addendum

I have a few photos I'd like to post that I didn't get around to posting in the past few weeks.  This blog serves two-fold: a way to keep my friends, family, donors, and supporters updated and also a written account of my time here in Africa for my own reflection.  These are just a few vignettes that I'd like to remember!

A few weeks ago, a long-awaited container was opened on the ship.  A "container" is a large metal shipping container that arrives from Mercy Ships headquarters in either Texas or the Netherlands every few weeks.  This one was long overdue.  Among other contents was a whole store-load of snacks and such for the Ship Shop.  After a day and a half of stocking the store with the likes of Oreos, Goldfish, cake mixes, Tootsie Rolls, Snickers, salsa, mac 'n cheese, etc., a line literally formed outside the door prior to the grand opening.  People had window shopped during the previous day picking out exactly what they wanted to buy up.  It was not unlike Black Friday in the States.  Within minutes of the lights coming on and the doors opening, the small shop was FILLED with crew members vying for their desired items.  I had planned on getting tortilla chips and salsa (one of my favorites), but I was distracted by the addition of queso dip to my mental list.  By the time I got the salsa and queso, the chips were all gone!  Here is a (posed?) photo and myself and Gemma, a patient life coach, fighting over a bag of Goldfish.

In my previous post "freedom" I forgot to mention the Easter Monday Crew Open House.  A Mercy Ships tradition, on Easter Monday crew can open up the cabins for people to come and visit, share snacks, etc.  11 cabins were on the list this year and my friends Deb and Christoph and myself, set out to visit all 11 cabins in under an hour, as well as to eat a snack in each cabin.  Here are a few of my favorite photos from the Open House:

With the Ventura twins, Janice and Elisha, in their bedroom/playroom.

In the Cairncross cabin, with hostess Anne and the most unique feature of their room: the pole!

The Cairncrosses had a dress-up competition as their cabin's activity.

At the Davies' cabin, Luke insisted I get a photo of him with his Finding Nemo hat.  One with the hat on the top of his head...

...and one with the hat completely over his face!