set up

The last few weeks have been really busy, but fun.

I always enjoy the weeks that I get to work on deck.

Last week we had a team to help us set up for this outreach, a so-called Mercy Team. It was a great group that was very eager to work and full of energy. I got the assignment to set up two of the four tents that we use during our outreach with that team.

In the meantime nurses have been setting up the hospital and I was able to help a bit in the hospital too. All of a sudden things start looking like they did in the old days. Slowly but surely I am going back to being a nurse. Tomorrow we will welcome about 40 new nurses, so the coming weeks there will be a focus on getting to know each other, educating all new nurses, preparing for the open house event, finishing the last bits and pieces in the hospital and preparing for the screening.

 The screening will be held on Wednesday the 1st of February. I will probably be involved in the pre-screening, which is quite difficult, because it does include saying no to people. Please pray for this event, for all the people that will come and the crewmembers involved.

The last two weekends I have finally picked up my bike again and biked to the Ghanaian border. It’s about 20 km going there and coming back, so it’s a nice ride. Lots of people along the road express their surprise, adoration and support. It’s quite an event to see a white woman on a bike :-)

Last Friday we had our first dive of the year. Kind of like a dutch new year dive, but different in temperature ;-) It’s so nice to dive in Lome again. The visibility is a lot better and there are quite some big fish swimming around and even some beautiful corals.  

It’s a weird time I must say. A lot of exciting things happening and the return of old friends and colleagues has been great. On the other hand there’s the countdown towards my departure. It is weird to leave this ‘home’ and go ‘home’ again… I do know that God is on my side and that His plans are great, wherever my next ‘home’ may be.

Big hug &

Blessings

Maaike