Sunday 13 May 2018

Global Mercy launched

The new Mercy Ship, M/V Global Mercy, has had its launching ceremony at the China Shipbuilding Corporation yard in Tianjin Xingang. At 37,000 tonnes, it is twice the size of the Africa Mercy! 

Ship building fascinates me: the new ship's hull was built in 5 sections (first photo), and then welded together in a dry dock, and then the superstructure was added. Second photo is of the pipework that goes into the engine room, and some of the tanks (either ballast, fuel, water etc tanks).

Third photo is of the completed ship. Now a long period of fitting out is ahead!



Friday 2 March 2018

New president for Liberia

On 22nd January 2018, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf handed over presidency of the Republic of Liberia to President George Weah. May God bless him as he continues the good work of the land we love. And may God bless Ma Ellen as she enjoys her well earned retirement.


The inauguration was historic: it was the first time power had been passed peacefully and democratically from one Liberian president to another since 1948.

A new school for Libby

Libby started a new school last week - the one I work at! A small independent Christian school, hopefully she will thrive in the small sized classes, and with well behaved kids as her classmates. She loves her new school uniform, so different from her old one, which includes a kilt, a blazer and a tie.
Good luck Libby.


Snow at last

We finally got some proper snow yesterday, the first proper snow since we returned to the UK in 2011. After days of freezing temperatures, we had a six hour blizzard, followed by an ice storm. Our Land Rover came into it's own, and I enjoyed driving the streets of Sherborne and Yeovil en route to sledging hills, and I even managed a rescue mission when the A30 snowed over and nothing could move. School has been cancelled, and nearly every business is shut. As I write, the snow has just started again. And I barbecued bacon outside for lunch. Olly