Time flies! After a delay in leaving Durban and the shipyard, 24 hours in Capetown, and lots of sailing, we arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone just over a week ago. Since then it's been crazy busy getting everything unpacked, cleaned, tested and ready in a short time-frame for receiving patients. We have almost 1,000 scheduled already, but we had to do another screening in Freetown itself on Monday. Sadly, due to the vast number of desperate people (one estimate was 15,000!) there appeared to be some kind of stampede resulting in about 15 injuries and one fatality. As you can imagine, we are all feeling shocked and saddened, but our mandate remains the same, to bring hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor.
Tonight is the hospital open house where the crew get to see the operating theatres etc, and do some fun stuff too. Elliot is quite excited to be a pretend dental patient; it seems to involve fake blood!!!! I (Tony) has got a lousy cold at the moment, so am staying away from lots of people. Patricia is really looking forward to working with the day volenteers (local poeple) in the hospital; she will do a great job.
Well, there's a busy few days for me until everything is ready that I am responsible for, so we will update after that!
Please keep reading!
We are volunteer staff for the charity 'Mercy Ships'. We are working in West Africa, where we have been for the past three years.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Happy Christmastime!
Hello Friends,
We hope that you had a blessed Christmas time, and are perhaps continuing to enjoy the holiday season. For those of you surrounded by snow and ice, we are enjoying daytime temperatures of around 90F here! As you will know from our previous blog, the families and many of the singles are living about two hours drive from the ship. On Christmas Day we all travelled by minibuses to Durban port, and enjoyed brunch, a Christmas morning worship time (including Patricia and others playing handbells), and a wonderful Christmas dinner, South African style ; no turkey, but sausages and steak cooked on a brii (barbecue to us Brits)! I had managed to get a few mince pies though, so there was a homely touch. In all it was different, but very nice! Elliot enjoyed being back on the ship as he had not been there since June. Patricia had been on board briefly, and I have been working there during the week, and sleeping in our cabin (constant 92F, day and night...no A/C)! The biting, flying things semm to like it though, as I've been getting lots of bites there!
...some photos:
Patricia
Link to handbell photo
Next week teams of people will be starting to clean the ship, beginning at the top and working their way down. Having been in a shipyard for 5 months, and having had lots of metal cut, ground, welded etc, there's a LOT of cleaning to be done...and remember, there's a whole hospital on board.
We'll keep you updated on how all that goes. We're hoping that we'll all be able to start living on the ship sometime in January, but there's still lots to be done.
Until then, thanks to all of you who support us in one way or another, we are very grateful for all of you. We especially enjoyed receiving the e-cards!
God Bless You,
T, P & E.
We hope that you had a blessed Christmas time, and are perhaps continuing to enjoy the holiday season. For those of you surrounded by snow and ice, we are enjoying daytime temperatures of around 90F here! As you will know from our previous blog, the families and many of the singles are living about two hours drive from the ship. On Christmas Day we all travelled by minibuses to Durban port, and enjoyed brunch, a Christmas morning worship time (including Patricia and others playing handbells), and a wonderful Christmas dinner, South African style ; no turkey, but sausages and steak cooked on a brii (barbecue to us Brits)! I had managed to get a few mince pies though, so there was a homely touch. In all it was different, but very nice! Elliot enjoyed being back on the ship as he had not been there since June. Patricia had been on board briefly, and I have been working there during the week, and sleeping in our cabin (constant 92F, day and night...no A/C)! The biting, flying things semm to like it though, as I've been getting lots of bites there!
...some photos:
Patricia
Link to handbell photo
Next week teams of people will be starting to clean the ship, beginning at the top and working their way down. Having been in a shipyard for 5 months, and having had lots of metal cut, ground, welded etc, there's a LOT of cleaning to be done...and remember, there's a whole hospital on board.
We'll keep you updated on how all that goes. We're hoping that we'll all be able to start living on the ship sometime in January, but there's still lots to be done.
Until then, thanks to all of you who support us in one way or another, we are very grateful for all of you. We especially enjoyed receiving the e-cards!
God Bless You,
T, P & E.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
South of the Equator!
Well, we arrived in South Africa almost two weeks ago after about 30 hours of travel. We were tired after the journey, but excited to be back in Africa again!
We are staying in a Teacher Training Campus about two hours west of Durban. As you can probably see from the photos, it is way up (approx 1000m) in a mountainous region, part of the land where the Zulu peoples live. It is a truly beautiful area, with weather than rapidly varies from deep blue sky and 30C plus, to thick fog, or thunder and hailstorms!!!
I added the last one for those of you experiencing the snow in the UK; I thought you might appreciate seeing some sunshine and colourful flowers!
I (Tony) have been working on the ship currently in Durban dockyard, so have been 'commuting' at the beginning and end of the week. Next time I'll try and put some pics of the inside of the ship...there are cable and pipes everywhere, and plenty of projects to be completed. Elliot seems to be enjoying school; they had a science fair this week, and it partly featured lots of bugs, snakes etc that they had caught and identified..oh, and a very impressive smoke bomb! Patrica helped make the Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday (there being quite a few Americans here)...very yummy pumpkin pie!
We are very grateful to all of you who encourage and support us, and it was great to be able to spend time with many of you back in the UK. We look forward to being able to share with you what God is doing in us and through us in these incredible times!
We are staying in a Teacher Training Campus about two hours west of Durban. As you can probably see from the photos, it is way up (approx 1000m) in a mountainous region, part of the land where the Zulu peoples live. It is a truly beautiful area, with weather than rapidly varies from deep blue sky and 30C plus, to thick fog, or thunder and hailstorms!!!
I added the last one for those of you experiencing the snow in the UK; I thought you might appreciate seeing some sunshine and colourful flowers!
I (Tony) have been working on the ship currently in Durban dockyard, so have been 'commuting' at the beginning and end of the week. Next time I'll try and put some pics of the inside of the ship...there are cable and pipes everywhere, and plenty of projects to be completed. Elliot seems to be enjoying school; they had a science fair this week, and it partly featured lots of bugs, snakes etc that they had caught and identified..oh, and a very impressive smoke bomb! Patrica helped make the Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday (there being quite a few Americans here)...very yummy pumpkin pie!
We are very grateful to all of you who encourage and support us, and it was great to be able to spend time with many of you back in the UK. We look forward to being able to share with you what God is doing in us and through us in these incredible times!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Today
OK, so it's been a while, but I'm back again! Before I forget, check this link http://www.mercyships.org.uk/mercy-ships-itv, it MIGHT have PATRICIA on it, filmed by ITV (I can't watch it on-board, as the internet connection is too slow)! The crazy time that has been this year so far is starting to calm. My TO DO list is actually shrinking occasionally. God is here; I've seen Him work powerfully (read on and I will share an example). Right now, He's here too, but I can't see Him and He doesn't seem to be at work, and I need Him to!!! Still, crying out to Him is a Good Thing, I just need to see His way forward, something to hold onto and 'fight' with.
Anyhow; God at work example follows: last week we had a 4 month old little guy in the ICU who was really struggling to breathe after his operation for Cleft Lip. I was involved 'cos we just received a new Ventilator that would be able to help him, and everyone was running away from it 'cos it would be their first time of using it on a real patient (I'd trained them on a 'practice one'). So, I set it up for the Anaesthetist, and it started to work on him, things were slowly starting to improve to 'stable'. I went back to bed. Later, as sometimes happens with kids, he got worse...fast! For those that understand the numbers: Sats 60% on 100% FiO2 and sliding down the GCS (most people here don't even know where Glasgow is)! I know what it feels like to watch that happening; when Elliot was in NICU, I saw something similar once...until I got asked to leave as they didn't want his Dad in the way!
The staff here needed to radically intervene. Every trick in the book had been tried without success, so they prepared for an emergency intubation/trachy. Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Officer and the Anaesthetist sought the intervention of 'He who is able to do much more than we can ask or imagine'. They laid hands on him and prayed (probably not in the Intensive Care textbooks, in fact sadly prohibited in most European hospitals). A couple of minutes later, they just walked quietly out the room, while the other staff looked on, amazed. Sats 100% on air, full spontaneous breathing, and what would be described as a 'pink' baby...except that description isn't going to happen in Africa!! What did happen caused a seasoned NICU nurse and the Ward Supervisor to get on their knees on the floor of ICU, tears running down their faces, giving thanks to the Living God! The next morning the little guy went to the Post-Op ward, and is now home!
I will stop there; I need to call on He who is able...
Tony.
Anyhow; God at work example follows: last week we had a 4 month old little guy in the ICU who was really struggling to breathe after his operation for Cleft Lip. I was involved 'cos we just received a new Ventilator that would be able to help him, and everyone was running away from it 'cos it would be their first time of using it on a real patient (I'd trained them on a 'practice one'). So, I set it up for the Anaesthetist, and it started to work on him, things were slowly starting to improve to 'stable'. I went back to bed. Later, as sometimes happens with kids, he got worse...fast! For those that understand the numbers: Sats 60% on 100% FiO2 and sliding down the GCS (most people here don't even know where Glasgow is)! I know what it feels like to watch that happening; when Elliot was in NICU, I saw something similar once...until I got asked to leave as they didn't want his Dad in the way!
The staff here needed to radically intervene. Every trick in the book had been tried without success, so they prepared for an emergency intubation/trachy. Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Officer and the Anaesthetist sought the intervention of 'He who is able to do much more than we can ask or imagine'. They laid hands on him and prayed (probably not in the Intensive Care textbooks, in fact sadly prohibited in most European hospitals). A couple of minutes later, they just walked quietly out the room, while the other staff looked on, amazed. Sats 100% on air, full spontaneous breathing, and what would be described as a 'pink' baby...except that description isn't going to happen in Africa!! What did happen caused a seasoned NICU nurse and the Ward Supervisor to get on their knees on the floor of ICU, tears running down their faces, giving thanks to the Living God! The next morning the little guy went to the Post-Op ward, and is now home!
I will stop there; I need to call on He who is able...
Tony.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Is anybody There..are we here?!
OK, so we really want to make this blog thing work, so that means I had better restart posting stuff to it! Apologies for those who looked and were disappointed, but we will do better...you deserve that, faithful friends!
Wow, how time has flown...March 2010 already! The time we spent in Benin was often tough, but many people's lives were transformed one way or another. Here are a few numbers to give you an idea. Remember, each number is a real person, many of whom we talked to, smiled at, prayed with, or stood next to!
Known decisions to follow Jesus: 2,438!
Surgery for Blindness due to cataracts: 3,969
Face/neck tumour etc. removal/reconstructions: 996
Cleft lip/palate: 185
Obstetric Fistula: 184
General Surgeries: 1,161
Orthopaedic: 231
Dental Treatments: 22,066
Palliative Care: 604 hours
Also construction of a children's surgical centre, training of local surgeons, nurses, engineers, farmers, dental hygienists, and 33,851 pairs of glasses dispensed! Remember, each person is someone's son, daughter, husband, wife or parent..and there is no Social Services, no Disability Allowance or anything like that. It is no exaggeration to say that these people have been transformed...physically, spiritually, emotionally..our God is an awesome God!
Back in the UK, it seems the run up to the elections has started, even though the actual date hasn't been announced yet! Here in Togo, the elections were on Thursday. It seems there is always the possibility of crowds gathering etc, so we have been on 'restricted shore leave' for a few days. For this reason, we've seen a bit more of the dock than we otherwise might. To help you feel that you are here, here's a picture (the photographer used a 'fish-eye' lens to fit it all in, so things that are straight look curved).
What I can't help you imagine is the heat (35C), the humidity (high), the smell (don't ask), or the scurrying of rats and cockroaches! You don't like imagining that part?! OK, what else? Well, we have to walk or drive past two security gates (on the left) to leave. The first one has the typical 'bit of old rope' typical of African road barriers in these parts. There is also a guard; often asleep on a nearby mat. They have siesta here from 12:30 to 3pm...very sensible considering the heat at that time of day. The ship opposite was unloading phosphate (fertiliser) into bagging machines, and onto flat-bed lorries that sagged in the middle! Togo is apparently the 4th largest producer of that in the world, so next time you are sprinkling some on your garden, it might have come from Togo! The forklift truck drivers are just as scary here as anywhere else; except here they don't worry too much if the container or whatever is being carried sways precariously. Fortunately, the port authority put those empty containers down to separate us from such craziness; all of our patients walk along the dock, and our children have PE lessons on it, the little ones chalk-draw on it, and it is a recreation area for all of us who live on board the m/v Africa Mercy.
Just for comparison, here's a view of the Tenerife Opera House (and Elliot) where we were docked over Christmas:
...and here's one of him about to go and ascend an indoor climbing wall while there. We found a giant kid's adventure place that had two floors of impressive activity stuff; he had such a good time!
Meanwhile, back on the dock..............................................................
Now we are no longer operating on furry toy animals, but the people we came to Togo to bring Hope & Healing to. Lifechanging decisions are being made daily...sometimes difficult ones that need God's wisdom for sure. For example, a 14 year old girl was admitted for surgery on her legs. Routine tests found that she was actually pregnant (aparently she didn't know). The surgery normally needs a long General Anaesthetic, but this would be very bad for mother and growing baby. Spinal anaesthetic was considered, but in the end it was decided that she could not be operated on! This is, as far as we know, the only chance for this surgery she will ever have, so many hospital staff were quite upset by having to make such a decision. Thankfully, such things happen much more rarely than the times life-changing surgery can be carried out!
So, you ask, what have those Royston's been up to? Well, I (Tony) have been setting up the medical equipment ready for use after the sail. This involves the off-ship dental clinic (for around 10 dentists simultaneously), off-ship eye clinic, and the hospital on-ship. This included complete new anaesthetic machines for use in the operating theatres. They had travelled from Oxford (where they were made) to Texas, and on to Benin, where they were secured for the sail, and un-crated and commissioned in Togo! Not surprisingly after such a journey, they needed some adjustments, but are in use now.
Patricia is busy teaching English and Music in the school on-board. She is always walking around, being a friendly face to newcomers and 'old hands' alike. Elliot is learning piano, guitar, recorder and karate, and is doing quite well with them. He is also GROWING, which of course results in clothes that were one too long becoming too short!
I think that's it for now...next time, church, weekends, and 'a day in the life..'. Thanks for reading, and please tell others 'they're back online.'!
Wow, how time has flown...March 2010 already! The time we spent in Benin was often tough, but many people's lives were transformed one way or another. Here are a few numbers to give you an idea. Remember, each number is a real person, many of whom we talked to, smiled at, prayed with, or stood next to!
Known decisions to follow Jesus: 2,438!
Surgery for Blindness due to cataracts: 3,969
Face/neck tumour etc. removal/reconstructions: 996
Cleft lip/palate: 185
Obstetric Fistula: 184
General Surgeries: 1,161
Orthopaedic: 231
Dental Treatments: 22,066
Palliative Care: 604 hours
Also construction of a children's surgical centre, training of local surgeons, nurses, engineers, farmers, dental hygienists, and 33,851 pairs of glasses dispensed! Remember, each person is someone's son, daughter, husband, wife or parent..and there is no Social Services, no Disability Allowance or anything like that. It is no exaggeration to say that these people have been transformed...physically, spiritually, emotionally..our God is an awesome God!
Back in the UK, it seems the run up to the elections has started, even though the actual date hasn't been announced yet! Here in Togo, the elections were on Thursday. It seems there is always the possibility of crowds gathering etc, so we have been on 'restricted shore leave' for a few days. For this reason, we've seen a bit more of the dock than we otherwise might. To help you feel that you are here, here's a picture (the photographer used a 'fish-eye' lens to fit it all in, so things that are straight look curved).
Just for comparison, here's a view of the Tenerife Opera House (and Elliot) where we were docked over Christmas:
...and here's one of him about to go and ascend an indoor climbing wall while there. We found a giant kid's adventure place that had two floors of impressive activity stuff; he had such a good time!
What to do when the ships generators have to be turned off because the cooling water filters are blocked...have a barbecue until the power can be restored Good fun, but putting on the insect repellent has to be taken seriously unless you want Maleria!
Next..some hospital pics...as you see, Elliot has decided to leave school early and start working. Actually, in case you are worried, no he hasn't; he was just enjoying the hospital Open Evening (and, by the way, patients are not actually given coloured water when they need NG feeds)!
Now we are no longer operating on furry toy animals, but the people we came to Togo to bring Hope & Healing to. Lifechanging decisions are being made daily...sometimes difficult ones that need God's wisdom for sure. For example, a 14 year old girl was admitted for surgery on her legs. Routine tests found that she was actually pregnant (aparently she didn't know). The surgery normally needs a long General Anaesthetic, but this would be very bad for mother and growing baby. Spinal anaesthetic was considered, but in the end it was decided that she could not be operated on! This is, as far as we know, the only chance for this surgery she will ever have, so many hospital staff were quite upset by having to make such a decision. Thankfully, such things happen much more rarely than the times life-changing surgery can be carried out!
So, you ask, what have those Royston's been up to? Well, I (Tony) have been setting up the medical equipment ready for use after the sail. This involves the off-ship dental clinic (for around 10 dentists simultaneously), off-ship eye clinic, and the hospital on-ship. This included complete new anaesthetic machines for use in the operating theatres. They had travelled from Oxford (where they were made) to Texas, and on to Benin, where they were secured for the sail, and un-crated and commissioned in Togo! Not surprisingly after such a journey, they needed some adjustments, but are in use now.
Patricia is busy teaching English and Music in the school on-board. She is always walking around, being a friendly face to newcomers and 'old hands' alike. Elliot is learning piano, guitar, recorder and karate, and is doing quite well with them. He is also GROWING, which of course results in clothes that were one too long becoming too short!
I think that's it for now...next time, church, weekends, and 'a day in the life..'. Thanks for reading, and please tell others 'they're back online.'!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Another Year, Another Country
Well, half way through February 2009 already! Thanks to all those of you who welcomed us during our time in the UK, it was great to see you...and sorry we couldn't see everyone! We sailed for about 10 days and are now in Coteneau, Benin. We were quite busy on the sail, but unfortunately I (Tony) had brought along a soveneir from home...a nice dose of the 'flu! I still have a stinking cold, but am feeling much better apart from that.
So here we are in West Africa, we talk our first walk down the dock of the port after the customs officials had cleared us, and we see...a Safeway lorry with fresh strawberries painted on it! It was complete with local driver sleeping underneath, which is very common in the heat of the day in Africa, from what we've seen. Still, a strange reminder of home!
I must include a photo from Tenerife during our departure:
This guy welcomed us in when we arrived too, he played a great selection of Worship songs old and new. He has done this for each time a Mercy Ship has come to Tenerife, and it's very hard to put into words what it did for us in our spirits, hearing him play 'Great is Thy Faithfulness' as we left..an annointed, humble servant of the King!
Well, setting up lots of equipment at the moment..screening patients next week. More to follow!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
