Sunday, April 28, 2013

April Flea Market

A big flea market was organized for Saturday evening, April 27. There were tables throughout the mid-ships, café, and International Lounge. Families who were leaving had cabin sales, photographers sold cards of their favorite photos, those who made jewelry set out earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Down in the café were cookies, truffles, candied apples and marshmallows, and homemade waffle ice cream cones. (Agnes Biney stayed up most of Friday night cooking the cones!) It was a blast! I had a table with sewn items. By the time I had grabbed my camera most of the goods I’d put out were sold. Everyone really had fun.


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Friday, April 26, 2013

Homecoming preparations!

Today was Spirit Day in the Academy. Everyone dressed in school colors, and we started the day making flags for our Ultimate Frisbee game this evening Academy high school vs. crew members.


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Homecoming time!

Our three graduates decided to have an American tradition—homecoming! Since we don’t have a football team, we had an Ultimate Frisbee game followed by a dance. Here you see a bunch of us at the game in a local dirt field, and the decorations for the evening dance.


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Visiting Musician Gives a Winning Performance

When Canadian jazz singer Maria Manna found out she’d be traveling to West Africa to perform, she packed all the things she thought she’d need: a stunning gown, high heels, jewelry, and sheet music. But even with some of the comforts of home packed neatly in her suitcase, nothing could have prepared her for the mission on which she was about to embark. Here she is, belting it out in Mercy Ship blue scrubs, with our chaplain and worship leader, Marty Schwebel and another chaplain, Patricia Royston! Why? Because her luggage never arrived!

 


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Academy Health Fair

Tonight the Elementary (K – 8th) set out posters of what they learned in health presentations during standardized testing week. The posters and activities were fun—except the ones on the Guinea worm! Ugh!


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Creative Arts Fair

Wednesday, April 10, was the evening of our Creative Arts Exposition for the Academy. It began in midships with the elementary choir singing some upbeat songs, led by Miss Remy van der Bogaerdt (4th-5th grades teacher) and Miss Moriah Saba (2nd grade teacher). This was followed by piano recitals and a kindergarten through second grade Three Little Pigs skit which had us all doubled over laughing.


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Creative Arts Fair

The Fair carried on with a Noah’s Ark skit by 3rd – 5th grades, more piano recitals and a walk-through art exhibit. Lots of crew members participated and enjoyed the rich creativity of our kids, looking at paintings, sculptures, architectures, poetry, mysteries, and, of all things, ukulele playing!


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Teacher Workday?

The Monday after Easter was a workday for the teachers at our Academy, but a holiday for the kids. Our Assistant Administrator Shelly Davies decided we needed team-building exercises, so she had us meet in the crew galley at 10 and spend a couple of hours working in teams preparing a sumptuous brunch. Yum!!!

Afterward we all went to a local hotel and relaxed by the pool, swimming and visiting, and then had a delicious supper there. What a wonderful way to spend a workday!


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Monday, April 1, 2013

Easter feast aboard the Africa Mercy

Here are pictures of the sideboards and dining room before everyone came in. We had a breakfast hot line and a lunch hotline with unbelievable delicacies, including hundreds of piping hot, individual omelets! We have an amazing galley and dining room staff!


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Fun ship traditions

One of the fun ship traditions is having all the different languages onboard declaring “He is risen!”


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Easter service onboard the Africa Mercy

Catherine Schwebel, our chaplain/artist, made this mosaic over the past four Sundays during our worship, reminding us that in Christ, together, we make up a beautiful mosaic.

We had a lovely Easter service, with various choirs and dancers celebrating our risen Lord. Donovan gave a meaningful message, and both Susan Parker and Clementine Tengue spoke excerpts from the Easter story from memory, richly interpreted. We ended with communion. It was so sweet a time of fellowship.


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Easter sunrise over Conakry

After sunrise, we had fellowship in the café.


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­  

Sunrise Service, Easter, Deck 8

We worshiped on deck 8 at 6:30, remembering how, as the sun rose some two thousand years ago, the women went to Jesus’ tomb and found it empty…


This message and any attachments may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure - Mercy Ships.

  ­­