Our Journey Home . . .

One of my favorite things with the Africa Mercy is that crew say "Good-bye!" and as we left last Thursday, this group not only said "Good-bye" at the bottom of the gangway, but then they raced down to the end of  the dock so they could say "Good-bye" one more time!

Some of them look pretty happy to see us go!

And so began our journey to the ferry . . . Note:  This was a "good" traffic day!

There is traffic coming from the other direction!

Need any last minute purchases?

Woah - glad  we didn't turn that way!

We walked on board the ferry . . .

Sailed past Freetown . . . 

And the good ship Mercy!

To the end of the road that brought us to the airport!

And so it was with great sadness that we left Sierra Leone last Thursday and began our journey home.  To everyone back on the ship, American Airlines served us pizza Friday night!  Did you get yours Thursday?  To everyone who prayed, while our flights were crowded, they were also smooth and on time (except for Chicago to Minneapolis, eh, Jana?)  Thank you for sharing our blog and our time with Mercy Ships.  We'll send out an "end of service" report soon!  In the meantime, we're reverting back to e-mails and ending this blog (we think)!  Catch us back at 3mszupke@frontier.com.  Hugs . . . Margo (:    

Home, Sweet Home!

You may think we mean our home here in Minnesota, but we're going to take you back to the Koontz Cabin 6315 aboard the good ship Mercy and let you see why we enjoyed our summer accommodations:

Our dining room, living room & kitchen

Micah's room (along with Grace & Eli)

Our bedroom (as well as Dara & Peter)

Still sleeping!?! (in Xavier & Malachi's room)

Leaving Africa!

This may well be our last blog from the good ship Mercy as we depart at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow!  We had an absolutely glorious day with the kids at Bureh Town Beach!  But our most exciting news - we ran down to the ward to say good-bye to Samuel - and he's been moved to the Hope Centre!  Our goal is to pack tonight and run up and say good-bye to him in the morning (much more fun than posting another blog!).  Look for more pictures from the States!  Until then . . . Margo (: 

A Glorious Day!

Our day started off with a visit to Hope Centre.  We picked the right art project and had a whole host of people join us.  Here's Melissa showing the boys what to do:

In the afternoon, we had a delightful "Fruit of the Spirit" fair, with the kids going to booths on love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness and self-control. Check out these photos:

Tom gently bopping the hat off of Tommy

Patricia at the "Love" booth

Wondering how our day could get even better, I ran into the captain who invited us up to the bridge!

Micah steering the Africa Mercy

Sam in the Captain's Chair

No reason for the day not to continue getting even better!  We had a nearly perfect Parent's Night with a good turn out and chocolate afterward!  Enjoy your day!  Margo (:

  

Happy Matt Day!

Was yesterday, but we were too busy celebrating Matt to post!  Fourteen years ago yesterday, Matt legally became our son!  In honor of the occasion, here's a picture of us in our New Life t-shirts (New Life is our adoption agency).  Margo (:

God Hears

After worship on the ward today, Samuel came over and sat with Sam and together they looked at Sam's Bible in order to find out what the name "Samuel" means.  Samuel was the first child I met on the ward.  I immediately enjoyed him so much because he had the same name as my husband and was one year younger than our daughter.  Every time we're at the ward, I try to spend time with Samuel.  I learned a lot about him this week and today, I'd like to share some of Samuel's story.  Samuel was orphaned during the war, but has a very loving and devoted uncle (Allen) who has been looking after him for the past four years.  Allen said Samuel has had a neurofibroma growing slowly since he was a small baby.  If he had had it operated on right at the beginning, he would look perfectly fine now.  But because it was left for so long, it was too involved for the surgeons to do more than what they did - a very complicated procedure involving 2 surgeons working simultaneously.  They had 6 units of "blood" - i.e. crew members - on hold for him because they anticipated so much bleeding.  Originally, they thought it would take all day, and that  he would need to remain ventilated overnight.  In the end, it went very well and he only needed 2 units of blood and was back in the ICU by about 2 p.m., and off the ventilator about half an hour later.  One of the nurses told us it was so wonderful to see the relationships he has built with the other patients and with the crew.  Apparently, he had to sit by himself in a corner at school because the other children were scared of him.  His transformation is remarkable from what he looked like pre-op.  Unfortunately, we thought he was a burn patient still waiting for surgery.  We didn't realize that this is all that can be done for now.  In a few years time, when Samuel is done growing and it is determined his neurofibroma is not coming back, he may be able to have more reconstructive surgery . . . if the ship is in Sierra Leone or he is able to travel to a nearby country where the ship is docked.  It is important is to remember what Samuel's name means, "God hears."  May He hear our prayers for this little boy . . . that man would not look at his outward appearance, but at his heart.  Margo

Samuel pre-op

Samuel working on an art project with me

Samuel's on the left

Asking me for another art project!

Happy Holiday!

Today was a ship holiday!  We didn't think we'd get one while we were here, but we did (they happen every six weeks or so!) .  We went to what was written up as the best beach in Sierra Leone - RIver Number 2 - and had a wonderful day with our co-workers and a couple of friends!

Matt & Micah enjoyed it way more than this photo shows!

Interestingly enough, yesterday was also a beach day and we took the kids to Bureh Beach!  It was another great day!

Love Elliot's curls!

Both had wiggly teeth - which one lost hers?

At the Hope Centre . . .

We had an excellent morning down at the Hope Centre today.  We brought what our kids called "magic paper".  It's looks black, but as you scratch on it with a wooden stylus, there are beautiful colors underneath!  Here's one of the little guys going to work:

We thought it was pretty funny as the adults joined in - one man even drew us the house plans for his future home!  But what was best, was when our interpreter quit interpreting so he could draw!  Have a great day!  Margo (:

Fist Bumps

Those fist bumps that are so popular in the States serve a purpose here on the ship - it's the best way to flush the suction pump toilet!  That's right - knuckles to the bar!  

Who Let the Dogs Out?

There were dogs - all over the ship today - and it was an absolute riot!  Earlier in the morning, the kids were challenged to use drinking straws and tape to make the "Ultimate Dog Toy".  I really think our dog would like both of these:

The Collapsable Dog Bone

Chase the Attached Dog Bone

In the afternoon, we had the first ever Mercy Ships Dog Show - from chihauhas to British Bulldogs to yellow labs - we were the happening event in midships!  Meet the dogs and their trainers:

Missing Matt?  He volunteered to judge along with Melissa and Annelies - they picked the best of the show, fastest dog through the obstacle course and who performed the best tricks.  How do you end a party like that?  By eating vanilla pudding with puppy poop on top!  (Yeah, that would be brown sprinkles!)  Margo (:

The Long Journey Home

We had an absolutely glorious day today at the Team House!  It's at the Swiss Embassy and we were invited for lunch, tennis and a swim!  

Swiss Embassy

In between shish ka bobs, our kids had a blast swimming!

Elliott, Deborah and Micah

But as they say, all good things must come to an end, so at 2:00 we loaded up the vehicles and started home.  The next portion of this blog is dedicated to our good friend, Olly Peet, who is probably in need of a good vehicle story right now, which is, of course, exactly what we have!

As we were preparing to pull on the main road, Patricia (my driver) noticed a road block up ahead.  (Note:  everything Patricia says should be said with an English accent.)  She said, "We can't go through that.  I have to back up.  I don't like to back up."  Well, she did it anyway - all the way to the next "road".  She said, "Do you think we can make it through here?  It looks like an alley, not a road.  I don't think we should go."  And, she did it anyway.  It got narrower and narrower and narrower and she said, "I don't think we can make it.  Nissan's are wide.", but she did it anyway - after we pulled in the side mirrors.  With inches to spare, we made it through this back alley, when we saw the ditch in the middle of the left side of the road.  She said, "I don't think I can do this.  What if we fall in?"  Which we did!  The Nissan was stuck!  With seven kids and me inside!  So she tried to go forward and backward and everyone ran out to give advice and help, but I gave her the best advice - let Sam drive.  So after being rocked back and forth and back and forth and not budging, Patricia, the kids and I got out and Sam got in.  He put the Nissan in four wheel drive, the Sierra Leoneans rocked the vehicle, mud splashed everywhere and we were out!  At least out of the ditch!  Sam's super skinny Land Rover made it through just fine and we found the main road and we were ready to be on our way home when we discovered traffic - mind numbing, not moving traffic.  We were going no where.  At one point Sam radioed us and said he'd rather get lost than spend another second sitting in traffic, so he pulled off in an unknown direction.  Patricia, being a bit more cautious, saw a day worker in the crowd she knew, asked the way home, turned the Nissan around in the middle of the road and we were off!  Wouldn't you know - we ended up on the same road as Sam about ten vehicles behind him (we were going down a hill and spotted his Land Rover in front of us).  We waved - they waved - they arrived at the ship - we arrived at the ship.  All told, it was two hours and fifteen minutes to go what had been 45 minutes on the way there!  It was a lovely day - the kids did not complain - and we were ever glad to be back at the ship!  Until tomorrow . . . Margo (:  

Down on the Ward!

And a day would not be complete, if we weren't down on the ward!  It was the older kids today making bookmarks:

Create a Poodle!

There may be "Build A Bear's Workshops" all over the world, but only on the good ship Mercy this afternoon, just before we let the kids go home to their parents, could you enjoy "Create a Poodle"!  We washed our hands, passed out the marshmallows and toothpicks and created our very own poodles!  Here are two of my favorites:

I'd Rather Have A Cat!

Just Me and My Dog

Who Let the Dogs Out?

"Who Let the Dogs Out?" is our theme this week and this morning, we had oodles of poodles!  To think, these guys actually volunteered!

Droopy Poodle Matt

Puffy Poodle Josh

Messy Dog Elliot

I'm not sure, but I think it was the Australian shaving cream that gave these guys the edge!

Fetch

It's hard to imagine that we get the same pay as the Captain to do what we do (basically nothing!).  This morning, we joined Ruff Ruffman from PBS Kids and played a game of "Fetch".  Oh, the things you can do with toilet paper rolls!  Here's the winning maze:

Heaven is rejoicing!

Our dear friend, Rev. John Bjorge, went home to Jesus early this morning after a brief battle with cancer.  Do keep his wife, Maggie, and children, John, Lisa and Marit, and their families in your prayers.  We'll miss you, John!  Margo 

Art!

Our kids love it!  They are having so much fun doing the projects our friends bought for us!  Take a look and see (although, I must confess, Sam's group isn't quite as thrilled as mine!):

Deborah and Kiley

Anna

Nathaniel, Kiley and Deborah

Caleb and Sean

On top of Land Rovers . . .

...In Sierra Leone heat, we placed our tall children - not a difficult feat! (That's right - sing along with the song!)

Subdued

Jubilant!

Down at Hope Centre . . .

Here's Sam and Annelies' group at Hope Centre on Friday:

Miss Annelies and friends

Mr. Sam and a friend

I know for a fact they brought their kids with them, but they must have been having bad hair days because there isn't a picture of a single one of them!

Minute to Win It

We played "Minute to Win It" one day this past week on the ship - boys against the girls.  Both teams were equally competitive, but the boys pulled out the victory!  Here are some photos:

Deborah moving a cookie from her forehead to her lips

Anna, Kiley and the lifesavers

Nathaniel blowing off the orange balls

Matt moving marshmellows

Josie putting lifesavers on Savannah's forhead

Micah juggling two balloons