On Sunday afternoons, I usually invite the patients I am visiting to walk with me up to Deck 7 where we can sit outside. For the patients, they love to be outside – fresh air and the warmth of the sun and watching activity in the habour. There are some ride-on-toys for the kids to play with which is always fun.
Monthly Archives: October 2009
Benin Games ’09 on the Africa Mercy
An annual event we have on board is the ____ (name of the country) Games – which happens on board – this year we had 19 teams participating with 12 different games. I served as the scorekeeper for the Games. In this photo you see the ‘Lost Boys’ at the platform game – they were one of the last teams and so you see many surrounding them. We presented each team with a certificate including those to the teams with the higher three scores. It was a fun day for all.
.JPG)
KRB Update 2145 Programs Reporting Time
KRB Update #2145 October 16, 2009 Programs Reporting Time
With almost 400 people living and serving on board, one of the ways to share with the ship community what is happening in Programs on and off the ship is by conducting our Programs Reporting Times on Friday mornings at 07:45-08:15 in the International Lounge on the Africa Mercy. As Programs Administrator for the Africa Mercy, I am responsible to coordinate and arrange everything for these meetings and to serve as the MC and Audio/Visual guy. Even though this is an optional meeting, we normally have 80 – 100 people in the room to listen and others watch via the video camera system.
Here is a list of projects that have shared or will share before we stop next month:
Hospital
Surgical Screening, Maxillo-facial Surgeries, Plastic Surgeries, Orthopaedic surgeries, VVF surgeries, ICU Nurses, Infant Feeding, Ward Nurses, Hospital Counselors, Dental Team including their counselor, Field Eye Team, Ship Eye Team, Adopt-A-Patient, Hospitality Center and Palliative and Outpatient Care
Health Care Development
Construction of Dormitory/Training Facility with Bethesda, Construction of Pediatric Orthopaedic Clinic with OSAREH, Church Leaders’ Conferences, Agriculture Training, Administrative Personnel Training, Biomedical Technician Training and Mental Health Training
Mercy Ministry
Missionaries of Charity, Maison de l’Exellence, Maison de l’Esperance, Jardin d’Eden Children’s Home, Jesus Film in French and local languages, C.E.O. Boy’s Home, School of the Deaf, Jacquot Psychiatric Clinic, and Fondation Regard d’Amour.
For some projects, I offer the speaker 12-13 minutes and thus we would have two speakers. For other projects including those which may have multiple speakers, I offer them the entire 25 minutes to share. For some, this will be the first time to speak in front of a crowd and for others it may be the first time to give a speech in English. I start with a welcome to the crew and then share the opportunities in Programs that we are inviting them to sign up and join us – these may be going to an orphanage, helping to paint and clean at a construction site, and adopt-a-patient in the hospital. I will also share with the crew on the opportunities to attend a local church where transportation is provided and where English translation is available. Many of our speakers share and use Power Point to help visualize and then I posted them on Navigator (Mercy Ships intranet system) for others elsewhere in the Mercy Ships world to view (hopefully for next year, I will be able to post the audio of the reporting time).
Programs Reporting Time
Part of my responsibilities including coordinating and hosting Friday morning’s Programs Reporting Time – the opportunity for representatives from our Programs areas – the Hospital and HealthCare Development. In this photo, I am sharing with the crew the opportunities that are available for them to sign up and join us at various locations.
MC Community Meeting
Last night, I had the privilege to be the MC for our Community Meeting. This is a weekly meeting on Thursday evening for the entire community. We usually start with a welcome, reading from the Bible (I read from Psalm 103), announcements, offering, praise and worship and then the message. Our speaker this week was Pastor Ernest from a local church and married to a former director of the Anastasis. It is followed by fellowship in Town Square.
Togo 10 Advance Team Commissioning
On Thursday evening, we commissioned two of our team members for Advance work in Lome, Togo. Clementine Tengue and Brenda van Straten will leave on Monday overland to Togo. One more team member is yet to be confirmed. I will continue to serve as their liaison here on board the ship.
Assessment at AD clinic review map
At times, I have the privilege to serve on our assessment teams as we prepare for the future field services for the Africa Mercy. Recently, I was able to be a part of our team in Lome, Togo, the neighboring nation to Benin, as we prepare for the 2010 field service. We meet with governmental officials, leaders of the churches and with various missionary and non-governmental organizations. In this photo, we are visiting a clinic/hospital under construction by the Assembly of God church. This may be an option for our construction team to work with them to finish the first level and thus able to open the clinic to serve the people.
President Prayer Team Visit
The President of the nation of Benin has a prayer team and they are coming to the Africa Mercy twice a week to pray on board – for our needs and the needs of this nation. Earlier this month, we were able to host them and their spouses and children on board for a tour and dinner.