Silent African Night

About the only thing an Australian Christmas has in common with Christmas on a hospital ship in Africa is the heat. That's where it ends. And the mosquitos! That was until the Africa Mercy Christmas planning meeting in November when I put my hand up to organise an Aussie Carols by Candlelight. Being the visionary that I am I wanted it all, evening gowns, the Wiggles, blankets and BBQ chickens, Guy Sebastian and Kamahl. What I got was 200 candles sourced from a local market, glow sticks from WalMart (brought back with a crew member), a dirty dock filled with folding chairs and a tarp, casual Friday and a whole heap of people who willingly jumped in to help make this event one of the most memorable on the Africa Mercy Christmas calender! So it wasn't quite what I had pictured but it had heart and soul, it was Christ centered and best of all we go to play with fire (we are not allowed candles on the ship). And.......we had chicken cooked on the BBQ!! Above head chef Ken cooks up some snags.

Andy

Dental day worker and friend Grace and husband John, who purchased the candles for us, chatting to patient Blessing. Blessing has had multiple surgeries on the Africa Mercy in 2008, 2011 and in 2012.

Johna and Grace. Grace is expecting her baby very soon and finished at the dental clinic a few weeks ago.

Right before the commencement of the carols the lighting of the 4th Advent candle happened. Jess was chosen to light the candle, alongside the rest of the Academy Junior High, which was very special for us on this particular night.

 

A birds eye view under the hull of an Africa Mercy lifeboat.

 

I am ready!

Just like the Aussie carols the evening was a mixture of the traditional and the not so much. Above the Africa Mercy's version of the Aussie Wiggles delight the kids (and the adults). I believe they now have a cult following and are planning a tour of West Africa, with their first album to be released shortly.

Can't have the Wiggles without the pointing fingers!

Santa made a special appearance and handed out bags of lollies to the kids.

Afterwards EVERYONE wanted photos with the Wiggles. Above fellow organiser and Aussie crew mate, Leah posing with our co-stars.

The men's choir also shone singing "Away in a Manger" and "O Come All Ye Faithful", acapella. Their beautiful harmonies cut through the balmy night air bringing a little piece of Christmas to Guinea.

The finale-all the performers took to the "stage" for a rousing edition of "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" which we rapidly discovered has different lyrics in different countries.

This is what it was all about.......unifying the crew from 35 nations, far away from their homes, their families and things familiar. The atmosphere was amazing from frivolity to pure unadulterated worship. What a blessing it was to bring a little piece of Australia to the crew of the Africa Mercy and to hear such comments as " At the Carols........it started to feel like Christmas to me and we don't even do this back home". This sentiment was echoed many times over the next few days and it really was a balm to my homesick heart.