US manoeuvres continue

The US Navy's manoeuvres, kicked-off by the arrival of the HSV2 Swift earlier this week, continue with the arrival today of a proper-shaped war-ship which remains outside the Freeport but which sent in a launch and a landing-craft to pick up some soldiers (Marines perhaps?) from the dock where they were waiting with US Embassy staff (after some cloak-and-dagger operation ashore perhaps?). (Probably not!). The war-ship remains anchored off the coast tonight - perhaps we will see more of it's tenders tomorrow. It is really quite thrilling seeing these heavily armed boats roaring past our ship: our American crew get very excited (quite rightly) and the US sailors always wave back at us...Olly

UN Ghanaians replaced with Nigerians

The friendly Ghanaian soldiers who have been guarding the Freeport since before we arrived in 2005 have been replaced with Nigerian soldiers (who all seem a lot smaller in my opinion, although they are equally as motivated and well trained I am sure). The cocaine ship Blue Atlantic still lies at berth across the pier from us, and remains guarded by Nigerians and Nepalese. Olly

Photo of the Day...is me!

Olly Peet poses with the new Land Rover. Praise God for the generous donation! afm.mercyships.org

Just look at he state of my dirty jeans! Olly

Oh yeah...

...happy St Patricks Day by the way. Olly

How to use a toilet:

Click on image to enlarge. Olly

HSV2...again

Yesterday the Port spent hours moving ships around and clearing part of the dock, and building a huge wall of containers two-high, in preparation for the arrival of a visiting US Navy ship...and today who should arrive but HSV2 - the US Navy's High Speed Vessel Swift which we were berthed alongside in Tenerife just after Christmas. Of all the ships in the world, its funny that we keep on bumping into her. Despite all the hours of preparation by the Port here, she stayed for less than an hour and didn't even berth. Photo of HSW2 Swift. Olly

Report time again

Today is the kid's Report Card Day (again). The ship's Academy gives out reports SIX times a year, compared to once a year in UK schools. Olly

"Dock Time" - a poem by Grade 1

People are wiggling on the wiggle cars, giggling.
People are wobbling on rollerblades, falling.
People are riding bikes, talking, hair blowing.
People are running, sweating, zooming in Running Club.
Dizzy hips are spinning around and around with hula hoops.
The chalk is colourful and drawing pictures of yourself is fun.
People are flipping on scateboards, excited!
Robbers are running to get dizzy, smiling at the cops.
Girls are playing with baby dolls, crying, rocking, swinging to them.
Stars are twinkiling, it is time to go to bed.

A poem by Anna, Elijah, Joyce, Kaitlyn, Rick and Miss Elizabeth. Anna wrote the bit in italics. Olly

Fan belt fun

Today the fan belt broke on the vehicle I was driving. Would you believe it, even though today is a public holiday and all the shops are closed, I stopped outside a workshop that was open and half a dozen men leapt at the possibility of work as I opened to hood to have a look...twenty minutes later they had fitted a brand new fan belt, for $15 including labour. What wonderful service. Photo of a fan belt. Olly

Appalling childbirth statistics

Ladies living in Western Europe face a 1 in 47,600 chance that they will die during childbirth. Ladies living in West Africa face a 1 in 12 chance that they will die in childbirth, and ladies living in Liberia face a 1 in 6 chance. Wow. Olly

Baby Amunckin Part 5

Today baby Amunckin was discharged from the hospital as his healing is going so well. His nanny Kebe from the orphanage has done a great job of keeping his wounds clean. He will return for out-patient appointments to have his dressings changed twice a week and will hopefully soon be travelling to the States to be united with his parents, who can't wait for the newest addition to their family. William, as he will then be known, will continue his surgeries in the States. The photo is of Kebe with her two Acres of Hope "babies"-Libby and Amunckin. Sally.

I'm a millionaire (or am I?)

I just received this email: "On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Mr Edwin Gabriel...I wish to notify you that the late Mr Edwin Gabriel made you a beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of Five Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD $5,100.000) to you in the codicil and last testament to his will." Of course its utter rubbish. I get this junk almost daily. Does anyone else out there? Olly

Ex-UN staff demonstrate

Today I received this text message: "All be advised that due to downsizing by UNMIL, ex-workers are demonstrating around Starbase and moving towards the city and have commited acts of violence towards UNMIL property and staff". Sure enough, one of our drivers reported that demonstrators were lining one side of the road outside Starbase (cool name for a logistics base, eh?) and on the other side of the road police in full riot gear with tear-gas, backed up by armed UN troops were standing by. So this is how recently made redundant UN staff hope to get their jobs back, is it? Olly

Decoration Day

Tomorrow is Decoration Day, when Liberians clean and decorate the graves of their ancestors and remember their dead. Last year we lived very close to Back Road Cemetery, where dozens of people were selling whitewash and brushes, plastic flowers and wreathes. Inside the cemetery was a hive of activity, with people painting graves and tombs and clearing undergrowth and garbage. Pictured is a guy who whitewashes tombs for 50 LD (about 50p or $1) each. Olly

Baby Amunckin Part 4

Sally, Noah, Anna and Libby spent some time today with Kebe and baby Amunckin on the ward, 24 hours since his surgery. Sally says he looks great, with only band-aids over his stitches (not heavy bandages) and his face looks fabulous. He was awake and looking around and was quite comfy. Olly

An honest living

Opposite the ship is the remains of a conveyor-belt gantry that was used for loading iron ore pellets into ships in the 1970s and 1980s, but was abandoned in 1990 when the war started. Today I noticed a guy high above the water tying sacks of polystyrene to a steal beam, so that he can then unbolt the beam from the gantry and drop it into the sea, where it will float and his friends will swim with it to shore before selling it. If he fell he would be splattered on the steal pier below for sure. Click on photo to enlarge and see the crazy guy. Olly

Baby Amunckin Part 3

Baby Amunckin had his operation this morning to put his face together. It looks like it was succesful - Dr Gary did a great job and he now has a top lip and gums where they should be. Olly

Hair

Libby had her hair braided today by Kebe, baby Amunckin's carer whilst he was having his operation. Olly

Baby Amunckin Part 2

Baby Amunckin and his carer arrived on the ship today for his first round of corrective surgery tomorrow. Olly

Sunday 9th March

Today we had a most splendid day. We left the ship early, and drove with our friends Paul & Jodie and their daughter Aly (3) for an hour out of town, right past the airport to where the road runs out. Then we climbed into dug-out canoes and were taken down the tidal river to a beautiful beach (6° 08’12.68N 10° 22’ 30.98”W if you’re asking) where we swam and relaxed for an hour before continuing onwards by canoe to visit the chimpanzees of Liberia Institute for Biomedical Research on their remote island. These chimps have a ferocious reputation, but they looked very peaceful as we canoed just off their island and threw them fruit and bread, until one of them threw two fist size rocks with incredible force and accuracy at one of our canoes…we made a hasty retreat back to our beach, where we swam and relaxed again before heading for home. Many of our Lebanese friends have chosen this area for their weekend retreats, and the river has a few fine houses along its banks with patios and boathouses and their motor boats spent the day carrying them out to sea and back for fishing. A great day out. Thank you Paul & Jodie. Olly

Cool photo

Here's a cool photo I found on the ship's Intranet, taken a year ago when the Anastasis arrived in Monrovia from Ghana and we were waiting on the dock. Olly

Tooth number two

Last night Anna lost her second tooth in the Dining Room whilst eating a mango. She did a weird high-pitched squeeking for about two minutes when she saw the tiny amount of blood, but then went quiet at the thought of $1 from the tooth-fairy. Olly

Preaching at the Ministry of Transport

This morning whilst I was at the Vehicle Licencing Section at the Ministry of Transport offices, a local Pastor came in and started preaching to the staff. None of them stopped what they were doing, but he continued anyway. He read a few Bible versus, sang a song, took up an offering for God's work, blessed the workers and then went on to the next office. Huh. olly

Lamin

This is Lamin Turay from Sierra Leone, who along with his brother Moses are our vehicle mechanics. They do some excellent work of a very high standard. Lovely photo of Lamin taken off the "photo of the day" on the ship's intranet. Olly

Another new Land Rover

Thanks to the generosity of one of Mercy Ships' biggest supporters in the UK, today we took delivery of a brand new 9 seater Land Rover which brings our fleet up to 28, 19 of which are Land Rovers. Just the small task of getting the vehicle registerred here in Liberia remains before we can use it. Olly

Emmanuel's new eye

During the war, Emmanuel (one of our drivers) lost his eyesight in his left eye when a rebel's bullet sprayed fragments of concrete into his face. Our eye doctors removed the damaged eye last outreach, but Emmanuel has had to wear sunglasses ever since to hide the empty eye socket. Today he was very happy to be given a new artificial eye, which matches his other eye perfectly. Now he can leave his sunglasses at home. This is what Mercy Ships is all about - making people whole again. Olly

Baby Amunckin

Today Sally organised for Patty from Acres of Hope to bring a baby with a bilateral cleft palate to the ship to see if Dr Gary could correct it. Patty showed me the baby on the dock - I have never seen such a massive cleft before, and even Dr Gary has only seen about 20 in his 25 years as a maxfax surgeon. As I drove away I realised that nowadays I take seeing babies with such things in my stride, whereas years ago I would have been traumatised for days after seeing the baby. He has a lovely smile and a very sweet nature too, says Sally. Please pray that we can admit him soon and that his surgery will be succesful. Olly

Who ate our dog?

When we lived ashore in Liberia we had a guard-dog called Yoda, who we gave away when we moved onto the Africa Mercy. A reliable source recently told us that Yoda was killed and eaten by some Liberian security guards, because he didn’t bark. Huh. Olly

11am at ELWA Campus

Anna and local kids at ELWA Campus this morning. They were shown the kid's version of the Jesus Film, which was a big hit. Olly

10am at ELWA Campus

Walking to church at ELWA with our friends the Dunsheath family. Olly

7am at ELWA Campus

Our good friend Mambu was baptised in the sea at ELWA early this morning, and Sally and Noah went to be part of the event. Here he is seconds before being fully immersed. Olly

John Doe washes up on ELWA Campus

Last Sunday the 8 year old son of our good friends the Dunsheaths stumbled across the body of a man on the beach outside their house on the ELWA Campus, where we spend a great deal of our time each weekend. In true Liberian fashion, no-one panicked and the body was eventually hauled from the beach to the nearest road, where it was left for two days before it was removed. I guess the Liberian people are still familiar with the site of bodies after so many years of war, and even though the war finished in 2003, 2008 is just another year where people still die in Liberia. Olly

Goodbye Captain Jurryan

Since early 2005, Jurryan Schutte from Holland has been our Captain on the Anastasis and Africa Mercy. We have spent three field-services with him in Liberia, and sailed to South Africa, Ghana and Tenerife with him. He is the best Captain we have ever known, has a great sense of humour, and is an amazing man of God. He is leaving the ship tomorrow after serving in Mercy Ships for three years constantly, and we will miss him. Here he is in full dress uniform on the day President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia came to visit the ship. Olly

Happy Birthday Mum

My Mother is celebrating her 15th birthday today (29th February 2008). Happy Birthday Mum. Olly

Unloading in the port

The Freeport of Monrovia must surely be one of the few ports in the world where ships bring their own machinery to help with unloading. Whenever NDS or Eurocargo ships arrive here bringing vehicles and containers from Europe, they firstly unload their own container handlers and trucks, forklifts and so on. Every other port I've been to, even in West Africa, has its own equipment, except Liberia. I guess its coming. Olly

Bye bye #699 and #703

Ex Anastasis and Africa Mercy crew will remember the two Toyota Ventures which faithfully carried thousands of crew over many hundreds of thousands of miles in Europe and Africa since they joined the Anastasis in 2000. Yesterday they were retired from our fleet, as their steel bodywork had rusted away beyond repair. Praise God for all those miles travelled in safety. Olly

CDS mend road

If you've ever driven to the Anastasis or Africa Mercy in Monrovia you'll have noticed the road from UN Drive to our dock is potholed in many places, with one huge pothole the whole width of the road...But not any more! Our guys from the Community Development Services department have fixed the road, using tonnes of concrete. We can now drive in a straight line from gate to gate without the slalom we've been driving since 2005. Maybe this will help reduce some of the wear and tear on our vehicles. Olly

Monrovia: New Bridge unsafe at night.

Observers say that Monrovia's New Bridge linking Bushrod Island to Central Monrovia is unsafe for travel at night due to increased wave of criminal activities. There are reports that the criminals are continuously disconnecting the street lights thus creating avenue to get at pedestrians...allafrica.com
Its true, violent crime really is on the increase here. Despite our dock being surrounded and patrolled by Ghanaian, Nigerian, Nepalese and Bangladeshi soldiers and our own Gurkhas, we also continue to be victims of the crimewave as swimmers climb onto our dock during the night to steel things. Olly

Buying Land Rover parts in Monrovia

Whenever we need parts for our Land Rovers that aren't available in town, we go searching amongst the ex-combatant community who looted the Land Rover dealership during the war and still have the stolen parts hidden away. We rarely go short as long as we are happy to wait a day or two whilst the ex-combatents go searching for where the parts are hidden - once, parts were buried and our contact had to dig them up before selling them to us. Even the main Land Rover dealership buys back from the ex-combatants the very parts that were looted from them in 1990, 1996 and 2003...Olly

Liberia: Government Arrest Illegal Fishing Ship

A Marine Control and Surveillance Project, jointly launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Bureau of National Fisheries aimed at preventing ships from engaging in illegal fishing in Liberian territorial waters, over the weekend yielded fruits with the arrest and subsequent detention of SATA 70 and its crew who were engaged in illegal fishing. The arrest was made by the MV Rockfish, a ship operated by a private sector company called the Marine Protection and Rescue Services Limited which is the company that has been hired by the Liberian government to conduct a marine control and surveillance project off the coast of Liberia for a sixty day period. The ship was seized with 1,000 cartons of fish on board. Minister Toe of the Liberian Government used the occasion to warn that the government will not tolerate any violation of the law when it comes to illegal fishing on Liberian territorial waters, stressing that government was losing at least $12 million annually from illegal fishing. For her part, Deputy Finance Minister, Elfrieda Steward Tamba who spoke on the fine to be paid by the ship, said the ministry is in the process of estimating and from what is expected to be gathered, the cost would be between three hundred thousand plus United States dollars. She said the fish would be auctioned should the crew members of the ship fail to pay the fine, because the law provides that government can seize and auction in such a case stressing that anything to the contrary, the ministry would proceed to do just that after a one month period. allafrica.com

Grass that bites

Today was the first day the grass bit me for ages - yep, nasty fire ants crawled onto my foot and stung me loads whilst we were at ELWA Beach. I've been waiting for this moment ever since we arrived back in Liberia at the beginning of February - its symbolic and means we're really back! Fire ants are a pain here and many Liberian children grow up with legs that are forever scarred by bites and the scratching that follows. Olly

President Bush visits Liberia

US President George W Bush has ended a five-country tour of Africa with a visit to Liberia, one of America's staunchest allies on the continent. Mr Bush met Africa's first female president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, whom he praised for leading Liberia's recovery from a 14-year civil war. "The United States will stand with you as you rebuild your country," he said. Mr Bush has used his six-day trip mainly to showcase US-funded projects to combat HIV/Aids and malaria. There were also strategic considerations too - countering the influence of China, which has been doing billions of dollars worth of trade deals in Africa, and allaying concerns over plans for a new US military base. Mr Bush has denied planning a US military expansion in Africa to safeguard US interests. He said the new command, Africom, would provide African states with military training and assistance so they could handle Africa's problems better. So far, Liberia is the only country among the 53 African nations that has offered to host Africom. Speaking on Thursday, Mr Bush told his Liberian counterpart that the US would continue to lend a hand to make the country a symbol of liberty for Africa and the world. He pledged US support to tackle poverty and disease, as well as an education initiative - one million books, desks and seating for at least 10,000 students by the beginning of the next school year. He also pointed out that the US, alongside the UN, was helping to train new Liberian armed forces following the country's protracted civil war, which finally ended in 2003. Despite the two countries' good relationship, Mr Bush's visit was the first by an American president in 30 years. Freed slaves from the American south began colonising the country in 1848 and they brought the habits and symbols of America with them. Liberians still speak English with an American accent; they trade in Liberian dollars; and their national flag is a copy of the stars and stripes - although the Liberian version has just one star instead of 50. In contrast to Liberia, many African nations are wary of hosting a US military presence, which some critics claim is intended only to tighten America's grip on a vital future source of oil. Photo of President Bush and President Johnson-Sirleaf. bbc.co.uk

Surgical Screening

The Africa Mercy's main surgical screening took place today, in which the medical crew selected hundreds of patients for surgery over the coming ten months. We had Land Rover shuttles backwards and forwards between the ship and the screening venue all day, carrying crew, food and water, and the last crew are only just returning now after a long and hot day. Patients will start arriving on the ship on Wednesday, and surgery starts on Thursday. Praise God for a successful and peaceful day. Olly

Another Torm Alexandra photo

Here it is. Most awesome angle. Click on photo to enlarge. See the limpets stuck all over the hull after years submerged? See the Africa Mercy in the background? Olly

New Pilot Boat for Monrovia

In 2006 we watched the Freeport of Monrovia's only Pilot Boat get trapped under a pier by rising tides, and then slowly sink over a period of three days. Since then, the tugs Bushrod Island and more recently Defender have been carrying the Pilots to and from ships, but today a new Pilot Boat arrived, a brand spanking new high-speed fibreglass power boat, which could double up as a sports-fishing boat at weekends I reckon. Olly

Anna loses a tooth

Today Anna lost her first tooth, at the age of six and a half. She has been having phantom wobbly toothes for months, so she's very happy that she is, at last, becoming a woman. Thanks, Bev, for pulling it out for her. Olly

Feeling better

At last we are all feeling a bit better. My fever and Noah's has gone and we are sleeping properly and abundantly, and we have all started eating again in the Dining Room. All that remains is a head full of cottonwool each and a nasty cough. Thank you for praying for us, and putting up with my miserable blogging. Olly

Mary

Remember Mary? She's the 15 year old Liberian girl who had surgery on the ship last Outreach to relieve her of a locked jaw. She was our adopted patient too, and she's kept in contact with us since then. Yesterday she came to visit, and told us that her Uncle (her guardian) has gone upcountry looking for work (where her parents are already), and she is living on her own in Monrovia. Poor girl - she has basically been abandoned by her family, and is trying to live on the goodwill of her neighbours. She is 16 in a month, so too old to go into an orphanage. Our hearts are full of sorrow for her. Unbelievably, we are the nearest thing she has right now to a family. Sally and our ward nurses have been more of a mother to her of late than her real one. What a sad state of affairs. Olly

UN soldiers open fire to stop Liberia mob justice

UN peacekeepers in Liberia fired into the air on Wednesday to disperse an angry crowd who burned down a police station as they tried to kill a detainee accused of murdering a local businesswoman. Residents in the eastern town of Tappita said Bangladeshi UN soldiers, stationed in the country since a 1989-2003 civil war, opened fire after local police officers fled as their station burnt to the ground. "As I speak to you, there is serious shooting going on. The Bangladeshis are firing in the air," eyewitness Joe Dantu, a Tappita businessman, told Reuters by telephone, the sound of several rounds of gunfire echoing behind him. A spokesman for the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) said peacekeepers had only shot three rounds into the air and that a team of Nigerian UN police officers were on their way from a nearby town to help control the situation. Reuters.

Ward open evening

On Monday evening we dosed each other up with cold and 'flu medicine, and then went to the Ward's open evening. We spent an hour with the nurses, as they showed us the hospital's facilities and their many skills. The Operating Rooms are ready to start surgery on Thursday 21st February, and the ICU, Recovery Room and Wards are all ready to receive patients. In OR1 we had the opportunity to perform operations on each other - in the photo Noah and Anna are removing a tumour from Sally with really sharp knives. Click on photo to enlarge. Olly

m/v Torm Alexandra update

The Torm Alexandra is still in the process of being raised. Whilst we were away in the Canaries in December and January, the front of the ship was floated as the salvage crew pumped out the forepeak. They are still pumping out the engine room and aft ballast tanks, and they are quite certain we will see the ship floating in the next month. She now rests at a crazy angle with the aft section still under water and the bow almost completely out of the water. The stresses on the hull must be enormous, and many observers think the ship will snap in half if it stays in this position for much longer. Photo courtesy of Denise Miller as we sailed into Monrovia on 5th February. Olly

Still sick

I can't think straight, can't sit still, can't sleep, having hot and cold sweats, 40 degrees temperature. I'll go to the doctors tomorrow. In the meantime, Liberian TV is keeping my racing brain partially amused: Power TV is illegally broadcasting the satellite TV station Al Jazeera, and Real TV is illegally broadcasting Boomerang. Olly

Liberian Man Flu

This Liberian Man Flu is serious stuff. Even women and children can get it. Its going through the ship like a dose of salts, and nearly every family is sick. Right now, Libby is nearly 100% better; Sally is still suffering from a blinding headache, cough and cold; Noah and I are still going through the shaking and sweating phase, and Anna has got the sore throat that signals its on its way. Last night, I had a terrible nights sleep, then crawled into Anna's bed at daybreak and slept for another six hours. Then Sally slept all afternoon. Olly

Monrovia, California -v- Monrovia, Liberia

It's ironic that after everthing the people of Monrovia, Liberia, have been through, it is still more peaceful than Monrovia, California, where according to my daily Google News Alerts, there is gangland violence and shootings nearly every day. Olly

My blog

I found this cartoon on Eric Thibodeau's blog. Sally will appreciate it. Olly

New roads

Today, whilst Noah and Sally still lay in their sick-beds, I dosed myself up with Ibuprofen and then Anna, Libby and I took a newly arrived British family for a drive around Monrovia. Firstly we headed down-town, and then headed out to Congo Town on the newly laid Tubman Boulevard, which has been undergoing serious re-laying since September 2007, and is now immaculately smooth from outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs all the way to JFK Hospital. What a joy to drive on. Anyway, at our old house in Congo Town, Jacob the security guard was on duty and he gave me a huge hug after I'd climbed out of the Land Rover. We met the new renters of the property, American missionaries with the Methodist Free Church, who are doing a great job and have settled into the community very well. Then we drove back into Sinkor for ice cream at Mona Lisas before returning to the ship. The new road is great, and traffic has thinned out signicantly as it can now drive more than 10mph. Olly

Plague family

Today I think I will paint "Beware, Biohazzard" or something similar across our cabin's front door. We are all sick, although Libby is well on the road to recovery. Sally has been sick since Wednesday, and Noah and I since last night, with high temperatures, shivers and shakes, and coughs and sneezes, and Anna is constantly on the verge of joining us - she was sent home from school but hasn't deteriorated any more. We are living on a diet of toast and Ibuprofen. This sickess has swept through the Academy Preschool, with teachers and helpers and up to 50% of kids off sick each day. Hopefully we'll all get better in the coming week - I'm looking forward to being a functional family again. Olly

ATMs operational in Monrovia

Over a year ago, the installation of ATMs outside Ecobank on Randall Street and their new branch in Sinkor began. I remember getting very excited about it at the time, because it would make getting cash so much easier than arranging for expensive money transfers from the UK. But month by month their instalation remained unfinished until finally we departed for the Canaries at the end of November. Anyway, yesterday I drove down Randall and noticed a sign saying "ATM now open" and I looked and saw a glistening new ATM! Great. Thats a good sign that things in Liberia are on the up in the business world. Olly

Liberia: UNMIL on Troops Drawdown Plan

The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has announced that the continuous drawdown in its troops is a clear manifestation that it has succeeded in stabilizing and securing peace in Liberia. Addressing the mission's briefing on Wednesday in Monrovia, the chief of the Civil Military Coordination session, Colonol Christopher Holshek and the deputy Chief Operations Officer, Lt/Colonol Greg Tasker in separate statements, reiterated that the Security Council Resolution 1777, dated September 20, 2007 mandated the mission to reduce its forces by 2,450 personnel by September 2008. The mission officials disclosed that as a result of the Security Council's mandate, some of the troops have begun leaving Liberia to go to their various countries. They explained that the withdrawal of these troops from some counties in Liberia will follow a replacement of troops from other counties in the country. allafrica.com

Working buses in Monrovia

Whilst we were away in Tenerife, the fleet of buses donated by Spain in mid 2007 were bought into use, and they are now successfully ferrying thousands of people around Monrovia every day. Their licence plates haven't been changed yet, so its funny that we are seeing Spanish licence plates again so soon after seeing them in the Canaries for two months. Clearly these buses came from Madrid. I think its a great way to get the population moving, and hopefully will help the economy too. Olly

A short note about poo

Today I saw a naked little boy toddle out of the filthy alley that he was playing in, onto the broken pavement I was walking on next to the roaring traffic, where he squatted down and did a horribly runny poo, before going back to playing in the alley again as if nothing had happened (no toilet paper, no washing of hands...). When I'd finished retching, I started thinking about just how clever God was when he invented poo - bearing in mind that it is the source of such great illness if not disposed of correctly - so God made it bad to look at and really stinky. Which works. In my years in Liberia working with Mercy Ships and Equip, I have come across many areas where people use the beach or the bush as their bathroom, and the only indication of this is the smell, which can be experienced a long way away, I can ashore you. Nothing on earth stinks like poo poo, and it's smell immediately sends warning bells ringing in our brains. What a brilliant way of keeping us away from so much disease and sickness. Olly

Liberia - 4th impressions

This is the Peet family's fourth time in Liberia since we first arrived here in early 2005 on the Anastasis. Today I delivered a couple of the ship's non-running vehicles to local garages for repair work, and walked back to the ship past deep garbage, raw sewage, burnt-out buildings, broken pavements and desperate people which we are so used to and take for granted. It seems that little has happened to improve the country in the two months we have been away. My daily google alerts tell me that there is increasing new investment in the country, but so far I can't see it and neither can the 85% underemployed here. Olly

Back in Liberia again

Yesterday we arrived back in the Freeport of Monrovia, after a smooth and uneventful 6 day sail from Tenerife. Three of our good friends were on the tug Bushrod Island (now repaired and working again) to help us to our berth, and it felt like the whole port stopped their work for a few moments to welcome us back. It was great to see many old friends again, and it really felt like we were coming home. Unfortunately, the President and the Vice President declined an invitation to attend the arrival ceremony. Shortly after we docked, my friend Moses and I walked through the port to our warehouse, and many people in the port greeted us and welcomed us back with great gusto, shouting "hey, Mercy Ships!" as usual. Today we started the enormous task of bringing 15 of our vehicles out of storage - many have flat batteries or flat tyres after 2 months of being in store. Currently out of the 29 vehicles I'm responsible for, 11 are non-runners with significant engine problems, and we have over 40 other less significant faults to rectify. The ship's crew is desperate to get into town for supplies and to meet old friends, but it will be a while before this can happen with the vehicle fleet in this condition. Across the dock from us lies the Blue Atlantic, which was recently caught by the French Navy off the Liberian coast with 2.4 tonnes of cocaine on board with a street value of $500 million - although the cocaine has been removed and destroyed, the ship remains heavily guarded by Nigerian and Nepalese armed soldiers and Liberian police, and this afternoon three Interpol officers visited (very exciting - I've not seen Interpol in Liberia before). And so the work continues. Olly

All sea creatures great and small.

We are now sailing just off the coast of Senegal, and it already feels like we're back in West Africa. The air is hazier, the temperature is warmer, the seas are much calmer, and even the water looks bluer. Today we saw dolphins, whales and flying fish all through the day - it is such a delight to see these creatures close up and natural. Olly

Ship with 2.4 tonnes of cocaine seized off Liberia's coast

Officials recovered 2.4 tonnes of cocaine hidden in barrels after intercepting a ship off the Liberian coast in the country's largest ever drug seizure, maritime authorities said Friday.
The crew of a French naval vessel saw people on board the ship, the Blue Atlantic, throwing barrels overboard when they went to intercept it late Thursday, said Monrovia Port Security Chief Ashford Pearl. The ship was towed to port and authorities eventually recovered 92 barrels from the ship and the sea containing a total of 2.4 tonnes of cocaine, said Pearl. "It's huge. If this had hit the Liberian market, it would have destroyed the entire country," Pearl said. With cocaine prices in Europe now double those in the United States, drug smugglers in South America are increasingly ferrying cocaine to West Africa, from where it is parceled out to hundreds of individual traffickers who carry it north, especially via Spain. Pearl said the nine members of the crew of the Blue Atlantic were Ghanaian. They have been turned over to Liberian police. "It wasn't in Liberian waters, but they towed it to Liberia because the ship was flying the flag of Liberia," said Pearl. Authorities in Liberia are not sure what to do with the drugs seized. Pearl said officials were debating burning or dumping the drugs in the water "but we are leaning closer to burning because it will have some environmental effects if we put it into the water". reuters.com

Libby the Liberian Vai Girl

Libby, our adopted three year old Liberian girl, was born into the Moslim Vai tribe. This is what en.wikipedia.org says about the Vai: The Vai are an ethnic group living in Liberia and Sierra Leone. They are known for their indigenous syllabic writing system, developed in the 1820s by Duala Bukele and other tribal elders. Over the course of the 19th century, literacy in the writing system became widespread. Its use declined over the 20th century, but modern computer technology may enable a revival. In 2003, a Bible in the Vai Syllabary was published. They speak the Vai language, which is a Niger-Congo language. In many aspects, the Vai are a unique African ethnicity. They are also quite musical and they play many instruments and perform dances on special occasions. Their hair texture ranges from short and curly to long and wavy, and their noses are not flat and broad like the noses of many other Africans. Olly

The sail continues

Day 3 of our 6 day sail to Monrovia. All going well. Already it seems warmer than it was in Tenerife. Today the sea is so calm we can hardly feel any movement. This afternoon we will have a combined Fire, Life Boat and Pirate Attack Drill. Olly

Schistosoma Mansoni Part 2

Yesterday we took the medicine that will kill the nasty Schistosoma Mansoni larva that are currently living in our lungs following our swim in Bong Mines Lake last August. This is what en.wikipedia.org says about it: Among human parasitic diseases, schistosomiasis (sometimes called bilharziasis) ranks second behind malaria in terms of socio-economic and public health importance in tropical and subtropical areas. The disease is endemic in 76 developing countries, infecting more than 200 million people in rural agricultural and peri-urban areas, and placing more than 600 million people at risk. Of the infected patients, 20 million suffer severe consequences from the disease, and 120 million are symptomatic. Some estimate that there are approximately 20,000 deaths related to schistosomiasis yearly. In many areas, schistosomiasis infects a large proportion of children under 14 years of age. An estimated 500–600 million people worldwide are at risk from the disease. The tablets tasted so horrible that I can still taste them today. Anyway, we are thanking the Lord that we are some of the fortunate minority that are diagnosed and treated before we get really sick. Photo of Colin the Schistosoma Mansoni Worm. Oh how I will miss him! Olly

Liberia judge probes bribery in coup plot verdict

MONROVIA (Reuters) - A Liberian jury has convicted two ex-army officers of treason for plotting a coup last year but a judge began an inquiry on Wednesday into whether prosecutors bribed jurors, officials and court documents said. The jury convicted former General Charles Julu, who led a previous coup attempt in 1994 during Liberia's civil war, and ex-Colonel Andrew Dorbor on Tuesday over a plot unearthed by the west African country's intelligence services last year. Amid chaotic scenes in court, Judge Charles Williams said he would investigate defence allegations that prosecutors had given each juror $800 to encourage them to convict the pair, the official court record from Tuesday's hearing showed. "I remember that prior to Christmas, the county attorney approached me in my office to say that the government was contemplating giving the jurors $150 for their present as a Christmas bonus. They even offered it to me," he continued. Williams began a hearing into the bribery allegations -- a sort of trial within a trial -- on Wednesday that was expected to continue on Thursday, the clerk of the court told Reuters. News of the coup plot last year stirred fears of a return to political instability after the 2005 election of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a Harvard-trained former World Bank economist, as Africa's first elected woman head of state. However, many Liberians questioned how serious a risk the coup plot had posed, especially after a huge ammunition cache the authorities said they had found during their investigations turned out to be useless scrap metal destined for recycling. A key piece of evidence released by authorities shortly after the arrests was a video recording of Dorbor and Julu's cousin talking to a military officer from neighbouring Ivory Coast about how to transport weapons from there into Liberia. During initial questioning, Dorbor implicated Julu and George Koukou, who had served as head of the national assembly during a post-war transitional administration. Johnson-Sirleaf pardoned Koukou mid-trial on Monday, citing a need for national reconciliation, during her annual State of the Nation address before both chambers of parliament. She said in her speech she would allow the justice system to run its course in other prosecutions which were at a more advanced stage than that of Koukou. The small West African country faces huge struggles as it struggles to rebuild infrastructure and public services, including its law enforcement and judicial systems, after a 14-year civil war that ended in 2003. africa.reuters.com

Farewell Tenerife

At 2pm today we slipped our moorings and sailed into the open sea on a heading south west en route for Monrovia, Liberia. We are currently sailing in choppy seas along the south coast of the Tenerife, and soon we will be able to see the airport and Los Christianos. We have had a wonderful few weeks, and have all put on a few pounds I'm sure. We have enjoyed every minute of our time spent with the Brits in Silencio Christian Fellowship and South Tenerife Christian Fellowship - they are doing great work with the British community over here, and we wish them every success over the next year until we return, we hope, at the end of 2008. And so in 6 days we will have returned to Monrovia, a land with no playgrounds or neat parks for the kids to play in, and no shops or pavement cafes to explore or hang out in. The next ten months will be very hard work, and that in itself has made our time in Tenerife all the more special. Olly

Last Saturday in Tenerife

As we are due to sail to Liberia on Wednesday, today was our last Saturday in Tenerife. The day was warm and with no wind, so we caught a bus to Las Terisitas beach outside Santa Cruz, which was crowded at last. We have been there two or three times over the last month, but on each occasion it was deserted, with cloudy skies and howling winds. Today was quite the opposite, with people sunbathing and swimming, and we all had a lovely time soaking up the sunshine in preparation for the real sun in Liberia. The sea was still freezing though. Olly

President Bush to visit Liberia

The White House announced Friday that United States President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush will visit five countries in a one-week tour of Africa next month. The trip between February 15 and 21 will include stops in Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia. The White House said Bush will meet the presidents of these countries "to discuss how the United States can continue to partner with African countries to support continued democratic reform, respect for human rights, free trade, open investment regimes, and economic opportunity across the continent." It also said the trip will be an opportunity for President Bush to "review firsthand the significant progress" made in the fight against HIV/Aids and malaria. The United States has spent billions on programs fighting HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases. Bush has called on Congress to double funding for President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) to U.S.$30 billion. Pepfar focuses primarily on Africa. According to government statistics, the program has helped more than one million people get antiretroviral treatment. Bush last visited Africa in 2003. allafrica.com

Another TRC trial of an accused war crimal

One of Liberia's foremost popular musical artists, S. Marcus Davis alias Sundaygar Dearboy, says he will remain unperturbed despite claims by others in an attempt to "tarnish his reputation" at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in a bid to bring him to public ridicule and condemnation. In a chat with the Inquirer yesterday, the famous musical star lamented that it is unfortunate for evil-minded people as well as some invisible hands to engage in diversionary tactics and witch-hunting to bring him down at all costs as he is about to reach the ultimate of his career. The TRC is hearing allagations that Dearboy was involved in many foul acts during the Liberian war years, including leading the brutal gang rape of a woman who died of her injuries three weeks later. allafrica.com

Bridgestone donates tyres to Mercy Ships

Bridgestone has donated a consignment of tyres to Mercy Ships, the international charity operating hospital ships that provide health care in some of the world’s poorest countries. A selection of Bridgestone’s rugged 4x4 Dueller tyres have been supplied, and these will see use on vehicles that travel into remote areas of the bush, across difficult terrain and dirt tracks to reach sick people that otherwise could not be treated. For Des Collins, vice president Public Relations, Bridgestone Europe, this donation makes sense in several ways: “Bridgestone has a sister company in Liberia, Firestone Natural Rubber Company, which employs more than 6,000 people in the production of natural rubber. As a part of its commitment to employees and their families in Liberia, Firestone operates its own schools and hospitals there, and consequently knows well the local need for health care. Therefore, Bridgestone was attracted to helping Mercy Ships in their efforts in West Africa and we are confident that the Dueller 4x4 tyres will help them in their great work.” reifenpresse.de

Gala Reception

Last night the Spanish office organised a Gala Reception on the ship for Tenerife's leading government officials, dignitaries, business leaders and the media. An events company provided very glamorous young men and women as hosts and hostesses, and a catering company provided a bar serving alcohol, interesting looking canapes and glasses of pured beetroot. It was a very weird experience for us crew who were invited, standing in the International Lounge surrounded by men in expensive looking suits and ladies in high heels and low-cut tops sipping wine and eating fancy food. It was all very un-Mercy Ships. Still, it was all for a good cause, and succeeded in raising our profile. Olly

Tragedy in Santa Cruz port

We have a very special relationship with the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. For many years they have provided free tugs and pilots, berths, water, garbage disposal and security to Mercy Ships, and this visit alone we have been given a free berth for 5 weeks. During this time we have watched the daily comings and goings of the many ferries and ships with interest. Sadly, last night one of the pilot boats collided with a ferry and sank, and one of the crew lost his life. This happened not 100 yards from our ship - today I watched divers prepare to salvage the boat. We share the Port's loss. Please pray for the maritime community here and the deceased's family as they come to terms with their loss. Photo of one of the Port's pilot boats. Olly

No skin doctors in Liberia

The Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has revealed that there are no dermatologists in the country at present, and it does not know whether the Ministry will ever have such expert in its employ in the future. The Ministry confirmed that dermatologists can be found in Ghana, Nigeria, the USA or the UK. allafrica.com
Imagine that, a country with over 3 million residents and not one skin expert in site. Appalling. Olly

Lots and lots of Land Rover parts

Today we took delivery of 4 pallet loads of Land Rover parts from the UK, which Moses and I packed away in our container workshop. It was like Christmas Day, after having such a shortage of parts for so long. In real terms, in Liberia the shipment is probably worth four times what we paid for it in the UK, since parts are so expensive in Liberia if they can be found at all. Olly

Supporters hold church service for Charles Taylor's acquittal

Family and friends of Charles Taylor held a church service on Sunday in support of the former Liberian president, on the eve of his trial in The Hague on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The service at the First Baptist Church in Congo Town, outside the Liberian capital Monrovia, was attended by scores of supporters and Taylor's estranged wife Jewel Howard Taylor, a member of parliament in the West African country. Supporters said more than three hours of prayers for the acquittal of Taylor, who is a deacon of the Baptist church and frequently invoked his Christian faith during his presidency, when Liberia became the epicenter of wars sweeping West Africa. Preacher Gardea Johnson told the congregation that Taylor's trial was part of an international conspiracy and said his church would support the ex-president because he was a "child of God." africa.reuters.com He looks real innocent, eh? Olly

Anna's first high heels

On Friday Anna found some high heels in the Lions Charity Shop in Silencio (the only one on the whole island) and she is very proud of them. She has spent the whole weekend searching out floor-tiles that she can clip-clop over, and has enjoyed being a grown-up. Olly

Libby's injuries

Last night Libby stabbed herself in the eye with a toothpick, and Sally had to put a band-aid over her eye to stop her crying (like that would really help). She woke up this morning absolutely fine and had forgotten all about her injury, but then she got an electric shock from a light she was messing around with, and now has a band-aid on that too...Olly

A weekend in Silencio

We've just had a fab weekend away, staying at John's house in Silencio, courtesy of Ken & Caroline's arrangements. We had a great big British fry-up on Friday lunchtime, and over the weekend we enjoyed the beaches at Los Christianos and Las Gallettes, although it was far to cold and windy to swim even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky on Saturday. Today the Calima arrived - a cloud of sand blown in from the Sahara (we call it the Harmatan in West Africa), and visibility has been reduced so that we can't see the mountains any more. But what a wonderful weekend! Thanks, John & Ken. Olly

Liberian warlord, General Butt Naked: "Any time we captured a town, I had to make a human sacrifice"

Monrovia - An evangelical pastor described the atrocities he and his men committed during the Liberian civil war, including magical rituals that involved slaughtering children and eating their hearts. Joshua Milton Blahyi spared no details on Tuesday as he told Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission of his years with one of the most feared militias of the war. Dressed in an immaculate suit, Blahyi, 37, said it was for the TRC to decide whether he should be given an amnesty or prosecuted. In the days of Liberia's first civil war (1989-1997), he had led fighters from the feared ULIMO - the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy - that backed the then president Samuel Doe. It was Doe's 1990 assassination that sparked the orgy of violence that engulfed the country for most of that decade. During the civil war Blahyi, known as "General Butt Naked", said he led a group of young soldiers who fought naked while under the influence of drugs. They were notorious for their cruelty and use of magic rituals. A member of the Krahn ethnic group, Blayhi told how he had been initiated into a secret society at the age of 11 and became a traditional priest. His task became to protect all members of his ethnic group. At the time, he said, he had magical powers that made him invisible. "Having a special power, I was always a distance ahead of the rest of the fighters when we were going to the front. I used to capture a town first and then I call the rest of the group to clean up," he said. Before an audience of about 300 people at the hearing, he recalled the atrocities he committed to maintain his magical powers. "Any time we captured a town, I had to make a human sacrifice. They bring to me a living child that I slaughter and take the heart off to eat it." He did not know how many people they killed, he said. "But for what I did, it is not less than twenty thousands," he added, breaking down in tears. The hall, which earlier had rung to shouts of outrage at his account, fell silent. The turning point for him came in 1996, he said. "A lady offered me her child for my sacrifice. After cutting up the child I divided the heart among my boys and myself. "The blood of the child was still on my hand when Jesus appeared to me and asked me to stop being a slave." It was this experience, he said, that prompted his religious conversion and his life since then, travelling the country preaching his version of the Christian message. Blayhi had come to the TRC hearings of his own initiative."I was told that TRC can recommend amnesty or prosecution," he said. But he said he is ready to face trial if need be. iol.co.za

Multi-story car parks

Today I took our West African mechanic shopping for vehicle fluids. We parked in a multi-story car park (parking garage) two floors under a hyper-market, and it was his first experience of such a place. He couldn't believe that concrete buildings were capable of holding the weight of hundreds of cars, and walked around in awe of the place, muttering "this is strong concrete, strong concrete!" as if willing the place to stay strong whilst he was inside. Maybe he didn't quite trust it's strength. Olly

Liberian diarrhoea outbreal kills 4

The Health ministry in Monrovia has reported a diarrhoea outbreak in the south-eastern Counties of Maryland and Grand Kru County located more than 350 kilometers from the capital Monrovia. Liberia's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Moses Pewu confirmed that four persons have died while 160 persons have been infected in nine towns communities in the region. He said the County Health Teams in collaboration with international NGOs had moved in to contain the outbreak. Diarrhooea is a water-borne disease which becomes prevalent during the dry season when the water level reduces. apanews.net

Loro Parque

Today we went to Loro Park in Puerta De La Cruz on the other side of Tenerife, for a day of fun. The park is a fancy zoo I suppose, with parrot, orca, dolphin and sea-lion shows. Also, panthers, jaguars, gorillas, monkeys, chimps etc are on display. It was very well done and the place was immaculate. We spent the whole day there, courtesy of a gift from some British Christians in the South of the island - we were amongst the first to arrive and the last to depart, and had a wonderful time with good weather. Thanks again, dear friends. Olly

Yeah, thanks, US Navy

This weekend we had to cancel all public tours to the Africa Mercy, as the Port was on a heightened state of security because of the arrival of an unnamed ship. This morning, said ship arrived - HS2 "Swift" of the US Navy, a high-speed catamaran based in Texas. The ship wasn't in the port for long, but it completely disrupted the weekend's tours - most have been rescheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the coming week, but it has been a major embarrassment for Mercy Ships and us having to reschedule them - we had 55 people coming in a bus from South Tenerife Christian Fellowship plus many others from Silencio Christian Fellowship...Photo of the catamaran. Olly

Old Anastasis photo

Today I found this great photo of the Anastasis hitting the dock at full speed in Benin in November 2004, when the engines failed to go into reverse and the ship couldn't slow down. I remember standing on Aft Deck with Noah and Anna and hearing the announcement "brace for impact, brace for impact!" at the time. A team of ship repairers came from Ghana to mend the damaged bow. Strange to think its sitting on a beach right now in India waiting to be cut up for scrap. Olly

Liberia's first truth & reconciliation hearings

Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission held its first public hearings Tuesday, in an attempt to shed light on crimes committed during 14 years of brutal civil war which ended in 2003. The commission, sitting in the capital Monrovia, is based on the South African blueprint which catalogued crimes committed during the apartheid era. Opening the public hearing, Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appealed to all her compatriots called before the TRC to appear, and to give "honest" accounts of their actions. The public hearings are expected to last until the end of July, a spokesman for the commission said. Statements from victims are heard first, before the accounts of the accused, ahead of final meetings between the two sides. Under the terms of its remit, the commission will then submit a detailed report to the government which will then decide whether to pursue any official charges. The commission was created after the peace accord of 2003 with the idea of compiling an account of all human rights abuses during the successive civil wars which plagued the English-speaking West African country between 1989 and 2003. It is also charged with looking at the years 1979-89, from the bloody coup d'etat which brought Samuel Doe to power in 1980 and the subsequent crimes which marked his regime until it was overthrown in a Christmas 1989 rebellion by Charles Taylor. Separately in the Netherlands Tuesday, Taylor, a former warlord and ex-president of Liberia, went before a war crimes tribunal in the Hague, accused of crimes against humanity in neighbouring Sierra Leone. allafrica.com

Liberia International Shipping and Corporate Registry sets new tonnage records

LISCR, the Liberian Shipping Registry, celebrated the end of 2007 with a vessel count of 2,665 and an aggregate gross tonnage peaking at 82,165,902. The Liberian Registry is one of the world's largest and most active shipping registers, with a long-established track record of combining the highest standards for vessels and crews with the highest standards of responsive service to owners. sname.marinelink.com

Stolen mail

We have become the victims of mail theft - somewhere between Holland and Tenerife someone broke open one of the parcels destined for us and stole half the contents. This is quite ironic, as we have been receiving mail in Liberia via DHL safely for years...So if you sent us anything in the mail c/o our shipping agent in Tenerife, but have not yet had a thank-you email, then maybe whatever you mailed to us has been stolen too. Please email me if this is the case. Thanks. Olly

Nanny is here!

Nanny (Sally's mother) is visiting us for on the Africa Mercy for two weeks. She will sleep in the spare bunk under Noah's bunk, lucky her! It's great to see her again - last time we saw her was in October 2006. Great photo of her taken by Pink Aunty Sue in South Africa, 2005. Olly

New role for Olly

I have got a new role on the ship - I am now the Transportation Manager. I am delighted to be working in Transportation again - I had the same job on the Anastasis from November 2004 to June 2006. I am responsible for 29 vehicles and 130 crew drivers, and manage 2 Sierra Leonian mechanics and 3 Liberian drivers, who I hope to do a bit of mentorship and discipling with, and I hope to run a 9 month apprenticeship programme to train up young Liberians as mechanics . I look forward to getting back into the swing of things when we get back to Liberia and our workshop is set up again. Flashback photo of me and the Anastasis Transportation Department in Ghana before we left the ship in 2006. Olly

Congratulations, Libby

Congratulations Libby Peet for graduating from Nursery to Pre-School! afm.mercyship.org

Monrovia's New Bridge could collapse

An American architectural and construction engineer, Adolphus G McCritty, has sounded a caveat that if speedy remedial action is not taken to maintain the Gabriel Tucker Bridge (New Bridge) in Monrovia, it stands the risk of collapsing within a period of four to five years. The bridge has steel sections that are designed to be flexible to withstand shifts in weight caused by heavy traffic, but lack of maintenance since Liberia's civil crises began and the added weight of UN trucks and tanks, and civilian water trucks have taken their toll on the bridge's mechanisms. In October 2006 a section of the city's Old Bridge collapsed and is still awaiting repair, leaving the New Bridge as the only point of access from the north into the city. Photo of the ill-fated bridge. liberianobserver.com

Liberia's latest tool against crime: the mobile phone.

Liberia's government is giving away free mobile phones to help residents call the police to help tackle a soaring crime rate. 400 communities around the capital, Monrovia, will be given 10 phones, pre-programmed with a free police hotline to report crimes. Liberia's 14-year civil war ended in 2003 but many thousands of ex-combatants have not yet found jobs in civilian life, and some have turned to armed robbery, while the small police force struggles to cope. Officers only go into dangerous areas with the backing of UN peacekeepers. allafrica.com

New Hotel for Liberia

United States-based church affiliate organization, Mission Builder International, has begun clearing the site for the construction of first class international hotel in Liberia. The project worth over US$10M is located near the Roberts International Airport and will be named Marwieh International Hotel in honor of a well known Liberian Prelate, the Late Bishop Augustus B. Marwieh. The hotel will contain a swimming pool and other recreation facilities to boost the Liberia tourism industry. The project will provide jobs for some 700 Liberians affected by the civil crisis. analystliberia.com

Codo con codo

This morning I took Dr Gary, Josh & Marcel to the Men's Breakfast at Silencio Church, where together we shared about the work of Mercy Ships in Liberia over a full English breakfast. I then showed the Mercy Ships promotional DVD "Codo con Codo" (the Spanish version of "Shoulder to Shoulder") to the Irish, Welsh, Scots and Englishmen present. Many were visibly moved by the images and stories we shared with them. Tomorrow we return to the same church for Sally to talk about Mercy Ships work in Liberia to the whole congregation as part of their Sunday morning service. Thanks, Ken, for inviting us. Olly

Three Kings Day

This morning, as a wonderful gesture of support and encouragement and to celebrate Three Kings Day, fifty people from local churches bought presents for the 50 kids on the ship. Tonight, the Three Kings (of Biblical fame) will arrive in Santa Cruz by helicopter, and then process around the town before presenting gifts to baby Jesus in the Plaza de la Candelaria. Then there will be a big firework display. Tomorrow the Spanish will celebrate Three Kings Day, and give gifts to each other representing the gifts the real Kings gave to the real baby Jesus all those years ago. For the Spanish this is considered to be an even bigger festival than Christmas Day. Do you think that someone should tell them that there weren't necessarily three kings? Olly

New Years Eve

At midnight last night we joined many other crew outside on Deck 8, and welcomed in the New Year by watching the port's massive firework display, whilst all over Santa Cruz and across the water on Gran Canaria even more fireworks filled the sky. Keeping with tradition, all the ships in the port sounded their horns at midnight, including the Queen Victoria which was berthed directly next to us; the sound of her horn was so loud that it nearly blew us away - I could feel it vibrating my clothes. It was a most enjoyable and memorable way to welcome in the New Year. Olly