Finding the Balance

Recently I heard the term "finding the balance" with regards to our lives on board the ship and it really resonated within me. At some undefined point in time we begin to think of our lives are "normal" and we become desensitised to the poverty, corruption, disease and illness around us. No longer are we shocked by the sight or a face destroyed by the flesh eating cancer, Noma, on the way to drop off our garbage, no longer do we notice the rubbish and the human excrement on the sides of the road, no longer do we see the torn and dirty clothes on the children. No longer do we bother about sitting for hours in traffic that does not move an inch, no longer do we expect to receive our mail or packages at any set time and no longer do we flinch at the smell that rises up from the ocean as we go down the gangway.

What are our coping mechanisms? Yes we are desensitised but we also laugh a lot, we play a lot and we have FUN! The ship is in a constant state of social activity and with the huge number of nationalities represented on board we are in a constant state of social activity from all over the world!

The Mercy Ships Academy also offer time out for the kids to participate in various activities each Friday afternoon. This program is called Student Life and offers the kids all kinds of options from painting to woodwork to the "Blessing Others" course which visits the wards and the Hope Centre and helps out other departments on the ship with their daily work. Above Jess is participating in "Blessing Others"-assisting the dining room staff.

Jess in the Student Life painting class

Another fun thing the Academy does is Spirit Day. I have posted about this before. It is a nominated day approximately every six weeks where the kids can dress to follow a certain theme. One of the latest Spirit Days was hat day. Jess is sporting her Aussie fly swatting cork hat.

Special occasions are not forgotten even if family and friends back home are not around to help celebrate. Above Jess and I at fellow Aussie crew member Leah's engagement party. Never mind that her fiance is home in Canada, we partied on none the less!! It was great girl time. I took the photo if you are searching for me!

The American tradition of welcoming in the new harvest is celebrated each year on board with the Fall Festival. It is like a fete for those back home minus the pony rides! Jess decided to Google how to make sewless bags and she found these bags made out of t-shirts. Shhhh-I helped make most of them! Since then I have helped some of the patients make them down on the wards and they are very popular! Jess sold eight out of ten bags.

The Fall Festival also featured something that is always a hit at anytime of the year, on board-the photo booth!! We love photo booths! Above Andrew and below Jess break out their inner photo booth persona's!

 

There is also a strong youth group on board which the chaplains run alongside some other younger crew. We are extremely grateful for this opportunity for Jess! They participate in all kinds of activities from sightseeing day trips, ministry events, small groups, worship times, games, movies, dinners and overnight trips. Above the youth enjoy a visit to Dubreka Falls about an hour and a half outside Conakry.

Okay, okay-this may not be everyone's cup of tea but I look forward to my once per field service "observe a surgery" day with great excitement and it sure beats the daily grind. Above I observe an ortho surgery and below a max fax surgery. Cool!!!

 

Happy 39th birthday to me!

 Birthday lunch with friends at local hotel "The Riviera"

Each year the Africa Mercy chaplains organise a weekend of Spiritual Retreat. They put a great deal of effort into this weekend and offer all kinds of activities and areas of reflection and retreat around the ship. This year's theme was "Spiritual Armor" and of course there had to be a photo booth. Love this one of Jess and friend Savannah.

One last fling in Engineering-a dinner with the Africa Mercy electricians. We were invited as honourary guests to local restaurant Le Refuge. Andrew having a good time. Below our bill for twelve people-over one million Guinea Francs.

 

A few weekends ago Andrew and about 40 other male crew attended a men's retreat at Roome Island, a leisurely 40 minute boat ride away. Promising lots of BBQ meat and male bonding, the retreat delivered and Andrew had a great day out!

Andrew climbing out of the boat/oversize canoe.

Once again the crew/day worker BBQ's and community meetings have proved to be a big hit. After several in Togo we had our first one in Guinea in November. If you want peace and quite this is NOT the place to go!!!



As we are in one port usually for ten months we see many ships come and go. Everything from huge container ships to cruise ships and navy vessels. Sometimes our crew are given the opportunity to tour these ships. Recently a French Navy ship came into port behind us and offered tours to our crew. Above I am standing on their bow, a little smaller than ours! Below, with a French sailor. No wise cracks girls!!

 

One of the most relaxing areas on board the ship is our very own Starbucks Cafe. Most definitely the only Starbucks in West Africa. Jess often works as a barista so she will be well trained for a job at McCafe on our return! Starbucks in located in what is referred to as Town Square. It is the hub of the ship and very often the centre of many of the ship's events. Every Thursday night after community meeting ice-cream is served to the crew in Town Square and on New Year's Eve the crew welcomed 2013 in.

 This is just a small window into some of the dozens of activities and events that take place both on and off ship. We are very fortunate to have so many outlets to help us find the balance!