A Wonderful Weekend
What to do on your last weekend in Pointe Noire? Why not relax in the tropics, go to the market with a local, play games with the children at the HOPE Center, get a special treat, host a dayworker's family on the ship, and have a 3 year old snuggle with you and fall asleep during the Palm Sunday Service? Yes Please.
A local hotel very near the port has an agreement with Mercy Ships that allows the crew to come lounge by the pool and swim in the pool, if you spend 5000 CFA ($10). The Hotel Atlantic is a very nice hotel (rooms for $300 a night). The lobby has extravagant chandeliers and floor that looks like marble. The pool is behind the hotel. It is surrounded by tropical plants and tall plants in pots. There are lounge chairs with cushions a thick towels provided. The pool is large enough to swim laps.
How does a white girl who burn easily anyway who is taking doxycycline (makes you sensitive to the sun) and is near the equator spend all day at the pool? First, decide to leave by 10am. Second, sunscreen is applied before leaving the ship so it is active while walking the 45 minutes to the hotel. Also, a hat is worn to protect the face even more sun protection. Once at the pool, jump in the water and then dry off in the morning sun. When dry jump in the pool again this time using the diving board. We practiced our 360* jumps, dives, and making the smallest splash possible. We then asked for an umbrella to be moved over our chairs. Shade, breeze, sunlight, book, what more can you ask for? May be a cold Fanta Orange and hummus and pita? It was delicious. The rest of the day was split between playing the the pool and under the umbrella. A wonderful, relaxing, peaceful day. On the way back to the ship, we were picked up by a ship landrover who had two empty seats. We did not have to walk all the way back!
Sunday a friend of mine and I took a taxi to the HOPE Center to meet a patient and her mother. We all went to the Market together. Going with a local is the best way to experience the market. The market truly is grand in size. Streets and Avenues off the streets full of vendors. Some have official stalls, some just tarps on the ground in an empty space with piles of shoes or other items arranged on it. Most of the shoes in the market here are used. All styles can be found: high tops to high heels to athletic shoes to sandals. The Grand Market has clothes, food, mosquito nets, and odds and ends you did not know you needed. There is a separate market for the mostly the tourists called the craft market. It is where jewelry, wooden plates, fabric is sold. The advantages of following a local follow: knowing where to go in the market to look for shoes instead of wandering for awhile looking for the area with shoes and getting a better price with less bargaining required.
Upon returning to the HOPE Center, we decided to play some games with the kiddos. Running games work the best as the rules are simple and the main skilled required is running which most of the plastics patient can do. We played Mister Wolf which is similar to Mother May I, Red Light/Green Light, tried to play Octopus, and then fox and hound. It was a blast to see these children run, smile, laugh, truly be children. One of the children who has had a difficult rehabilitation joined in the fun. It was the happiest I have seen her. She even spoke. It was the first time, I heard her speak verbally. We were leaving she hollered down from the balcony to us. So great to see her happy and playing with us. I was afraid she would only associate me with "hurting" her as we have to push hard to stretch her during therapy.
It was interesting to note that many of the older children had difficulty counting. During one of the games, a number was held up on fingers. Several of them had to physically touch the fingers while counting because they could not recognize the number by sight. If the game had more than 1-2 rules, they were unable to figure out how to play it. I am not sure what the education is like away from the large cities. I did not even think about it until we played the games. It was a good reminder that helping fix one physical problem does not change the whole person. We are complex: mind, body, and spirit. While they are all intertwined and can effect each other, they are also distinct.
On the way back from the HOPE Center, we had a little extra time before the arranged meeting time for the day crew. We stopped in at a local bakery and creamery for a treat. My friend picked out some vanilla yogurt for a snack. The owner was running the cash register. When she gave him the money, he responded, "It's free today. Your friend can have one too on us." Wow! God was letting us know he was aware of us and what was happening in our lives. He unexpectedly blessed us with a cool, sweet, treat.
We came back to the ship hosting one of the day workers and his family. We gave them a tour of the ship, had dinner in the dining room, and then went to the Palm Sunday Service. They enjoyed going up on Deck 7 and watching the boats come in/out of the port. One in the party was a three year old boy. During the service, he became tired and crawled into my lap. Not too long after he fell asleep. What a neat way to end a great day, holding a peaceful sleeping boy while smelling the fresh large (floor to ceiling) palms, singing worship songs.
Sunday a friend of mine and I took a taxi to the HOPE Center to meet a patient and her mother. We all went to the Market together. Going with a local is the best way to experience the market. The market truly is grand in size. Streets and Avenues off the streets full of vendors. Some have official stalls, some just tarps on the ground in an empty space with piles of shoes or other items arranged on it. Most of the shoes in the market here are used. All styles can be found: high tops to high heels to athletic shoes to sandals. The Grand Market has clothes, food, mosquito nets, and odds and ends you did not know you needed. There is a separate market for the mostly the tourists called the craft market. It is where jewelry, wooden plates, fabric is sold. The advantages of following a local follow: knowing where to go in the market to look for shoes instead of wandering for awhile looking for the area with shoes and getting a better price with less bargaining required.
Upon returning to the HOPE Center, we decided to play some games with the kiddos. Running games work the best as the rules are simple and the main skilled required is running which most of the plastics patient can do. We played Mister Wolf which is similar to Mother May I, Red Light/Green Light, tried to play Octopus, and then fox and hound. It was a blast to see these children run, smile, laugh, truly be children. One of the children who has had a difficult rehabilitation joined in the fun. It was the happiest I have seen her. She even spoke. It was the first time, I heard her speak verbally. We were leaving she hollered down from the balcony to us. So great to see her happy and playing with us. I was afraid she would only associate me with "hurting" her as we have to push hard to stretch her during therapy.
It was interesting to note that many of the older children had difficulty counting. During one of the games, a number was held up on fingers. Several of them had to physically touch the fingers while counting because they could not recognize the number by sight. If the game had more than 1-2 rules, they were unable to figure out how to play it. I am not sure what the education is like away from the large cities. I did not even think about it until we played the games. It was a good reminder that helping fix one physical problem does not change the whole person. We are complex: mind, body, and spirit. While they are all intertwined and can effect each other, they are also distinct.
On the way back from the HOPE Center, we had a little extra time before the arranged meeting time for the day crew. We stopped in at a local bakery and creamery for a treat. My friend picked out some vanilla yogurt for a snack. The owner was running the cash register. When she gave him the money, he responded, "It's free today. Your friend can have one too on us." Wow! God was letting us know he was aware of us and what was happening in our lives. He unexpectedly blessed us with a cool, sweet, treat.
We came back to the ship hosting one of the day workers and his family. We gave them a tour of the ship, had dinner in the dining room, and then went to the Palm Sunday Service. They enjoyed going up on Deck 7 and watching the boats come in/out of the port. One in the party was a three year old boy. During the service, he became tired and crawled into my lap. Not too long after he fell asleep. What a neat way to end a great day, holding a peaceful sleeping boy while smelling the fresh large (floor to ceiling) palms, singing worship songs.
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