We left Durban, S. Africa on Feb 10th & arrived in the stunning city of Cape Town on the 13th and were able to stay a bit over 24 hours. We got off the ship and headed up to Table Mountain for a fantastic hike, and had a nice dinner that night. Fortunately it was a Sunday, so I was off duty from the cleaning team & could take advantage of a glorious day! Cape Town bid us good bye with a spectacular sunset and we headed N.W. for Sierra Leone crossing first the Prime Meridian and then, on Feb 24th, the Equator. We transitioned from (Slimy) Pollywogs to (Trusty) Shellbacks, but without the dreaded "Crossing the Line" ceremony.
I now realize how much work goes into a surgical ship outreach. As crew we don't all agree on everything, but whether we are stripping floors, serving/cooking meals, working in the engine room, on deck, or fixing the plugged toilets our efforts are all necessary components of the ultimate goal to bring hope & healing to those for whom otherwise it would be hopelessly out of reach. One of the crew members is from Sierra Leone. He had a large facial tumor removed at a prior Mercy Ship outreach and now he is helping us with our Krio (Sierra Leone language) and giving us insight to the culture. The country has been devastated as this crew member well knows, as he lost his father during the civil war.
I had my last day with the cleaning team Friday. The job has been very busy, but I had lots of fun with my cleaning partners. I did have to adjust my attitude, as I didn't know I would become a stripper for Mercy Ships; cleaning toilets & stripping floors is not something I am naturally drawn to. Thank God for the British influence of Teatime, because we had a daily tea break at 10am & 3pm. Next time you see someone doing housecleaning duties grab a rag or a mop & offer a hand.
I will now be working as the supervisor of the 10 Sierra Leone day workers who make up the cleaning team of the ship's hospital wards . I feel fortunate to get to work with the local people & learn from them. Kenny continues to see patients in the Crew Clinic, and review/modify some of the ship's medical policies & procedures many of which are outside of his ER background thus taking extensive research and thought as to how to apply these at sea, in W. Africa, and with 30-40 different countries being represented on the ship (Europe and UK's TB policy is different from the US due to their use of BCG immunizations, e.g.).
I am looking forward to seeing the land again & taking a walk. We had a few days early in the sail where the ship rocked & rolled causing us to walk like drunken sailors, crashing into walls & making sleep feel like a gentle roller coaster. We braced for some forcasted rougher waters but we have been fortunate to have smooth sailing.
Will post again sometime after the March 7th medical screening at the Freetown National Sports Stadium.
Florence's Wedding
The wedding was beautiful. There was a traditional wedding before the church wedding which is very symbolic. A calabash bowl is packed with a needle & thread to show the wife will take care of the husband's clothes, stitch them & keep the home, a bitter & a sweet cola nut symbolizing marriage has sweet & bitter times. A matt which shows that even in hard times, no money "to buy a bed" you don't leave your husband. These items are wrapped up in the calabash bowl with a white cloth which also symbolizes peace. The cloth is saved as a burial cloth I believe for the mother to symbolize her daughter was married when she dies. This bowl is brought when the husbands family comes to the brides house & knocks at their door & they say they have come to bring peace & they noticed a rose in the garden & wanted to pick it. Then they come in & they are given cold water. Then "false brides" greet the husband's family & they are asked is this the rose you saw & they will say no until the real bride appears. The calabash bowl is something that grows on a tree that is dried out & used for this ceremony. It is carried by a young virgin child on the father's side & given to the bride. I got this info from my day workers & another married woman here & I probably didnt get everything corrert but this is close I think. I love the symbolism & I think it is a wonderful tradition.
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