Aprils Update (yes a little late)

(this is the text version of the latest update, you'll be recieving the full flashy colour attachement hopefully this weekend.)

DON’T WORRY I AM STILL ALIVE.

THINGS HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY HERE RECENTLY. BUT HERE IS APRILS UPDATE, IN A SLIGHTLY NEW FORMAT THAT HOPEFULLY EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO READ AND NOT TAKE THREE DAYS TO DOWNLOAD.

APRIL CAME AND WENT VERY QUICKLY. UNFORTUNATELY NO TRIPS TO DALLAS THIS MONTH. THE START OF THE MONTH THOUGH WAS VERY EXCITING FOR ANOTHER REASON THOUGH. WE HAD A COMMISSIONING SERVICE ON THE SHIP. WHICH MEANT THAT LOTS OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE TO THE PROJECT, MOSTLY SOME OF THE LARGE FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS OF THE SHIP REFURBISHMENT, WERE INVITED TO COME AND SEE THE SHIP AND HAVE A LOOK AROUND. IT WAS A REALLY AMAZING DAY AS THE SHIP DIDN’T LOOK LIKE A CONSTRUCTION SITE FOR ONE DAY AND ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE A PLACE YOU COULD LIVE AND WORK ON. SEE THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT TO SHOW ONE OF THE OPERATING ROOMS LOOKING OPERABLE.

ONE OF THE MAIN ANNOUNCEMENTS OF LAST MONTH WAS WHO WAS LEAVING THE AFRICA MERCY TO START OUR FIRST FIELD ASSIGNMENT IN GHANA ON OUR SISTER SHIP THE ANASTASIS. FOR THOSE I HAVEN’T EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO; BECAUSE THE AFRICA MERCY HAS BEEN DELAYED IN NEWCASTLE OUR OTHER SHIP IS GOING TO GO TO GHANA AND WORK THERE UNTIL THE AFRICA MERCY ARRIVES (THE DATE IS ESTIMATED AS OCTOBER 2006). ALL THE STAFF RELATED TO THE MEDICAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY ARE GOING AND MOST OF OUR HR DEPARTMENT ARE ALSO LEAVING. THIS MEANS THAT 1/3 OF OUR PERSONNEL HERE ARE LEAVING, TO BE JOINED FROM ANOTHER 200 STAFF FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE OUTREACH TO BEGIN, SOME FOR OVER 4 YEARS!

THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR ALL OF US, BUT ALSO A TIME OF ‘GOODBYE’S AND ‘SEE YOU SOON’S, WITH SO MANY PEOPLE LEAVING (INCLUDING MY HOUSE MA AND PA, SUSAN AND ROBERT) THERE ARE MANY CHANGES HAPPENING WITH OUR HOUSES, WE LOSE TWO AMERICANS AND GAIN A DUTCH WELDER AND A SPACE FOR A SHORT TERM CREW MEMBER.

ALSO IN APRIL I GOT TO TRAVEL AROUND THE SOUTH OF THIS FAIR ISLAND, OH I HAVE MISSED THE SOUTH (FINALLY LOCAL ACCENTS I CAN UNDERSTAND!). FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS I TRAVELLED TO BIRMINGHAM, WORCESTER, CHELTENHAM, CARDIFF, DEVON, OXFORD AND BACK AGAIN. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE OLD FRIENDS, WORK ON MY PARENTS NEW HOUSE, GO TO THE CELEBRATE CONFERENCE AND WORK ON THE PA AND SECURITY TEAM AND MOST IMPORTANTLY GO TO MY OLD UNI MATE MARTIN’S WEDDING. CONGRATS TO MARTIN AND RACHEL WILLIAMS.

THAT SHOULD BE ALL FOR THIS MONTHS UPDATE, BUT I’LL LEAVE WITH THE ANTICIPATION THAT I SHOULD HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT NEWS COMING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, SO KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR INBOXES. I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH A FEW PHOTOS FROM THIS LAST MONTH.

KEEP SAFE ALL,
VAYA CON DIOS

PAULUS