Ramblings From around the world

2008-09-07T21:23:00.002-04:00

We are getting ready to start our Journey to Africa and hence we hava a new blog. We have already traveled across the USA and are making our final preperations for our "Gateway" class to begin. We will be in Texas for about 6 weeks studying the scriptures as well as ship safety training in our preparations for a life onboard a Mercy Ship. When we leave Texas we will be spending 6 months serving onboard the M/V Africa Mercy. The M/V Africa Mercy is a 499-foot 16, 572 ton ship. It is the world’s largest charity hospital ship. The purpose-built hospital includes six state of the art operating rooms, intensive care and ward bed space for up to 78 patients. Jen and I actually met while serving onboard the M/V Anastais which was replaced by the Africa Mercy.

We have made it to Washington

2008-09-05T19:19:00.007-04:00

We have made it to Washigton. But before we did there were a few more destinations.

We spent 4 days Kayaking and camping in the islands of Voyageur National Park. We saw baby eagles (fledglings) and lots of beavers and loons.

From voyageur we went to North Dakota, oh yeah. ND actually wasn't that bad if you like open space. We stopped and saw the two Albino Buffalos at the Buffalo Muesum in Jamestown, ND and then Continued our drive to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

While there we saw many more buffalo and I saw my first Prairie dog in the wild. It almost reminded me of the Painted Desert how there were painted pyramids.

The final stop on our journey across America was Glacier National Park. We saw Big Horn Sheep and Mountain Goats there as wel as some Glaciers soon there will be no Glaciers there do to climate change. But they will still call it Glacier National Park since that is how they believe it was formed.

Too many places to list.

2008-08-24T19:59:00.004-04:00

While in New York we visited with Seth and Kayanne and then traveled from my brothers place, north to Canada. We passsed the waters of the 5 Great lakes spending time on Lake Ontario, Lake Huron and Lake Superior. We Drove to Lake Ontario and had lunch and then continued driving until we reached the bruce penninsula. We spent the night there and woke up for a sunrise cruise (Ferry Ride) on the MS Chi-Cheemaun across Lake Huron.

Chi-Cheemaun means big canoe in the local tribal language. The front part of the "canoe" actualy opens up to allow vehicles to drive on.

Afterwards we spent the rest of the day exploring Manitoulin Island(the largest island within a fresh water lake) by foot and kayak.

The next day we drove off the island towards Lake Superior(largest fresh water lake by surface area in the world). Then we explored the Pictured Rock National Lakeshore by foot and almost by kayak but the waves were at 3-4 feet crashing against the rocks so we turned back and took the 38 mile, 2.5 hour sunset cruise to see them instead.

The next place we visited was the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. It was very similiar to Pictured Rocks but the waves were again 3-4 feet crashing against the rocks. We did take a hike along the rim which had random drop offs into the lake. We saw some kayakers but they had all decided to turn back.

New York AKA (Family Reunion)

2008-08-18T21:25:00.008-04:00

We went to my family reunion in New York it was the first time in 5 years that my entire immediate family was together. Now there are quite a few new additions. My wife of course being one of them and 4 new neices. Below are the before and after pictures. Abbey was techinical in the before picture though you may not see her.

August 2003 - Five years Ago

August 2008

Neices - Abbey(4), Arreil(2),Makayla(1.5), Katelynne(2)

Pennsylvania Journey

2008-08-18T20:47:00.006-04:00

While we were in PA we visited with some of my friends from Houghton College and with Thom from Mercy Ships. We enjoyed the time we spent with all. Houghton Friends and Future Alumni.
Thom and the loaded Truck

We also went to the Hershey Chocolate factory it was difficult to get Jen to leave I almost had to bribe her as you can see below..

The Journey has begun.

2008-08-10T11:03:00.007-04:00

Jen and I have decided that we are going to return to Mercy Ships for 6 months. We left our home in NC and started our journey north through Washington, DC. We visited with some friends there (The Brown's and Maggie). While there we went to the New Air and Space museum

After leaving DC we went Gettysburg

and Lancaster County(Home of the Amish) notice the baby buggy seat(car seat).

We also stayed one night in gordonville just for fun..

Kimberly's Wedding

2008-05-22T11:29:00.005-04:00

On May 3rd we went to Kimberly and Joshua's Wedding in Edisto Island, SC. It was a lot of fun and we were able to see some friends from the Ship. Yashira, Eric, The Schirduans, and of course Kimberly. It was a beautiful Wedding.

Mama Ronnei Visits NC

2008-05-08T20:01:00.006-04:00

These are a few pictures from when our Mom(Jen's) visited us here in North Carolina. We enjoyed traveling up the Outer Banks, luckily our ferry did not become one of the permanent residents of "The Graveyard of the Atlantic" as the region is commonly known. More than 2000 ships have sunk along the coast of the Outer Banks.

Before return to our house from the Outer Banks we visited the Roanoke Island Festival Park. It is a reenactment of the eighteenth century settlements from England, to the USA. While there they demonstrated how they built the houses and showed us a working eighteenth century ship "The Elizabeth II".

Christmas Newsletter

2007-12-22T00:54:00.000-05:00

To read newsletter double click on it.

Sunset Paddle

2007-12-21T21:49:00.001-05:00

Here is a recent picture of jen kayaking in front of our house. There was absolutly no wind.
Hence the reflection and excellent bottom visibility.

Maggie Visits

2007-10-25T19:16:00.000-04:00

Maggie and her parents came to visit North Carolina and us a few weeks ago. Here are some of the highlight pictures of the visit. There are pictures of a Bay Scallop(the one wiht all the eyes), Knobbed Whelk, and a Banded Tulip. All pictures were taken within sight of our apartment.

Brother visits.

2007-10-14T12:22:00.000-04:00

My brother Ray and his family visited NC last weekend here are a few pictures of my neices from that day..

Post #100

2007-09-15T20:41:00.001-04:00

This is official my 100th post it is only about 2 months late..

Here is the picture of us entering NC. Hopefully I can post more frequently now that we have more relable internet service..

Here is a picture of the water by our house during The Perseids Meteor Shower.

The meteors were plentiful my shutter speed however was not. So, i was unable to capture any of the meteors we saw (about 100)

Finally in NC and online.

2007-07-14T22:31:00.000-04:00

Okay so I am finally back on line. It has been a long time but it is here. Jen and I have moved into our new apartment and I have returned to work. But I am still behind with pictures so there will be a few more slightly out of sequence. Like the Smoky Mountains.

From the Smoky Mountians we traveled up to NY for Seths(Friend from College) wedding.

While on the way to NY we stopped in Virgina to see Georganna

and spent the night in the Shenadoah National Park

The Ozarks

2007-06-23T12:36:00.000-04:00

We spent 2 days in the Ozark National Forest. The first day we went otthe Ozark Folk Center State Park. The Park is basically a old fashion village. Life in the village is lived simply, the way it was 200 years ago.

The next day we went to Blanchard Springs Caverns. It is part of the Ozark National Forest. The cave was very simialar to other caves i have been in with a few exceptions. There was a giant stalgmite ship clinging to the wall and an elevator to enter the cave. The cave actually as its name implies has a spring that flows through it year round. The spring is big enough for divers but of course is not allowed(something about protecting the resources). In the picture below you can see the waterfall exiting from the cavern.

Tennessee

2007-06-21T17:05:00.000-04:00

Jen and I spent two nights inTennesse. While in TN we were able to see most of the usual tourist traps. Starting in Memphis we only went to the water front and the visitor center.

Then hopped back into the car and headed for Nashville. We went to the Parthenon and the Grand Ole Opry and visitied the Capital Building and took in a few other sights that make nashville Music Capital USA. Below is a picture of Jen and few Country Music Greats.

2007-06-11T22:54:00.000-04:00

The last few days were Driving Days so here are some of the states we passed through mostly with few stops.

The Petrified National Forest

2007-06-11T22:11:00.000-04:00

The Petrified National Forest is actually no longer a forest. I don't think that it ever will be one either. The wind was very strong ranging from 30 to 60 MPH while we were there. The wind is still uncovering the fossilized trees as well as other fossils. All 50 States have some Petrified wood to be found.

Following is a list of the elements that replace the wood in the petrifing process and the related color:

carbon - black
cobalt - green/blue
chromium - green/blue
copper - green/blue
iron oxides - red, brown, yellow
manganese - pink/orange
manganese oxides - black

Walnut Canyon National Monument

2007-06-11T10:34:00.000-04:00

Jen and I Visited Walnut Canyon National Monument on our way out of Arizona. The Singua Indians lived in the sides of the canyon. The word "Sinagua" is a contraction of the Spanish words "sin agua," or, "without water," which is very fitting for a culture that thrived in the desert. For more info on the Sinagua Indian culture go Here

Meteor Crater

2007-06-10T23:26:00.000-04:00

"Meteor Crater is the best preserved impact crater in the World" - NASA . Below is a picture of a fragment of the Meteor. Most of the Meteorite vaporized and splintered into millions of little peices. The peice shown weighs in at 1406 pounds or 7 of me.. it is only a 3-4 foot splinter of the 80 foot meteorite that hit and created the Crater in less than 10 seconds from first enter atmosphere. For future meteor predictions and possibilities NASA is monitoring and publishing their findings Here...

Goodbye Grand Canyon Hello Sedona

2007-06-10T22:55:00.000-04:00

This is my final post from the Grand Canyon. Actually we are already in TN. However my blog has fallen behind so I will try to keep updating it until it is current once more.. These are some pictures from when my Cousins(Gordon,Beth & Jason visited Jen and I, at the Grand Canyon. While there we also went Bedrock the home of none other than Fred Flinstone. Of course I had a Bronto Burger at the Bedrock diner. We also took some pictures with Dino...

After the Grand Canyon Jen and I went to the town of Sedona, Az..
It was also voted the number 1 place in America to visit by USA Weekend Magazine. Sedona is known for its beautiful red rock formations. As you can see in the pictures below..

This one is called "The Cathedral" it is the most photographed mountian in the USA. or so they claim : ) However I have no proof but can understand why.

South Rim Grand Canyon

2007-06-08T11:19:00.000-04:00

Jen and I then went to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon . While there we were able to hike a few trails and watch a few sun sets. Below is a picture of a few furry friends along the way.

Most nights while in the Grand Canyon we would pick a spot with a nice view,(pretty much everywhere) and watch the sunset while cooking and eating dinner. Which can be seen inthe next two pictures.

I still have some more pictures from the Grand Canyon to put up but for now here is one more this is of the watchtower.

Grand Canyon

2007-06-07T11:13:00.001-04:00

Here are a few pictures from the
Grand Canyon's North Rim..

And here are a few pictures of the California Condor. At one point there were only 22 California Condors left in the world. Through a Captive breeding Program there are now about 300 being closely monitored in the wild. For more information Go HERE

The Glen Canyon dam

2007-06-07T10:30:00.001-04:00

The Glen Canyon Dam was created in 1963 on the Colorado River just upstream of the Grand Canyon. Lake Powell was created by the dam and actually flows into Utah. This is also close to where we switched into Arizona from Utah.

Now to Zion National Park

2007-06-03T00:06:00.001-04:00

When we arrived in Zion the first place we went was Kolob Canyon. While there we were able to go on a hike and saw many different lizards and a canyon tree frog.

The next day we day we hiked to the Emerald pools and to a bunch of other cool places.

Our last day in Zion we hiked The Narrows and Orderville Canyon. The narrows is a slot canyon that is prone to flash floods and was a lot a fun for cliff jumping. Orderville Canyon meets the narrows at Wall Street. So after hiking up the narrows we hiked up Orderville Canyon.

Yellowstone Continued

2007-06-02T19:20:00.000-04:00

Here are a few more pictures from Yellowstone. This is the Yellowstone River and Yellowstone Falls. Most of Yellowstone is actually in Wyoming State. There were many other waterfalls in Yellowstone here are some of them..

Bison were everywhere we went in Yellowstone.

Bears on the other hand were hardly seen.

We also saw many other animals while there here are a few of them.

And no trip to Yellowstone would be complete with out a picture of Old Faithful.

Yellowstone Has Begun

2007-05-29T00:06:00.000-04:00

We spent our first day in Yellowstone National Park. at Mammoth Hot Springs. Above are pictures of Canary Springs my favorite from mammoth.

A Lodge Above the Rest

2007-05-28T23:51:00.000-04:00

This is the first placed we stayed on our Honeymoon in Gardiner, Montana.
A Lodge Above The Rest was just that. It was set way above all the other buildings in Gardiner. We drove up a dirt trail for about two mile before ariving at our cabin overlooking Yellowstone National Park and Mammoth Hot Springs.. This is the cabin HERE that we stayed in for three
nights while exploring Yellowstone. Below is the view of Mammoth from our Porch and a Mountain Bluebird.

Manito Park Before the Wedding

2007-05-28T23:02:00.000-04:00

This a collection of pictures from Manito Park a couple of days before our wedding. We were in Spokane visiting The Spokane Gardens. Above is the bridge from the Japanese Gardens and random candids of friends from around the world..

2007-05-26T13:24:00.000-04:00

Our Honeymoon has begun.

This is the first state we went to on our honeymoon. I really enjoyed the snow as you can see from the picture. We only drove through Idaho. Our first destination was A Lodge Above The Rest. It overlooks Mammoth Hot Springs and Yellowstone National Park...
More to come latter.

2007-05-22T21:24:00.000-04:00

I am officially married.
Here is your first picture of Mr & Mrs Gordon Keesler Jr. I will be posting more pictures when I recieve them from our photographer but while you wait here are some self photo's of Jen and I...For a challenge try to figure out which 2 pictures of the 12 were not taken by me. Good Luck Click HERE to See the Photo's

Dowry?

2007-05-13T19:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, So it wasn't actually a dowry. But that probably got your attention. It was an early wedding gift for Jen's dad from her and I. Dowry is done a little bit differently. Many cultures still practice this tradition in varing ways. All I know is that Jen's dad appreciated the addition to his herd.

The Circus.

2007-04-29T22:07:00.000-04:00

A few weeeks ago the Cole Brothers Circus came to town. I was off work and actually able to go. It was a lot of fun and the acts were impresive.

Woccons Build Tent

2007-04-04T20:11:00.000-04:00

This is the tent construction process
I use to build a tent at camp..
It only took nine days for a group of eight 12-15 year olds to build this tent.

Kayking in Bogue Sound

2007-03-13T23:22:00.000-04:00

Today I went Kayaking. I paddled from Camp down to Bogue Sound and then crossed the sound to Indian Shores. On my return trip I was very fortunate to be surounded by a pod of about 15 dolphins. The dolphins were feeding all around me. The closest they came to me was about 1-2 feet. They even swam under my kayak. Also on my way back to camp there were lots of fish jumping out of the water..

I am now in North Carolina

2007-02-11T14:24:00.000-05:00

I am working with Eckerd Youth Alternatives still. However, I am at a different camp. Camp E-Ma-Henwu it is located inNewport, NC. It is really close to the southern Outer Banks area. I will be working here until early May when I am going to head west to get married..

More Pictures of New Years Eve

2007-01-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

Here are some more pictures from New Years Eve in Boston.
There were many ice sculptures throughout the City. And Jen was able to make some new friends she liked the train the most. Oh yeah and NO I am not a Patriots fan. I just like the sculpture. One of the Places we went to included the Bull and Finch Pub. It is the location of the real "Cheers".

Below, Is an elaborate sculpture titled Oyster Catcher.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years

2007-01-02T00:06:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from Rhode Island.
Jen decided to come visit me for Christmas and New years. However she ended up spending 3 days in Denver Airport, So I had to pick her up in NY City instead.

As you can see from the picture Jen and I are now engaged I asked her to marry me on Christmas Eve and She said, yes. Above, You can see my Grandma holding my neice Makayla (not sure yet on the Spelling). She was 5 days old at the time. I am holding another one of my neices Arreil.

Jen and I spent New Years Eve in Boston with our friend Eric.

Thanksgiving at Camp

2006-12-15T23:14:00.000-05:00

For some reasopn beoynd my control when I upload this picture it rotates. But anyways Thanksgiving at camp was fun. We shot off rockets and had the Annual "Turkey in the hole". I have been really busy with Work so my blog is suffering. But i Will be posting again probably in about a week. Jen is coming to visit for a couple of weeks startingthe 20th.. I think it will be a great Christmas.

More pictures from Washington

2006-11-08T13:37:00.000-05:00

Marymere Falls was one of the waterfalls Jen and I visited while exploring Washington. Unfortunetly all the waterfalls we visited in Washington were glacier fed so they were ice cold. I only went in up to my knees and then they were numb. I am now working in RI about 100 hours a week at camp. Mostly, I have been finishing the winterizing of the tents with groups and preparing for the annual Thanksgiving party day. Every year we have a huge bonfire and cook about 8 turkeys underground. Then we have a fancy dinner and invite judges and social workers to spend the evening dining with the campers and staff.

My Truck Is Fixed

2006-10-24T14:47:00.000-04:00

I have finished fixing my truck for now. As you can see it looks really good on the outside however the inside still needs some work. There are a few minor cosmetic things to fix still as well. Example would be the mosquito that landed in the paint while it was drying still needs to be sanded out. Anyway I am now in Exeter, RI. I decided to return to work at Eckerd Youth Alternatives until at least Christmas.

I am planing on going to play ultimate Frisbee tonight. I will start working as soon as my FBI background check clears. Don't know what they will find since, I wasn't even in the Country.

Meet My Truck

2006-10-13T23:06:00.000-04:00

This is my truck before I left for Africa.
And this is what it looked like when I returned a year later.

My brother rolled it on the way back from droping me off at the airport. I have been working on fixing it up for the past two weeks and should be finishing early next week. So far, I have tore out the entire dash, steering wheel, ignition, radio, heater, glove box, and other small things to find about 20 wires melted together.

For some weird reason this picture rotates when laoding? I also welded, and bondo the new used fenders. Replaced the drivers door switching all locks and wiring from within. Replaced the locking mechanism from the lift gate and a bunch of other things. Needless to say I am almost done. All I have left is to sand and paint. I am still looking for a new used drivers seat and I still am trying to fix the display on my radio. It has never worked consistently.
My brother Ray who is a auto body repairmen and mechanic has been guiding and helping me along the way..

Keep checking for more pictures of my truck as it nears completion and for my future plans(whenever I figure them out).

Jens Birthday

2006-10-08T23:41:00.000-04:00

Today Jen turned 30. Unfortuatly I had to start and stop celebrating it 3 hrs before her since I am 3,000 Miles away :(

I am back in NY Now

2006-10-07T18:15:00.000-04:00

I spent about a week and a half with Jen touring western Washington and then flew back to Stay with my parents. Some highlights of Washington include the Pacific Ocean, riding in a Police Car, the Olympic Rainforest, the San Juan Islands, a bunch of waterfalls and other cool Hiking Trails. I will be posting pictures as I process them. Things are more difficult now. I only have dial up Internet. Look back for more pictures here later.

Now, I am rebuilding my Explorer. It needed a lot of work. So it will probably take me another week and then I am unsure what comes next.

Today, I went to Houghton College for homecoming. I saw Most of my Volleyball Team here Surprisingly.. I also was in the parade. I rode on the Fire Truck (I know every little Kids Dream). I was the one throwing candy.
)

Goodbye Africa, Hello America.

2006-09-22T15:10:00.000-04:00

My time in Africa has been completed for now. I am currently in Washington State, for about a week and then I will be heading to NY and figuring out what comes next...

Sterkfontein Caves

2006-09-22T13:53:00.000-04:00

Sterkfontein Caves is one of the most productive palaeoanthropological sites in the world. It is part of the "Cradle Of Humankind" World Heritage Site. South africa has 7 World Hertiage Sites and I have now been to 4 of them. The USA has 20 and I have been to 4 of them as well. Inside the cave they have found remains of fossils that they believe bring linking humans to apes closer. This also was the last touristy thing of our South African adventure.

From The caves We went to visit Lance and Lisa Peppler, as they had just returned from Hawaii on their honeymoon. We stayed one night there and then flew to The USA..

Daniell Cheetah Breeding Farm

2006-09-16T12:29:00.000-04:00

The final day with Sharon we spent at the Cheetah Breeding Farm. They raise cheetah's to be released into the wild at the farm. We were able to go into the cage with two adult males, that are used for breeding and pet them. But we couldn't get close to any females or babies since they will be released. I also saw a Springbok (The National Animal of South Africa) there. Jen and I, then hopped on a double decker greyhound for 17 hours back to Pretoria.

Welcome to the Garden Route

2006-09-14T02:27:00.000-04:00

We spent the last few days exploring the Garden Route with Sharon. We traveld to Jeffrery's Bay(Surf Capital Of South Africa), Cape St. Francis and then to Storms River Mouth in the Tisikamma National Forest. We hiked to a water fall on the Otter Trail as you can see below.

The next day we went to Monkeyland, Birds Of Eden, and the worlds highest bugeee jump. Overall we were really busy.

Cintsa

2006-09-09T08:13:00.000-04:00

Well still no good internet But all is well here. Jenn and I spent the last three days at buccaneers. Tidepools, Kayaking and Surfing have taken up most of my time. Cintsa is such a relaxing place, it is about 5 minutes from Inkenqwesi for all those who remember where that is.

Tonight, Jenn and I, will go and meet Sharon and spend some time with her.

Durban for a night

2006-09-09T08:07:00.000-04:00

We stayed in Durban for one night, after leaving BIB's in St Lucia. However, since leaving I have had very poor internet connections and right now can only put in text.. Sorry all you picture lovers. I will put in pictures where they belong latter..

But more importantly A legend and Icon of Australia, died. Steve(the Crocodile Hunter) Irwin was stung by a sting ray while filming on The Great Barrier Reef.

The Greater St Lucia Wet Land Park

2006-09-03T04:21:00.000-04:00

The St Lucia Wetland Park was a great 4 days we spent the time enjoying sunsets and hippos and crocodiles. There were many unusal signs there as you can see below.

I may add more pictures here when I get home..

Coral Divers

2006-09-03T03:39:00.000-04:00

The third vacation destination was Coral Divers. We spent 5 days diving and enjoying the beauty of the southern most coral reef in the world. I also took the Open Water Diving Class. So, now I am official allowed to dive to 18M. This was also my first underwater photography session. The weather was bad for the first four days. We had swells of about 4 to 5 meters. They made for exciting diving but poor visibility. Visibility was poor for the entire time we were there at about 7M normally it is about 20 - 30 M.

Sudwala Caves

2006-09-01T13:28:00.000-04:00

Our second vacation destination was Sudwala. We spent two nights in a time share at the base of Sudwala Caves. One picture can not show how big this cave system is. Above is very small part of the caves called Fairyland. It is only about three inches tall(the reflecting pool makes it appear bigger).

Kruger National Park

2006-09-01T12:57:00.000-04:00

I seem to have recovered rather quickly from malaria. The first vacation destination Jennifer and I went to upon arrival in South Africa was Kruger National Park. We spent four days in the park, seeing all it has to offer with Mark and StephanieBrown(Mark was my roomate and Stephanie was Jenn's onboard the Anastasis). Below are three postcards I made using some of the pictures I took of the wildlife. One of the most exciting encounters we had was a stand off between hyaenas and hippos at our first water hole.

After Kruger we traveled with Mark and Stephanie To Sudwala..

Good Bye, Ghana. / Hello, South Africa.

2006-08-21T12:05:00.000-04:00

Today I am leaving the Anastasis, which I have called home for the past 14 months. I finished up my last week here with another great game of how long does it really take to get rid of malaria. I think I had it for two weeks but really only about 3 days (if you ask I will explain more). We also had lots of fire and lifeoat drills and a Wedding Engagement. So, next time you see Drew or Laura be sure to congratulate them on their upcoming wedding on Dec 16th..

Jen and I will be departing for South Africa and then to the USA. So prepare.

In case you missed what I saw last time in South Africa here is a little taste...

Ada Foah Sunset

2006-08-15T15:55:00.000-04:00

View from my hut.. Need I say more...

Ada Foah (New Estuary Beach Camp)

2006-08-10T17:36:00.000-04:00

Ada Foah is the most relaxing place I have been in Ghana so far. The New Estuary Beach Camp that we stayed at is rustic but great. I spent about $25 for the entire weekend. Below is a picture of what the huts looked like we stayed in. The huts are on a delta about 5 meters from the Volta River and 25 meters from the Alantic Ocean. More pictures to come later.

Fire Drill and Cataract Surgery

2006-08-09T17:39:00.000-04:00

I was planning on sleeping in today, since I was off work. However, I was awakened by a fire drill. So, I ran to my Fire Station and suited up. The drill took about 1 hour, during which Micah and I, carried two victims out of the fire... Fire drill pictures by Debra Bell (She is one of the Ship's Photographers.)

This afternoon I watched Surgeries in the Operating Room. I watched a cataract removal, a tumor removal, and a neurofibroma removal. To Learn more about Cataracts Go Here.

Tagbo Falls / Wli Falls / Mt. Afadjato

2006-08-06T19:50:00.000-04:00

Day 2 of the 3 day journey involved a lot of hiking. We hiked to the top of Mt Afadjato first then hiked to Liate Wote and into Tagbo Falls. Mt Afadjato is the "highest mountain" in Ghana at 885 meters. It took us 30 minutes to get to the top it was mostly straight up. From the top we could see our next destination cascading down the mountain side. You can see Togo in the background we were only 3
Km away from the border. After a hard day hiking we enjoyed a great sunset from our taxi who finally returned to pick us up. He had a flat tire and was 1 hour late.

Day 3 began again with a lot of hiking. It was about a 1.5 hour hike to the base of Upper Wli Falls, the path was more difficult and steeper than the mountain the day before. Wli Falls is considered to be the "Tallest in West Africa" consisting of a series of drops and cascades that combine for about 400 meters of total drop in about 30 meters of distance traveled. Their are two big drops the Upper Falls(about 40 meters) and the Lower Falls(about 50 meters) .

Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary

2006-08-02T18:42:00.000-04:00

Tafi Atome is the first place we stopped on our three day journey into the Volta Region. The Village is home to about 300 Mona Monkeys. The monkeys still exist here due to the belief that the monkeys were messengers to the Gods. However, as the villagers lost their reverence for the animals due to an erosion of traditional beliefs by Christianity, they began to destroy the forest and all the monkeys that lived within. In 1993 NGO's established the Monkey Sanctuary to protect the now endangered Mona Monkeys for tourism. The Villagers now lead tours thru the forest. They also demonstrate the ways of the village including Kente Weaving. The Kente cloths take four hours to make one yard that is only 4 inches wide.

A Day At Work

2006-07-27T15:21:00.000-04:00

I have been working inside A6 this week. A6 is one of the many fresh water tanks onboard the ship and holds 68 metric tons of water. We are cleaning out all the rust and then we are going to put a new layer of cement on the inside. To get inside the tank is the most challenging part. I had to climb up behind the door crawl through the tank top and then down a rope ladder into the tank. We have had 5 people woking at a time inside it most of the week. Notice the emergency air tank, and portable gas dectector, very important for our safety, since it takes about five minutes for us all to get out of the tank.

Patient Story - Bawa

2006-07-23T15:06:00.000-04:00

I first met Bawa at Screening day. Bawa had been to the ship before to have his keloids removed but it was about ten years ago. Unfortunately, Keloids can and do sometimes reappear bigger than before. Bawa was one of the first patients to have surgery here in Ghana this outreach.

The second time I saw Bawa, I was carrying him from the OR to the Ward(I am part of the Patient Transport Team). Bawa had his three biggest Keloids removed, combined they weighed over 8 pounds.

If you would like to know more about Bawa and his story please e-mail me and I will send you more info.

All photos are Property Mercy Ships Int'l. and should not be redistrubuted in any way.

For more detailed information about Keloids read below.

Keloids
Alternative names: Hypertrophic scar; Keloid scar; Scar - hypertrophic

Definition:
Keloids are an overgrowth of scar tissue at the site of a healed skin injury.
Keloidosis is a term used when multiple or repeated keloids are produced.

How can you get it:
Keloids occur from such skin injuries as surgical incisions, traumatic wounds, vaccination sites, burns, chickenpox acne, or even minor scratches. They are fairly common in young women and African Americans. Most keloids will flatten and become less noticeable over a period of several years. They may become irritated from rubbing on clothing or other forms of friction. Extensive keloids may become binding, limiting mobility. They may cause cosmetic changes and affect the appearance. Exposure to the sun during the first year of the keloid's formation will cause the keloid to tan darker than surrounding skin. This dark coloration may become permanent.

Symptoms:
A skin lesion that is:
Flesh-colored, red, or pink
Located over the site of a wound, injury, or other lesion
Nodular or ridged
The lesion may itch during formation and growth

Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is made on the basis of the appearance of the skin or scar. A skin biopsy may be needed to rule out other skin growths (tumors)

Treatment:
Keloids often require no treatment. Keloids may be reduced in size by freezing (cryotherapy), external pressure, corticosteroid injections, laser treatments, radiation, or surgical removal. It is not unusual for keloids to reappear (sometimes larger than before) after they have been removed.
Discoloration from sun exposure can be prevented by covering the forming keloid with a patch or Band-Aid, and by using sun block when spending time in the sun. These extras protection measures should be continued for at least 6 months after injury or surgery for an adult, up to 18 months for a child.

Expectations (prognosis):
Keloids usually are not medically dangerous, but they may affect the cosmetic appearance. In some cases, they may spontaneously reduce in size over time. Removal or reduction may not be permanent, and surgical removal may result in a larger keloid scar.

Complications:
Psychological distress if keloid is large or disfiguring
Recurrence of keloid
Discomfort, tenderness, irritation of the keloid

Information was found at Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia

Arriel

2006-07-15T23:54:00.000-04:00

She has arrived. My newest and youngest niece, Arreil Renee Keesler. Arreil was born on Tues. July 11th at 7:37 am EST. She was 8 pounds 11 1/2 ounces (about 4 Kg) and was 20 inches long (about 51 cm).

Sunrise in Tema

2006-07-15T01:25:00.000-04:00

The one Benefit I found to working night patrol all week. While on night patrol I am responsible for keeping the ship safe from fire, flood, and any other thing that threatens the crews safety...

Deckies Say Goodbye

2006-07-11T20:33:00.000-04:00

I am still trying to catch up on things that happened while I had malaria. Here is a picture of our deck administrator as she was leaving to go back to NC.

Screening Days

2006-07-09T10:51:00.000-04:00

Monday and Tuesday, June 26th and 27th, were screening days in Tema, for surgeries and Friday June 30th, was the screening day in Takoradi. My job was to provide security and make sure that all the people in line were doing well. There were approximately 2000 people at the first screening day. Over 700 patients received surgery cards . That is more than 700 lives that will be changed while the Anastasis is here in Ghana. Some of those lives have already been changed, since surgeries started the following Monday. Most of the photos taken by ships photographers Ashley Pitt and Sarah Fuhrer.

Katelynne and Abbie

2006-07-05T11:23:00.000-04:00

Here is a picture of my Nieces

Katelynne is 2 months old, and Abbie is 2 and 1/2 years old.

To read more about Katelynne and Abbie go HERE

Malaria Strikes Again

2006-07-02T05:19:00.000-04:00

Ok, So, I had Malaria Again. It is becoming a little to common. My symptoms started on last Sunday, Monday I was fine, but it came back Tuesday and stayed for a while. I am doing ok now but, I still have a headache.

Below is some information from The WHO (World Health Organization).

Symptoms of malaria I have had include fever, shivering, arthralgia (joint pain), intense headaches, and convulsions. There may be tingling in the skin, particularly with malaria caused by P. falciparum.

Symptoms I have not had but are possible include vomiting, anemia, Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) and cerebral ischemia and hemoglobinuria with renal failure may occur. Complications of malaria include coma and death if untreated.

Malaria is an infectious disease which in humans causes about 350-500 million infections and approximately 1.3 million deaths annually. It occurs mainly in the tropics, Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 85% of these fatalities. Malaria is caused by the protozoan parasite, Plasmodium (one of the Apicomplexa) and the transmission vector for human malarial parasite is the Anopheles mosquito. The P. falciparum variety(I have had it both times) of the parasite accounts for 80% of cases and 90% of deaths.

Asenema Falls

2006-06-24T19:40:00.000-04:00

This is Asenema Falls. I stopped here on the way back to the ship from Boti Falls. There are many more great waterfalls for me to explore. Stay tuned for many more adventures.

Aburi Botanical Gardens

2006-06-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

On our way back to the ship, We stopped at Aburi Botanical Gardens. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. There were nice green fields to play Frisbee and lots of cool photo opportunities...

Mama Vic's Orphanage After Pictures

2006-06-20T14:16:00.001-04:00

This is the before and after pictures for Mama Victoria's Orphanage in the country. We (The Deck Department) worked at the orphange every friday while we were in Liberia. We installed a Latrine and a Dormitory.
We are also having bunk beds made now.

Boti Falls

2006-06-20T05:45:00.000-04:00

I went to Boti Falls for one night over the weekend. It was great I could hear the falls from my bug net. I was unable to actually swim in the waterfall itself because it was too dangerous, but I did swim close to them and was able to go behind them. The falls splits in two at the top. On the left side you can see the smaller half of the falls. The larger half is in the middle.

Elmina Castle

2006-06-11T13:59:00.000-04:00

Elmina Castle is located in Elmina, Ghana. The castle was built as a trading post for gold, diamonds and lumber, but it was then conformed into a slave trading post. They would trade guns for natives that had been captured in Tribal Wars. Many slaves in the USA came thru this castle.

Finished Dorm

2006-06-09T21:56:00.000-04:00

Before Leaving Liberia we completed some projects that we had been working on. This is the Boys Dorm that we built at Mama Victoria's Orphange in the city. We also renovated the Church giving it a new roof and some fresh paint as well as painting the rest of the orphange..

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Kakum Rainforest Canopy Tour

2006-06-04T22:51:00.001-04:00

Today I rode 4 hours to Kakum National Rainforest. The highlight of the forest was the Canopy Walk..

Welcome to Ghana

2006-06-03T19:38:00.000-04:00

I am currently in Tema, Ghana.

This is Ghana's Flag.

To learn More about Ghana Go here

Sailing is Over- New Location 5.6 N - 0.0 E

2006-06-03T15:30:00.000-04:00

I have made it, Some highlights of the sail include Worship on the Bow. My roomate getting engaged, Seeing 150 dolphins swiming past, and of course all the wonderful sunsets with Jenn. We actually drifted for about 6 hrs along the Greenwich Meridian. I am now in Ghana and starting to explore, before surgeries and outreach really gets started. Today was a day of offloading Cars from the ship. Driving the cranes is always fun.

Current Location: 4 Degrees North 8 Degrees West

2006-05-30T19:03:00.000-04:00

If you know your geography that will put you about 30 miles of the coast of the border of Liberia and the Ivory Coast. Today I left Liberia, on one week cruise to Tema, Ghana.

Here is a picture of my last Liberian sunset,(Photo was taken by our Ships Photographer- Debra Bell).

My last weekend in Liberia was one of relaxing, I spent sunday driving the Zodiac around the harbor and then played Ultimate Frisbee.

Since, We are sailing now the fishing boats we displaced can return to the dock we have used for the past 8 months.

Our last night in port we had increased security, Thanks to the UNMIL Soldiers from Ghana for spending every night on the dock.

Bong Mine / Now a Lake.

2006-05-20T21:13:00.000-04:00

Bong mine was an active Iron Mine until 1990. During the war it was closed and the looting destroyed most of the machinary. I spent the day enjoying the results of said mining operations. A big lake that is great for swiming and cliff jumping. It was a really enjoyable day. It started very early in the morning, with loading the land rovers then a 2 hour train ride to the Mines. We then drove the land rovers off the train and too the first lake. Visibility was 4o feet, and the cliffs were nice and steep.
We had Lobster Creol that we cooked the night before for lunch. Then we returned to the the ship via train and land rover. More pics of the train ride will be coming soon and below is a picture of cooking(sort of).

This picture is most of the group of people I went with.

When Cargo Goes Bad

2006-05-20T17:19:00.000-04:00

This is Thib and I rescuing cargo that tried to escape. It was the most interesting man overboard drill I have ever been part of.

Actually it was a cargo acciddent by the guys loading Medical supplies. Some of the Surgical trays were destroyed..Not Good.

Ganta Leprosy Clinic ---Leprosy Myth Busting

2006-05-14T08:47:00.000-04:00

While I was in Ganta I stayed with the Catholic Nuns from Italy. They have been operating a Leprosy and TB Hospital since the war ended. While there I came to the realization that I knew nothing about Leprosy. So, I tried to learn as much as I could while there. For example here are some questions for you to try to answer..

1. What is leprosy?
2. Can other people get leprosy from a patient?
3. Where is leprosy a problem?
4. How is it spread?
5. Can leprosy be cured?
Answers are Below..

This is Jenn with a couple of Leprosy patients. Augustin and Junior, both recieved surgery on the Anastasis since I arrived in Liberia.

Answers from Above
1.
Leprosy is caused by bacteria or germs called Mycobacterium leprae. It is an infection that affects the skin and the nerves of the hands and feet and can also cause problems in the eyes and nose. Mycobacterium leprae multiplies very slowly and the incubation period of the disease is about five years. Symptoms can take as long as 20 years to appear

2.
Patients on medicine for leprosy do not spread the disease. When a person is placed on medication, most of the bacteria are killed within a few days. Within two weeks of starting the medicine, there is no risk of spreading the disease to anyone else. It is not necessary to isolate a person with leprosy at any time. Also, it is NOT transmitted through sexual contact or pregnancy.

3.
In 9 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America leprosy is still considered a public health problem; These countries account for about 75% of the global disease burden.

4.
In most cases, it is spread through long-term contact with a person who has the disease but has not been treated. Most people will never develop the disease even if they are exposed to the bacteria. Of the world's population, 95% have a natural immunity to leprosy.
In the Southern US, some armadillos carry this bacteria. It is still uncertain if transmission to humans is possible from armadillos.

5.
Yes..
Leprosy is a curable disease and treatment provided in the early stages averts disability; Multidrug therapy (MDT) is used to cure leprosy. MDT consists of three drugs: dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine.
Since 1995, the World Health Organization has provided free MDT for all patients in the world.

For more information About Leprosy Go HERE

For the ship photographers pictures from the Ganta Leprosy Clinic look HERE

Kapatwee Falls - Gbarnga, Liberia

2006-05-07T20:48:00.000-04:00

My past weekend We spent 5 hours driving north in Liberia, to Gbarnga and to Ganta.
While in Gbarnga We visited Kpatawee Falls and the Catholic Retreat Center.

Guinea Border Crossing Near Ganta

Then we went to the Guinea border in hopes of crossing. After doing some persuading we were granted permission to cross for a few minutes Unofficially. Meaning I was never there, and these pictures don't exist.

Mama Vic's Orphange (In the Country)

2006-04-29T13:06:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I along with some of the other Deckies, went out to the country orphange. We have been going to the oprhange at least once a week since we arrived here in Liberia. At first going to the city orphange and now to the country orphange.

Yesterday, we were working on finishing plastering the latrine and priming it.

We also removed the forms (for the cement) from the inside of the latrine and dug it a little deeper. As you can see there were lots of frogs.

Before and after pictures of both orphanges will be posted when we leave Liberia in about a month.

Swimmer's Return Security Increases

2006-04-24T16:24:00.000-04:00

New swimmers keep coming, no matter how many we have arrested more still come..
One even made it onto the dock. He is currently residing in Monrovia's luxurious prison(more about prison to come). So, we are upping the security measures. More, Ghanaian UNMIL soldiers patrolling and more Razor Wire. So that is what I did today and will be doing tomorrow securing the perimeter of the dock. Don't worry, when we are done the only way onto the dock will be through the Unmil gate at the beginning of the pier.

Thib's Taxi Service

2006-04-24T16:03:00.000-04:00

Introducing the newest car to the LMC Peir, I like to refer to it as Thib's Taxi.
It actually belongs to one of the dayworkers on board he is restoring it. It does actually run and it really doesn't have anything inside. Here is Thib with his first passenger.

Fire Drill / Training

2006-04-22T21:43:00.000-04:00

Wednesday this week we had our monthly fire drill. This time it was in the bottom of the Ship(Hold Five). This is a storage area for all the different departments. Basically, We suited up and found out that there was two bombs planted on the ship. After a few minutes the first detonated. My team then proceeded to rescue two victims. I carried them both out of the smoke and up two levels with Todd( another member of team 1). We then switched to a new tank of air and started to search for the second Bomb. I think this was our most tiring drill so far. The visibility was only about 2 feet with my flash light

Crows Nest

2006-04-19T14:29:00.000-04:00

I enjoyed this day a lot. I climbed the mast of the ship reached the crows nest and kept going. I finally stoped because there was no more ship. Sometimes working as a deck hand is a rough job, but someone has to do it...

Pictures From Easter Brunch.

2006-04-19T14:15:00.000-04:00

Secret Beach

2006-04-19T13:53:00.000-04:00

From the pitcures you will probably wonder how it is kept a secret. I know I still am..

I personally liked the full moon.

Happy Easter

2006-04-11T17:09:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter.

Meet Hawa (Patient Story)

2006-04-11T15:37:00.000-04:00

Hawa is a seven year old girl from Sierra Leone. I meet Hawa and her father the first week I was in Liberia, at Mama Victoria's orpanage church. She was already scheduled to have surgery, and we drove them back to the ship that day. They had traveled for two days by taxi, to hopefully get a surgery that was impossible to recieve in Sierra Leone. Hawa was begining to struggle to breath since the tumor was so big and eating was difficult, she would have to tilt her head back and push the food between the tumor and her lower lip. Her surgery only took 3 hours and she was sent to the Ward to recover. While on the Ward my girldfriend, Jen, was her nurse, and brought her back to health. She is now back home enjoying a new life free of ridicule, and teasing.

Beauty and the Beast

2006-04-09T08:12:00.000-04:00

The Academy, The highschool for all the kids on board performed
Beauty and the Beast last night. It was a great show.

Camping at Sand Beach

2006-03-25T08:24:00.000-05:00

For a couple of days during our mid outreach break a group of friends and I went camping at Sand Beach.
The journey there was one of the best parts of the trip. Riding on the Land Rover over the back country foot paths we traversed dozens of little moats and foot bridges. We drove for about three miles through the sand and eventually arrived at a little church. The church (Shiloh Baptist Church) was founded in 1876 and is still in use today. We set up our tents about 5o yards from the Atlantic Ocean spent the rest of the day enjoying the tranquility and peacefulness of a deserted tropical paradise..

Me the UNMIL Soldiers and the Rouges

2006-03-24T16:15:00.000-05:00

Today I assisted UNMIL(United Nations Military In Liberia) in the capture of five rouges, as they call them here. Basically they are Villains. Today the villains swam into the wrong area of the harbor. They swim in mostly at night to steal things off the ships in port or to try to stow away to leave the country. The 5 that we caught today are now on their way to a Liberian prison. I really like the fact that I have many different responsibilities onboard the ship, especially assisting in maintaing the security of the ship. Pictures of the capture are above and below, enjoy..

Daily Fitness Routine

2006-03-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

This is a group of UN Soldiers who I play volleyball with most days during the week. We play about 2 hrs a day.

Biking in Royesville

2006-03-20T15:11:00.000-05:00

These are some pics of my latest trip, Biking in Royesville, Liberia. Highlights of trip include the bamboo bridge and the swamp we passed through..

Meet Mustaph( Patient Story)

2006-03-20T14:37:00.000-05:00

This is Mustaph. While Working here aboard the Anastasis, I have the opportunity to adopt a patient for while they are here. So I decided that would be a unique opportunity, I couldn't pass up.. SO, I signed up and was assigned Mustaph. Mustaph is a 25 year old Muslim from Monrovia, Liberia.
He has spent 14 of those years leaving in a civil war.. From the age of 8 until he was 22. We didn't talk much about the war thou. He had a burn contracture to his neck and back. During the war he was attacked with acid. So most of his body was covered with burns. The ship released his contracture which allows him to now turn his head and keep his head upright.
One of my biggest highlights was his birthday. I threw him a surprise party and invited a lot of his friends from the ward to celebrate as well. His face lit up like he a had never had a party every before.

This is a picture of Mustaph Jenn(my girlfriend) and I, the day He was discharged.

Bomi Lake

2006-03-08T08:39:00.000-05:00

This is Bomi Lake. It is one of the best freshwater lakes in all of Liberia. This is where i went for a day of relaxing. Unique things about the lake.. It is completly man made. One of the richest iron ore deposits in the world came from the lake which used to be a hill. It is in the midlle of the pakistani UN base.. The day I went I was unable to actually go to the good part of the lake because the President of Liberia(Ellen) was there. This picture was taken by the ships photographer.

Christmas and Valentines Day on the Ship..

2006-03-08T08:12:00.000-05:00

This me helping put the star on top of the Christmas Tree. This was my biggest tree so far.

For Valentines Day the Deck Department made and served Desserts to the entire crew. This is the Deck Department in uniform below at the end of the night .

Notice nationalities: 4 -Australians 5- Americans 2 - Koreans 2 - Dutchies

2- Germans 1 -Nigerian 1- Ghanian 1- South Africans and 1- British

Meet Jennifer

2006-02-24T07:26:00.000-05:00

This Is my girlfriend Jennifer and I in some pictures. You will see us in pictures ranging anywhere from South Africa to Liberia.