A new country, a new home...

So the m/v Africa Mercy is now sitting in Lome, TOGO. we have a new port, a new country open to us and so many exciting oportunities laid out infront of us. all of which i will share with you as they happen!

but for now its just going to be what i can see out of the windows of my floating home. we are in one of the main area of the port, in the grain trading area - so yes there are rats and cockroches living quite happily along side us on the dock! the port is busy and loud, the gangway being the route down to the chaos! but on the other side of the ship is a haven of greeness - apparently when the ship was here last (this is the 4th visit to Togo) the trees were just small and newly planted - but now they are big and stong and green and just what one needs to look at, when all u've seen is concrete, buildings, dryness and dust. greeness is one thing that i really missed in Benin and here is it right on my doorstep :)

the port authorities have been so good to us, we have an extra security gate right to our left and they have cornered off a 'compound' area for us with empty containers - so freedom to play frizbee and volleyball and for the kids to run around without risk of being run down from moving machinery!

african safety - constructing our compound wall, during all of the proceedings!

so a quick run down on Togo....I am still in west africa - right next to benin actually (east border), Ghana is to the west and Burkina Faso to the north. we're in the capital Lome, in the middle of the coast, with only 30km from Benin to Ghana - I hope to walk across the country at one point in the next 6 months!

so I will try and describe what it was like to arrive - after 11 days at sea, with only the ship and ocean to occupy ourselves we were certainly ready to arrive. the sail provided a great opportuniy for most of the crew to rest and prepare themselves for all that is ahead - except for the engineering and deck depts who were working all out - thankyou! so the anticipation and excitement was electric. groups stood out on decks 7 and 8 yesterday morning, to spot the first sightings of land - and there it was before too long, popping out of the haze, the pilot boat them came alongside and we smoothly approached the port - waving to the fishermen as we passed their small boats. the fishermen stood in their boats waving frantically, along with the piolet and his crew and it was at that point that i realised that the people here were as excited to have us, as we were to be here!

here is the pilot boat coming alongside.

waving waving as we arrive - spot me in the middle of the pic!

the fishermen that we passed as we made our way into port.

the ship is docked on the left handside, between the building with the white roof and the green trees.

as we slowly made our way near and near to the dock the music of africa bands met us across the water. local churches, government officials and lots of others who had been allowed onto the dock, were dancing and singing and drumming and celebrating our arrival. a tear was in my eye as i stood and listened, waved and smiled and even sang along to some of the worship songs - (them being similar to the ones in the churches in Benin.) Our Great God had brought us safely across the oceans - calm and stormy waters, through fog and roasting heat, safely to our new home. to a country ready and expectant for all that God has in store over the coming months.

african music!

celebration!

the welcome reception.

the celebrations continued throughout the morning, with a welcome reception and lots more music, as the deckies worked tiredlessly to place the gangway and secure the lines in the correct place.

before too long all the redtape and immigration procedures were attended to and we were allowed off ship!

stepping onto the dock with all the smells and humidity and heat around me, i knew i was back. with anticipation i prepare myself and await for all that is ahead. i am ready and eager to do what i need to do, to touch and to love, to smile and to laugh, to hold and to pray. so please stand with me and pray for all that is ahead; for Togo and the government, for peaceful elections, for the people, the potential patients, for the hospital set up and anything else that u feel lead to. and i will stand with you and say a great big Amen!