Starry skies and flourescent plankton

This past weekend the Lord treated a very lucky group of us to the starriest of skies and a magnificent display of what He can do.

A group of us headed off to Bureh Beach for a weekend of camping and having fun for a friend's birthday. Bureh Beach of course lived up to it's reputation with clear beaches, swaying palm trees, good food, friends playing volleyball, crystal clear waves, dark jungle-covered mountains behind us and billowy white clouds. There is a small island across from the beach over that you can swim to if you've packed your sense of adventure with you. It's about a 15 minute swim and if you take it slowly and don't try to show off your strong swimming technique you can make it just fine, not even being tired once you get there! We walked around the tiny island jumping on the rocks around and eating this fruit that yes, it was brave to pick up and eat, but tasted like passion fruit and nobody bent over double afterwards. Or got any cases of what the Sierra Leonians call the fast-fast, which involves motion out the derriere at the aforementioned speed.

The beach boys, locals who pretty much take care of what you need food and drink-wise, cooked up some delicious smoked fish, couscous, tomato and onion sauce and crab. And a huge bonfire.

We were treated to a magnificent sunset, with a few of us lodged on a large rock overlooking the orange splendour as it set behind that tiny island, the rock warm from the sun and curved so it contours perfectly to your back.

But once the sun set, the true display began. The moon was a mere sliver so the stars came out in force, the full Milky Way on display. The only break in the stars came from the outline of the black palm trees. Looking down from the stars, a magnificent lightning storm broke over the horizon and continued for awhile, nice and far away so all we saw was the crashing light, and below us, the ocean lit with flourescent plankton.

A friend and I were walking in the dark on the beach when we noticed that the sand was sparkling. Running back to tell the rest of the crowd, most everyone headed off into the water once we realized that the plankton sparkles with motion. So general waterfights, twirling in the water, and back into the ocean we all go; it looked like a scene from the movie Avatar, where what you touch glows. Even the waves sparkled when they crashed. Those who opened their eyes underwater tell of a lit up land that you couldn't even see from standing in the water.

So it was starry skies above, lightning on the horizon, and sparkling waters beneath us. A true display of God's creativity. I giggled at all of us because we were really remarking that God loves us so much to put on such a show for us; we were with a group of Peace Corp people on vacation and they must have thought us nuts - maybe it entered into their consciousness that yes, "the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Ps. 19:1. It was impossible to ignore the unexpected beauty of the night and not give notice to Him who put it there.

One of my ship friends has a tiny tatoo of a star on her foot, and when I asked her about it she told me that to her, stars are just the most effusive display of love from God for us. He didn't have to put them there at all, He just did, and we get to enjoy it. Like every good thing that comes down from the Father of Lights.

James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Chispita de Chocolate

Baby Ali

This is the Snuffleupagus, or my favorite chocolate milk dud. Soooo sweet, this little fellow's mom has had an involved recovery from burn wounds, so us nurses have had loads of lovely cuddle time with baby. He's usually a very smiley thing, but we'd just gotten him up from a nap and passed him around for photos. Spanish is his narcotic, and the fastest way to knock him out for a nap is to just cuddle and start, "Cosita linda, mi chispita de chocolate de adonde sacastes esos ojitos de caramelo" and he's out!  

This is why I'm here

My hero, Mafula! Thank you everybody who has been praying for her the last few weeks since I last wrote on her. She is healing so much better than she was originally, infection at bay and she is keeping in good spirits. Bless you all for praying for her and asking about her. I told her about everybody who was praying for her at home and she was so touched.

How to not chase a Princess, Part II

    Wednesday morning we knew that Her Royal Highness Princess Anne was coming on board for a tour of the Africa Mercy. So, the stalking began. We ended up in the only allowed spot, which was deck 7 starboard, looking down on the docks to watch her arrival. Which was just fine. The captain came overhead to tell us again to please not shoot any personal pictures of the Princess, so we didn't but it backfired a bit 'cause absolutely nobody got a photo of the Princess onboard! Not even the official photographers were allowed to shoot! And I don't think her personal photographer is sharing his pictures on facebook, so I'm just going to have to describe!

The Captain came overhead to tell us to please not take pictures and hang around being a nuisance (not his words, he was kinder). He told us she would be here in under 5 minutes and as he switched off the intercom the sirens of her police escort could be heard making their way onto the dock. A couple of motorbikes led three white SUVs, the second of which flew a flag from it, so we could pick out in which one she was in. They pulled up to the gangway and stopped. A bevy of men hurried forward and her door was opened and out came HRH, followed by her husband and a group of people whom we surmised to be from the British High Commission, and some bodyguards. She wore a pale lavander dress and white gloves, and strode up the gangway to greet the Captain and have her tour.

Now, I didn't see her anymore, but I'm told by people on the wards that she did stop for a long time and chatted with nurses and patients, asked good, pointed questions about the patients and in general was a jolly good sport about the whole thing. She was gracious and also talked at length with our Sierra Leonian day volunteers and various people along her tour of the ship. She asked about them personally, if we treated them well on the ship, and about Sierra Leone.

Now, had I stuck with plan A to see her, which was, hang out in the midships area and I might get to see her up close, apparently was the winning plan 'cause she talked with several people in midships while passing through. I, however, had rejected plan A for plan B, which involved rapelling down the side of the ship in an effort to be taken down by 007 and at least getting a cross look from the dear lady. Sigh.

I've had "Hail, Brittania" stuck in my head for two days now.

Need I add that I didn't take these pictures? :-)

How to not chase a Princess

Today the ship is spic and span, newly waxed floors, walls washed down, carpets smelling clean, hospital washed anew, because Princess Anne is coming onboard! The eldest daughter of the Queen of England is here in Sierra Leone and is visiting the Africa Mercy.

Cue my brilliant schemes to meet her. To be promptly smacked down during the community meeting as our Operations Director read out the list of "thou-shalt-nots". Thou shalt not hang over the side rails of the ship. Darn it. Thou shalt not point high-powered cameras at her- the 007's might mistake that for a rifle. (Do you think my little point and shoot counts? And do I really look that threatening?) Thou shalt not line the hallways on her marked path through the ship. (Scratch plan number 3) Thou shalt not show up at her hangout spot unless you've been invited, and I've not been. Hmmm. I might feel a real need to go to the pool on deck 9 at a ridiculous hour of the morning, see if I see her pull up, from on high.

Not so great to be a princess though. In the area that she's going to be talking to people they've removed all the chairs. Poor lady's got to stand all the time. Apparently that's just protocol. Or, Frances suggested they might be bringing in special thrones or something :-)

Weeeee'llll seeeee!!! (skips for joy)

(The lady on the right)

"Comedy of Errors" or "How I shouldn't have bothered getting out of bed yesterday"

Some days I shouldn't even bother attempting the day, Carpe Diem be hanged. It's like you should have a heavenly signboard over your bed with warnings that post like facebook status update lines. "Good day ahead" or "remember your makeup!" or "don't even bother, stay put". Yesterday was a "stay put" kind of a day. It finally became comical and I had to laugh or I'd just cry...

So a rather largish group of us headed out to River No. 2, a gorgeous beach, to spend the day. It started out promisingly enough, one of our group,Mourad, having already arranged for a poda poda to meet us at the dock gate to take us. Usually finding transportation the most complicated part of getting around, so first challenge met. Mourad, who is Egyptian, probably grew up bargaining 'cause he was awesome... people don't take us for rides (figuratively) when he's around; we manage to pay a fair price... he probably grew up bargaining for his candy when little, really, he was great. So we all pile into the poda and head off. One hour into the trip, on the other side of Waterloo we hear a bang! and now this sounds weird. Poda pulls off to the side of the road. Breakdown Number One.  The tyre is smoking and something is off-center in the middle.

Out we pile from the poda, after all, it's Africa, you can expect at least one breakdown. We don't even bat an eyelash. If the driver can't fix it, he'll call a friend with another poda to pick us up, so no worries. Only he wasn't able to fix it, and after waiting on the side of the road for an hour figured out he hadn't been able to locate that friend. A woman walking past said there are podas 2 towns down, so we gamely head off down the road.

Did I mention it's all flowers and butterflies right now? Dozens of butterflies, lovely flowers blooming on the sides of the roads and thick, lush greenery.

So we march a couple of km past the town of York and almost reach the 2nd town when a mini-van taxi pulls up. Mourad whips out his mad bargaining skills.

Yes, this mini-van. Yes, we are a ton of people. Yes, we fit us all in. 3 people in the passenger seat, 5 in the middle, 5 in the back, 3 hanging out the back crammed like sardines, sweating profusely, singing songs, making up games and rather enjoying the adventures. After all, we'd had our token breakdown already so we're home free now, right? Wrong. Another bang! Breakdown Number Two, and a cloud of steam rising from under the hood. The picture is not uploading, so you're gonna have to take my word on this one. This is probably the reason why they have rules about not overloading vehicles. They can't go through trecherous terrain with 18 people squashed into a 8 seater minivan. 

So we jump out, walk a few more kilometers, the engine is now cooled and refilled with water, so we pile back in.  A few more kilometers and bang! You've guessed it, Breakdown Number Three. Behold:



At this point it's close to 2 pm, having left at 9 am on a trip that should take an hour and a half, tops. So we now hoof it the rest of the way, maybe another couple kilometers. To crash land on the beach, throw ourselves in to the ocean and an exhausted nap. We left around 5 pm to head back to the ship arriving around 7:30, now having waaaay missed dinner. But I did have a "There is a God" moment when my sweet, darling roommate Rachel noticed I wasn't back in time for dinner and saved me a plate. Having had a very similar experience the week before involving two breakdowns :-) she thought maybe that's what had happened to make us late. Thank the Lord for her! So I chowed down, regaling her with the story of our adventures, finally being able to laughing merrily about it. Food is good. I crawled back into bed with the realization I should never have left the bed in the first place, but it does make for a good story.

a lili Krio lesson

Krio is the main language in Sierra Leone, so I thought I'd share my nursing hit list of top sayings:

Me name na Lycia (my name is Lycia)

Nami na u nurse disnight (I'm your nurse tonight)

I do ken teki blud presah (I am going to check your blood pressure)

Ah do come put iV pa yu (I'm going to put an IV for you)

It is for watah en mereson in de vein (It's to put water and medicine in your vein)

U wan vomeet? (Are you gonna vomit?)

U do feel chuck? or Yu 'ead de turn? (Are you dizzy)

U no for wear nuting under de gown! (don't put your nasty clothes on under your hospital gown now that i've finally gotten you scrubbed off... awww. nuts. rinse, lather, repeat. )

U get for eat small small after de operation (Eat slowly after the operation)

Ah no understand. (my favorite line)

Whatina u age? Ah no believe yu, yu pass dat! (What's your age, I don't believe you, you're past that!)

Ah wan go eat. (Hungry!)

Ah get for learn bucoup (I have lots to learn!)

At the market:

Ou mus fod' material (How much for the material?)

D' material na 5,000 leones (It's 5,000 leones)

It too day, bring d' price dong (It's too expensive, bring the price down!)

Ah no JC (I didn't just come/ I'm not an idiot)    Love that one!