A short video called "Beyond Tomorrow"

Click on the title above to open a window to view a 3 minute video aired on British TV during a show called, Beyond Tomorrow. This video was filmed over a year or two ago...now the operating rooms are almost complete and the equipment is being installed! This video also tells about how doctors will be able to give state of the art support to our doctors on location in West Africa to give the best care to those we serve!

First official lunch in the Dining Room of the Africa Mercy

Crew Mess
Originally uploaded by mathildamallinson.

Don and Deyon had an extended visit and joined the crew for the first official lunch (Brown Bag) in the Dining Room on the Africa Mercy. The chairs are borrowed from the International Lounge, as the Dining Room chairs are not yet in place. This picture is of Rodrigo (Brazil), Mathlida (South Africa), Anique (South Africa) and Rachel (UK) with Don Stephens (USA). (Left to Right)

We celebrated our 33rd Anniversary with a trip to York!

Rob and I wanted to just spend the day together for our 33rd wedding anniversary. We decided to take a short trip to York for the day and we had a truely blessed day! York is about an hour from Newcastle. We had weather that was about 80 degrees Farenheit and no rain! Another summer day, here in England! God is so faithful and good!



We'd like to share some of the highlights with you! We hope you'll enjoy the sights and history as much as we did!

June 2006 040
Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

The emblem of the City of York - depicts the symbol of a rose and reflects the city's more peaceful recent history.

The Wars of the Roses (1453-1487) took place when the armies of York and Lancaster fought each other on the battlefield. Then a war with France decimated exports and the city lost the wool trade that helped York become a centre of trade. When King Henry the VIII (1536-1539) confiscated and dissolved the monasteries, York's religious communities lost their power and many of the glorious buildings were sold and torn down or used for scrap.

Ironically, because of these changes in fortune, many of the city's most historic buildings were saved through the centuries due to the fact the city could not afford rebuilding programs that other towns were doing. Unlike in the United States where there are many styles of architechture used for buildings, the buildings here in England reflect the prominence of fortune during a specific period of history for the area.

Henry VIII established York as his seat of government in the north of England. Civil War erupted and in 1644, a Parliamentary army met the Royalist forces (York) at Marston Moor. The Parliamentarians won the battle and laid siege to Royalist York. When York fell, the intervention of Sir Thomas Fairfax prevented the city's fine buildings from destruction. As the 18th century came in, York was a peaceful and elegant city and the many beautiful Georgian buildings reflect that peace.

The Bar Convent - York

We left early to catch the train at 7:49 am to York from Newcastle. We arrived in York just before 9:00 am and decided to have a full English Breakfast at the cafe inside "The Bar Convent - York".

We need to explain that "Bar" in York means "Gate" and this is the oldest living convent in England founded in 1686, at that time there was persecution for Catholics in England.

The Bar Convent - York
Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

This Convent is now also a Museum of Church History and Heritage. A community of the "Congregation of Jesus" still lives and works at the Bar Convent. They also have a 17 bed Guesthouse and a beautiful cafe. The Bar Convent is near the Mickelgate Bar.

The buildings are Georgian and the community set up a boarding and day school for Catholic girls. They ran the school for 299 years before handing it over to the diocese in 1985. There is a beautiful chapel totally concealed from the outside of the buildings. As you walk through the entrance, there was an open courtyard, which is now a beautiful spacious entrance hall with a glass roof.

The Bar Convent entrance hall (previous courtyard) and the lovely tile floor! The windows look into the cafe.

A short visit to the Anastasis

Have you wondered what it would be like to be on the Anastasis for just a few weeks? Click on the title of this post (where the small lighthouse is) and you will visit with Erin. A young journalist on the Anastasis for five weeks, including the sail from Liberia to Ghana!

Anastasis Update

Our Advance Team in Ghana, began screening patients for Ophthalmic Surgery, together with a local partner Christian Eye Mission. The screening date for surgeries has been set for June 26. The surgeries will begin on the Anastasis, as the Africa Mercy will not be sailing until later this year. The Anastasis will continue in service until the Africa Mercy arrives in Ghana and is ready for service. The Anastasis will be retired after our arrival in Ghana.


Many of the Africa Mercy crew will transfer to the Anastasis and our first transfers of crew went to Liberia earlier this week. They arrived safely on board yesterday. Penny, one of our receptionists, was in this first group and is training to be the Head Receptionist in about a month's time.







This is a picture of Penny and Denise as the Reception Desk on the Africa Mercy was being installed. Here is a picture of the Reception Desk about a week later during the Commissioning service. It's beautiful!

Summer was here - Yesterday - for most of the day!

The British folks here tell us that summer comes for one day a year! Well...I must say that had to be yesterday! The weather was beautiful for most of the day! It was the first day we didn't have to wear a jacket in the middle of the day! Rob had on a short sleeve shirt and it was in the low 70's....just beautiful! Here's the official recap from the BBC:

"It was a dry day with sunny skies. Some patchy cloud did develop and high cloud made the sunshine hazy at times.... However,generally it was very warm or hot across the UK."

We went out walking about getting acquainted with living in a new location in Hebburn. We walked over and found the Gateway, a local Christian coffee shop. We also walked back over where near where we were living before in Jarrow and walked around the Viking Centre. We came across an outdoor display of "Country Line Dancing!" We could hardly believe it! The British people do have a fasination with anything "Western" or "Texan." We've included a couple short clips of the line dancing! Enjoy!!!


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Video Hosting - Upload Video - Video Sharing

Kate, Pam & Penny

Kate, Pam & Penny, originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

Kate, Pam & Penny on the Anastasis sailing from Liberia to Ghana!