What has Off Ship Programs been up to??

Living Water Drill Donation

Ten years ago, short-term Mercy Ships crew members Bob and Maggie Atkinson donated a well-drilling rig to the Caribbean Mercy in honor of Bob’s mother. Since that time, the rig has been used to dig dozens of wells in Central America and West Africa.
On November 25, 2011, Mercy Ships held a ceremony to celebrate the donation of the drill rig and associated equipment and supplies to Living Water Sierra Leone. This Mercy Ships partner organization equips local people to implement water projects – including shallow well drilling, pump repair and hygiene education.
Living Water has been in Sierra Leone for over four years, and each year Robert and Ruth Search have included a well-drilling rig in their proposed budget. But because of financial constraints at Living Water International, which works in 26 countries, they were unable to purchase a drill. A drill would have allowed them to dig more wells that would last twice as long as the hand-dug wells they currently provide.
“It’s an answered prayer,” said Robert. “We’ve been praying for this, and all of a sudden Mercy Ships has a rig that they can donate to us. I just give testimony to God. I give God all the glory.”
The donation ceremony took place on the dock in front of the Africa Mercy. Several representatives from both organizations were present, including Living Water Sierra Leone Vice President Robert Search, his wife Ruth Search and Africa Mercy Managing Director Donovan Palmer.
“The donation of this drill rig is a symbol of something we feel very passionate about – partnership,” said Donovan. “God created a wide variety of cultures and organizations that are diverse, and He loves it when there is unity among them.”
Mercy Ships is dedicated to improving access to clean drinking water and reducing the incidence of water-related disease in the developing world. This donation will ensure that the drill rig continues to be used for its intended purpose, while allowing Mercy Ships to focus its water and sanitation efforts on hospitals and clinics.
Living Water plans to use the rig to extend their operations in the four districts where they have been operating for the past four years. “We plan to saturate the areas where we are already working – providing clean water, sanitation, health and hygiene training,” says Ruth Search. “That’s how change will happen in this country through the next generation.”
It is estimated that half of the hospital beds in the developing world are occupied by patients suffering from water-related diseases, 90% of which are the result of unsafe water supplies and inadequate sanitation and hygiene.
“Clean water makes a world of difference in the lives of communities and the health of the people,” said Africa Mercy Programs Administrator Keith Brinkman. “We’re very excited that this equipment will be used by Living Water to benefit the people of Sierra Leone.”
“We’re sad when we leave,” said Donovan. “But we feel blessed to leave a token of our ongoing commitment to the people of Sierra Leone. With Living Water, we genuinely believe that this drill will be in very capable hands.”
Story by Catherine Cooper
Edited by Nancy Predaina

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2011 Spring Newsletter

Farewell

The following letter was written by our day volunteer Grace who kept us well fed while we were in Togo.  We met Grace through a friend of her pastors.  We interviewed her as best you can when we speak English and she speaks only French (we did have a translator).  She was warm and friendly and worked for a 5 star hotel up until the birth of her son.  We asked her to prepare for Mark and I and the advance team a lunch to taste her fare.  She made us African chicken, pate rouge, french fries and a salad.  It was wonderful and we hired her.  Grace started in December of 2009 and stayed with us through to September 2010.  Some days she cooked for only our family and on other days when we had teams or a special event she cooked for up to 20 people.  I acquired a new appreciation for traditional African fare and Mark loved her pepper sauce!! HHHHHOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTT!  She could make the best tasting fresh salads and soups and she was willing to learn how to make enchiladas, scalloped potatoes and an assortment of other family favourites!  Her husband is an English teacher and we were able to have the family on board the Africa Mercy for a dinner, tour and Sunday night service.  Joan, who was part of the advance team that Grace cooked for, shared her testimony the night Grace, Oliver and Livingstone attended.  Thankfully her husband could translate for her!

Over the past couple of years Mercy Ships has been transitioning into a more incarnational (modelling Christ) method of reaching people with the love of Christ.  Many have been opposed and want to remain proclamational (Procaiming Christ in words) in approach.  I won’t go into the pros and cons or the whys but I will share with you this letter written to our family from Grace. 

August 14, 2010

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Mark,

You can never guess how glad we, that is my husband Oliver, my son Livingstone and I Grace are when breifing you this message in order to express our gratefulness and our farewell.

In fact, during your stay here in Togo, numerous are the good things our dear country benefits in general.  But we particularly have been blessed through the behaviour of your beautiful family.  From her we have learnt some virtues such as humility, patience and love which are bettering our marital life.

For that reason we are indebted to thank Mercy Ships in general and your family in particularly.  Sincerely words are inadequate to express you our warm gratitude.  That is why we are entreating the Almighty God to reward you with good health, prosperity and long life according to 3 John 2 and Philippians 4:19.

Furthermore, we would like to encourage you to keep doing good and serving the Lord for we hope that your deeds will not be in vain. I Corinthians 15:58.  We shall never forget you.  We shall keep praying for you.

Finally, as Joseph told Pharoahs cupbearer in prison to remember him, we do want you also to remember us.  Genesis 40:13-14

Once again, accept our sincere gratitude.

Receive our dear farewell!

Have a safe journey!

See you one day!

May God bless you richly!!!

Yours sincerely,

Woedoe Grace

Student Life Program

…aka Electives.

One of the extras that have been introduced while here at Appelsbosch, in the Academy, are electives or in our case the Student Life Program.  All the grade 6-12 students were given several options to choose from and then every Friday afternoon for 6 weeks they spent developing new skills.  Today the Academy had a presentation of the skills learned and presented the students with certificates of completion.  The areas included, out-door survival, sewing, automotive and cheerleading.  Today starts the beginning of new areas of focus.  The options are cooking, photography, gardening and being a good neighbour.  Enjoy the photos of todays presentation.

Bess joined the sewing class

Lara Palmer, Bess Palmer, Josie Biney, Hannah Palmer and Alisia Jacobsen model their creations.  The first week saw the girls heading into to town to pick out patterns, material and notions.  The following weeks included setting the patterns, cutting, sewing and adding the finishing touches.  A huge thank you to Ms Nikki for many hours of hard work to see these outfits to completion!

Alanah and her fellow Cheerleaders!!

Rachel, Alanah, Bethany and Iona demonstrate some dance moves as they build up to the lift seen below.

The lift and finale

The cheerleading skirts were found in the equipment locker and put to use!

John worked alongside our transportation manager Olly Peet and learned about different kinds of engines, what it takes to maintain the Africa Mercy fleet and even drove around the campus!  Here he is explaining about 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines.

He would have preferred to drive a landrover into the gym!

Canadian Thanksgiving in South Africa

Bess and Alisia Thankful to be Canadian

 

Thanksgiving 2010 will be a year to remember. Not only did we celebrate it in South Africa, but the menu was one to remember.  Turkey is a rare commodity here in South Africa and we had eaten all the chicken at the Braai on Saturday (along with beef and sausage!), so what to do?

Jesse (Calgary), our Canadian chef pulled out some steak, marinated it and grilled it to perfection.  We had baked potatoes with sour cream, cheese and bacon bits, caesar salad and ooohhh mouth watering squash!!!!!!!!!!  One of the families brought a lemon poppy seed bread, another bought pop at the tuck shop and yet another bought caramel or mint chocolate ice cream bars for dessert.  And in true Canadian fashion the night ended with Tim Hortons supplied by Danae(Owen Sound).  Everyone went away feeling full and truly Thankful for the many blessings God gives us daily.  Enjoy the pictures taken by Carol (Abbotsford).

Jesse and John at the grill

Jesse, Joshua,Deb,Carol,Nari,Mark,Alanah,Megan,Luke,Shelly,Danae,Bess,Alisia,Mike,John and Deb is missing:-(

Carving the eerrr...T-bone!

Bodum brewed Tim Horton's Coffee!!!

What a greeeeaat way to end the day!

If you can have 2 kinds of pie why not 2 kinds of ice cream bar?

All for Jesus

The Palmers

What to know about driving in South Africa

1. You drive on the left side of road

 

2. You DO NOT drive at night

3. Fog is a common occurence while driving in Kwa-zulu Natal

 

4. You share the road with animals 5. You share the road with people

 

6. Passengers become co pilots since our vechicles are left hand drive vechicles and the driver can not see to pass

7. Breathtaking Views

 

Stay tuned for more pictures of the beauty that surrounds us, Appelsbosch campus and Canadian Thanksgiving!

A Mercy Ships First

I casually mentioned in a previous blog the fact that Mark was a member of Fire Team 1 and was in his bunker gear on the day of arrival into the Port of Durban. 

He had also attended some extra training in preparation of the pilot boarding the Africa Mercy.  One might ask why all the fuss? 

Normally the pilot would board the ship via our pilot entrance from a boat that comes alongside, as seen in the photos below.

 

However, the Port of Durban has another alternative for windy, wavy days.  When these weather conditions exist, the pilot is at risk of injury.  In order to board safely the Port of Durban does so with helicopters.  This was a first for Mercy Ships.  All pilots had entered via a boat!  Thus the extra training for our emergency teams.  Our fire teams and medical team were on stand by in the event of an accident.  Enough said.  Enjoy the photos taken from the funnel by Dag Tvedt.

Here comes the Pilot

down he comes...

just a little further...

touchdown and standdown!

The only crew that witnessed this first were those on the deck, on the bridge and of course the photograher!  All the rest of us including the emergency teams (they were close by but could not see) were well out of harms way.

Until next time…

THE CREW OF THE AFRICA MERCY

AUGUST 2010

 

On a pleasantly warm day in early August we posed for our crew photo.  Our hospital wards were close to empty and the majority of the crew, along with a 13 member Mercy Team, were busy packing up and securing for our sail to South Africa.   

On a regular basis we have fire drills, which puts the majority of the crew off the ship to muster and allow our emergency teams to hone their skills in a variety of pre planned and staged emergencies.  On such a day we stayed out a little bit longer in order to pose for the above photo.  That is why you will see many crew still in their bunker gear.  Mark and I and the girls are sitting down in the front, right hand side of the photo to the left of where the railroad tracks end in a Y, while John is on the left side of the group, to the left of the single railroad track tucked behind our senior chaplain in a red shirt (the first row that are standing).  You can click on the photo to enlarge it.

These are the amazing group of people that we have had the privilege to work alongside over the past 2 years.  It has been an incredible blessing to be a part of a huge family all wanting to bring glory to our Lord and Saviour through our hands and feet.  Please continue to lift us all up in prayer as we persevere through shipyard and prepare for Sierra Leone. 

All for Jesus,

The Palmers

Africa Mercy In Drydock

Here are some great pictures and commentary from fellow crew member Olly Peet (for those that watched our farewell video for Dave and Mindy know him as the  “Who the heck is Dave” guy.

Enjoy these photos of the Africa Mercy in Durban’s dry dock.

Below: gangway goes straight to Deck 7.

Below, a well corroded zinc sacrificial anode.

Below, one of my favourite dive sites: main engine cooling water intakes, port side, mid-ships.

Below, the ship on blocks.

Below, the hole cut in the port side to remove the old generators. Those are the Frichs generators you can see inside.

Below, another of my favourite dive sites: the six a/c cooling intakes port side forward.

Below, the old forward rudder from the days when the Dronning Ingrid was more maneuverable, now welded shut.

Below, my all time favourite dive site. The old a/c cooling intake, starboard side directly under the gangway, and right on the bottom of the ship. Used to clog up all the time in Benin with plastic bags. Almost impossible to find in poor visibility.

Below, a 180 degree view of the harbour generator room facing forward.

Below: where the starboard side harbour genny USED to be. Now its all gone, leaving only the alternators.

Below, the two harbour gennys having been transported into the ballast tank besides the harbour generator room, waiting to be removed from the ship.

Below: the Frichs gennys, still in position, and beyond the hole cut in the port side.

Great! Olly