Africa Mercy, in Las Palmas

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Tuesday evening, 8th of July, 08:15

We got news today that we will be a week late getting the ship back into the water. It is taking longer to clean and repaint the ship water tanks so that puts us a week behind. It doesn't affect the sailing to Tenarife and then on to Benin.

Work is ahead of schedule for our end of the project, with lots of progress being made. We moved the 2 new sterilizers into their places and re-installed the 2 sanitizers. All that is left is to make final connections and checking them out. All the walls and new offices have been completed, and the shipyard is completing the above deck piping. Our water outages are off and on but not a problem.

We had a great weekend. We attended an A/G church and met the Pastor and his family. They are from Alabama and have been here 3 years. Pray that their paperwork gets approved as they were scheduled to go home for 6 months but had to postpone. They haven't been home in 3 years and their 17 year old son has been in the states for a year. The wife is really anxious and these setbacks are disappointing.

This weekend we are losing some of our team we have worked with and Friday night we are all going out to eat, sort of our last good-bye. We have loved meeting people from all over the world and working with them, all with the common goal of making the ship ready to fulfill its mission of caring for the poorest of the poor. And to think it started just over 38 years ago with the vision of a 19 year old boy, while on a mission trip in the middle of a hurricane. If you get the chance, read the book "Ships of Mercy" by Don Stephens.

Peggy has found her stores in Triana, and she told me "We will be back"...that's OK, I found several nice bakeries I can bide my time in. We have found that there is a pharmacy on almost every corner and some medicines we have to have prescriptions for are over the counter here..That comes as no surprise to us as we found the same thing in Senegal.

Both shafts and propellers are installed as well as the front bow thrusters are being completed. One rudder is on and the other is being put on tomorrow.

Peggy had a wonderful time today giving her (our) story of what we do and where we go from here. Then her supervisor, Henry, prayed a wonderful sweet prayer over our endeavors. I was asked today if I thought I might stay on for a longer period. I said "Right now I don't know if my body is up to it". The man who asked me, said that dry dock is the hardest part of being on the ship and once they sail and arrive in country, the work gets slower and easier. We have learned that the non-medical crew can serve in a lot of areas in country as well as on the ship while it is in port. Peggy really wants to make the sail to Benin and help with the screening of patients. Who knows?, we are praying about it.

Hope everyone is doing good back home. We got to talk to Michelle and Ashley last night and tonight since we can receive phone calls from the states, we just can't make calls.

Love to all,
Ken and Peggy

Peggy loves Triana and wants to go back,,,

Cobblestone streets of Triana

Macaws in Christopher Columbus' house and museum

How about and "Old West Show" in Las Palmas

Pork on the hoof, or hooks

Lots of pork sold here, this little piggy, as well as his friends went to market

Sand art on the beach

Almost done

Taking out the trash, or should I say, Dropping down the trash:

When it's easier to do, just cut holes in the bottom of the ship,,then weld them up when through

Views from atop Cathedral of Santa Ana

Las Palmas Auditorio

Fresh fish in the grocery, I do believe they sell everything they catch, mighty unusual stuff to be found

Oh, No,,I'm in trouble, Peggy has found her way to "HER" stores....

Triana

Friday, July 4, 2014

Week three is down, 5 more to go,,,I think

Lots of work finished now after only 3 weeks of work.
I worked with a plumber/fitter this week moving sprinkler heads in areas we had renovated. Learned a lot about shipboard and European piping,,interesting at the least.

We are continuing to re install deck heads as well as remove deck heads for more overhead piping to be installed. Rumor is that we will be doing this right up to the time we sail.
The shipyard crew has installed new epoxy flooring in the sterilization rooms so next week starts the arduous task of moving them back into place and wiring them in. I have been scrambling trying to find parts that we need since whoever removed the old ones, threw parts away that we needed. Oh well,,it will take place because you can't be a hospital without sterilizers.

The wife and daughter of our friend, Arie from the Netherlands, arrived Wednesday for a short visit. We met them in the hotel last night and we all went for ice cream. They are both fun and a delight to know. We saw pictures of their kids and grand kids and listened to their adventures here on the Island. We were so excited to meet them, we didn't even get their names. The are coming Sunday to visit the ship and see what is going on. Today, we are taking a bus to the old city of Triana to see the sights.

This week, my legs finally are able to get me up and down these stairs with minimal pain (aches) so next week should be even better. Someone told me in a day, it is equivalent to over 3 miles of walking and climbing a 70 story stair. I believe that may be putting it mildly...Peggy had a very tiring day yesterday and she said it was strange because she hasn't been tired but it hit her all at once.

Yesterday we had lunch with Peggy's supervisor, Henry. He is a jewel and has been on the Africa Mercy off and on for 10 years and met his wife on board. We have met many people, probably more than you would think, who have met their mates on board or working in the main office.

The began re-installing the port propeller and shaft and it is quite the operation to see. I have a few pictures included of that process. Next week they are predicting to finish the dry dock portion of the work, then back into the water to finish the rest. It will be fun to be a "ship" once again.

Well, not much new going on so it's off for a Saturday of exploring...

Love
Ken and Peggy

Ladies in the banking office

Ship's store, getting low before we sail

Laundry machine sign up rosters

Cafeteria and food line

Salmon one night, food is excellent

New flooring being applied in one of the hospital wards

Re-installing the port propeller and shaft

New tie downs in an existing ward

Arie and family

Friday night in Las Palmas, scenes like this are everywhere,

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Wednesday 2-07-14, Hump day

Well we made it to the middle of the week, again. Everything is going really well, work wise and life wise.
We actually ventured out last night and hitched a ride to town to get some delicious ice cream at a nice shop on the boardwalk. Our friend Arie, from the Netherlands took us there. He is excited, I think, because his wife and daughter are arriving today for a short visit and we are scheduled to meet them Friday night for ice cream. They said they know us already from our blog. Amazing that one day I get an email for Arie's son saying they are following the blog back home..

We are closing up deck heads as the work is finishing slowly. The shipyard still has lots of work to do so we have to wait at times to follow them. Water interruptions continue but it is no big deal. We always manage to find a place to shower and clean up.

I was told this was a seven week project and we have been here almost 3 weeks and I looked and we have almost 6 more weeks to go,,,I guess it is the new math.

I went down into the forward hold and watched as they begin re-assembling the bow thrusters, and I have included some pictures.

Hope all is well back home with everyone,,,our wifi is down so we can't post immediately on our iphones and have to wait till work is over to get on the ship's computer...oh well, at least we have some communications.

Love
Ken and Peggy