On Monday Olly, Sally, Noah, Anna and Libby rejoined the other Mercy Ship families at the austere Apellsbosch College (see photo which I took from the hill above) which the adults don't like but the kids do because it gives them opportunities to run around in the grounds, build dens etc, which they do not get on board the MV Africa Mercy. For the children, and Sally who is temporarily working in the school, the new term is about to start. Olly and other fathers are commuting daily by minibus to the ship in Durban where they are working alongside the dock workers to finish the installation of the new generators, the miles of wiring that go with it and a few other improvements. Hopefully this will be completed in about three weeks time when everyone will move back on the ship. Sea trials will take place on the journey to Cape Town (for a short goodwill visit), then the ship will sail up the Atlantic to the West African country of Sierra Leone, one of the poorest in the world and still trying to recover from a civil war fomented by Charles Taylor, of "blood diamonds" notoriety. Here the ship will give free medical care to the poor of Sierra Leone and Olly and Sally will return to the work they love, Sally as a speech and language therapist working with maxillo-facial patients and Olly as transportation manager of 30 Land Rovers and Toyotas, dive team leader, fireman and brakeman of lifeboat number 4. Here are a few of my favourite South Africa photographs.
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