"Dinner Out..."

We went out for the most amazing dinner the other night with our friends Tim and Sharon, celebrating Sharon's birthday.  The tableclothes were unstained and beautiful, the restaurant was simply decorated, and it even had A/C that worked.

Mike trying to figure out the all French menu with words we have not used yet...

Sharon and Tim...

A Bird of Paradise centerpiece...

Complimentary appetizers... (left to right) spring rolls, hot dogs with pickles, green olives, cracker with pate, and a small quiche.

Dinner...handmade lobster ravioli with a light tomato cream sauce....AMAZING!!

It felt like a "normal" dinning out evening with friends...thanks for a wonderful evening!

"The Market..."

The market in Lome, Togo is so different from the market in Freetown, Sierra Leone.  The roads are paved, the stalls have umbrellas to shade you from the sun, there are less people on the streets, and the vendors are much more aggressive in their selling.  "No" is simply not an accepted answer.  A person can really see the development of Lome.

Looking down onto the street market.

The Catholic church in the background as a lot is being prepared for development.

The other side of the street...

Sharon checking out the beads...

"Before..."

This is baby Sibi before her surgery...priceless!

"Too Cute..."

Sibi, after her cleft lip repair...To cute!

"Drums..."

One of the many things I have grown to love about Africa are the drums.  From the time of being in the womb to the eldest adult, drums are in integral part of life.  There is such a strong sense of rhythm in the culture that I feel like an awkward teenager at a dance when the music starts.  If there is a drum sitting there, kids and adults alike are drawn to the drum.  Sooner or later, someone will start playing and the place will break out in song and dance.  It is a challenge to sit still when there is a drum around...a challenge that is often lost as people give into the beat.  It never ceases to amaze me to see a somber quiet looking crowd turn into a laughing, smiling, vibrant, praising group as soon as the drum is played. 

"Why We Do..."

Why we do what we do...

To love...

To comfort...

To heal...

To bring joy...

To reach out...

To help where the need is great.

"Menus..."

I always find it interesting to see different menus and how the menu is translated into English.  On Saturday, we went to a local pool to relax.  There were a few translations on the menu which gave us a good laugh...

It all reads along quite normal -  ham sandwich, cheese sandwich, chicken sandwich, bolognaise spaghetti and then you read "crunch mister"...none of us were brave enough to order the "crunch mister"...so to this day it is a mystery what it is...

Again...pretty normal...rice, couscous, fired apples...then you read "jumped apples mashed potatoes..."  What "jumped apples" are...is your guess..

I think this one is the best....the fourth item on the menu reads...."Rolls of plate to the cream and mushroom"...but then a bit later you read..."shrimps in love"...and finally "robster thermidor..."

We had some great laughs over those items...sometimes it is the small things in life you just have to have a big rolling tear in the eye belly laugh about!....

"Instrument..."

At church on Sunday, one of the wonderful ladies of the church, was using this handmade instrument as a rattle/tambourine.  

It is very simply made...metal rings hooked onto a metal bowl with a piece of wood on the bowl part to use as a handle.

The kids saw me taking pictures of the "rattle" and thought they needed to have their picture taken with it!

"Shoes..."

A few weeks ago, we were at one of the smaller local markets we like to go to and Alisia and I decided to get shoes made. 

We picked the style we wanted, he traced our foot, measured the arch, and then told him the colours we wanted the shoes made in.  Sound simple enough.  However you never quite know if things were communicated clear enough in our broken French.

Alisia getting her foot measured...

Sporting her new shoe style...

I think we commuicated pretty good!

"RETURNING..."

One of the great pleasures we had returning to Lome, Togo, was returning to the churches we had served the first time we were here.  I (Mike) had the great blessing of preaching about 3 out of 4 Sundays at either the main church or a church plant that was a few kilometers away.  They had treated us a family accepting us as part of them.  When we said good bye, there were tears and prayers that we would return.

Those prayers were answered.  When we returned to the main church on the first Sunday we could, greeting was something I had never experienced before.  The Pastor grabbed me in a big bear hug lifted me off the ground (I'm no light weight :)) and spun me around yelling hello my pastor.  As we walked into the church there were yells of joy.  It was an exceptionally emotional time for me and it was difficult to keep my composure.

We were amazed at how much the church had grown, both in numbers and in the size of the building.  It seemed that they had taken down walls of a partially built church building and increased the size of the church.  A brick fence had been erected around the building, with plans not to take it down and build it again, giving more room.

The membership of the church must have increased by 30% or more, the church was packed.

Joshua grew also, now a head taller that other boys in the church.

The kids still enjoyed getting their picture taken.

I believe this the line of the original church, it grew out from here.

The people of the church had to sit in the portico(under construction) because the sanctuary was full.

As an added blessing, the Pastor made an announcement that I am now the number 2 pastor of the church.

We then went to the church plant.  I never thought the reception could get bigger than at the main church, but this small church just blew us away with cheers.  They also had grown, when we were there before we worshipped and danced to the Lord on sand floors, now there was concrete floor and a wonderful platform.

This is a picture of a young lady, she has a club foot, but walks a good distance to church every Sunday.  The last Sunday we were here before we left, we gave her a Bible in her language of Ewe (Evaa).  She was so glad she hugged it and gave thanks to the Lord.  When we got back, she still had the Bible, but now it was well used, and she still had the joy of the Lord in her.  I call her my little sister.

I have been taken to a second church plant even smaller the the first, and look forward to worshipping there.  The way it looks I will be preaching every Sunday at one of the churches.  They have asked me to preach at a big outdoor evangelism celebration.  This is going to be truly a wonderful 6 months of serving the Lord with our church family here in Togo.

"Open Hospital..."

At the beginning of every field service, the nurses put on an "Open Hospital."  It is always a time of fun for the nurses and for the crew.  A friend recently wrote on her facebook post:  "you know you have become comfortable living on a hospital ship when throwing balls into a bed pan seems normal..." (or something along that line).  Yes,the events on  Open Hospital nights have become normal...

Deborah resuscitating a baby...

Catherine and one of the doctors working on stitches... 

Blood Typing...

Starting an IV...

Learning about an X-ray...

Learning about lungs...

"Screening..."

 On February 1st the Africa Mercy had its big screening in Lome, Togo.  I remember Don Stephens saying, on a promotional DVD that we watched before we came to the ship: "...and they come by the thousands..." that the people definitely did.  There were about 3500 people who arrived at the screening site on February 1st. 

As with all screenings, unfortunately we cannot help everyone.  We are a specialty surgical hospital.  We only specialize in particular surgeries, but people come out of their desperation hoping we can help. We were able to recommend about 1600 people for further screening and testing. 

"A Day In The Life..."

 We have an incredible Captian aboard our ship.  His first concern is always for the safety of the crew...which in light of recent cruise ships disasters, it is a comforting thought!! 

On facebook the other night, he posted what his day was like.  I thought it would be interesting to show a "day in the life" of our Captain.

How to fill your day...

1. Help set up elaborate Hospital Evacuation Drill

2. Run elaborate Evacuation Drill after you have the PA system and alarm system repaired.

3. Debrief the Elaborate Hospital Evacuation drill.

4. Send dozens of crew to spend the night at the national football stadium

5. Test communications with the crew at the Stadium
6. Spend an hour in the office
7. Look into the trucker's strike and demonstration at the gate, they are being charged to park
8. Investigate near explosion in the battery locker
9. Help make 1500 sandwiches for crew and Gendarmes to be sent to the stadium
10 Pray for a special someone having surgery today, and for a peaceful night and day tomorrow, as the potential patients are already lining up........

Thank you Captain Tim for your years of hard work and dedication...you are GREATLY appreciated!!!!