Only in Africa . . .

Only in Africa can the mom next door who is your new running partner be from New Brighton, MINNESOTA!  Tomorrow, we're running at 6:15 with the gurkas (weather permitting, of course!).  Margo (:

The Ocean Will Be Deeper Tomorrow . . .

It's going to be a sad day on the good ship Mercy tomorrow and many tears will be shed making the ocean deeper.  Our dear friends, Sally and Olly Peet, along with their three children, Noah, Anna and Libby will be returning to England to finish up the bits of Libby's adoption.  Sally and Sam worked together our very first summer with Mercy Ships (England '04), the three of us (Sam, Sally and I) made up Summer Program in South Africa '05.  Add in Liberia '07, Benin '09 and one lovely week in Sierra Leone and all I can say is "We have been blessed."  May He go before you and make the rough places smooth, dear friends . . . Margo (:   

Kids Just Want to Have Fun . . .

While my group was making balloon powered wooden boats and sending them off in the swimming pool this afternoon, Sam and Annelies let their group make a "More Beautiful Mii".  I think Annelies definitely ended up the more beautiful one!  Margo (:

Hope Centre

Today my group

Had the opportunity to walk to Hope Centre where we had the most delightful time playing with patients and their families!  We started off with an art project (don't think we'll be painting again!), did a couple of "Sharable Parables" with an absolutely awesome interpreter (most Sierra Leonese speak English or Krio) and then played with chalk, bubbles and a beach ball.  Here's me  and a bit of Lawrence Welk . . . 

While we were at Hope Centre, Sam's group had an equally good time down on Ward C.  Margo (:

We're off to a great start . . .

Has it already been three days?  They've been busy and full!  When crew first arrive on the ship, they are literally given a TON of paperwork to complete!  I'm glad to say we got ours in so quickly that Sam (I do not drink coffee!) got two free cups from the Starbucks Cafe!  Monday went great with the kids - Tuesday even better!  Here's a great shot from the Bureh Town Beach - check out the rip tide in the background . . . Margo (:

Guess what I got . . .

Unfortunately, none of my earrings made it to Africa!  I do know I had packed them, but I'm not sure if I put them in my travel bag or back in a drawer at home.  If they're at home, I'll get them back shortly.  If they were in my carry on, they're gone forever!  So today, my dear friend Sally invited me to her cabin.  She's returning to England permanently on Thursday and offered me several pairs of earrings - I took four of the most fun along with a matching necklace!  I won't have to wear just my pearls!  (Is that vanity?)  Margo (:

We're happy to report . . .

That we've spent much of the past thirty hours preparing for summer program.  Jamie and Luba (both USA) will take charge of the preschoolers, Melissa (Australia) and I will take on the 2-5th graders and Sam and Annelies (Holland) will run with the sixth graders on up.  After planning today, we were able to walk to Hope Centre where patients are strengthened prior to surgery and able to recuperate after surgery prior to returning home.  The walk itself showed us the extreme poverty of the poor in the port area, and it just reminded us again of how truly blessed we are.  And while Hope Centre doesn't look like much by American standards, we met a little boy who's feet faced backward when he arrived - and today he walked up to us.  It is a life changing place!  We'll be taking our groups there twice a week to do art projects, play games and visit.  We are almost ready for Monday and the start of summer program - one more permission slip to write!  Until next time . . . Margo (:  

2010 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

Only in Africa . . . Winner of the 2010 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year happened to be in the dining room of the Africa Mercy last night and we were right there with him representing the fine state of Minnesota!  Here we are with Minnesota Viking Madieu Williams . . . 

He was to arrive at 5:30 p.m. while we were on a ship tour.  Fortunately for us, he arrived right on African time - 9:30 p.m.!  Margo (:

Oh, what a trip . . .

Greetings to you from the good ship Mercy currently docked in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa!  We arrived safely late last night after a series of . . . uh, amazing adventures . . . God times . . . it certainly didn't go as planned!  We arrived at the Minneapolis airport three hours early because our tickets didn't match our flights and we wanted to make sure we made our flight from Brussels to Sierra Leone as it only happens twice a week.  Fortunately, less than an hour later we were on our way to Chicago.  Unfortunately, without Luba!  They wanted the four of us out of there before the weather went bad!  Fortunately, we caught Luba coming off our originally scheduled flight in Chicago.  Unfortunately, Jamie was no where to be found!  Fortunately, we found Jamie, Annelies, Rebekah, Tammy, Marjam, Nancy, Bart and Ruth in Brussels!  Unfortunately, it was a long flight.  Fortunately, we got to the ferry early.  Unfortunately, it was running late.  Fortunately, we arrived at the ship at 9:00 p.m. with all of our luggage!  Unfortunately, Jesse wasn't the chef that night and supper was a little less than delicious.  Fortunately, the Koontz family requested that we cabin sit while they were back in Washington State.  Unfortunately, our cabin is full of their stuff.  Fortunately, they have four kids so Matt and Micah each have their own room.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to bed until LATE last night.  Fortunately, we were able to sleep in today.  Starting work at 2:00 p.m. was a wise move!  We'll work all day tomorrow and when we're done, we'll write and tell you what exciting event happened tonight!  Until then . . . Margo (:

Our Final Run

Annie and I took our final run together this morning (at least until the end of July!).  I marveled at all the green grass, the trees swaying in the wind, the beautiful flowers and I realized that for the next month I would be running through traffic, surrounded by people, in heat and humidity and I thought - bring it on!  Off to pack . . . Margo (: 

We'll soon be on our way . . .

This is much too fun to not pass on!  Here are our instructions for travel - and you wonder why we ask for prayer!  

"If you have a Mercy Ships shirt, please wear it when you travel so that you can be spotted easily.  It will help identify you quickly to our escorts.  Upon your arrival, you will be met by a Mercy Ships representative and escorted from the airport to the government wharf where you will take a ferry across the water to downtown Freetown and be met by Mercy Ships crew, who in turn will bring you to the ship.  They will be wearing an orange Mercy Ship cap and Mercy Ship badge. If you do not immediately see our representative, do not leave the airport or ferry area as they will be looking for you. Please do not accept a ride or make arrangements to get to the ship with anyone who cannot provide Mercy Ships identification.  You will be taken to the baggage/luggage area to collect your luggage and escorted you through customs.  Once you have gone through customs, the Mercy Ships representative will have you wait until he is able to arrange for transportation to the government ferry, Sierra Ferries (SL) Ltd., M/V Bai Bureh. You and your luggage will be loaded into a van and they will take you to the ferry landing.  If at any time you are concerned or delayed, please call the ship for confirmation or further instructions. Please be sure to carry the ship's phone number in case you need to reach us with schedule changes or problems.  We suggest you bring one change of clothes and necessary medications in your carry-on bag in case your luggage is lost or delayed.  It is two to three hours from the airport to the ship."

I'm so glad our group number is currently at seven!  Looking forward to telling you what happens!  Margo (:

Who Woulda Thought . . .

Who would have thought that a simple question asked at the Y one January morning will change lives In Africa while we are there?  It was in the leisure pool that my friend, Judy, asked me if I had any contacts in Africa.  She was involved in a program called "Little Dresses for Africa" (www.littledressesforafrica.org) that took ordinary pillow cases and turned them in to beautiful little dresses for sweet little girls in Africa.  The dresses arrived at Judy's house yesterday and Micah and I brought home two large boxes.  From those two boxes, we chose  seventy dresses that we will help distribute through Mercy Ministries on the ship.  We are currently planning to gift dresses to Missionaries of Charity, Fatima Orphanage and Cheshire Home for the Disabled.  Check out some of my favorites: 

Bless you, Judy, for blessing us!  Margo

The Badly Burnt Boy

(from April 30) died two weeks ago in the hospital.  Margo