Hello Seattle

Well, I am home safe and sound. But before I write about that, I wanted to write about my last week in Africa.

Work was fine. It was hard to tell my regulars that I was leaving. Everyone was shocked and saddened. I had been there longer than most of the short term people stay. It was hard to leave Kendall, my dear friend and co-worker. Although I would spend a lot of time with her, it is different to not work with someone.

The last Saturday on the ship Kendall and I decided to go to a very nice local hotel that gave Mercy Shippers a really great deal. We walked there in the typically extreme African heat, only to discover that that were full. Our dismay was lessened somewhat because we arrived around the time some other Mercy Shippers were being turned away, and they gave us a ride to the Seaman's Mission. The Seaman's Mission is a hotel/pool that is cheap and close to the port. Our friend Kim Anna and her family were there along with other families from the ship. We were invited to a Mercy Ministries event the next day, which we accepted. It turned out to be a very good day.

How we felt about the hotel turning us away:

How we felt at the Seaman's Mission, especially since Kim Anna was there:

Sunday we went to church and met a woman who Kendall sort of knows through people from her home church in St. Louis. Too complicated to explain. But church was nice and three hours long. We got to go in front and talk about what Mercy Ships was doing in Togo. We had a soda with the pastor, and barely made it home in time to change and head out.

The Mercy Ministry we were invited to was a kids day. It is an activity put on by Youth With a Mission. Basically there was a time of playing and then the kids listened (with impressive attention span) to a Bible story. At one point during the play time, Kendall and I had about 10 to 15 girls following us as we danced. It was really cute. Overall, it was a great day and a wonderful way to spend my last weekend in Africa.

Parachute time:

This kid was very affectionate:

Jumping rope:

Kendall, Lyndsay, me, and a cute little girl: