Hospital Open House and Fall Festival

Every year the hospital hold and open house.  It gives those who aren't fully involved with the hospital to see how it works, experience IV's, doing some surgery, emptying bed pans, you know all those medical type things that nurses and doctors so lovingly do on a daily basis.

We usually take Nathanael down and it ends up with us holding him because he is too nervous and likes to just watch.  Well this year he surprised us and got stuck in BIG TIME.  We even wondered whether he was our child.  It's amazing how 1 years worth of growth and experiences can change a child.  So naturally we encouraged him to dive in.

Learning how to insert an IV into a pretend arm

What it's like to be a patient and carry your IV bag around with you.

How to be a nurse and look after patients

Perform CPR

Check out the OR instruments

Be a surgeon

do a bit of blood work in the lab and check out the Malaria cells

and even see real blood.

Not bad for an evening full of work/play. To sum it up, here's a video of the action which we have a chuckle at every time we watch it.

Answer to Prayer-Long Term Chief's

Many of you have committed to pray for a while for a long term Chief Engineer and Chief Officer.  Well God has answered your prayers.  This last month we have now got two long term crew filling the positions.  Ananda has been working hard at passing his exams and after a time in Southampton, UK this year he successful passed and was able to be promoted from 2nd Engineer to take over as Chief Engineer.  Ananda has been with Mercy Ships a long time serving on various ships and having worked in Newcastle during the ship conversion, he knows the ship like the back of his hand.  So naturally Tim was been excited about him working alongside him.  He has a great heart for people and we are sure he will be an encouragement to his department.  Here is a clip of his commissioning into his role.

Tim was also very happy to hear that a another good friend had passed his Chief Officers exams after a year near Blackpool, UK.  Tim first encountered Jan on the Caribbean Mercy as the bosun and Tim was struck by his "dutchie" attention to detail.  We have seen Jan gradually work his way up and having also been involved with the conversion in Newcastle he had a head start in knowing how the ship works.  Jan and his family re-joined the ship in August and we are glad to have them on board again.

Please join us in continuing to pray for these Godly men as they help to lighten Tim's load.