Dear friends and family,

SALAMA – a greeting in Madagascar of hello, good morning, good day, good afternoon, and even good evening – so a great word to know often here.

As mentioned in my last update, we closed down Mercy Ships activities in Liberia, I have moved over to serve on the team in Madagascar.

Some of you may remember Mercy Ships served in Madagascar for almost two years (2014 – 2016) when the Ebola disease was in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, West Africa.  I went ahead of the ship and served on the assessment/advance teams there.

In my new role as Port Liaison for Mercy Ships Africa Service Center, I am in Madagascar and am focusing on the arrangements for the ship in the port (I will share more details later), the customs and immigration arrangements which can be a challenge due to the uniqueness of Mercy Ships and our agreements with the host nation’s government, and any other arrangements and activities needed for the team.  Last week, I hosted a team from our Marine Operations department, and so we spent many hours at the Port.  In our big meeting <see first photo>, the port officials remember Mercy Ships, though some of them were in different positions than what they have currently.  The Port Director is the same man as before, and he remembers me from 2014.  They are encouraged to work with us once again.

For Madagascar, I am living in the port city of Toamasina (also known in French as Tamatave) – Mercy Ships has two Team Apartments in the same building.  Apartments with two bedrooms, an open living and kitchen area, and a covered balcony.  The apartment I am in, its balcony looks to the south, but not high enough above the trees to see the port and the ocean.  In the Southern Hemisphere, it is winter, so the temperatures are pleasant now – currently with high temperatures averaging around 80 degrees F (26 degrees C).  

    Photos:  part of the Port of Toamasina and a Group Photo after the Initial Survey

I flew into the capital, Antananarivo which is located in the middle of the country at a higher elevation. I will return to the capital for higher-level government meetings as needed.  Though the journey was difficult when Mercy Ships was here from 2014 – 2016 via the road, it is worse now than then and takes much longer.  The Country Director and Operations Director for Mercy Ships in Madagascar are living in the capital with their families.  Other Mercy Ships team members will join us here in Tamatave.  

The Africa Mercy‘s upcoming field service is scheduled for February 1 to December 14, 2024.  The Africa Mercy is undergoing some major renovation projects in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa (where I spent most of 2010) and will also be in East London – soon to be known as KuGompo in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, and then will travel to Madagascar.

I feel great reconnecting with former local workers, crew, and partners here in town, walking the streets, attending Sunday church service, and visiting the restaurants, barber shop, and grocery and local markets – re-establishing myself now in Madagascar.  I will be sharing more with you about Madagascar and Mercy Ships plans in this beautiful country through these KRB Updates.

As the firstborn son, my Malagasy name is Lahimatao – abbreviated to ‘Lahi’ – so that is the name I use here.

Serving together,