Yes, sorry and all that - well, actually I'm not a bit sorry! - but I'm back rattling my collecting tin again on behalf of Mercy Ships. This charity operates a floating hospital ship mostly along the West African coast. When news spreads that the Mercy Ship is on its way, Africans carry their ailing relatives for days across country in order to be part of the enormous queue which forms on the quayside. I always say this but it is worth repeating - indeed, it is worth hollerin' from the rooftops - everybody on board the Mercy Ship, from the top surgeons down to the young lads and lasses who work in the kitchens, all of them, are unpaid volunteers! If you want to know what they do, here's one of them telling it in her own words:
A Galley Worker's View:
Biological Sciences graduate Lizzie Clegg (21) has recently returned from volunteering onboard the world’s largest hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, in Guinea. Lizzie has been onboard the Africa Mercy for over three months and has been volunteering in the ship’s galley cooking for around 400 people every day, as well as assisting the eye team in her spare time. Lizzie said, “I want to be a doctor and as the applications are so competitive it is really important to have some experience working with patients. I wanted to do something where I could actually help people. Mercy Ships provided a perfect opportunity to do that. I would work in the galley and support everyone onboard that way and then on my days off work with the patients. “I had so many amazing experiences on board. I really enjoyed going to the Hope Centre and playing with the children. The Hope Centre is a Mercy Ships funded project where they support local hospitals. This year part of the programme was to upgrade a wing of the Ignace Deen Hospital in Conakry, this means the hospital will be left with upgraded facilities when the ship leaves in the summer.
Once again this year a generous donor has offered to double any contributions made before Christmas, so please, just click on this link and it will tell you of several different ways to send a few quid - or bucks! - to the most cost effective charity of them all:
http://www.mercyships.org.uk/give-money
Other than that she is really cute, why is the on-looker not masked? It does not look like a dental procedure, and, if it were, the dentist would be in a different type of mask, anyway.
Posted by: Michael Adams | Friday, 20 December 2013 at 16:52
No, Michael, I think that is an eye procedure, they deal with a huge number of cataract operations, Ibelieve.
Posted by: David Duff | Friday, 20 December 2013 at 18:39
May find this link somewhat interesting. Dana Perino's (press secretary for G. W. Bush) experience aboard Africa Mercy this past summer.
http://danaperino.com/category/africa-articles/
Posted by: Up2L8 | Saturday, 21 December 2013 at 00:13
Na TYPICAL!
Lets argue about the photgraph!
How about discusing the actual work, and GOOD, they are doing?
Posted by: Furor Teutonicus | Saturday, 21 December 2013 at 07:02
Very many thanks for that link, Uppers, and I'm sorry you were consigned to the Spam Box - suddenly TypePad has become ultra efficient!
Now, now, FT, you really must give your grumpiness a break - it's Christmas!
Posted by: David Duff | Saturday, 21 December 2013 at 09:43
FT, I already gave them some money. I was just curious about the photo. Sorrrreeee!
Posted by: Michael Adams | Saturday, 21 December 2013 at 22:08
See, TypePad does care about you.
Posted by: Up2L8 | Sunday, 22 December 2013 at 06:32
Don't worry about 'FT', Michael, he's our resident 'grump' and the good thing is that if you are feeling in a bad mood and he leaves a comment you suddenly realise life isn't so bad after all! He even makes 'DM' seem quite sunny!
Don't mention bloody-bloody TypePad, 'Uppers', I am trying to post my Christmas card photo up here but I can't do it because TypePad doesn't 'speak' Microsoft - or something.
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 22 December 2013 at 08:51