Saturday, 31 January 2009

Sailing to Benin

Saturday 31st January: We sailed out of Santa Cruz de Tenerife today at around 1pm. Next stop: the port city of Cotonou, Benin; a city with clean running water, mains electricity, lamp-posts without bullet-holes, and crushing poverty. The last time we were there was early 2005, when we lived in a tiny cabin on the Anastasis, and there were only 4 of us. I just enjoyed trawling through the ship's photo archives, where so many faces from the past reminded me of just how special that first Mercy Ships Outreach for the Peet family was:

Above: 2004, the screening at Cotonou's Hall Des Arts, when over 5000 people came seeking surgical attention.

Above: 2004, the Anastasis Academy's Christmas Play with Anna (3) and Noah (5). Every other child in the photo has since left except Wesley, to the left of Anna.

Above; 2004, Beninoise day-workers cleaning and painting the Anastasis.

Above: 2004, me up a telegraph pole stringing power cables and water pipes to the dock.

Above: 2004, Sally and me taking ballroom dancing on Aft Deck.

Above; 2004, our first American Thanks Giving. Olly

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