Wrapping up in Guinea

Hi Everyone!!!

We are wrapping up our time in Guinea . . . recently my world has been quite busy!!  As we finished the medical care, many of our crew departed.  On Sunday we had a total of 60 people going to the airport (including drivers) for departures.  With the difficulties going on in the country, we decided to run a single convoy of 12 Land Rovers . . . it was my responsibility to coordinate the trip.  Here is a picture of what that looked like:

Everyone did a great job and seemed to enjoy the adventure!!

Then, last night, a group called the Guinea Initiative hosted a Thank You event for Mercy Ships.  It was held in the People's Palace which is a common gathering area that has the largest auditorium in Conakry.  The only problem from my standpoint was that we had less than a week to plan!!  This left the security team (Melodee, Gabe, and me) with very little time to do all our planning for arrival, movement, exit, emergency transport, etc.  Well, thankfully, the event went off without a hitch and we had fun using the lapel microphones and earpieces for our radios . . . very Secret Service-like!!  The speeches of thanks were heartfelt and appreciated.  The entertainment was excellent with several different groups highlighting talents from native drumming to ballet and acrobatics.  I've attached a photo collage from one of my friends from the event (I was too busy walking and checking on stuff to take a camera).

Now it is time to secure our cabin for sailing.  The ship has a tendency to roll quite a bit so everything has to be taken down, padded, or secured in some way.

Blessings

Sunset . . .

I'm pondering today . . . we are reaching the sunset of our time in Guinea.  I know we have only been on the ship for 8 weeks, but it seems like we've been here much longer.  We have watched short term crew come and go, built friendships, said both welcome and goodbye . . . . I feel invested in the people but also in the community both on the ship and within the city of Conakry.  Yesterday was the last day of surgeries and the last day of operation of our off-site eye and dental clinics.  The hospital will still operate until Friday to allow recovery for the patients that need the time.  We've accomplished SO much here but only scratched the surface . . . it is a hollow feeling.  I know the people appreciate us and what we do, but when they ask "Why can't you stay?" it is heartbreaking.  For the people we weren't able to help, either because of their conditions or the sheer numbers of people needing help, they are likely condemned to never receiving treatment, many will die.  Yet we have to rest on the fact that literally thousands have been helped.  Why does that ring so hollow today??  I wonder if it will feel like this each time we get ready to leave a country?

We have watched conflict in this country.  Guinea is in an election period and this has caused strife among factions.  It has been hard as we meet local people on both sides of the issues.  We pray for them personally and for the whole country that they can peacefully resolve their differences, have an election that is fair and transparent, and that all factions can feel represented in government. 

When we first got here, the sunsets were clouded by haze, some said from Saharan winds carrying sand down.  Don't know if it is true, but is makes for a good story!!  However, winds have now changed and the sunsets are returning in a dramatic fashion.  Here are a couple pictures of last night's meeting of the ocean and the sun:

I hope that as the sun sets wherever you are tonight that you stop and appreciate the gifts in your life.  Not everyone is so richly blessed as us!! 

Noise

Life on a ship.  Noisy all the time.  There are fans blowing all day and all night.  Pagers going off quite often.  Toilets flushing. Drains gurgling. Dining room, the noise of many people visiting.  People talking in the room next door.  (Thankfully we’ve had neighbors on the thin wall side for only two weeks and they were quite quiet.) The other side is a fire wall so we do not hear those neighbors.  During the day the workers are sanding.  Luggage bangs overhead from suitcases coming and going. On the deck it is equipment sounds, generators, fans among other things.  Visual noise of pollution while on deck looking port side. And many people everywhere.  For those who know me (Denise) well this should really be stressing me out. Amazing it doesn’t really bother me at all.  It is just part of life. No worries.  I am able to sleep well. It is peaceful looking out at the islands.  I will take the noise in order to enjoy the comforts of home. Air conditioning, flush toilets, running water and electricity.  It is easy to take these things for granted but, all I need to do is go to deck 7 or 8 and go outside and look at the city. The majority do not have even one of these accessible to them.  Every time I have left the port I have seen at least one person sleeping in the dirt on the side of the road. It sure gets me thinking about quality of life.

 We enjoy seeing the difference in high and low tides.  Here are the pictures showing the difference.   It is nice having the shipwreck as a visual.  There are about a dozen wrecks throughout the port area.  We’ve been told sunk for insurance reasons over the years.  I’m not sure how long they’ve been here. Quite awhile though. 

 

 

Rainy season is beginning.  Last night we had our first thunderstorm.  It was quite exciting to see rain.  It was very windy. It was fun to watch the lightning over the ocean.  Today is sunny again.