What a real man can do with a set of keys and first-aid scissors!!

(August 18-21)

Joe is my hero.  Right now, he is also Tanya's hero.  Possibly Justine's as well.

Last Monday night (August 18), we went into town in order to get some supplies.  We were supposed to stock up on some foodstuffs for when we are in Africa - pastas and sauces, granola bars, crackers, etc. - things that keep well for many months.

Just a side note on the Mercy Ship vehicles - all the Land Cruisers and Land Rovers are equipped with VHF radios.  All radios are set to channel 5.  Reception has a radio as well.  So, if something happens, one can communicate to the ship's reception via radio, although the range is maybe 10 miles (that is a very uneducated guess).

Anyway, we visited an art store first.  No big deal, I bought a few supplies.  However, once we (Joe, Tanya, Justine, and I) got back into the car, we pulled out of our parking space, and the car died!!  Joe would turn the key, the car would start, but once he released the key, the car would die.  Apparently the fault lies with the ignition switch.  (Obviously, it was Joe who knew this, not me!)

Unfortunately, with the power off, the radio was not working…we had no way to contact the ship.  Looking in the car, we found a well-stocked first aid kit, a pen, and gum, in addition to the car keys Joe had.  Joe managed to pry open a panel above the gas pedal with just a key!

After twenty minutes of fiddling, he found nothing wrong there.  At this point, Tanya and I decided to venture out to find a very elusive beast: a public pay phone.  Tanya is fluent in Spanish, so I figured, how hard could this be??  Apparently, very hard.  A kind man directed us to a pay phone, only 1 block uphill…

Yet, we could not figure out how to work it!  Yes, I admit to being unable to work a pay phone!  The ship has a Spanish phone number as well as its American satellite phone number.  There were clear instructions written in Spanish. Unfortunately, the directions, when followed precisely, did not work.  Pressing #04 is supposed to provide further instructions - but, again, the directions were not helpful.  Eventually we figured out how to call internationally using the American phone number.  Yes, we were in Spain, had a Spanish phone number and still had to dial an international number even though the ship was 2 miles away (by line of sight)!  (To actually get to the ship, though, you have to drive farther in order to enter the marina and then backtrack all the way to the end of the marina to the ship.)

We asked Reception to page Joe's boss so that he could bring us tools.

Tanya and I walked back to the car and saw Joe taking off another panel directly beneath the steering column with his key.  He was very resourceful.  After some work, he was able to figure out which wire was not working right.  But how to fix it??

Aha!  Let's use the first aid scissors!  In a very MacGyver moment, Joe fixed the wire with the scissors! If you look closely, you can see the first panel Joe pried off is not completely put back together, and you can also see the exposed wires that Joe MacGyver-ed!!

We were able to limp back home before Joe's boss ever left the ship.


Tuesday we sailed back to Las Palmas in order to begin work on the propeller.  Joe and I both took the sea-sickness medication this time.  Although I was working in the galley again, I did not feel the effects of the sea as drastically this time, so I think I plan on taking the medication on the long voyage to Africa.

Wednesday and Thursday were my days off.  I had tea with a friend and attended the community meeting Thursday night - normal ship life stuff.  At the meeting, Dr. Parker talked about Ebola in more detail.  I will be sharing some of those facts and graphs with you in the next week, I hope.   The good doctor stated he planned to send out the most updated information later this week.

I also did some housekeeping - let me just say how very little time it takes to clean the bathroom!  Well, all of the rooms, really.  But especially the bathroom.  I barely begin before I am nearly finished!

Sail Date Update

This Monday, August 18, we had our weekly Community Meeting.  Finally, we received an update about the sail:

Our new sail date is September 5th(ish).  It will take at least that long to get and install a part for the propeller.  Unfortunately, we also have to move again.  The ship needs to be back in the shipyard in Las Palmas for the repairs, though at this point in time we do not plan to go into dry dock.  Dry dock is when the ship is pulled front the water so every inch of the ship is accessible above water.  There is a possibility that we will have to go into dry dock, but we are trying to avoid this.  During dry dock periods, all the families (those with children) must leave the ship.  Children cannot be aboard during the dry dock.  Again, that is not the plan at this time.

Las Palmas is the island where Joe and I met up with the ship over two weeks ago.  We had only been there two days before we sailed the five hours to Tenerife.  We did not have a chance to explore the island and are hoping to be able to do so in the next few weeks.

The Volcano

(Aug 14-17)

In our meeting this last Thursday, August 14, we had an update from our Managing Director (MD).  The International Management Team (IMT) continues to evaluate the Ebola situation.  All the higher-ups continue to work on contingency plans for various possibilities.  While we were given some details, we hope that this coming week will give us a clear picture of when we should be leaving for Benin.  The blood results for the patients in Benin came back negative for Ebola.  This is good news, for not only us as a ship but also for those patients.

The real update, though, is that we have a broken propeller.  We have several propellers on ship, and there is one that is not working right.  We are able to sail, but it is not ideal to sail without getting it fixed.  We have time here in Spain now that we are waiting.  It is good that these two delays overlap rather than occurring separately.  A specialist will be coming in on Monday to assist with the repair, and we will know more then.

In the meantime, we moved locations within this marina - which we did on Friday morning, all of less than one mile (by sea) from our original destination.  Basically, we are now at the end of the marina, about 4.5km from the entrance to town.  This is a little far to walk, so the ship arranged for shuttles from the ship to town.  Joe had signed up for a two hour shift for Friday.  However, the two hours turned into four hours.  The ship has TVs mounted in common areas that play announcements 24/7.  The announcement on the TV said that shuttles would continue through 1am, but the drivers' sign-up list only asked for drivers through 11pm.  Joe was the last scheduled shuttle driver of the night (9pm-11pm).

When he returned to the ship, the ship's security guard said that over 20 people were still in town and then Joe discovered the discrepancy.  Being the upstanding man that he is, he volunteered to drive for the next two hours as well.  It was a long night for him!


DISCLAIMER:  The following story has many, many photos attached to it.  I simply could not chose any fewer.


Saturday was a brilliant day for us.  We arranged for a group of people to go up the volcano; fourteen of us in all.  We took two vehicles.  By the way, these Land Rovers can hold nine people!!  It was about a two hour drive to the volcano, and we stopped for a leisurely lunch just before we reached the volcano.

The volcano itself was gorgeous.  We rode up a long lift to the top.

Notice the view of the cables from the top…and how they drop off sharply like a roller coaster ride!

The views on the way up were so stunning…I could not wait until we were actually at the summit.  You can see the path of the lava (look for the blackened areas):

At the top, there was a number of paths and lookout points.  And the views all around us…so beautiful.    In the first photo, notice one of the other islands, which looks like it is floating amid the clouds and not grounded in water:

I picked one of the paths and wandered down it for a ways.  The path was rocky.  And twisty.

The view at the trail's end was no less grand than the view from the top:

The climb back up the path was strenuous, both due to the angle of ascent and the altitude.  I had to stop several times.  During these stops, I attempted my first selfies!

I have to admit, the climb took a lot out of me, and I ended up falling asleep on the drive back.  But I still managed to get a few photos of the drive back down.  The road was just as twisty as the hiking path, but not rocky in the least:

There were some great views here as well:

Wow!  Such grandeur that God has created!


And to recover from such grandeur, we rested all of Sunday.  The sun and the altitude sapped all our strength.  Not to mention, I got sunburned.  I was uncomfortable most of the day.  But it was worth it!

Sail Date Delayed

(August 8-12)

Well, after the wonderful anniversary, I started my three-day work weekend; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Here is the port in which we are currently docked:

Saturday, after work, Joe and I were invited to go for a scenic drive with some friends who rented a car for the weekend.  I thought since this would be my only weekend in Tenerife, I should take advantage despite my tired state.  We simply picked a road and drove for several hours:

We stopped an interesting lookout point.  I am not really sure what the buildings were originally.  One of our friends thought it was a military base many, many years ago.  The view was certainly stunning!

We drove further along the road, then chose a smaller road to follow.    The road was narrow.  So narrow, in fact, we had to back up and find an open parallel parking space to make room for an upcoming bus.  We stopped at the end of the road which was in the middle of a small town, Igueste de San Andres, nestled into the side of the mountain.

I could seriously live here!  The weather was perfect, the company wonderful.  

On Monday morning (August 11), we had the other mandatory meeting.  Thursday's meeting is usually a community meeting - worship and speaker.  Monday's is a communications meeting - providing information to us that we will need for the week.  

This particular Monday, the Managing Director (MD) shared some news that significantly impacts us.  The sail date to Benin is delayed.  We are supposed to leave this Friday, August 15.  However, we will not be leaving until August 29.  The International Management Team (IMT), or (as I call them) the higher-ups, want more time in order to evaluate the Ebola situation that is going on in west Africa.  Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeria all have confirmed cases of Ebola.  As of the 11th, there are two suspected cases of Ebola in Benin.  Blood samples have been sent to Europe for confirmation.  There are confirmed cases in Nigeria at this time, but all are traced directly back to the American that flew into the Lagos airport from Liberia.  No new cases have appeared.  But still, the Nigerian border is less than 50 miles from our marina, and the borders are not tightly controlled as they are in the U.S.A.

The main concern for the IMT is the safety of the ship.  The Africa Mercy is not equipped to handle cases of Ebola.  Treating Ebola requires specialized equipment and training, neither of which we possess.  We are a hospital ship equipped for certain types of surgeries.  Unfortunately, many people are likely to show up who do not understand the difference.  We are more likely to be putting ourselves at risk than helping the situation.  I have included Mercy Ship's official statement at the end of this blog.

In other news, we have finally gotten our refrigerator and TV for the room!  No, we will not have access to actual TV channels.  The TV will only be used for movies.  Both bring a sense of normalcy and home to our little cabin.  But we have still not gotten our third bag yet from the airline.  We have been trying to call, without success.  The Purser's office will now be making inquires on our behalf, as we have been unable to reach any employee by telephone.  It's now been just over a week without this bag!!

Here is Mercy Ship's official statement:

As its hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, prepares to leave for its ten-month mission to perform life-changing surgeries and train local healthcare professionals in Benin, West Africa, Mercy Ships continues to be acutely aware of the Ebola situation in the region. The organization is taking appropriate steps to protect its volunteers and staff. In April, Mercy Ships redirected its upcoming mission from Guinea to Benin out of caution for the safety of its crew. Benin has no reported cases of Ebola. 

The Africa Mercy is the world's largest civilian hospital ship, designed to operate as a surgical specialty hospital. It is not configured to provide the type of treatment required by Ebola patients.  In addition to having changed its itinerary, Mercy Ships has also implemented strict travel restrictions to the affected areas and will continue to monitor the situation closely, making programmatic adjustments as needed.

Founder Don Stephens commented, “The well-being of our patients and dedicated crew is our greatest priority. It is fundamental to our continued service to the forgotten poor in Africa. Our prayers go out for the countries impacted by Ebola. These are places and people we know well because we have served them in multiple visits over more than two decades.”

We will continue to update you...

Life in the Galley

Life aboard the big white hospital ship.

This week, I have spent a lot of time cutting vegetables.  Yes, you read that correctly, cutting vegetables.  

Sunday was a blissful day of rest and unpacking.  I unpacked every last pocket of our carryon luggage, hoping to make our cabin a little more like a home than a hotel room.  We also took a tour of the ship, which is also required by the previously mentioned official maritime organization of whose name I still cannot recall.  There is a good-sized library considering it is aboard a ship.  But, I suppose, people traveling home are likely to leave behind a few books in order to make room and weight for other items.  

The ship is smaller than I thought.  I am not in anyway disappointed.  I looked at several blogs and, of course, the Mercy Ship website, and the dining room and cafe areas look huge!  But, instead, it is just a comfortable size.

And, my loved ones, do not worry.  There are plenty of lifeboats aboard!

Here is the beautiful port in Las Palmas where we happened to be docked:

I was hoping to use Monday to get a few details in order before reporting to duty.  However, at breakfast, I discovered that everyone was given a note or personally spoke with their superiors and knew exactly where they should be and when.  But I was lost!  So after a visit to the ship's bank to set up an account, I went straight to Human Resources.  The HR Manager, Henry, immediately escorted me to the heart of the galley.  

Side note here:  There are some mariner terms that should be reviewed.  The Africa Mercy is a ship, not a boat (engineers and captains are very particular about this!).  Embarkation is to go onboard a marine vessel.  The galley is the kitchen.

So, here I was in the kitchen, being handed a work shirt and apron.  When the chef told me I needed closed-toed shoes, I was flabbergasted.  I had no other shoes yet!  Instead I had to use a pair of shoes left behind by a previous galley worker.  They were a size too big, so it was slightly uncomfortable, but I soldiered on, determined to do my job.  So, I cut vegetables in my too-big shoes.

Galley work is hard work.  My scheduled is as follows: 

Week 1: work Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 

Week 2: work Wednesday and Thursday

Repeat.

I was exhausted after only two days in the galley.  I was also experiencing jet lag.  Meanwhile, one bag arrived on Sunday afternoon and a second late Sunday night.  

On Tuesday afternoon, we sailed from Las Palmas on the Gran Canaria island to Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the Tenerife island.  It took almost five hours.  I had been worried Joe would get seasick, even though this sail was supposed to be easy compared to the 10-day sail to Benin.  However, working in the galley that afternoon, with no windows and the warm temperature, I was the one whose stomach was churning.

Joe, however, had a much better view:

I was making chocolate chip cookies (about 300 cookies!), and as I took the trays out of the oven and the ship swayed the oven's door swung back and forth.  It was an intricate dance.  The ovens are just over six feet tall and stand upright.  Everything on wheels, including all our kitchen trolleys were tied down with bungee cord.  Drawers have a metal clip so they do not slide open while the ship rocks.  It was most definitely an interesting experience.  And, a learning experience as well.  I will be working here during the longer sail.  However, when we are sailing, I will work every other day because weekends do not matter at sea.  

I had Wednesday and Thursday off and went to town both days.  On Wednesday, a friend and her two children accompanied me to town so I could purchase some necessities for our cabin.  We stopped by the park, which was just outside the port entrance.

Thursday (August 7th) was our anniversary!  NINE YEARS TOGETHER!  Joe is an incredible husband, and I am so blessed.  I had wanted to go out for a nice dinner and spend time together walking around town.  Unfortunately, there is a mandatory meeting Thursday night, and we were not allowed to miss it (I asked!).  I was upset.  Between the jet lag, being sick (yes, I had gotten a cold), and just being in transition to a big change in our lives, I was very emotional and on the verge of tears most of the day.  But, my wonderful friends from Gateway came to the rescue yet again…They arranged a lovely intimate table for two in one of an upstairs lounge (the Queen's Lounge) and then served us dessert!

It was an incredibly generous thing for them to do for us.  This anniversary will remain so special, not just for where we are physically, but because so many friends came together to create something beautiful for us!