The Africa Mercy as it is pulling into Liberia Dock, with everyone on the deck - wihc I could have been there.
The Anastasis and the Africa Mercy side by side - A sight that is so great to sea

The Africa Mercy in Blythe - ready to leave for Africa
Most of my old engineering buddies - I miss them loads (thanks for the photo Brenda Cole)
The Africa Mercy in Rotterdam - part way through its journey to Liberia

Update End of April 07

I know it was onlly like about 2 weeks ago but I thought I would send you are more upto date email with my coming and goings and more about the ship.

Well It is now the beginning of my 5th week of my DTS in Perth and the - So far we have studied the Character of God, Hearing God and Repentance/Forgiveness, Fearing God and this week is Relationships (with God and other people). These last few weeks have been some of most challenging, theologically I have ever experienced - but also the most amazing times.

My class is very mixed with Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Swiss, South Koreans, Thai, Malaysian, Danish, German and a fellow Brit. We have 24 people in our class in total with 5 staff. The base here is pretty huge with around 300 odd people here with so much going on.

I am also getting trained in plumbing here, as we have afternoon work duties and I am doing a bit of domestic plumbing around the place. I am liking it, but any of you Afria Mercy folk reading this - no I am not going to be joining the plumbing department!

Speaking about the Africa Mercy, everything is going great I hear. It has been moving between a few different docks picking up different suppliese and doing PR tours etc. I believe that they will be sailing in about 2 weeks to The Netherlands first then to the Canary Islands then finally to Liberia in about 3 weeks. I think the date to arrive in Liberia on the 21st May

Well I'll be back in touch soon with more updates.

Please keep in touch. I am sorry for the lack of professional quality going into these updates, when I get back to the ship I will do the usual funky graphics etc. but if you click the blue link below you'll see some photos posted on my blog.

Old update from First April 07!

Well this is the end of my second week at YWAM Perth, Australia.
Yes I am now in Australia, I have been meaning to update you guys sooner - well since Christmas but I lost my list of email addresses for you all and I was also in such a massive "I really don't have a clue what I am doing or where I am that I can't update you as I don't know whats going on myself!"

So yeah for those that don't know, or haven't checked my blogs or myspace pages - I am doing a Discipleship Training Course at the Youth With A Mission base on the West coast of Australia. Basically I was asked by Mercy Ships to complete a DTS to continue with working for Mercy Ships.

So yeah now I find myself in the lovely Australia climate amongst a massive mix of Aussies, Americans and Canadians on the biggest YWAM base in Australia. Australia is a pretty cool country, I am finding and their national sport (Aussie Rules Football) is a pretty amazing sport - it is always on TV here.I have had one week of lectures so far, and intense would be one word of describing my experiences so far! There is a lot of hard work to be done whilst I am here - I have a journal to complete at the end of every week telling of everything I have learnt that previous week and how I an use that to impact the society around me!

Just one last thing to write about my time here before I tell the exciting news about the Africa Mercy. I got to see Koalas and Kangaroos today!!! yeah!! they were pretty cool and I'll hopefully stick some photos on my blog of them soon.Right the Africa Mercy - it has sailed!!!! Yeah it's true. It went on Sea Trails last week and succeeded so it will be hopefully sailing to Africa in 4/5 weeks - with out me (obviously!). It has moved to a different dock and is now not restricted to the old shipyard and their rules - which means everyone is moving onboard and everything seems to be going great!

So that's a bit of a drastic update - probably what most of you weren't expecting but hey - my life is always full of strange changes.

Cheers People

And look out for my next email about what I am up to in Australia