Oh, this could really be a good life!

Now that I gave you a tour of the ship, here are some more of our adventures off the ship! One morning before work last week, Tammy and I went to find a local patisserie, La Citronelle, we had passed on our way to the market. We had a nice little brunch and ran into some fellow Mercy Shippers there!

Saturday morning we decided to go to the Gorge to hike. It is often described as a miniature Grand Canyon. It is beautiful. I remember flying in to Congo and looking down and seeing all of these gorges. There are multiple, they are miles apart by land, but from the air they spread for ages.

One in particular is a popular hiking spot for westerners. You climb down the wall of the gorge and hike through it until you reach the beach. But to get there, we had to first navigate finding a taxi that would a) take us there b) wait to take us back. We don't speak French. The negotiating had a rocky start as our few French words did not seem to be conveying the correct message. (I was just observing, because my French does not go past Bon Jour...)

After a few minutes of this, a man comes through the crowd and starts to speak English. Noel, one of our day workers and translators, was greeted with a cheer, which made the surrounding crowd that had gathered laugh. He negotiated with the taxi driver for us, and with a handshake, we were on our way!


In the mini bus, on our way!
The remnants of the gathered crowd

I was asked last week if Congo is beautiful. And until Saturday I hadn't left the city. Beautiful is not quite the word I would use. Crowded. Busy. Full of life. Full of fishy smells.

Driving away from the city though, this is the Africa I remember. And yes, it is beautiful.

 

The hike down was not too difficult, except for a few wrong turns :/, and we picnicked on the beach.

 

Bianca and I

Tammy and I- looking good, I know!

 

 The way back went much faster, until we reached the edge of the gorge. Which we had to scale to get back out. We all made it and collapsed at the top. We took a group photo and sat to wait for our taxi. And wait. And wait. Our meeting time came and went, with a "No worry, African time" from our African companions. They were right, the taxi came. Lessons in patience and trust.

 

 

Sunday morning I was invited to make brunch with a group. Excited much? I really didn't do that much, have yet to learn my way around that kitchen really well, and everyone was already working a job. However, I did set the table and make some scrambled eggs! There was so much food and it was delicious! Being in the kitchen working together with new friends, and then sitting down to enjoy our meal and get to know new people and their stories- food, it's what brings us together! Hopefully soon I will learn the ways of getting certain ingredients and be able to cook and share more!

This is Nutella- stuffed French Toast...

 

 

My aim is to get off the ship at least every other day. We do take our patients up to the deck every day, to breathe fresh air, for their sanity and ours! It's easy to go several days doing things on the ship and not leave. Even with all of these people here, it's possible to go through your day seeing very few people unless you are intentional. And this is what I would be missing!

This morning, Amy and I decided to go to the HOPE center. This is where patients are taken after their surgeries, when they no longer need the hospital but aren't quite ready to be as far away as their homes are yet. We caught a ride on a Mercy Ships vehicle, but when we arrived, there were no patients at the HOPE center. We were surprised, since lots of our patients have already left the hospital, but apparently they have gone home!

 

The good news was we could walk around the compound and take pictures, which we are not allowed to do when patients are there, and peek in all the rooms. It is a really nice facility. The rumor is that after we are done with the building, it will become a school for the deaf! This is also the sight of our dental clinic, so other Mercy Ships people were there- just so you didn't think we were all alone! We negotiated a ride back to the ship with them when they were ready, but we had an hour to kill.

So we took a walk around the village! Outside of the HOPE center walls is a school and a medical clinic, there were children everywhere :) On the main road, we found a lady selling vegetables and herbs. Amy had received avocados from a friend, so we were in search of things to make guacamole and salsa with! That is going to be our cooking adventure for the week! We continued just to walk and talk and take in all this place has to offer. Everyone greeted us and groups of kids would run up to us and hug us and shout "Bon Jour! Thank you!" at us. And they loved having their picture taken!

 

One last highlight of the week- amidst a difficult day in the hospital Monday (you can read Deb's story here, if you like, http://debsheartinafrica.blogspot.com/2013/09/dear-baby-girl.html), I did have a chubby, snuggly little girl that had a cleft lip repair. And I learned how to tie her on my back. (This was one of the main things I want to master while here :] ) Though it took about 4 people to get her on my back, while these mammas can do it with one hand. It made the whole unit laugh though, and that was what we needed that day. I walked around hunched over for a while because I was afraid she would fall out. All the mammas kept pantomiming that I needed to stand up. I did, and that baby stayed put- for 2 hours, since she fell asleep and we do not wake sleeping babies. Here, it is ok to admit a kid back from the OR with another baby on your back. This is Africa.

"Good Life" - OneRepublic