Journey to Banana Island

I am one of those people who has always been intrigued by the thought of living on a small little island...I remember watching Swiss Family Robinson when I was a little girl and imagining what it would be like to live on an island in the middle of nowhere (and I really wanted a house up in the trees like the one they had :) I have never actually been on a deserted island (well, except for those bird sanctuaries in Hawaii, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't count!)


Banana Island isn't exactly a deserted island..there are about two hundred people who live in the village there...but it was quite secluded and peaceful. We had to take a boat ride to get to the island, which was a wooden boat with a motor thrown in the back...they had to scoop the water out of the bottom of the boat before we got in...thankfully it didn't sink :)

 When we arrived on Banana Island, one of the guys from the boat took us through the village and then led us to the "guest house," where we could relax and enjoy the beach. The Africans there told us that it was the cheapest guest house and reassured "a white man lives here" (I guess they thought we would be more apt to pick the place that had the white people lol). We decided to explore a bit more before settling down on the beach and took a little walk through the trees to check out some of the other parts of the island. Eventually, we came back to the first guest house, which seemed to have the nicest beach.

When we got back, we were greeted by "the white man" that the Africans had referred to. His name was Gregory and he was from Greece. He invited us to sit and have a cup of coffee, which we thanked him for. Later, we were joined by his girlfriend, who was visiting from London. They were a neat couple and I was intrigued by their simple life of living on this island and running a guest house. I asked if they ever left the island to go into the city, to which they responded that they only went into the city when they desperately needed to. They preferred the peaceful, calm lifestyle of the island.


After chatting about Sierra Leone, life on an island (vs life on a ship), and a bunch of other things, Greg announced that he needed to leave to go fishing since we would be eating lunch at the guest house. So, he set out with one of his workers and the rest of us collected our things and walked over to the beach. The beach was a little rocky, so we couldn't swim much, but it was ideal for laying out and reading a book, so that's exactly what I did.

 We had some nice beach time and a couple hours later, Gregory came back in all his gear with some fish (they weren't doing the traditional fishing...they wore their scuba gear and speared the fish)...we had a nice lunch of fish and rice. Afterwards, we hung out in the hammocks under the shade for a little bit and then rejoined some of the others in our group and decided to head back to the boat (they had given us a set time for the boat ride back)...the boat wasn't ready for us and the man who had brought us told us it would take another two hours. He had gotten in an argument with his colleague who had helped to bring us to the island and apparently wasn't paying him what he wanted. We had alredy paid for our ride over and I didn't want to deal with his shenanigans, so after talking with him a bit, we decided to take a different boat back (thankfully we had only paid a one-way fare).


When we reached the other side, we came across two white men and found out that they were Christian missionaries and one of them was a nurse interested in helping out on the ship. We gave him the number to the ship and jumped into our "poda-poda" (aka minibus) for the hour and a half ride back to the ship.


As crazy as the city is, there was a part of me that was happy to be back. I definitely enjoyed a day on the island...I would love to go back and even spend the night in one of the guest house huts. But, after seeing what a quiet little semi-deserted island is really like, I don't think that I could actually see myself living there...unless of course it came with a house up in the trees :)

Gotta have some bananas on Banana Island!



Broken

This morning we all packed up and set out for screening. We headed out before the sun came up, eager and excited for all the patients who would come to get scheduled for surgery. But no one could've been prepared for the events that lay ahead of us....



We arrived at the national stadium while it was still dark and set up all the different stations for screening. There were hundreds of people already lined up outside when my group arrived. Our security team was already there, doing a great job of keeping the people organized in their lines. I headed back to get things set up in the lab...To be honest, I was really thankful that I wasn't assigned to be one of the screening nurses this year. After saying "no" to so many people last year and seeing so many disappointed faces, I didn't know if my heart would be able to handle that again.

As we were walking around and setting up, I looked out front and saw a bunch of my friends working on the security team. I could tell there were a lot of people and it was already a little bit hectic. I thought of the stress that I had when I worked security at a small screening last year and said a prayer for my friends who were dealing with a much bigger number of people that were streaming in.
Our booth was set up between the surgery scheduling team and the pharmacy...the patients trickled in a few at a time, but it wasn't too crazy. I kept thinking about the drastic difference between the chaos outside and the calm atmosphere inside. My heart was heavy for my friends who were already getting exhausted from the crowd. I thought of Jesus and the crowds that followed him in hopes of being healed of their illnesses, the people pressing in, and the way he cared for each and every single person he encountered.
A little after 10am, things were really slow in the lab, so I decided to take my bubbles out into the waiting area (for patients who had already been screened and were in the second stage of being processed) to entertain the kids. I showed them my bubble wand and they started to run around laughing and playing, trying to catch all the bubbles. I watched their faces light up with those white toothy smiles and my heart felt content to be back in West Africa. I decided I should go outside and find the group that was in charge of entertaining the kids to see if they needed any more toys (I came prepared!) or help. As I walked outside, I saw my supervisor, who had a concerned look on her face. "Becca, hurry over to the tents. There are patients who are hurt." She had an urgency in her voice and even though I wasn't sure what was going on, I knew something was wrong.
I started running down to the tents out by the main entrance and came upon a scene that reminded me of something I would've expected to find in Haiti or some other disaster situation. There were quite a few patients lying there under the tent who had been injured in the crowd. I walked around to assess the situation and see which patients were stable and which ones needed immediate attention. A few nurses were already there taking care of some of the more severe cases. I came across a girl who was suffering from dehydration and a broken jaw. I stayed with her and cared for her until they could get an available Landrover to drive the patients to the hospital.
The Landrovers aren't exactly fit to be ambulances, but we managed to fit the patients inside and headed out. The traffic was terrible, but we had a woman with us from Sierra Leone who helped our driver signal the emergency to other drivers and get through the traffic quickly. We made it to the hospital and took the patients back to the Emergency Department.
As we drove back to the stadium, I sat with my friend Esther and processed a bit of what had just happened. It had all taken place so fast, I hadn't really stopped to think about much more than the nursing care I needed to give my patient right then and there.
Later on, we were filled in on the details of what had happened...a number of things were going on in the crowd and the crowd ended up storming the gate. At that point, about two hundred more people were admitted to relieve pressure, but in the chaos, a number of people were hurt and then carried over to the tent. In the end, thirteen people were injured and one man died.
When we got back to the screening site, we were told that screening was being shut down for the day. The circumstances were too risky and the environment wasn't safe with such a large, uncontrolled crowd. We packed up and headed out, filled with disappointment and frustration. As we got in the car, one man brought his little baby over to the window and begged us to do something to help him get his baby in for surgery for his cleft lip. We directed him over to a small group that was staying behind to screen a few last people who were already in the gate.
The desperation of the people was great today and the events that took place left all of us feeling a bit defeated. But, as we all gathered together to talk about the day, we were reminded that it is often in times of great resistance from the enemy that we realize that a battle is raging...God has big things in store for this outreach and this country and that is why the enemy is trying to stop it. But, we're not giving up yet. Today has been a hard, somber day, but I know that God is still in control and that He will "work all things together for good for those who love Him" (Romans 8:28).
Today, I witnessed brokenness in every possible way...physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But, in brokenness comes beauty...in brokenness we recognize our need for the One who heals and restores...and He is the One that we turn to when we feel like we've hit rock bottom...and in those moments, we are reminded that we can still praise Him.

Blessed Be Your name

When I'm found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

Arrival day

Well, we finally arrived in Sierra Leone! We got here on Sunday morning...I woke up very early and headed outside to watch the sun rising as we approached land...the anticipation was high and we all gathered on Deck 7 dressed up in our African clothes. When we reached the port, I was able to spot several friends on the dock who were on the advance team...unfortunately, we had to wait a few hours before they were able to board (due to customs and other issues), but when they finally did come on the ship, we had a nice little reunion!

After we arrived, there was a nice little ceremony with some of the local government officials on the dock, while the rest of the crew watched from Deck 7 and then surprised the crowd when we sang the Sierra Leone national anthem with the country flag flying (we had been practicing during the sail).

We were all a little bit disappointed that we weren't able to get off the ship to walk around in town the first day we arrived (because of customs issues), but thankfully they released us today!

So far, I've only been out into town once, but from the little bit that I've seen, I really like it! I went out today to walk around and explore a bit with some friends and the minute we got outside of the gate, we were surrounded by lots of little children wanting to hold our hands and learn our names. The kids are so adorable and most of the people we've met in town have been very friendly.

The one bad thing I've heard so far about Freetown is that there is A LOT of traffic (which is very obvious the moment you get to the road!)...I really don't like being stuck in traffic, so that's a bit of a bummer, but I have a feeling that we'll just be walking a lot more this year!

As we had church last night, I was reflecting on some of the things that we have been talking and praying about in preparation for this outreach. One of the songs we have continually come back to in our community that has really resonated with my heart is called "God of this city." This has become a prayer for me as I consider the outreach ahead of us:

You're the God of this City

You're the King of these people

You're the Lord of this nation

You are

You're the Light in this darkness

You're the Hope to the hopeless

You're the Peace to the restless

You are

There is no one like our God

There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come

And greater things are still to be done in this City

Greater thing have yet to come

And greater things are still to be done in this City

Sailing Highlights

Well, the sail has almost come to a close, so I thought I'd share a few highlights before we get to Sierra Leone and things get crazy. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'm going to let the pictures do most of the talking this time:

Watching seals and other sea life

Volunteering at our Starbucks Cafe

Sock Golf

Silly team outfits for sock golf

(I would just like to say that my Irish friend picked

out my outfit and none of this actually belongs to me!)

Playing the victim in one of our many fire drills

Crossing the equator

 

Worship on the bow

Beautiful sunsets

Playing sardines with the youth group

(you can't see me in this photo...I'm in hiding under the table)

Sailing "can" olympics

It has been a great sail, but we are all excited to be back in West Africa and see all that God has in store for us in Sierra Leone!

Whirlwind in Cape Town

Well, we made it safely to Cape Town on Sunday afternoon and were given about 24 hours to see the sights and enjoy the city while fuel and water were loaded onto the ship for the sail ahead of us. So, it was a little crazy having such a short amout of time, but since I had already been to Cape Town and seen most of the tourist attractions, it was nice to be able to just take my time a little more and enjoy it.


We were blessed to have an amazing spot to come into port at the V & A Waterfront and it was absolutely beautiful!
                                               

           The V & A Waterfront            

          

  The Africa Mercy in Port

    Hiking Table Mountain

Aside from hiking Table Mountain, we mainly just did some final shopping, went to dinner for a friend's birthday, and walked around the Waterfront (it is even more beautiful at night)...and of course, when we got back to the ship, we had to have one last "at sea" fire drill before we could sail away!



We got to watch a beautiful sunset

as we pulled out of the port

Sailing out of Cape Town at sunset

It was a very busy, but fun 24 hours and I was thankful for one last visit to Cape Town!

From sea to shining sea

Well, after lots of engine testing, fire drills, and last minute preparations, we have finally begun our journey from Durban to Cape Town. We made it out of Durban without any problems and are now sailing in the Indian Ocean. At some point tomorrow, we will be passing the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and sailing the rest of the journey through the Atlantic.

   

  My roommate and I as we were leaving the port

 

So far, the sail has been very enjoyable! The first night out on the ocean, my roommate and I went out to the bow to eat dinner. It is always a scenic spot, especially in the evenings when the sun is setting. But, we were pleasantly surprised to have a great show from a bunch of dolphins! At first, there were three or four swimming in a pod, jumping gracefully through the water...then a few more joined in, then a few more. They just kept appearing! Several of the dolphins went right under the front of the bow, where they could ride along the waves with the ship! We all watched in amazement and awe of God's beautiful creation for about half an hour, as they just kept coming! Over the course of that time, we probably saw at least forty dolphins! It was absolutely amazing!

Here's a close-up of one of the dolphins

(Thanks Melissa for the photo)



Thankfully, I haven't gotten seasick so far, although a few others have not been so fortunate...the seas have been pretty calm for the most part and the ship has actually been going significantly faster than it has in the past now that we can run all four engines. Last night, I got to visit some friends who were working at the bridge and even got to steer the sihp for a little while! I always enjoy going up to the bridge and seeing all the fancy technology, along with the maps and charts. I definitely have a lot of respect for all the deckies and officers that work so hard while we're sailing!

We are all excited to have a short stop in Cape Town on Sunday. We will be refueling and finishing a couple of things with the ship before we set out for the longer part of our journey to Sierra Leone. Thankfully, they will be allowing the crew to go ashore and enjoy Cape Town for a day and a half, so we're all excited about having some time on land (especially in such a beautiful place like Cape Town) before we're off once again.

Settling in

It's hard to believe that it's only been a little over a week since I got back to the ship. It didn't take long to adjust to life on the ship this time around...I sort of just fell back into the swing of things..we had a great reunion my second day back on the ship, when lots of crew and their families returned from Appelsbosch (the temporary off-ship housing in Durban). From that point on, life got busy with all sorts of things, including my new job in housekeeping  (just for the sail), birthdays, babysitting, visiting a local church, and even a day at the beach (all pretty much within the first week!)


But, even after four months of being at home and adjusting to Western nursing and life in America, the ship still feels like a second home. , it always helps to come back to my "Mercy Ships family" here. I have loved holding babies, playing games, and singing with the kids. Leaving my sweet little nieces and nephews in Arizona is always one of the hardest parts of missions for me, so I'm thankful that God has blessed me with some "adopted nieces and nephews" here to have fun with.

One of my favorite changes on the ship is that the swimming pool on Deck 8 is finally finished! We were hoping they would be able to open it in Togo, but there were some adjustments that had to be made first. Everyone seems to be loving the pool and it has been a refreshing way to end the day...not to mention, it's just a few flights of stairs above my cabin, so it's very convenient! The kids definitely make the pool a very lively place as well, reminding me of summertime with my nieces and nephews back home. I suppose it is a bit strange to be swimming in the pool and worrying about sunburns in early February, but then again, we are in Africa!

We're still not sure exactly when we'll be sailing, but we're praying that all the testing will go well so that we can sail  out of Durban this Thursday. I am more than ready to be out on the open seas and headed to Sierra Leone!