWCURPm6dcryIUPQZ1zJZUIt7UH_IjHtDtOVWTGLtMnktDJtN_G-ZIUshd-/s1600/Abel+with+Dad+on+Ward.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627775263710987362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy_lgGIz2SlhNC2QWgL3-frS7XwXlClZ5D_PVfAsKFbhMsLPifVmdYnZ_ByqtjJTwA52RlB-NxD6A8u0OWBWCURPm6dcryIUPQZ1zJZUIt7UH_IjHtDtOVWTGLtMnktDJtN_G-ZIUshd-/s320/Abel+with+Dad+on+Ward.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> Despite this condition, the resolute Abel learned to lean forward, correcting his balance enough to walk, climb and do just about anything any other active boy can do. He even became the goalkeeper on his soccer team. The only thing he couldn't do was ride a bicycle, since it requires sitting straight on the seat and pushing down on the pedals. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXXXJzPOnZBRNbR1AVV0kS3aiy1XOiDxj4gUvLmkufNDpLOlMPaC2t46pDPxRvr4ulZIpw8ptZihGa93_D0TLz1QyLMfdscqLukldhg0pePa4yt6tN_A1I9mA9uEO_IqzAbGggWZ8QR5i/s1600/Abel+cast+removal"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627791815980227314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXXXJzPOnZBRNbR1AVV0kS3aiy1XOiDxj4gUvLmkufNDpLOlMPaC2t46pDPxRvr4ulZIpw8ptZihGa93_D0TLz1QyLMfdscqLukldhg0pePa4yt6tN_A1I9mA9uEO_IqzAbGggWZ8QR5i/s320/Abel+cast+removal" /></a> Abel's physical deformity made him the target of ridicule from other children. But he remained optimistic thanks to his joyful spirit and his wonderfully supportive parents. One day, there was an announcement on the radio that a Mercy Ship was coming to Togo, offering free surgeries. Abel's hopeful father took his son to an orthopedic screening in Lomè. A few days later, a wonderful surprise awaited Abel when he awoke after his first surgery onboard the <em>Africa Mercy</em>. His left leg was straight out in front of him, in a cast. As he admired his newly straightened leg, he asked his dad if his right leg would also be straight after the next surgery. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AlaRioVaRRg_rNj_tc8JwKzAnmkkDD152qqWOh4gxra4PhfZm2QWknt41RUAuQu8pzo36CgP64aGApmVNXkDJ-4fVrOwUi-oKaf08sP1a2cYOB-ZfsR3eXqkCUf8tOr4fgRYRUBTteGc/s1600/dressingchange.JPG"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627776614005624706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AlaRioVaRRg_rNj_tc8JwKzAnmkkDD152qqWOh4gxra4PhfZm2QWknt41RUAuQu8pzo36CgP64aGApmVNXkDJ-4fVrOwUi-oKaf08sP1a2cYOB-ZfsR3eXqkCUf8tOr4fgRYRUBTteGc/s320/dressingchange.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> His father assured him that it would. And a second surgery did straighten his right leg. He also had a third plastic surgery procedure for skin grafting to his upper thighs. Through the surgeries and post-operative care, Abel’s sparkling personality and brilliant smile earned him many new friends among the crew and among the other children recovering at the Hospitality Center.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPin9IS_NPmLZPsuhu3FpYyS1VhgnUrYAbF1YR8RdEQQ1ftydqMvToSaNPpGfQIz3HMXrrVDCo5vqYHVVp1TyAYtK0_tpZMPYr4yaxD_klpiFECOCZe6LzjVHVp3QJMyS9SQDwrtkopAHH/s1600/Abel+at+Hospitality+Center.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627777432287584402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPin9IS_NPmLZPsuhu3FpYyS1VhgnUrYAbF1YR8RdEQQ1ftydqMvToSaNPpGfQIz3HMXrrVDCo5vqYHVVp1TyAYtK0_tpZMPYr4yaxD_klpiFECOCZe6LzjVHVp3QJMyS9SQDwrtkopAHH/s320/Abel+at+Hospitality+Center.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> Finally, after more than three months of surgery and recovery, it was time to return home to his northern village of Homa. Abel and his father, accompanied by a Mercy Ships team, climbed into the Mercy Ships Land Rover to begin the six-hour journey. As villagers recognized the Mercy Ships logo on the vehicle, they ran to spread the word. Soon the Land Rover was surrounded by curious villagers who wanted to see what the volunteer doctors had done for the boy with the backward legs. The suspense ended when the star of the show, a very happy Abel, climbed out of the vehicle with two straight legs! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZhAP8X7_gwTcWyxjHU4oAs88eQWvET0P5Suy3GPbxA4O2KobMn4pVlH0txTjhMyz_Li5T7SgMnJN0KDg32Dr28ELerfvGBl95A0ybWux55OIdknShXe-g4zGy4-Rz9KySONKU89hymZC/s1600/Abel+steps+out+of+Land+Rover"></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZhAP8X7_gwTcWyxjHU4oAs88eQWvET0P5Suy3GPbxA4O2KobMn4pVlH0txTjhMyz_Li5T7SgMnJN0KDg32Dr28ELerfvGBl95A0ybWux55OIdknShXe-g4zGy4-Rz9KySONKU89hymZC/s1600/Abel+steps+out+of+Land+Rover"><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627789706772379490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZhAP8X7_gwTcWyxjHU4oAs88eQWvET0P5Suy3GPbxA4O2KobMn4pVlH0txTjhMyz_Li5T7SgMnJN0KDg32Dr28ELerfvGBl95A0ybWux55OIdknShXe-g4zGy4-Rz9KySONKU89hymZC/s320/Abel+steps+out+of+Land+Rover" /></a> There were gasps of surprise, disbelieving stares, and cheers. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJ00UObweNQDgov0NgXuES55yxFw_5Y81cGz2A-UN-R3_133z4R1Yhm0IA3uEKWEABe5vydGfowVTq0FBBaODRGwdrehCLzVzSiTZlTWERj276uprHtxBWW6wrfBOB29nrLxcEoJXB3U8/s1600/Abel+reunites+with+Mom"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627790977835685330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJ00UObweNQDgov0NgXuES55yxFw_5Y81cGz2A-UN-R3_133z4R1Yhm0IA3uEKWEABe5vydGfowVTq0FBBaODRGwdrehCLzVzSiTZlTWERj276uprHtxBWW6wrfBOB29nrLxcEoJXB3U8/s320/Abel+reunites+with+Mom" /></a> Abel, dressed in his cheerful blue and yellow outfit, was the center of attention. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlnmyyup2Vh7Er4K5WMZ04wRLfiHFqkLHHk7TbevwUkUzkZCUXlcK0IqSh5MCSlWBMDRkE_Q9uPEdFV7AzKYC9TCxKN1b2aUlxwPOeUyHWh1mciTlRYi2-JNGp2rGtqnDRGyf_6TWBzGD/s1600/Abel+center+of+attention"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627791226718490306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlnmyyup2Vh7Er4K5WMZ04wRLfiHFqkLHHk7TbevwUkUzkZCUXlcK0IqSh5MCSlWBMDRkE_Q9uPEdFV7AzKYC9TCxKN1b2aUlxwPOeUyHWh1mciTlRYi2-JNGp2rGtqnDRGyf_6TWBzGD/s320/Abel+center+of+attention" /></a> The other boys in the village stood quietly nearby. Abel kicked a small soccer ball with his straightened legs. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVEZ9cSbUPiXTy-bmr1wVZvQrrH2bXeQp97-jLNu_r0QkrTXsxXmltB5ZHcRcnYJXE-AqeNfQGG-gCOBP0sPz_V664I8pEUKbw9ZNgbf1m_er1WNihczVbRbsD92r8tRRgllDF7Va0MCr/s1600/Abel+with+soccer+ball"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627790482501918898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVEZ9cSbUPiXTy-bmr1wVZvQrrH2bXeQp97-jLNu_r0QkrTXsxXmltB5ZHcRcnYJXE-AqeNfQGG-gCOBP0sPz_V664I8pEUKbw9ZNgbf1m_er1WNihczVbRbsD92r8tRRgllDF7Va0MCr/s320/Abel+with+soccer+ball" /></a> Abel smiled graciously at them, the uncontested victor on every level. The Dalome family squeezed together for a photo commemorating this fantastic and unforgettable moment.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PgZ2eXinS-sc2mxcAn9Xo2DiIOITCo-rqYI4mQNzbzxRmA8kVM-KZxMKyrFs8THmkc6tJWxVj7w9NSEuKkNtpAKm5Oh3KacGzeARslJ8HzYmuup5SjrSngRbh9qmbjcTgIdsvsnhwJu3/s1600/Abel+extended+family.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627793354122310338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PgZ2eXinS-sc2mxcAn9Xo2DiIOITCo-rqYI4mQNzbzxRmA8kVM-KZxMKyrFs8THmkc6tJWxVj7w9NSEuKkNtpAKm5Oh3KacGzeARslJ8HzYmuup5SjrSngRbh9qmbjcTgIdsvsnhwJu3/s320/Abel+extended+family.JPG" /> </a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PgZ2eXinS-sc2mxcAn9Xo2DiIOITCo-rqYI4mQNzbzxRmA8kVM-KZxMKyrFs8THmkc6tJWxVj7w9NSEuKkNtpAKm5Oh3KacGzeARslJ8HzYmuup5SjrSngRbh9qmbjcTgIdsvsnhwJu3/s1600/Abel+extended+family.JPG"></a>When it came time for the team to leave, the villagers vigorously shook the hands of each crew member and expressed their thanks, saying, “God bless Mercy Ships.” </p><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-76521915218255967492010-04-10T08:23:00.005-04:002011-07-10T08:41:59.991-04:00Wound Care Ninjas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Zv3Lbyx2_vSrrppV1kfl99unXPP7pvj0S-KK9KHw0MvDuPaImRc12Tx90f5FrhSnywclOFaYreb2uJsvkNPunUbXuYXIOb3Deb07U5qF7U6Wb0Bypp5GON92bZjZUh8HrccBQX-1sV1T/s1600/ninja+004.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627700714766130226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Zv3Lbyx2_vSrrppV1kfl99unXPP7pvj0S-KK9KHw0MvDuPaImRc12Tx90f5FrhSnywclOFaYreb2uJsvkNPunUbXuYXIOb3Deb07U5qF7U6Wb0Bypp5GON92bZjZUh8HrccBQX-1sV1T/s320/ninja+004.jpg" /></a> <img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627700143899415906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLv-QmHWEQHqkNRnGjGSmCos_o6NxI6IfM1QYt7XcRnncIpx98wgGZzVPBFxBt44xJaoAy86U_1gRi2EY-rUHpiCa3ch9nyZCkDDxg_-z40IXiXkW99XwYs2VlDdClsUgVKBhb2XsShGM0/s320/ninja+001.jpg" />Since the beginning of the Togo Outreach, I have been serving as a ward nurse and charge nurse in the orthopedic and maxillary facial surgical areas. Plastic surgery is soon to begin and I was approached about serving in a new role as Reconstructive Care Coordinator.<br />In this new role, along with my friend Jane who has been managing the Outpatients Department, we will be responsible for overseeing the care of the Plastic Surgery patients on the ward, for rounding with the surgeon in the morning and performing sterile dressing changes on the plastics patients, many of whom will receive surgery to release old burn scar contractures and skin grafts. Let the wound care by Sensei Jane and Grasshopper begin!Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-29674664631007425512010-03-27T15:43:00.001-04:002011-07-11T12:36:36.261-04:00A is for Abla<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vMmuGB_T10OtwBAZj2fawKES4kL5hW5FEPr3HWlO6nCbChtN4k2Zifivc9jsAWUCxH06qWXMPYzNVJ9r5oHwpC7fvJvmVq5YHEWm1-zrrqOx9o3N0B5F3R0-LNCus7oDNaxovfxDHoI3/s1600/100_5173.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627709062907881394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vMmuGB_T10OtwBAZj2fawKES4kL5hW5FEPr3HWlO6nCbChtN4k2Zifivc9jsAWUCxH06qWXMPYzNVJ9r5oHwpC7fvJvmVq5YHEWm1-zrrqOx9o3N0B5F3R0-LNCus7oDNaxovfxDHoI3/s320/100_5173.JPG" /></a><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627707455976014018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUC1q0DbFwfBE3P8u2BdF20afQh42XgslX8SWZdjMdL7x0epbjqTjbrJ90p-r-qQk8hMuNEKgBoONwVQT6qlv4uCw_khCQuzSEbguBLX2bjq3D_n2ixhyphenhyphenAwF-nq2v02TFdKo-oysabL7I8/s320/100_5175.JPG" />Here in Togo in meeting translators and patients on the wards, I began to notice many reoccuring names such as Yaovi, Kossi and Komlan. One day I asked one of the translators about the meaning of his name and he told me that many people in Togo are given the day of the week in which they were born as one of their names, either as a first or middle name. He asked me what day of the week I was born on to which I replied, "I don't know." "You don't know?!?" he said, quite surprised. After I little internet calendar research, I learned that I was born on Tuesday. My Togolese name in the Ewe language would be Abla. I soon discovered that my good friend Marianne is also born on Tuesday as is our friend Geraldo. We began a tradition of Happy Tuesday dinners together up on Deck 7 every week featuring locally grown coconut or pineapple.Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-54813008202085718852010-03-22T18:23:00.005-04:002010-04-11T11:15:17.206-04:00Lawson<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc6oRUPlvd7OdazZB2zmFqMm471jUfD2036JKSVupPbOnaPfFSSA0kxsmNPYh0ncEnBjTdk9gniW_H7m8fyFvyUmAGkl3WB_2LtyZg8VLHBY2Ft-J8x3wS9kFy78SmjwqWB1cvsd-mAMM/s1600/Lawson+pre.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458893634554684402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc6oRUPlvd7OdazZB2zmFqMm471jUfD2036JKSVupPbOnaPfFSSA0kxsmNPYh0ncEnBjTdk9gniW_H7m8fyFvyUmAGkl3WB_2LtyZg8VLHBY2Ft-J8x3wS9kFy78SmjwqWB1cvsd-mAMM/s320/Lawson+pre.JPG" border="0" /></a>Lawson was a joy to care for on the patient ward. He sought treatment for a large, benign tumor affecting his upper jaw. His tumor was ameloblastoma which develops in the jaw, often at the site of the third molar, and may involve tissue from the eye sockets or sinuses. Ameloblastoma is formed from remnants of cells that, under normal circumstances, develop into tooth enamel. Lawson's tumor continued to grow over the course of 4 years. He arrived on the ship with a piece of cloth tied around the back of his head to hide the tumor. Individuals with disfiguring conditions such as ameloblastoma are <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIIcg3U2HDcbnUt_F4FzMVWdO2za-dEY-lqiJdZxu2O8ffSJ_ogm5PqkWdlMxmJcYFu9U0NKZ9LVZfnFYTfv6JC5Akp8jHDcvsTNsrclLoZhyphenhyphenWzyjKoY3JSwPUvp_HCkhrpBHfC97BwJ0/s1600/Lawson+smiling.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458889901973195010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIIcg3U2HDcbnUt_F4FzMVWdO2za-dEY-lqiJdZxu2O8ffSJ_ogm5PqkWdlMxmJcYFu9U0NKZ9LVZfnFYTfv6JC5Akp8jHDcvsTNsrclLoZhyphenhyphenWzyjKoY3JSwPUvp_HCkhrpBHfC97BwJ0/s320/Lawson+smiling.JPG" border="0" /></a> often cast away from their villages, viewed as being cursed or punished by ancestral spirits or gods for something they or a family member has done. They often live isolated lives in hiding, apart from their family and village which is especially difficult in a culture which so greatly values community and interdependence. Ameloblastoma tragically kills its victims who are unable to receive surgery slowly and painfully through starvation and suffocation, by eventually occluding the mouth and throat. Lawson received surgery to remove his maxilla. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfAdgMjLjraxe5ET0-9UzxjK122LU1OKxDwMftiZTpFUxJ1i8RDvJYl8nkz82N5saDen6zLyl1_1pNgfPc_-0lWQvm6K23_J5UPF22BSBveDmAQ3Xr0ozraT8wYgSXZ-w6KrewyrhEskA/s1600/Lawson+gangway.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458895306313532770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfAdgMjLjraxe5ET0-9UzxjK122LU1OKxDwMftiZTpFUxJ1i8RDvJYl8nkz82N5saDen6zLyl1_1pNgfPc_-0lWQvm6K23_J5UPF22BSBveDmAQ3Xr0ozraT8wYgSXZ-w6KrewyrhEskA/s320/Lawson+gangway.JPG" border="0" /></a>His new smile says it all. Here Lawson departs the ship in his traditional dress, ready to reunite with his daughters. I feel so blessed to be able to participate in all that God is doing to show His love to West Africa. Thank you for your prayers and support to make this work possible.Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-20986486369385408282010-03-14T21:17:00.000-04:002011-07-10T15:26:17.588-04:00The Snapshake<div align="center">One of the cultural joys of Togo are the daily pleasantries and greetings, "Bonjour, ca va?" "Ca va bien, et vous?" "And how did you sleep last night?" "How is your family?" But the greatest part of the greeting is with what I call, the "snapshake": </div><br /><div align="center"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458903182258506642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRmXw5DgvaKgmB3SjH_KsTM6ChuJbjSMlPXe5DKa648liAt7gF58Q60Gxa5OjEf6NcE5hMdTDsNFS2jThC2i73rdvwVfM-f7SYBN37JMAO7lsdeXAIEzEaGncGFQ08jJFdJRDWhXnhl7w/s320/snap1.jpg" /> <br /><p align="center"><align="center">Grasp the hand of your counterpart<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijY0tvz1rZhXij-adSO2xfEAwW6Sl50aRHizL6DlEwRqLJ9uwf9ajaDsjP-mhyphenhyphenjsJfIO1Vp-3I-Q3BsgLKqH2IDZUThYywjww7t-qq5d8Qmi745b9zqqaGUQiK_RCWOFL-xsH_rZnWX-hl/s1600/snap2.jpg"> </p><br /><p></p><br /><p></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458903058672978178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijY0tvz1rZhXij-adSO2xfEAwW6Sl50aRHizL6DlEwRqLJ9uwf9ajaDsjP-mhyphenhyphenjsJfIO1Vp-3I-Q3BsgLKqH2IDZUThYywjww7t-qq5d8Qmi745b9zqqaGUQiK_RCWOFL-xsH_rZnWX-hl/s320/snap2.jpg" /></p><br /><p align="center">Slide into a thumb-to-thumb grip</p><br /><p align="center"><align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458902928912840098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKkoJJM_FecYl7TnpSep9vvs5WUi0IMSh4HFw4AmD3jVJfv9CYFV0XUiuMeDf1QzPZgPw8Ze2L7S20uvxzft7YVkoG5Ujm6-we3HBt0UVigW3xhYdbmUJgQuFzJiJFgRHL96Vndtm2v4U/s320/snap3.jpg" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKkoJJM_FecYl7TnpSep9vvs5WUi0IMSh4HFw4AmD3jVJfv9CYFV0XUiuMeDf1QzPZgPw8Ze2L7S20uvxzft7YVkoG5Ujm6-we3HBt0UVigW3xhYdbmUJgQuFzJiJFgRHL96Vndtm2v4U/s1600/snap3.jpg"></a><align="center">Pull back to clutch the finger tips of your counterpart </p><br /><p></p><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GXUP4ZZyMpGOdpsFpbF2wfc_VIYqq1RzZpiYWAx8P1i4uK1G7w6LmFWYOx-HqfgIKztWnYpLwPoqJaNDX9iLNvugHZbzT31A_zZ2xr2Vo-GP1IolIVbbMGTJEpBOZ66lxRo2wWKYJ4g7/s1600/snap4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458902767190460130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GXUP4ZZyMpGOdpsFpbF2wfc_VIYqq1RzZpiYWAx8P1i4uK1G7w6LmFWYOx-HqfgIKztWnYpLwPoqJaNDX9iLNvugHZbzT31A_zZ2xr2Vo-GP1IolIVbbMGTJEpBOZ66lxRo2wWKYJ4g7/s320/snap4.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p align="center">Release with a loud snap of the middle fingers</p><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6y0Dsp5J_PNzcL7em4vgBERvLmergB-PAKZTR7ixVcwE6sIcKkmc0x0OnlO2OXviD1eb0flJX1wLaUqXeDKYQGg4EbxgmGRaFfyA10AmdrPgAHb7UGbw7vM0cIBX6u4aZQAK6YcLBtG2/s1600/Bobo"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458905941352288802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6y0Dsp5J_PNzcL7em4vgBERvLmergB-PAKZTR7ixVcwE6sIcKkmc0x0OnlO2OXviD1eb0flJX1wLaUqXeDKYQGg4EbxgmGRaFfyA10AmdrPgAHb7UGbw7vM0cIBX6u4aZQAK6YcLBtG2/s320/Bobo" /></a> Bobo, our beloved patient with the bow legs found it very funny when this Yovo greeted him first thing in the morning with a snapshake. </p>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-20282016764201437542010-03-11T00:02:00.003-05:002010-04-11T11:23:09.637-04:00The Young Man and the Sea<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JiBg1KaJa_pQpt8hXNp7yC0zP_5c9wYGTd4Ff6uPzJenpeD-0ZqurDo5BUp4jw5cE4fdq8v06Fu80HdCUyACxhNCqzrGKLm1yXXbEyRYzjoKsdh1VYlclkQ30MBt5Hr0GUlVGV6xlDDD/s1600-h/port+view.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447208165463461266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 79px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JiBg1KaJa_pQpt8hXNp7yC0zP_5c9wYGTd4Ff6uPzJenpeD-0ZqurDo5BUp4jw5cE4fdq8v06Fu80HdCUyACxhNCqzrGKLm1yXXbEyRYzjoKsdh1VYlclkQ30MBt5Hr0GUlVGV6xlDDD/s400/port+view.jpg" border="0" /></a>My favorite time of the day is bringing the patients up to Deck 7 in the afternoon to catch some rays and gaze out to sea. The patient wards are located on Deck 3 and have no windows. I'm sure Florence Nightingale would have something to say about this. Without windows, patients can become disoriented and lose track of day and night, when to rise and when to sleep. One afternoon I kneeled down so my patient, 8-year-old Pere could slide off his bed and onto my back. In true West African style, I carried him and his full length leg casts piggy-back style up the flights of stairs to Deck 7.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6WfpckM5KU6qDenDrcZ204dAMQ8PBJiVA8xazQumXB70zl8vdG_G0DHJPwnnIp2BZLIa8OvyRFLIqbl-rLdnF6UCAEx5DcHuBzqjr0oPYp6ZukEMYKuguCaAFOluXBnazI2fdy4QBJ5_/s1600/Pere.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458899868316048690" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6WfpckM5KU6qDenDrcZ204dAMQ8PBJiVA8xazQumXB70zl8vdG_G0DHJPwnnIp2BZLIa8OvyRFLIqbl-rLdnF6UCAEx5DcHuBzqjr0oPYp6ZukEMYKuguCaAFOluXBnazI2fdy4QBJ5_/s320/Pere.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Pere is from northern Togo and I soon learned that this would be the first time in his life he would see the ocean. What an honor! I placed him down in a plastic picnic chair. At first he was very timid and frightened about approaching the edge of the deck but gradually he allowed me to scoot him forward until he was gripping onto the bars of the deck, looking straight down to the ocean below. He was perfectly content sitting there for an hour, watching the swallows dip and dive, fishing canoes sail by on the open ocean and members of the Togolese Navy working on their boats docked next to the Africa Mercy Ship.<br /><br />What a precious moment it was for me to share my love of the ocean with my new African friend. Once again I was reminded of why I love being a nurse in Africa.<br /><br /><div align="center">"Now is the time to think of only one thing.<br /></div><div align="center">That which I was born for."<br /></div><div align="center"><em>The Old Man and the Sea</em></div><div align="center">Ernest Hemingway</div></div>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-34123443127043107982010-03-10T21:24:00.014-05:002010-03-10T22:07:33.692-05:00Togo Unrest<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNcnoMRGSgjZYg0lmW0nvx-ZoOfJuLOXE22P2d3y7irdvmN8K_5sodIBK8kPTf2NeLpDb4WU89yCkmM9e9StNtKAg84nQVHP-nttnSVaP910s3WI3c2kaRtJYYALvr5-fUZrXbzvfrauH/s1600-h/TG1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447199340799901026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNcnoMRGSgjZYg0lmW0nvx-ZoOfJuLOXE22P2d3y7irdvmN8K_5sodIBK8kPTf2NeLpDb4WU89yCkmM9e9StNtKAg84nQVHP-nttnSVaP910s3WI3c2kaRtJYYALvr5-fUZrXbzvfrauH/s320/TG1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Protesting by the opposition party has followed the re-election of president Faure Gnassingbe. Please continue to keep the nation of Togo in your prayers.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfe9b4y7Kn85rz3dVmdFz2EiIXeO68Ygcp-jCCuF5DEEkvQv0CdPP-FYyskkVW3utdAYuhamvHR3Ob_euSDpiHEW_p3I7SiBDz7jyYylPwGkgBHO4qu7BYRDZmVXhhdMEdV87W2A5PegC/s1600-h/TG2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447199470603449858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfe9b4y7Kn85rz3dVmdFz2EiIXeO68Ygcp-jCCuF5DEEkvQv0CdPP-FYyskkVW3utdAYuhamvHR3Ob_euSDpiHEW_p3I7SiBDz7jyYylPwGkgBHO4qu7BYRDZmVXhhdMEdV87W2A5PegC/s320/TG2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5oTZQykSJCnd53q7Ozshz9bYcZAMh4Sfrx1xGdgp-YLj-2n5Y9D-r-WkCypMLc3O8d2ecZLiDcAoqafRR0jHI8aVDo3FuXu3CMbhDvGoj0AnNgC6AHFThn_8VieMOIKTLkcs_jeX6YKj/s1600-h/TG4.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447199853373547986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5oTZQykSJCnd53q7Ozshz9bYcZAMh4Sfrx1xGdgp-YLj-2n5Y9D-r-WkCypMLc3O8d2ecZLiDcAoqafRR0jHI8aVDo3FuXu3CMbhDvGoj0AnNgC6AHFThn_8VieMOIKTLkcs_jeX6YKj/s320/TG4.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447199656744157522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniTZ4oLqkKXxo_aClKa2PxofXlNpFi5qoEH9Pve6v3VqDdpxDZp9Y2mZoKKP-JnJoaQdjvhhnjIkw2vJa-w5gE88Dd8pax57Sq-Rorz5_S7ArVS2K2nnJY37W8Dhu96eDhJvKKjEehETX/s320/TG3.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Riot police have employed the use of tear gas several times </span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><p align="left"></span>Crew members are safe as we continue to remain on the ship on a well guarded dock. We are concerned for the safety of patients, translators and African volunteers as they travel to and from the ship.<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8553955.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8553955.stm</a><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8559049.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8559049.stm</a><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8555210.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8555210.stm</a> </p><p></p>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-43926709449703710152010-03-04T09:37:00.005-05:002010-03-10T21:19:54.785-05:00Togo Votes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-s8JWvqYusXcyRvg_xbqgHHggH54Rf6goFqjXPXlaVRScPCtSNoT6G_Z2QBfN7-NBKhQOaPfFAQQbvW1fJ8xSRV8ssrGPR18Gvkn2tQwInHDRtlJaLVtM-Kzl8s_tnQO0WE7ywEAVtHe/s1600-h/editedvote4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444787847854951186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-s8JWvqYusXcyRvg_xbqgHHggH54Rf6goFqjXPXlaVRScPCtSNoT6G_Z2QBfN7-NBKhQOaPfFAQQbvW1fJ8xSRV8ssrGPR18Gvkn2tQwInHDRtlJaLVtM-Kzl8s_tnQO0WE7ywEAVtHe/s320/editedvote4.JPG" border="0" /></a>Today is Presidential Election Day. Togo needs your prayers for a fair election and for peace following the result. Violence and hundreds of deaths marked the presidential election in 2005 in response to suspected rigging of votes. Today and through the weekend, Mercy Ships crew are to remain aboard the ship as a safety precaution. We are praying for justice and peace for this nation during and following the election process.<br /><br />For further information on the history of Togo:<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8548787.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8548787.stm</a><br />Togo hopes for a peaceful election<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8543973.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8543973.stm</a><br />The different political parties<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1064470.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1064470.stm</a><br />An overview of the history of TogoAlainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-80026855246602165212010-02-25T19:43:00.001-05:002010-02-28T17:44:52.316-05:00Surgery Begins!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zny5gpadglQWh_RDXppnrvKpoAzRhKw1_z67Czp-c5sQ5fkHegjBx2vEA94XEp5Tk7khXlpqNhBKSiLnA0fCjqZkJsDV1ZB5ecIsXgewxRMv0Q4mz-y5q8qerGcccUNx-edretKA9kkC/s1600-h/TGD0210_MEDCREWGRP_LC04.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443428600507377922" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zny5gpadglQWh_RDXppnrvKpoAzRhKw1_z67Czp-c5sQ5fkHegjBx2vEA94XEp5Tk7khXlpqNhBKSiLnA0fCjqZkJsDV1ZB5ecIsXgewxRMv0Q4mz-y5q8qerGcccUNx-edretKA9kkC/s400/TGD0210_MEDCREWGRP_LC04.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The Nursing Crew of the Africa Mercy</div>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-78220497368828799722010-02-17T20:43:00.001-05:002010-02-28T17:37:15.909-05:00Screening Days<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2f6jDp_dN1ykHHR4MyMcx_xupeNoByTYyp52Ndx0C3pReZnw5eUpluG3uLywbBhSj8oFoVrdG89xmYkmsSQCi6zeNOurpQZRLOCD6NdgUQoIaBKaVCqsJF7hudcOCqs5xJ7QDGi18sKK/s1600-h/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC056_LO0.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443425425946307106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2f6jDp_dN1ykHHR4MyMcx_xupeNoByTYyp52Ndx0C3pReZnw5eUpluG3uLywbBhSj8oFoVrdG89xmYkmsSQCi6zeNOurpQZRLOCD6NdgUQoIaBKaVCqsJF7hudcOCqs5xJ7QDGi18sKK/s400/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC056_LO0.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />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.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIFnqlEb7q-4olBKpLp4D6boVebPoao3YVAVJ193PL5c_x0MuPh4EyXosXyYQQZbmxbTiLr5m87OWpg6X-zOlnsteI0KBRgbPRCfEX5lixYOtnbmrU0v_TrUkEnEK3Zyi3Ha9S362uf9h/s1600-h/screening+day"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443422906576724482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIFnqlEb7q-4olBKpLp4D6boVebPoao3YVAVJ193PL5c_x0MuPh4EyXosXyYQQZbmxbTiLr5m87OWpg6X-zOlnsteI0KBRgbPRCfEX5lixYOtnbmrU0v_TrUkEnEK3Zyi3Ha9S362uf9h/s320/screening+day" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF10xuM25USUX3nuIF8-qSTVTvhyphenhyphenPyUd_xUc4lECF9fIOLPZjA__0a3qAYIZ1MuP2Uv9NKDx8fbbebWU3DdPCcKRsMmcxGQctS1al1ZMJ2T0nXDYD7-ZQru1Zreri5I1XSHwQAUcypajUo/s1600-h/screening+day2"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443423162604623666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF10xuM25USUX3nuIF8-qSTVTvhyphenhyphenPyUd_xUc4lECF9fIOLPZjA__0a3qAYIZ1MuP2Uv9NKDx8fbbebWU3DdPCcKRsMmcxGQctS1al1ZMJ2T0nXDYD7-ZQru1Zreri5I1XSHwQAUcypajUo/s320/screening+day2" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXDZAbP6VkNxUyp7Bq5CinvmhcH_5giLM21WE4IsC386FXKoqAowU-_mDgVR8ZcDFVZyRioASE7bCVy2ePzoBbIAk2leezmGr4dLaHqnbouEQFJtUXctcyxkTecA0VjetEswBWtuaNTFr/s1600-h/TGD0210_SCREENG_CMS_DB342_LO.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443423460893301602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXDZAbP6VkNxUyp7Bq5CinvmhcH_5giLM21WE4IsC386FXKoqAowU-_mDgVR8ZcDFVZyRioASE7bCVy2ePzoBbIAk2leezmGr4dLaHqnbouEQFJtUXctcyxkTecA0VjetEswBWtuaNTFr/s320/TGD0210_SCREENG_CMS_DB342_LO.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YY5-2c2eX8K2DLAeSdn4kMW3-vGPw_MNEJUkGZqXAsL6KqFGmXQqPK17YbG2vvAy9I1oWuU1wJwR3kBsKLITBAXuEYyvr06OEX9bKjg9jTvS6CA8rHnqI2ScFDLqPL4gdELcLIIFnIOt/s1600-h/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC09_LO.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443423682826764898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YY5-2c2eX8K2DLAeSdn4kMW3-vGPw_MNEJUkGZqXAsL6KqFGmXQqPK17YbG2vvAy9I1oWuU1wJwR3kBsKLITBAXuEYyvr06OEX9bKjg9jTvS6CA8rHnqI2ScFDLqPL4gdELcLIIFnIOt/s320/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC09_LO.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz5ZhXAOSrdjtDZoio3zgqFHYVXAb-JB2ZDPqozpPq6HtrDdmfAZkYo9EiKpCw3by6dgTsdBVqOyxDt7EEoyJ1Ai0_WhQkR-3C0hJIcgz8ZkHMVFRpfTr0zaeikxQjvxdlcMh9oaOziOX/s1600-h/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC097_LO0.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443423961647861762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz5ZhXAOSrdjtDZoio3zgqFHYVXAb-JB2ZDPqozpPq6HtrDdmfAZkYo9EiKpCw3by6dgTsdBVqOyxDt7EEoyJ1Ai0_WhQkR-3C0hJIcgz8ZkHMVFRpfTr0zaeikxQjvxdlcMh9oaOziOX/s320/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC097_LO0.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4jZQ6GKviY5DBZktoL9g6dwc5722DIgYfd72Hqb6S10fIaoWJhACj1R7IH97uz8lDWdwBPHLDEw1zb4SMwza3c4MjbjKC2ToufhwlzuF7dpS1H9srzcTXVbvIddcW4wMwW9LWqc4HmK7/s1600-h/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC057_LO0.JPG"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLQ3ZtVBu9o6K1sXxR-cZoqDO2RsS7BAHy70epw409mmeZw23Mu5rbnLMDBmOidPUrdiKzD2OD_Zpyuy_142GtMMIw33FZHVaJS8wICpefpdoMBPvT7NqfPjykv7h2531GCMhTub6pfUE/s1600-h/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC099_LO0.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443424415571524370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLQ3ZtVBu9o6K1sXxR-cZoqDO2RsS7BAHy70epw409mmeZw23Mu5rbnLMDBmOidPUrdiKzD2OD_Zpyuy_142GtMMIw33FZHVaJS8wICpefpdoMBPvT7NqfPjykv7h2531GCMhTub6pfUE/s320/TGD0210_SCREENG_LC099_LO0.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_XSbLWOjQcWhDLqlrA4td9mnLVpBzevnVn0hIGqACWIvZC8kHpKwXYXLXhZn52zOUix8Kc0t6wAefZtRQ39_21dvvTISfrGjXKDztYZYm_p9r9Bm7aModj6ujpXPSdwxTwoZtFMmn7CQ/s1600-h/TGD0210_SCREENG_CMS_DB622_LO.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443424661903734482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_XSbLWOjQcWhDLqlrA4td9mnLVpBzevnVn0hIGqACWIvZC8kHpKwXYXLXhZn52zOUix8Kc0t6wAefZtRQ39_21dvvTISfrGjXKDztYZYm_p9r9Bm7aModj6ujpXPSdwxTwoZtFMmn7CQ/s320/TGD0210_SCREENG_CMS_DB622_LO.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtMJIcevXXw0oMsC_vFyGXR1Kc67zxPAozJSSempcTfDVYs93BuVzUzZTbwhCHNo70vzCnANZP80W_-FHRKmwUVMb-zl51kwsA3l0FiISHNdlx_8UReSThPcQOm9yUtPvxkpXTRCSA2rY/s1600-h/TGD_0210_SCREENG_JR14_LO.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443424910074770066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtMJIcevXXw0oMsC_vFyGXR1Kc67zxPAozJSSempcTfDVYs93BuVzUzZTbwhCHNo70vzCnANZP80W_-FHRKmwUVMb-zl51kwsA3l0FiISHNdlx_8UReSThPcQOm9yUtPvxkpXTRCSA2rY/s320/TGD_0210_SCREENG_JR14_LO.jpg" border="0" /></a>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-23062077915969059582010-02-13T21:40:00.010-05:002010-02-28T17:02:34.781-05:00Dirty Jobs 2<div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440861252905959890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfu56wwxoeF08AoOgH7Ayg7NTNIC-bNUzix0HgjyACmtBp_ClREsJgZ4WtKv5vPthbJssWy-ubVLbiahBl9zBJUtSfTDlt6Nm_gq-ByML0Y8we9P8n9X7r1AY7EGuxVE_MXpL89C5ZzMz/s320/DirtyJobs2.jpg" border="0" /> 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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38mZhnAI38cGX1Fj5aj84-_usAmAoEcNzrP5AGVrjMDOBUKU9c1pbl_KCNYsrIrkuTak_Aixk4PbG6OTBQRJLOimONfWkpwO58nEdZRnjYKJ-nu69Oa_CVPVhsdPV4GioO6qWrhSOtJ4N/s1600-h/DirtyJobs2+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443409738076511666" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38mZhnAI38cGX1Fj5aj84-_usAmAoEcNzrP5AGVrjMDOBUKU9c1pbl_KCNYsrIrkuTak_Aixk4PbG6OTBQRJLOimONfWkpwO58nEdZRnjYKJ-nu69Oa_CVPVhsdPV4GioO6qWrhSOtJ4N/s320/DirtyJobs2+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />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. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right">Jeff the Welder </div><div align="right">with the cooler panel of 1500 pipes </div><div align="right">to be cleaned</div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLxkP0JKPMOhob-a5ykumJn2BAKvX446OpqW-optGrkkQjSP-m2d0vsJKzwtTU5BMz79Zc2JpZdIArc8ewTBv6QHQUetFpT1VaJjABByqj0UwRePmMVZJmVnvKTS90fYx0hCvsxgE9_jT/s1600-h/DirtyJobs2+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443415755975812706" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLxkP0JKPMOhob-a5ykumJn2BAKvX446OpqW-optGrkkQjSP-m2d0vsJKzwtTU5BMz79Zc2JpZdIArc8ewTBv6QHQUetFpT1VaJjABByqj0UwRePmMVZJmVnvKTS90fYx0hCvsxgE9_jT/s320/DirtyJobs2+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right">Ginger, Dennis the Welder and myself hard at work</div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-gSWthekMZ5gJr_l7jH0UTpAaKYjp0hkXtSyVbzbVuhGEBbGeBEtvc8zs7W1tElgZ0lWUa9vJShHiy6ZOgltWgqTMgaTCB0HnvmKwM9ecwaN9d4x-XOb3l48402YO3Xk2ZklKqRFvstc/s1600-h/Ginger+Harbor+generator.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443412068674750546" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-gSWthekMZ5gJr_l7jH0UTpAaKYjp0hkXtSyVbzbVuhGEBbGeBEtvc8zs7W1tElgZ0lWUa9vJShHiy6ZOgltWgqTMgaTCB0HnvmKwM9ecwaN9d4x-XOb3l48402YO3Xk2ZklKqRFvstc/s320/Ginger+Harbor+generator.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The moment the entire ship has been waiting for: Ginger restarts the Harbour Generator and electricity returns</div>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-67909095837022823572010-02-11T19:42:00.000-05:002010-02-28T16:13:54.921-05:00A Ship with a View<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4YNKvY5_cok_zu6qAzWyY0GqIGixIvl72EiIAIxhetSv7O8fCDgW4rXpsasauEFnUydfZymSp80dBYyWNbMtFOFuCoAgkyYrhDm1Lg9m79Esjh_llbe7sYJo5JoyUCjUGsD0fiqDihaK/s1600-h/frontyardbackyard+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443402617586001026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4YNKvY5_cok_zu6qAzWyY0GqIGixIvl72EiIAIxhetSv7O8fCDgW4rXpsasauEFnUydfZymSp80dBYyWNbMtFOFuCoAgkyYrhDm1Lg9m79Esjh_llbe7sYJo5JoyUCjUGsD0fiqDihaK/s400/frontyardbackyard+005.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Front Yard</div><div align="center">(Starboard) </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">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. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9H_4y6U0skBkgvSy4hw_FplSJ2qhp5drlHhXwFVhP9lGPFYd1StLwuI0nJL_tsr8UXW5fAbO02ZC12z5bsrGVJe5_21VSTkLWzmMXcqyVXxX28DdBs_6LcSb2CYN0WMr3xAa8HxeM4h1/s1600-h/frontyardbackyard+009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443400768204035538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9H_4y6U0skBkgvSy4hw_FplSJ2qhp5drlHhXwFVhP9lGPFYd1StLwuI0nJL_tsr8UXW5fAbO02ZC12z5bsrGVJe5_21VSTkLWzmMXcqyVXxX28DdBs_6LcSb2CYN0WMr3xAa8HxeM4h1/s400/frontyardbackyard+009.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Back Yard<br />(Port)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">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!)</div>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-46321200842602902452010-02-10T16:54:00.009-05:002010-02-21T19:38:24.065-05:00T is for Togo!<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA7WCyp24gYMY2u3-587LF4Oc-u6wLYL6TLCUx8FOCKSiB_pLH5S6z2NbjlWNA4QPJ3mx-poto40MsPS8fmQmn4bvMCgemsSUPOgpNf71EPcfH6rflepWbZfY5SrHOG-moOmK6bHc-YsE/s1600-h/Flag+of+Togo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440757420062445842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA7WCyp24gYMY2u3-587LF4Oc-u6wLYL6TLCUx8FOCKSiB_pLH5S6z2NbjlWNA4QPJ3mx-poto40MsPS8fmQmn4bvMCgemsSUPOgpNf71EPcfH6rflepWbZfY5SrHOG-moOmK6bHc-YsE/s320/Flag+of+Togo.gif" border="0" /></a>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.<br /><br />The Africa Mercy Ship will be docked in the capital port city of Lome for the next 6 months.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4Ad9r_tJ4VmPbplkrpQ1MLXH0Pma57ONIQOxePAekloLaeU1xSRemyUgPWA9EzyeD7Dhen-Dcrxa2qRStCIDGBn8A02UPnCVcPMcj64Bda0pWPkp0U78LAr4NkUFDIBf7OsMXu5QukMF/s1600-h/Togo+bite.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440851094372115618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 125px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4Ad9r_tJ4VmPbplkrpQ1MLXH0Pma57ONIQOxePAekloLaeU1xSRemyUgPWA9EzyeD7Dhen-Dcrxa2qRStCIDGBn8A02UPnCVcPMcj64Bda0pWPkp0U78LAr4NkUFDIBf7OsMXu5QukMF/s320/Togo+bite.png" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27TnGECnVDSgDhCG2ZJHRs31SzjXlKol7eFy7o_Bsr_nOGcP0mDoxb5Aw5BzEKsiEkr1hthsaYSIeRCVbBsoUDluUTlDLxm2HSz8ZtlGSEA493-HU_kSdy-adWyIJwVz6jldWbcLVOWOn/s1600-h/Togo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440757776559663714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 181px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27TnGECnVDSgDhCG2ZJHRs31SzjXlKol7eFy7o_Bsr_nOGcP0mDoxb5Aw5BzEKsiEkr1hthsaYSIeRCVbBsoUDluUTlDLxm2HSz8ZtlGSEA493-HU_kSdy-adWyIJwVz6jldWbcLVOWOn/s320/Togo.gif" border="0" /></a><br /></div><p align="left"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxu_rjL0DDXD55pnJS_UP0Wr80P5X0fcRIFXB2nxK8cfnpy05I1m4xD2qquZ3EI6XWk_R3VEXDXUgf7t7Gfq-iNDADFSIbdt0JLC0_lXnPAuYBdC3gm6NC72vylkRdeyFmDRmVbWlSx8T/s1600-h/IMG_9271.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440851977461286834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxu_rjL0DDXD55pnJS_UP0Wr80P5X0fcRIFXB2nxK8cfnpy05I1m4xD2qquZ3EI6XWk_R3VEXDXUgf7t7Gfq-iNDADFSIbdt0JLC0_lXnPAuYBdC3gm6NC72vylkRdeyFmDRmVbWlSx8T/s320/IMG_9271.JPG" border="0" /></a> Coming into port, a welcome and familiar sight of beloved fishermen with their nets in their wooden pirogues<br /></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHxQRsVv6BTHXUGqcFZ12GUKt02tSVhx59Un7LJ8-iG8rZV8ZuaJsabni_x0qlmdFkFooak-7hfj8dgr0sXXHHwcjIIj5SLxTKBdv04vrn33ey7j5OGjos_yAQZxnqoFoe34E9ig7vcuz/s1600-h/TGD0210_SHIPARRTOGO_DB01_LO.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440852248633662994" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHxQRsVv6BTHXUGqcFZ12GUKt02tSVhx59Un7LJ8-iG8rZV8ZuaJsabni_x0qlmdFkFooak-7hfj8dgr0sXXHHwcjIIj5SLxTKBdv04vrn33ey7j5OGjos_yAQZxnqoFoe34E9ig7vcuz/s320/TGD0210_SHIPARRTOGO_DB01_LO.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The pilot boat approaches to escort the <em>Africa Mercy</em> to the dock</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCzqHBSA3uNKJusaoJmT1oZJJnhvFl7VuI4depLLpyEo701g0saPSsS5RNCi3xvKYgT-rVNKKwjk1u7C6SHAgWlLYcN9M3ItRQIa4axxiomSHXTV9SbaBPhrZKJiEKqJRblv-ZTcYykix/s1600-h/TGD0210_SHIPARRTOGO_DB02_LO.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440852567613710258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCzqHBSA3uNKJusaoJmT1oZJJnhvFl7VuI4depLLpyEo701g0saPSsS5RNCi3xvKYgT-rVNKKwjk1u7C6SHAgWlLYcN9M3ItRQIa4axxiomSHXTV9SbaBPhrZKJiEKqJRblv-ZTcYykix/s320/TGD0210_SHIPARRTOGO_DB02_LO.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">A warm welcome from Togolese waiting on the dock</p><p align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIs-01Vj4yYfeCKndN0zZDZE7Uq-kS1WVa9WxvXCRS1Bs9bK9tOEDluutmCIeMzwJGgNPhoT6msZ3GDhyphenhyphenFikL_I6aMycvRWgu4VRnlWK1lsaGmTmUfUkAkie07Rt1wK49Ow_80e2CJI_u/s1600-h/marchingbandmarching"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440853102485135554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIs-01Vj4yYfeCKndN0zZDZE7Uq-kS1WVa9WxvXCRS1Bs9bK9tOEDluutmCIeMzwJGgNPhoT6msZ3GDhyphenhyphenFikL_I6aMycvRWgu4VRnlWK1lsaGmTmUfUkAkie07Rt1wK49Ow_80e2CJI_u/s320/marchingbandmarching" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p align="center">Oh when the saints come marching in!</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfJ0SlcW5lcP_nA50i7McMtNb8xR521pEzpRpNpP_zhuU_9LZ2ss3V7ar7ycGhmzmVr6qoMc7B9IQZl4uzQ3-4-VJ0fwxikNFeyqXxOlYmsL-lwuwZ13n1-5GzUqsdQTfXjarQ-oSZNKr/s1600-h/African+dancing.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440853270946013938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfJ0SlcW5lcP_nA50i7McMtNb8xR521pEzpRpNpP_zhuU_9LZ2ss3V7ar7ycGhmzmVr6qoMc7B9IQZl4uzQ3-4-VJ0fwxikNFeyqXxOlYmsL-lwuwZ13n1-5GzUqsdQTfXjarQ-oSZNKr/s320/African+dancing.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">West African Dance Party! </p><p align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2i3lLGCypXRP-NAW4EYfeeEFfdW1wQQkAEfrErqS25BNrLQyEBwMsad3luxr7JhEQD34Uqj0SYkp_bttmDCOQqbFiqHtX-sqxON_KYEyZWAPKhk0CTEeCplptMYnjzo1tRcUHGeUFX1q/s1600-h/wavingtodock.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440853490055112594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2i3lLGCypXRP-NAW4EYfeeEFfdW1wQQkAEfrErqS25BNrLQyEBwMsad3luxr7JhEQD34Uqj0SYkp_bttmDCOQqbFiqHtX-sqxON_KYEyZWAPKhk0CTEeCplptMYnjzo1tRcUHGeUFX1q/s320/wavingtodock.JPG" border="0" /></a> </p><p align="right"></p><p align="right"></p><p align="right">Bon arrive a Togo!</p><p align="right"></p><p align="right"><br /></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8GgceeI7r0iprUVzf1QWUhe1VNsXdti9VBAq6pFOlsq9oMLtKiv-I1hDUPKf8LBwfAwqLU3RjKoi20FolrO6iHYXP_5hGLcLn0WmUynpD5BcdKmfZMIsFgrxwAzkSLtZgM3lYEWFx4u3/s1600-h/gangwaylowers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440856339092022866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8GgceeI7r0iprUVzf1QWUhe1VNsXdti9VBAq6pFOlsq9oMLtKiv-I1hDUPKf8LBwfAwqLU3RjKoi20FolrO6iHYXP_5hGLcLn0WmUynpD5BcdKmfZMIsFgrxwAzkSLtZgM3lYEWFx4u3/s320/gangwaylowers.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="left"></p><p align="center">The gangway is lowered as we touch the African continent at last</p>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-22905290604581998902010-02-09T19:19:00.001-05:002010-02-21T12:54:17.814-05:00Boston Represent!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqF5vTHtxkrcJvNO8qNt8B2M4CS2jXw7v0FPO1f75a2hRbd-t06pAowy1j3-sXTnHn6YeWGE059RHoH0oxvUvZrWQHltbtbV2Zk_YyPHrOOz4aCE0ahTfy9Z-xDue7C29MxceYTAm8GkT/s1600-h/Boston+gals+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439000684221628306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqF5vTHtxkrcJvNO8qNt8B2M4CS2jXw7v0FPO1f75a2hRbd-t06pAowy1j3-sXTnHn6YeWGE059RHoH0oxvUvZrWQHltbtbV2Zk_YyPHrOOz4aCE0ahTfy9Z-xDue7C29MxceYTAm8GkT/s320/Boston+gals+003.jpg" border="0" /></a> Thrilled to the gills to be rockin' out the nursing care with some of Mass General's finest!<br /><br />We love that dirty water!<br /><br />Boston, you're our home!<br /><br /><br /><br />Becca (center) representing Ellison 18 and Rachel (right) from the Emergency Department<br /><br />I'd like to give a shout out to Bigelow 13 and Blake 6!Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-48016386386275366442010-02-06T23:27:00.001-05:002010-02-21T18:52:56.032-05:00A Meal Fit for a King<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eDr6h7h5DAyt1g-VCNZYM1BLrXO68whAcWldVtSO33C-77jC6gz663n3_ssI6Mzt7-8RHsdokJKxV1YJGJ9exQ_q4NO2HbrYfxZC7yck_nvpLsJSSwDvFLRuQ4k1kV0psRseSnt8PaBZ/s1600-h/Gurkha+motto.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440830883290015442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 68px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eDr6h7h5DAyt1g-VCNZYM1BLrXO68whAcWldVtSO33C-77jC6gz663n3_ssI6Mzt7-8RHsdokJKxV1YJGJ9exQ_q4NO2HbrYfxZC7yck_nvpLsJSSwDvFLRuQ4k1kV0psRseSnt8PaBZ/s400/Gurkha+motto.jpg" border="0" /></a>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.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbE5aRsB1Cs2vCfoKDGeUsjoZtJRFit8SvLRJ4sc8CJfxxyk3qVc9QHLEuGRhlQFdLgw4vfT9d_zHgaBFJhh6emmpbK33PqaRdetcrvhUdJ9M-4QKuPvI8Dnq7YELqJZ7GYF7ofaiQNJ1L/s1600-h/Nepalese+dinner+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440838159307574530" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbE5aRsB1Cs2vCfoKDGeUsjoZtJRFit8SvLRJ4sc8CJfxxyk3qVc9QHLEuGRhlQFdLgw4vfT9d_zHgaBFJhh6emmpbK33PqaRdetcrvhUdJ9M-4QKuPvI8Dnq7YELqJZ7GYF7ofaiQNJ1L/s320/Nepalese+dinner+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Lok and Krishna preparing the curried cauliflower</div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUW_2wFXJakU8f5IMLKUpGhhECW9NKI_-PRK2rlQINAUvtBfUgESlxvWs8rvOPvqD4OK22EAjjgg_i36GiNUU2Thh0iKNe2MBCtM8NHjMZTi8rXxyVgmMUmT-E0TS6IGtNg3F8BluPzBg/s1600-h/Nepalese+dinner+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440841958032286466" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUW_2wFXJakU8f5IMLKUpGhhECW9NKI_-PRK2rlQINAUvtBfUgESlxvWs8rvOPvqD4OK22EAjjgg_i36GiNUU2Thh0iKNe2MBCtM8NHjMZTi8rXxyVgmMUmT-E0TS6IGtNg3F8BluPzBg/s320/Nepalese+dinner+010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Ginger preparing to shell hundreds of hard boiled eggs</div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG4g7jijU8itP3VmA94tugjtYqG0JNXYH9AnW2ZjmmNGINl7Rx-69NzDCXXcWfGVzQ4W1_aiKqplS01UzJEepmKbiArqQm7uFF0kNXXOBlvrSIECSf_GoDwTJL8XDn3oTrIdEfBIAGnqc/s1600-h/Nepalese+dinner+011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440842556243581410" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG4g7jijU8itP3VmA94tugjtYqG0JNXYH9AnW2ZjmmNGINl7Rx-69NzDCXXcWfGVzQ4W1_aiKqplS01UzJEepmKbiArqQm7uFF0kNXXOBlvrSIECSf_GoDwTJL8XDn3oTrIdEfBIAGnqc/s320/Nepalese+dinner+011.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Chitra prepares a mountain of chicken the size of Everest</div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Orn_v4Y8U2Onn_mtmu33_AktGCrzDV98g1wTjMFodMZY1aQaYju46dxJG6LRBPC8EOPQtogDCy7OzW2pnknxaRSe0WhLa3ktGOJmb-qBfEIIfyUrJ0mxURlw3LbzCwCT7ODO4IurhHeo/s1600-h/Nepalese+dinner+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440842906781431842" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Orn_v4Y8U2Onn_mtmu33_AktGCrzDV98g1wTjMFodMZY1aQaYju46dxJG6LRBPC8EOPQtogDCy7OzW2pnknxaRSe0WhLa3ktGOJmb-qBfEIIfyUrJ0mxURlw3LbzCwCT7ODO4IurhHeo/s320/Nepalese+dinner+026.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Chitra boxes with the bread dough for <em>puri</em>, a fried Nepalese bread</div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkqLar9F8rroFvJsZPliXg2FWVbnEdQjP_QKRkv23QfDXWDEGuXHzVl5Mm3Hk200_j-mitk5aNuUPPXM23AnCTAmp5_vb4EAlUuvKgvIa4hxRIAyKbJ2oCyFRu_D-KjOmeMtixhS_v0-R/s1600-h/Nepalese+dinner+019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440844731557942882" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkqLar9F8rroFvJsZPliXg2FWVbnEdQjP_QKRkv23QfDXWDEGuXHzVl5Mm3Hk200_j-mitk5aNuUPPXM23AnCTAmp5_vb4EAlUuvKgvIa4hxRIAyKbJ2oCyFRu_D-KjOmeMtixhS_v0-R/s320/Nepalese+dinner+019.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Ganesh rolls out the puri </div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKTLxa5JQh6BuF7kam9ibQTiUzxov4I3p5fESgrLoz_7uXNSHz41z2MAQfEotsND85UIq8mP7WLh9Lojt8OlcnJBy3mv1b89zL5Rub3clTu0JG51YwsN5WPV6ezONalNjpc3ZqSfEISPA/s1600-h/Nepalese+dinner+023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440845179185983394" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKTLxa5JQh6BuF7kam9ibQTiUzxov4I3p5fESgrLoz_7uXNSHz41z2MAQfEotsND85UIq8mP7WLh9Lojt8OlcnJBy3mv1b89zL5Rub3clTu0JG51YwsN5WPV6ezONalNjpc3ZqSfEISPA/s320/Nepalese+dinner+023.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Sharon and I give it a try </div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgta-fTaMeFUrahMtDxe03WUH60rAZ4LfvSOUg4Gq9UftiHCu61E-mwqiSk4SUT4lBY2dRi7nGtdtw6l2m1fMbjqwcrMpn061IrSGbNYoZTg9Uy-9ZgaY8-pwGeoG64Sz2w8KuftJDb6jH2/s1600-h/Nepalese+dinner+041.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440845527027809762" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgta-fTaMeFUrahMtDxe03WUH60rAZ4LfvSOUg4Gq9UftiHCu61E-mwqiSk4SUT4lBY2dRi7nGtdtw6l2m1fMbjqwcrMpn061IrSGbNYoZTg9Uy-9ZgaY8-pwGeoG64Sz2w8KuftJDb6jH2/s320/Nepalese+dinner+041.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />into the hot oil </div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYudqH5SrlRJ91Jfv94RXgus1Mmw_5AeaLX9I97nd_-vBJR2POi30v0ePpwJHxzPDcJy0yjZPs3GI7tqXB3daO4oNjWBIMJcQYjQw1GXmFsuHJtokaQ_VNsEeoVfss2eJACsH4shG98pS_/s1600-h/Nepalese+dinner+030.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440845996530828770" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYudqH5SrlRJ91Jfv94RXgus1Mmw_5AeaLX9I97nd_-vBJR2POi30v0ePpwJHxzPDcJy0yjZPs3GI7tqXB3daO4oNjWBIMJcQYjQw1GXmFsuHJtokaQ_VNsEeoVfss2eJACsH4shG98pS_/s320/Nepalese+dinner+030.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />and there is always time for dancing!<br /><br />The meal was a delicious and tremendous success!</div>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-46032867610054322372010-02-05T19:17:00.011-05:002010-02-21T17:39:31.934-05:00Life at Sea<div align="right"></div><p align="right"><br /></p><div align="center">"Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink."<br /><em>The Rime of the Ancient Mariner</em><br />Samuel Taylor Coleridge<br /></div><p align="right"><br /></p><div align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjy7QHlN7Rv6WSEsF9YeUrQfIBTy3-mR5L5jBU4OVIfpV2R0YC543HF8wM8UoKRPAIp9ei3936xzIXhZsK_hNNvwbNG35Wtq7k2PFZ77xvEvzMzQ5RgzggSOSiYxknH21V8rYV2kKddsu/s1600-h/dolphinjump.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438970511659824946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjy7QHlN7Rv6WSEsF9YeUrQfIBTy3-mR5L5jBU4OVIfpV2R0YC543HF8wM8UoKRPAIp9ei3936xzIXhZsK_hNNvwbNG35Wtq7k2PFZ77xvEvzMzQ5RgzggSOSiYxknH21V8rYV2kKddsu/s320/dolphinjump.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><p align="right"><br /></p><div align="right">Amazing the vastness of the ocean, to be at sea for 10 days with no sight of land.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGFkX333ilvIRzZF6-TNDZzgCAnRCIv1oLAIZ_VdAhsKg_LP-AGcxGSd5xMtWdjENatV-NLwc1ABWVog7ISpaXlqha5a5MgpvfsFwiyfXfWWPRvoiUofg4kfu1CqNzCkI3LGUboGjujI1/s1600-h/Flying_Fish_In_Flight.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440829077432274034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGFkX333ilvIRzZF6-TNDZzgCAnRCIv1oLAIZ_VdAhsKg_LP-AGcxGSd5xMtWdjENatV-NLwc1ABWVog7ISpaXlqha5a5MgpvfsFwiyfXfWWPRvoiUofg4kfu1CqNzCkI3LGUboGjujI1/s320/Flying_Fish_In_Flight.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438970398296226546" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-z3g7K97aUSI0XUVBkeTpOYaGtV6JWnh_j1KKAMPvQ3HEccUVFBMBoQkj_sA4Va16R97_gMlcPzRO8Y0Sq5KbH66BEpiGOsVuS8khRxrg0MbaOWp5bDkxeq4gAcsnSWtUqd_JwzfwnSV/s320/bowsunset.jpg" border="0" />The ocean is teeming with life, including dolphins, whales, flying fish and crew members enjoying sunsets on the bow.Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-46463507582028639992010-02-03T17:06:00.000-05:002010-02-16T17:18:52.970-05:00Mighty Ships!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-iUWS8JrzKMb0SUzk8Y3ox7wG_Tal_r7Kye52ORCP8ireBs_ORTLSgP0Acsatf_8DFvCtg45aZFN_GF77rpKhu-e-B9P39wL8EEudTEWtUqNRyhLz2DBqCV5gK8YfPwpWChQazpXTYyA/s1600-h/mshi-header.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438966321549509522" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-iUWS8JrzKMb0SUzk8Y3ox7wG_Tal_r7Kye52ORCP8ireBs_ORTLSgP0Acsatf_8DFvCtg45aZFN_GF77rpKhu-e-B9P39wL8EEudTEWtUqNRyhLz2DBqCV5gK8YfPwpWChQazpXTYyA/s400/mshi-header.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />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!Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-19254444509723439592010-02-02T14:16:00.002-05:002010-02-06T08:17:25.227-05:00Rockin' and a Reelin'<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7WlwDwyJWTAOxmUdC8w74cGdhsrlIQkapaKE2jczYWHtdB2t54tGAshjWA9SsB7c0DdLBZyq6XP4WGLY1QeCTMHK1D1zxoI27HPxWmIHJ9r-2W_Fr5a702EVKuft3LbcXkzc2Ne0zOWF/s1600-h/Great+Wave.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434808131403481954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 274px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7WlwDwyJWTAOxmUdC8w74cGdhsrlIQkapaKE2jczYWHtdB2t54tGAshjWA9SsB7c0DdLBZyq6XP4WGLY1QeCTMHK1D1zxoI27HPxWmIHJ9r-2W_Fr5a702EVKuft3LbcXkzc2Ne0zOWF/s400/Great+Wave.jpg" border="0" /></a> 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:<br /><br /><div align="center">They saw the works of the Lord, </div><div align="center">His wonderful deeds in the deep.<br />For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.<br />They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; </div><div align="center">in their peril their courage melted away.<br />They reeled and staggered like drunken men; </div><div align="center">They were at their wits' end.<br />Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, </div><div align="center">and He brought them out of their distress.<br />He stilled the storm to a whisper; </div><div align="center">the waves of the sea were hushed.<br />They were glad when it grew calm, </div><div align="center">and He guided them to their desired haven. </div><br /><div align="center">Psalm 107:24-30</div>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-45701074261891183422010-01-31T22:59:00.009-05:002010-02-03T19:53:35.052-05:00Setting Sail<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtqq2bye8dQqL9kk4_-pc0TIwdCw5qsPywOu2BWrKJk7yOvngaDRMWytVHzdnfi2bgFU_pZypxxhP7DaIn72_SVJEYnmD7LVTpwuHzIHBKGy8Ehy5tJFk0UYEMK3PvP-qfiufgxn1Bty6/s1600-h/Engine+Room+043.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434181947017265122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtqq2bye8dQqL9kk4_-pc0TIwdCw5qsPywOu2BWrKJk7yOvngaDRMWytVHzdnfi2bgFU_pZypxxhP7DaIn72_SVJEYnmD7LVTpwuHzIHBKGy8Ehy5tJFk0UYEMK3PvP-qfiufgxn1Bty6/s320/Engine+Room+043.jpg" border="0" /></a> Today we set sail for Togo, leaving Tenerife behind.<br /><br />All that surrounds us now is the deep blue Atlantic Ocean, land is no longer in sight.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="right"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQWPmlE6eCIU07SgzrJtLhAvVR8OerDd_T8MczM5bTgl2UTm3a2xyWAfIwzEQJcKfkBUKrYvds3r9HKZve5uLVyAAVzjb0bM6iVggldnJpYiYknF_3mkAofT8uV96rWBheD6qqjUvxZl6/s1600-h/rope+release.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434182556899382066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQWPmlE6eCIU07SgzrJtLhAvVR8OerDd_T8MczM5bTgl2UTm3a2xyWAfIwzEQJcKfkBUKrYvds3r9HKZve5uLVyAAVzjb0bM6iVggldnJpYiYknF_3mkAofT8uV96rWBheD6qqjUvxZl6/s320/rope+release.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The final rope is released<br /></div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"> </div><div align="right"><br /> </div><div align="right"> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLMh0k21vkCdzy8LuilCSY028XaoOh229ZfRMXgdgAg0aNRKo2q296xl-fBcVRotQY26917eub8Z38o2yKny3Yo4fI8v9iAjJOYXryDrSqT3AM9k0-pFpVEjkYC_IOlEqKmsRIcJxPm8X/s1600-h/Theodoro.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434182947229013890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLMh0k21vkCdzy8LuilCSY028XaoOh229ZfRMXgdgAg0aNRKo2q296xl-fBcVRotQY26917eub8Z38o2yKny3Yo4fI8v9iAjJOYXryDrSqT3AM9k0-pFpVEjkYC_IOlEqKmsRIcJxPm8X/s320/Theodoro.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a> Theodoro bids us farewell to the hymn "How Great Thou Art"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Oum2dsoqySqJ9U-reNxZqt_uGmGal1Od9Nzgw0j1_IBUE6Et2j_aGcCKuO03YYeqBjxdXLdxS3_e0EX6MZYB-IKzbvqHe_aMEuHFDbcWWl3EOhUMJ1AYnsUlRpcTLyo5yqYvSTAJsKtl/s1600-h/adios.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434183616840804674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Oum2dsoqySqJ9U-reNxZqt_uGmGal1Od9Nzgw0j1_IBUE6Et2j_aGcCKuO03YYeqBjxdXLdxS3_e0EX6MZYB-IKzbvqHe_aMEuHFDbcWWl3EOhUMJ1AYnsUlRpcTLyo5yqYvSTAJsKtl/s320/adios.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p align="left">Departing from the dock</p><p align="left"> </p><p align="left"> </p><p align="left"> </p><p align="center"> </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NLjP60ij6CnYwkgKy-TNufKcXcRq6-g-6bLKQXNX8NmTsKefp3phLwz-gRT_sb3HAlPOL7HWv-F_D60TRuq2dXCNU8dJxXpuNUhAQXHkh6rjpCRyExMJIzFDyF-xYmPbTgqpKDzwpc29/s1600-h/Tenerife+hillside.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434183899416126722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NLjP60ij6CnYwkgKy-TNufKcXcRq6-g-6bLKQXNX8NmTsKefp3phLwz-gRT_sb3HAlPOL7HWv-F_D60TRuq2dXCNU8dJxXpuNUhAQXHkh6rjpCRyExMJIzFDyF-xYmPbTgqpKDzwpc29/s320/Tenerife+hillside.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Our last view of the volcanic mountains of Tenerife</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHVIRNHzMDreTzLL8zCPR1rAHMbKhTISyVR4w7SfpIEU2xiLI-ob2v0o0He5Wwsa8x4Gn1IxRqCXbU76cCHJd0TCGTNDmvBhRQMMaSa_m0wESnqB1PNPYuypvtqwaIkK3x_tVdTOXKQHs/s1600-h/sailing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434184120298658290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHVIRNHzMDreTzLL8zCPR1rAHMbKhTISyVR4w7SfpIEU2xiLI-ob2v0o0He5Wwsa8x4Gn1IxRqCXbU76cCHJd0TCGTNDmvBhRQMMaSa_m0wESnqB1PNPYuypvtqwaIkK3x_tVdTOXKQHs/s320/sailing.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Heading out into the ocean deep</p>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-41081363189622178222010-01-30T22:21:00.004-05:002010-02-03T19:37:22.685-05:00καιρός<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglz2Ra_AW97pUptFa2j5XPl5GpE7n_1N9dpVMG0VvZznpzKYa4dr7rAQX-dKabI2UrgYVsyDIYYZ4FhU2nChoqLiGnId8CHeDN-18DelXmfLD22UT-Jd72ntX2SbX9Xo7bOCTPV2JuLwIy/s1600-h/Engine+Room+040.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434177158800983778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglz2Ra_AW97pUptFa2j5XPl5GpE7n_1N9dpVMG0VvZznpzKYa4dr7rAQX-dKabI2UrgYVsyDIYYZ4FhU2nChoqLiGnId8CHeDN-18DelXmfLD22UT-Jd72ntX2SbX9Xo7bOCTPV2JuLwIy/s320/Engine+Room+040.jpg" border="0" /></a> Kairos:<br />an ancient Greek word meaning "the right moment" or "the opportune".<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I had the amazing opportunity to meet Theodoro, the Greek Argentinian trumpeter who lives on the island of Tenerife and plays his trumpet from the dock as the ship sets sail for Africa.<br /><br />One year ago, I heard him play as the ship set sail for Benin. This year he came aboard and shared his life story with the Mercy Ships community. We hit it off right away over ice cream and then coffee where he shared more stories and his photographs with me. Never did I imagine I would meet the trumpeter who bid us farewell one year ago to the tune of "Amazing Grace". It was quite a moving experience, as we set out to sea. This year will be different, now knowing the man who plays his trumpet to send the ship out to sea from the dock every year.Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-66973580603109545192010-01-29T18:16:00.009-05:002010-02-03T19:15:03.892-05:00Dirty Jobs<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNW-n_kO6LHFElOmiA2wN6mITpvGXpXRqClsidi3ogjH1ewIQjCDEFsrj7l7SbH6QhPgsU9YRqfz0mlwRNDxcVwfjlKU36HiJwMa3RfmTmD_WPhB21NdHEoHxKklmvYShtUxGw9T1a4ZV/s1600-h/djbackground.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434167280444480674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNW-n_kO6LHFElOmiA2wN6mITpvGXpXRqClsidi3ogjH1ewIQjCDEFsrj7l7SbH6QhPgsU9YRqfz0mlwRNDxcVwfjlKU36HiJwMa3RfmTmD_WPhB21NdHEoHxKklmvYShtUxGw9T1a4ZV/s200/djbackground.jpg" border="0" /></a> During my first week aboard the Africa Mercy Ship while docked in the Canary Islands, nurses were assigned to "special projects" in other areas of the ship as the hospital will not be in operation until we reach Togo.<br /><br />I had the opportunity to work down below in the engine room, cleaning the 4 ship engines in preparation to sail and mopping up areas of oil spills. This was quite an experience, and I greatly appreciated being exposed to the secret world of Deck 2 where few have gone before and to work alongside the engineers who make this ship go.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMdlFnsMYnNo-pgHKdgc0kcibiSt9Myqi65qc3iVdmkDJsO7Ds9lA-JfEUY6DohDuCSWxjdbvwRELpx1w_K9R2pSgGMse7AK_56xs8Tyi2d6MNIoDiWXGbDeC0JK7A03ZN1Sooh41ktr_/s1600-h/engine+room3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434163886491144082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMdlFnsMYnNo-pgHKdgc0kcibiSt9Myqi65qc3iVdmkDJsO7Ds9lA-JfEUY6DohDuCSWxjdbvwRELpx1w_K9R2pSgGMse7AK_56xs8Tyi2d6MNIoDiWXGbDeC0JK7A03ZN1Sooh41ktr_/s320/engine+room3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFjaesuxpRzLBgdeKXULUaVMsYXc9KTAlbrPGE28Hsvc5OoVkywrl6EjtLd9gmRLxfKdDFYihBX_iy27OQClrVMEgD63PRaqpXbI_XMzz_gPwS0gU_s6N6Y1K7wJ6YzF7EHnZk83mk0-0/s1600-h/Engine+Room+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434168920091722178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFjaesuxpRzLBgdeKXULUaVMsYXc9KTAlbrPGE28Hsvc5OoVkywrl6EjtLd9gmRLxfKdDFYihBX_iy27OQClrVMEgD63PRaqpXbI_XMzz_gPwS0gU_s6N6Y1K7wJ6YzF7EHnZk83mk0-0/s320/Engine+Room+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0r5XzkuAyqlEhTc1fcnolOWK_n4ZY-OE3TQBkKyMUeGfB-5pemAi18nTZVnnJ96159HPDZyO-Z1dV106tqR9X82_wn_ny5gOIqcqoY1E2KY_VPmrJrQHUTLT9js0zUJFF-FLUZI1pwbJ/s1600-h/Engine+Room+001.jpg"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhc0FmqqQlmr22gODdKzEcuG1_qIOsLsdYXepCjfAr6nHMMK32EbJ6bQ8c9StmJ_aIt55yMqwKb3InI0FUXsZi9pHVfhUW7j21_x3qeaoZywZojZ17evQ8ElewkHyACg8LpIR1afIxcnb/s1600-h/engine+room2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434164494038041058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhc0FmqqQlmr22gODdKzEcuG1_qIOsLsdYXepCjfAr6nHMMK32EbJ6bQ8c9StmJ_aIt55yMqwKb3InI0FUXsZi9pHVfhUW7j21_x3qeaoZywZojZ17evQ8ElewkHyACg8LpIR1afIxcnb/s320/engine+room2.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mcQyAZk37ROUF89aVj6n0zlrW9hD7U3Ifm5ZS_sOXArZ8O7a_fMMx7JBxVE-MsW4Yjjw1pjI4VIOHCzQOUiTYl2Jz1IyQWSc23g-ijEq9xIU7XAPwjczqatInV7tKSDlgC5FrUKaFZTE/s1600-h/Engine+Room+033.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434165092368494130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mcQyAZk37ROUF89aVj6n0zlrW9hD7U3Ifm5ZS_sOXArZ8O7a_fMMx7JBxVE-MsW4Yjjw1pjI4VIOHCzQOUiTYl2Jz1IyQWSc23g-ijEq9xIU7XAPwjczqatInV7tKSDlgC5FrUKaFZTE/s320/Engine+Room+033.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434169370299815010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6maZg5F-F0YYWPp9dLs-PWq9T3W1RSZqEV_U_USJitRB9-Pu0DMsBGZbYCVCv8ZN-RUSDvSKez4MDYJwboYfB_L5i91ezvNsE-EjsxGW2reoxMxUGq5aV_si0Va3YSNFIDqiR7KeNfm0R/s320/Engine+Room+031.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">and there is always time for dancing!</p>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-64740721758306721362010-01-24T20:25:00.004-05:002010-02-03T21:48:14.728-05:00T is for Tenerife!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc47puyoMICwkgBpyGUBi5shZAgIWZeVvXjAN9hHwP3q07Nq1rrs0N1QVwZfq1YDEBmyPQMkMIa82UvA9qlk0yI_Hv10Pj7UP7IXb0vFyVtbhp3HLoDqDbLohHmamhRQg3i6Pj4wKBBcS/s1600-h/AFM.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434132800355865714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc47puyoMICwkgBpyGUBi5shZAgIWZeVvXjAN9hHwP3q07Nq1rrs0N1QVwZfq1YDEBmyPQMkMIa82UvA9qlk0yI_Hv10Pj7UP7IXb0vFyVtbhp3HLoDqDbLohHmamhRQg3i6Pj4wKBBcS/s400/AFM.JPG" border="0" /></a>Arrived today in Tenerife of the Canary Islands where the Africa Mercy Ship is docked until setting sail for Togo, West Africa.<br /><br />This will be my home away from home for 6 months while serving as a ward nurse, caring for patients following their surgeries onboard this hospital ship.</div>Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418067317767552838.post-63034265179492945062010-01-18T14:52:00.019-05:002010-02-03T16:41:30.536-05:00An Amazing Send Off!<div align="left">Wow! What a send off! I am so grateful for the support and encouragement of my family and friends as I prepare to depart for England en route to the Canary Islands to reunite with the Africa Mercy Ship and sail onward to Togo, West Africa. I feel so blessed by your most memorable send off, words of encouragement and prayers. This adventure would not be possible without your support! Thank you! I am going to miss you so very much!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIyaIhmitIiUGQ8Sv-fYKLrdezNLbr6yd2a7X8_XPNNqemwOiFGjWrfc72-shTKAndzEkGhdUTlhyrBkYOatmTSDXZV3291-WRqW9yk7SaoxOpf6tsCE6kxX9svWCbSR1mM5EH3cu1D_0/s1600-h/Togo+cake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434060800020589986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIyaIhmitIiUGQ8Sv-fYKLrdezNLbr6yd2a7X8_XPNNqemwOiFGjWrfc72-shTKAndzEkGhdUTlhyrBkYOatmTSDXZV3291-WRqW9yk7SaoxOpf6tsCE6kxX9svWCbSR1mM5EH3cu1D_0/s320/Togo+cake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Amazing Bon Voyage cake,<br />complete with the flag of Togo!<br /></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9W1cUekjW2aY32xHRmogOChTBX9JWmg1qSfH5ilB-x-of1nOVyR7k-zRk5lcoMpCbEc3QMSp7BPG70Hts2K7hgdL5P-LxNpXDKmOcfTk5b-H-GILAKmwrRxCvC0dbIygIJXaj0vnBDJN/s1600-h/send+off+008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434054290074634626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9W1cUekjW2aY32xHRmogOChTBX9JWmg1qSfH5ilB-x-of1nOVyR7k-zRk5lcoMpCbEc3QMSp7BPG70Hts2K7hgdL5P-LxNpXDKmOcfTk5b-H-GILAKmwrRxCvC0dbIygIJXaj0vnBDJN/s320/send+off+008.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Thank you Meg!<br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Meg, the hostest with the mostest!<br /><br />A gourmet bon voyage celebration at her maison, with delicious Lebanese fare (check out the fancy rosemary sprig garnish!). Bon appetit!<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434062729713081026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 223px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPH5UylUpT3q_siJYNioGIwuhoC6sNPzbELuoVkEaxR1Cfv2kPlQgGtv0Eyi7mE14zREidY0gDPHEzatqnAaWuY3ok6GvJftyYcfxCk_icJOcmC727z844p10JEuKJIwiMM0E5C6YnCWu9/s400/Shannon+Dave.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Shannon & Dave<br /><br />These armed and dangerous lyrical gangsters brought tears to mine and Snoop DoGG’s<br />(that’s D-O to the double G's) eyes.<br /><br />I was so honored and blessed by their original sweet rhymes as they rapped to bid me a most righteous adventure.<br /><br />and it goes a little somethin' like this:<br /><br />"Ain't nuthin' but A C thang, baby,<br />Workin’ to help people in Africa like crazy,<br />Mercy Ship is the boat that saves me,<br />We’re so proud of the work that you do.”<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jMRGOFlVDCHZ8cQlj5LzEODj7xUAgsK5Y8j3oF1eFjkzUw57mq5jmmWhjARI6KJOkG5sDOWmtv4Q_OozIaOXvzj7sO816eHOOVlfoMsK6LmJqCGe3pwhtDXbAOb8OjYMcKSv2VGCsBO1/s1600-h/send+off+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434063264321796898" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jMRGOFlVDCHZ8cQlj5LzEODj7xUAgsK5Y8j3oF1eFjkzUw57mq5jmmWhjARI6KJOkG5sDOWmtv4Q_OozIaOXvzj7sO816eHOOVlfoMsK6LmJqCGe3pwhtDXbAOb8OjYMcKSv2VGCsBO1/s320/send+off+010.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Heidi, the inspired creator of an autographed blanket as a traveling gift for the voyage, which will cover my bed aboard the Africa Mercy Ship. Here Heidi and Tina are inscribing their messages.<br /><br />Thank you so much to my dear family and friends!Alainiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03967983115339815600noreply@blogger.com1