Thoughts of Experimental and Faithful .........

2011-04-12T09:03:00.003+01:00

this is my facebook page.

www.facebook.com/pwaldron

I'm fasting facebook at the moment, or at least trying to cut down my time on there. Probably best contacting me through there if anything.
Just realised it's been just over a year since I've come back to the UK. What a journey I've been on since then. But I'm now happily settled in Reading, near London, so if any of my long distance travelling pals are passing through my little Island let me know and I'll do my best to meet up with ya.
I still miss the Ship community and really really miss West Africa, but I also know Gods timing is perfect, and as I heard all about in our sermon on Sunday - Perseverance is key to our Christian walk.
Keep safe everyone.

first an apologz

2009-08-16T17:33:00.001+01:00

Yeah , I reallz haven-t done well updating this site.
Spending most of my time on Facebook and Twitter now so add me to get some news
When I get back to the ship I-ll upload my current newsletter up here.
I am currently up country in Benin having a restbite. well actuallz have spent half my time in Metal Workshop building a sheet metal bender, but I am meant to be here preparing for the Youth Program this year.

I hope you are all really well, keep safe all.

Paulus

2009-03-02T14:39:00.002Z

Okay so I have not visited this p0lace for a long time but I realise some people actually are still checking here rather than facebook which has become my main form of communication.

So here is some of my latest photos of me doing work in Africa.

There are taken from Screening day (where people from all over Benin come to see if we can help them with their lumps and bumps and disfigurements), I had the priviledge of working with the Communications team, taking photos of every patient so the Doctors had a record of each tumour on the patient and also have photos of what the patient looked like before and after their surgery.

So here's a few shots of me taking shots!

Some shots were more delicate and required screening off from the public.

Some were just of very cute babies!!!

Last night I also had the opportunity to preach again onboard ship.

I shared the analogy of Christian life relating closely to an Athletes life, with regard to focus, attitude and training and completing the race with perserverance.

I've had most of the crew tell me today that they enjoyed it and were challenged, so I am happy.

So yeah that's me so far this year of 2009.

I'll see when next time I update this blog.

What heroes look like

2008-08-31T19:14:00.000+01:00

Heroes of the day - rescuing one of our vehicles from a very muddy road.

2008-08-11T22:11:00.000+01:00

Batea, Royesville where we helped build/dig a 7m deep well. This 7m deep well had 6.5m of water in it last time we visited the village, so we were very happy!!

2008-08-11T22:05:00.001+01:00

Batea, Royesville a 7m deep well was finished in July 2008. Note no pump on this well. The village is to small to be able to continually pay for the maintaince of a pump and so it was decided to just have a well and rope and bucket because this way the village will always have clean water and not cost them anything. Larger villages can usually afford the $10 US every year it costs to keep the pump in replacement parts.

2008-08-11T22:01:00.000+01:00

Balomah Town, where we completed a 7.5m well and pump in June 2008.

2008-08-11T22:00:00.000+01:00

Gboto Town in Royesville where we completed a 12.5m deep well in April 2008.

2008-08-11T21:52:00.000+01:00

One of the rivers I have to drive through each day. I gets above the tires at the moment, but when rainy season really kicks in it'll be above the bonnet, easily.

Kate and I stuck

2008-08-11T21:50:00.000+01:00

Poor 'Kate' and I stuck in the mud trying to move some concrete rings between villages one day. Next time theres a bridge made from trees across the road I'm driving on the trees, not trying to make my own route across through the woods!

2008-07-20T14:29:00.000+01:00

So how long has it been since I last sent out an email updating you about my life?

Far to long. I would give you my excuses about laptops dying, two previous versions vanishing, software losing, busyness of life here on Ship and the fact that all I need to do sit down and dedicate an afternoon to writing to my peeps back home.

Well here it is, Finally.

I have just checked and my last recorded update was in February (on my blog site - http://djcommotion.blogspot.com/ ) so I only have over 5 months to get you upto speed on.

So I start with the fact I am still alive, kicking and much more tanned than what I was 5 months ago. I am eating well (incase any of you mothers out there are worrying), but not eating to much – infact due to the climate here I am only eating 2 proper half meals a day, I am just not hungry here even though I am doing a much more physical job, so yeah I am gradually losing some pounds aswell.

My work situation is amazing. I frequently get chance to lead meetings for the entire crew and they are sick of me telling them that my job is the best job onboard ship!! I love my work. I get to drive off the dock in the morning, spend 2 hours driving in African traffic then some crazy offroad driving – if you are on Facebook check out some of my photo albums – then arrive in a village spend the whole day digging a well or completing a well with a Liberian community and then come home again. I love the feeling of completing a well (which takes around 5 weeks) and knowing as I leave the village that the Children, wives and men in the village now have easy access to clean and fresh drinking water, it’s beautiful.

So far we have completed 5 new wells and rehabilitated another 5 or 6, and performed some ‘minor fixes’ to 7 other pumps and wells. Which means there are around 17 communities affected by our work.

I am not sure if I have explained to you guys yet how I do what I do. Basically I have my own Landrover defender called Kate. We drive out to a village with my well Technician called Boikai. We have a chat with the community about their water needs and then see if we can help. Simple, easy but not always effective because when they see our white truck come, many people expect handouts from us, and when we explain we are here to help them and not to give to them some villages don’t want to fully co-operate and wait for everything to be given to them. The reason we help and not give is because of the common phrase ‘Give a man a fish….., or teach him to fish….’. We want to enable Liberia to change itself not to change it for them and then they be dependant on us – which is how it is at the moment.

Right there are far to many words in this update. Sorry.

Final words. Check out my Facebook or blog page for so great photos.

Please keep in touch and let me know of news from home.

And I’ll really try and update you guys more regularly.

Also if you’d prayerfully consider financially supporting my work out here, I could honestly really do with the help!

Sweet. Love you all. And miss you all loads to. I’ll be coming back to the UK at Christmas so I hope to some of you then.

Me and the ship

2008-03-15T20:15:00.000Z

This is just me posing onto top of an old factory near the ship. This is Liberia

Update February 2008

2008-02-24T20:37:00.002Z

So hey guys,

As you may have guessed already from the last email, I am now in Africa with the Africa Mercy. And yes it’s very very different from when I was on the Africa Mercy in Newcastle, England.

For one, we definitely need the air conditioning here! I generally have to change my t-shirts 3 times in one day, sometimes due to working in construction and getting dirty, but mostly because I get very hot here (I won’t go into the details, you can understand the rest).

The people here are so friendly, so many people we meet address us with “Welcome back, we are so glad you are here again”, as the Mercy Ships were here for 9 months last year, and have come back to Monrovia, Liberia for another 10 months.

What have I been doing? It has been mainly preparation for the next 10 months. As many of you know I am on the Community Development Team (CDS) that goes into the villages and aids them to improve their facilities and trains in Agriculture and Hygiene. We have been asked to help resurrect an existing Clinic and Ward that is 40 minutes away from the centre of town, in an area called Tenegar, after it was ruined, burned and shot-up during the civil war they had here in Liberia that only ended recently.

We will also be working with a group of villages called Royesville that haven’t had much help from the charities that have visited Liberia in the past. We will be spending the next 3 weeks visiting these villages and speaking with the people to find out what they need help with and helping them to provide for themselves, rather than run in and say “Hey you need a well, we can build you a well” – as so many Charities unfortunately do, and the village doesn’t end up using the well as they didn’t see the need for one.

Between visiting villages we have also been working on the road leading to our port. We share our road with a UN base (which is very useful for security reasons) and the rest of the port, but the road has some huge potholes in it, which we are getting round to filling in. This is much appreciated by our transport department, so we are not damaging our Landrovers so much – if only all the other roads in Monrovia were as good as ours now!

That’s enough writing for this update, as I have given you the basics of what I have been and will be doing.

Me shaped Hole

2008-02-02T11:17:00.000Z

I am really enjoying being back in a Christian community setting here on the Ship, I know God created me for this work and this time to be in this place. It is amazing how God creates 'us' shaped holes in places that only we can fit in. I have found my hole, what about you?

My January update - slight repeat of my last update.

2008-01-08T20:18:00.000Z

To summarise greatly everything I have been doing:

July I travelled to Zambia and did 5½ weeks mission work, generally open air, door to door talking to people, playing lots of football with youth and generally having an amazingly blessed time in Africa. We saw so many lives changed and met lots of wonderful people. I also had a very near death experience being chased down the road by a rather large upset Elephant, that was interesting.

Then my team travelled to Madagascar where we spent a week helping to prepare for a conference, 2 weeks attending a conference and helping, and then 2 weeks in a small village doing evangelism, prayer and worship. It was such a different time to Zambia, especially with the language barrier (they speak Malagasy and French mainly) but it was time of blessing the nation and speaking truth to people.

Then after sometime in Perth and Sydney I returned to the UK in October and got a job working for Sandwell Council (where I had worked the previous summer) for 2 months, which I really enjoyed and had a great time with the guys there and got some work done.

Then on 6^th December I left the UK again for Gran Canaria with over 84kg of luggage (don’t ask – but I managed to get it on the plane paying much much less than I should have for that huge amount – a real blessing), and by the evening was lying in a 4 berth cabin on the Africa Mercy. Finally after almost 10 years of waiting for this moment to arrive I am on an active Mercy Ship.

For the first week hear it was a matter of saying hello and goodbye to so many of my close friends on the ship but after a while I started making lots of new friends that can cope with my sarcastic British wit!!!

Work wise I am working on the Project team again dealing with little projects that need to get done onboard ship and preparing for the larger jobs. Also I am being trained as a linehandler which means that just before we are about to leave dock (or arrive at a dock) a called is put over the Ship PA system “Linehandlers, please man your stations” so I get to the Aft of the ship and pull the mooring lines in (or get them out) which is not as easy as it sounds especially when the lines are wet and very heavy.

We left Gran Canaria on Saturday evening and are now docked in Tenerife – all of this sounds like a great holiday but unfortunately I am going to have to be working most of the time I am here, but I hope to get a few days off to do a little sight seeing.

Apart from that I am trying my best to get involved with anything I can in preparation to getting to Africa and joining the Community Development Team as a Water and Sanitation Project worker in February 2008.

I really hope you are all having an amazing blessed Christmas day and enjoy the New Years celebrations too. It is very strange being away from my family and old friends during this time – to say it’s struggle is an understatement, but everyone here is in the same situation so brings us all together.

So in closing, hopefully next time you hear from me I’ll be in Africa and have some great stories and photos to show you all, I’ll also have my software all back again and so I can do my old colourful attachments.

Keep safe, and be blessed

Paul Waldron

m/v Africa Mercy

Docked in Santa Cruz, Tenerife.

2007-10-25T07:44:00.000+01:00

Well firstly an apology for not writing in such a long time.

But the last 2, almost 3 months have been some of the most exciting and challenging of my life.

Well I think the last time I sent an update was part way through my time in Zambia, probably some time in July. Well Zambia was an amazing time. Zambians are the friendliest people, and it was so great to work with and alongside them. We spent much of our time in Zambia working with young people affected by AIDS and also meeting people from poorer areas and playing football with kids!! We also worked closely with many Churches and did ‘Open Airs’ and house visits. We got to meet many amazing families and encourage them in their faith and also see so many people accept Christ as their saviour for the first time.

In the last weeks in Zambia we travelled down to Livingstone (total of 16 hours driving – broken up by a visit to Zambia’s capital Lusaka). We travelled there for a 3-day break to see the Victoria Falls (a massive waterfall) and go on a short Safari. I’ll keep the story short but we ended up being chased on foot by a huge Elephant! (I’ll try and post a photo on my blog page). So yeah that was a crazy adventure.

Then early August we flew to Madagascar and stayed for 3 weeks in the capital Antananarivo and then 2 weeks on the West coast in a town called Morondava.
Our time in the capital was spent helping prepare for a large conference at the YWAM base there and also Street Evangelism during the Indian Ocean Island Games – like a mini-Olympics for the local Islands.

The second half of our stay in Madagascar was a 21 hour bus drive on roads that one of our team described as “roads I wouldn’t walk a dog on…..and I don’t even like dogs!”. The town was small and was really back to basics. We spent much time there praying and worshiping, as we felt quite oppressed in our Spirits when we got there. We also did loads of house visiting and were again greeted by amazingly hospitable families. By the time we had left the place felt different, and many of the local people also expressed that they felt a change in peoples attitudes and demeanours after our time there – which was great to see.

Then in September Team Africa arrived back on the not so sunny shores of Perth, Australia. I spent 3 weeks then in Australia, popping over to Sydney and staying on Bondi Beach (not as nice as I thought it was going to be) for a break before coming back to the UK.

During my time away my Grandma had become seriously ill with cancer near her throat and lungs and even though the Doctors only gave her 3 weeks to live (some time in July) she was still well(ish) when I got back – thanks for everyone who was praying for her. She went really bad a couple of weeks ago and then 2 weeks ago she passed away in her sleep. It has been a trying time for my family but we are coming together behind my Granddad which is good.

But some good news, since I got back I have managed to secure some work for the next 7 weeks upto the time when I will be flying out to Gran Canaria to finally meet my Ship – the Africa Mercy - and sail out to Sierra Leone in January 2008. So yeah can you also be praying for plans to get organised for my return to the ship, that I get every ready that I need to get ready and also that I have a good time with my family and friends in the UK as I might not be back for 2 years.

Thanks for reading this very long update, and I promise that I will get back on track with my monthly emails and so that you won’t have to read through 2 pages of text again!!

Keep safe you guys,

Miss you all – and I may see some of you British folk soon. Let us know if you want to hook up.

Paul
Currently in WORCS, UK.
Soon to be m/v Africa Mercy, Sierra Leone

2 Zambia updates

2007-07-05T12:38:00.000+01:00

These are two updates from my time in Zambia so far:

Week One:

Hey guys/gals, I am having a great time in Zambia. I was really sick for the first 3 days - like throwing up and stuff but am much better now. I have been wandering round the 'Compounds' where the poor people live and it's really challenging but really great meeting loads of children. we have also been visiting Orphanages and HIV/AIDS youth places and it's been amazing.

Yesterday I was even working on a farm with some mentally challenged guys - it was loads of fun with the guys - cleaning out rabbits, goats and meeting some massive pigs!!

It is great to see God working in this country, but there is still loads of corruption in government, banks, police and basically everywhere. But people are fighting against it, thats what matters.

We are off this weekend to help with a 20-35 year camp and maybe to a little speaking. It's going to be a great next 4 weeks in Zambia - and we have so many stories to tell already.

Keep safe everyone

Week Two

It has been a very busy time since I last wrote an update. This is our first full day off since we left Perth (almost two weeks ago). The weekend was very busy helping out at a 20-35 (senior youth - yes they are not called adults till they are 35!) camp where about 90 Zambians had 4 days of lectures - mostly on Biblical worldview, not African World view and how they should change their mindsets so Zamabia can be a great nation again, also on how they should get involved in Politics and get rid of corruption in Africa.

It was a great time to met Zambians of our age and see the issues that they are going through and really get to know some of the locals. They had many many questions for me about our western culutre and what life is like, and we got the opportunity to share testimony loads and share how God has changed us so much.

We have now moved for the third time since being here and we are going to be living there for the next four weeks - there are four of us lads in a small room and the four girls get a room 3 times the size with an ensuite! not that I am jealous at all, grrrrr.

We have to fight for our dinner with all the crazily large bugs and wasps and flies that circle round our kitchen and dive bomb our food!!

We again worked with the AIDS youth Centre this week and we also did an open air outreach in the middle of a massive trade fair in the City - we had over 100 people watching us do our skits and dramas and testimonies and silly songs and then prayed with people afterwards. it was soo great.

right gotta go,

Keep safe all and will be writing more next week.

Love to all

Latest Blog, Off to Zambia and Madagascar

2007-06-21T14:24:00.000+01:00

Hey Guys,

Sorry for the long delay in sending you this email, I have many excuses, but you don't want to hear any!!!

Well I am leaving Perth tomorrow for Zambia (via Mauritius (for 3 hours) and Johannesburg, SA- for 24 hours).So I should arrive in Zambia at about 5pm Sunday local time.

We will be staying near Ndola and large sity of about 500,000 people for 5 and half weeks working with local Churches doing random work, preaching, street evang, praying loads and seeing what God wants us to do.

All I know is that on week 4 we are having a few days off to visit Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe border.

Then we will fly back to Jo'berg and then fly out to Madagascar where we will be working helping out during a mini olympic games they are holding and also possibly doing prison and orphanage work.

Then will be back in Perth on the 8th September.

So yeah if you are one of those praying people, please keep us in prayer during this time as it's going to be a very different life for me and is going to be a massive challenge but the bigger the challenge the bigger the growth!!

I will try and keep intouch where I can, but I can't promise anything as I am unsure about how much acces to the internet I will be able to get.

So keep safe everyone and hopefully make contact with you all soon.

Gonna miss you

Paul Waldron
Team Africa
YWAM Perth

2007-05-25T05:50:00.000+01:00

The Africa Mercy as it is pulling into Liberia Dock, with everyone on the deck - wihc I could have been there.
The Anastasis and the Africa Mercy side by side - A sight that is so great to sea

The Africa Mercy in Blythe - ready to leave for Africa
Most of my old engineering buddies - I miss them loads (thanks for the photo Brenda Cole)
The Africa Mercy in Rotterdam - part way through its journey to Liberia

Update End of April 07

2007-05-03T14:43:00.001+01:00

I know it was onlly like about 2 weeks ago but I thought I would send you are more upto date email with my coming and goings and more about the ship.

Well It is now the beginning of my 5th week of my DTS in Perth and the - So far we have studied the Character of God, Hearing God and Repentance/Forgiveness, Fearing God and this week is Relationships (with God and other people). These last few weeks have been some of most challenging, theologically I have ever experienced - but also the most amazing times.

My class is very mixed with Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Swiss, South Koreans, Thai, Malaysian, Danish, German and a fellow Brit. We have 24 people in our class in total with 5 staff. The base here is pretty huge with around 300 odd people here with so much going on.

I am also getting trained in plumbing here, as we have afternoon work duties and I am doing a bit of domestic plumbing around the place. I am liking it, but any of you Afria Mercy folk reading this - no I am not going to be joining the plumbing department!

Speaking about the Africa Mercy, everything is going great I hear. It has been moving between a few different docks picking up different suppliese and doing PR tours etc. I believe that they will be sailing in about 2 weeks to The Netherlands first then to the Canary Islands then finally to Liberia in about 3 weeks. I think the date to arrive in Liberia on the 21st May

Well I'll be back in touch soon with more updates.

Please keep in touch. I am sorry for the lack of professional quality going into these updates, when I get back to the ship I will do the usual funky graphics etc. but if you click the blue link below you'll see some photos posted on my blog.

Old update from First April 07!

2007-05-03T14:40:00.000+01:00

Well this is the end of my second week at YWAM Perth, Australia.
Yes I am now in Australia, I have been meaning to update you guys sooner - well since Christmas but I lost my list of email addresses for you all and I was also in such a massive "I really don't have a clue what I am doing or where I am that I can't update you as I don't know whats going on myself!"

So yeah for those that don't know, or haven't checked my blogs or myspace pages - I am doing a Discipleship Training Course at the Youth With A Mission base on the West coast of Australia. Basically I was asked by Mercy Ships to complete a DTS to continue with working for Mercy Ships.

So yeah now I find myself in the lovely Australia climate amongst a massive mix of Aussies, Americans and Canadians on the biggest YWAM base in Australia. Australia is a pretty cool country, I am finding and their national sport (Aussie Rules Football) is a pretty amazing sport - it is always on TV here.I have had one week of lectures so far, and intense would be one word of describing my experiences so far! There is a lot of hard work to be done whilst I am here - I have a journal to complete at the end of every week telling of everything I have learnt that previous week and how I an use that to impact the society around me!

Just one last thing to write about my time here before I tell the exciting news about the Africa Mercy. I got to see Koalas and Kangaroos today!!! yeah!! they were pretty cool and I'll hopefully stick some photos on my blog of them soon.Right the Africa Mercy - it has sailed!!!! Yeah it's true. It went on Sea Trails last week and succeeded so it will be hopefully sailing to Africa in 4/5 weeks - with out me (obviously!). It has moved to a different dock and is now not restricted to the old shipyard and their rules - which means everyone is moving onboard and everything seems to be going great!

So that's a bit of a drastic update - probably what most of you weren't expecting but hey - my life is always full of strange changes.

Cheers People

And look out for my next email about what I am up to in Australia

Some new photos of AFM and DTS class

2007-04-23T15:01:00.000+01:00

This is my ship not in Dock but actually out at sea yeah!!

This is mopst of my DTS class:
Back left to front right:
Mel and Kayla (who are not in my class!) Christine(leader), Nikita from surfers DTS, Louise(leader), Daniel(leader), Scott, Matty (leader)
Row below them: Steve, Joel, Jeong
Middle row: Nikki, Marsha, Tui, Naomi, Paul (me)
Bottom row: Ash, Kerstin, Brei, Heather, Melinda, Tamsin, and Heather

Update March 2007

2007-03-20T00:00:00.000Z

I type this while on the train heading back to Birmingham from Newcastle. It’s been an emotional week.

I have now left the Africa Mercy behind, with my sights set on the YWAM base in Perth, where I’ll be in exactly a weeks time (I can’t figure out the time difference but I’ll be getting there about now!)

Things have changed so rapidly it’s been hard to keep up for the last few weeks and it seems for the Africa Mercy things are getting more and more unpredictable. The day I left the ship, last Friday, there was an email sent out from our Executive Director stating that, subject to approval of our authorising body, the ship could be on sea trials by next week. So currently it is panic mode in the Shipyard. We have to empty all our onshore offices onto the ship by Saturday (so everyone has been called in to help with the move) and 24 hour duty is required onboard as of Wednesday – so the generators can begin to run 24/7 which will also mean that the refrigeration would also be run continuously (so I really hope all the work I put in on the systems works!)

So just as I leave things get really exciting. Which is good – as if they started to get to this stage before I was well on my way to leaving I would have probably be tempted to stay onboard.

I have been asked/told by many of my old crewmates to keep more regular with the updates when I go on my DTS so I am planning on sending fortnightly updates – dependant on my access to computers - whilst on my tuition phase of my course, during the ‘outreach’ phase I doubt I will be able to update you guys at all so make the most of it over the next three months!!

Well hopefully I’ll be in touch in a couple of weeks time from the otherside of the planet.

Many people are asking – “what are my plans for after the DTS?” well my answer is to come back to the Africa Mercy, but it will be in Liberia by then, and rejoin MY crew in the Community Development department, on the Well Drilling team – doing what I have felt called to do 10 years ago.

Thanks you guys so much for supporting me through this rather interesting but really exciting time of my life and please keep in touch with us as I would love to hear what is going on with you peeps – as you get to hear what I am doing!!

Love to all

Vaya Con Dios.

Paul Waldron

(Stopped at 200m before Derby Train Station for some unknown reason!!)

Jan / February 2007 Update

2007-02-22T15:43:00.000Z

It’s been a long long while sine I last wrote to you all and I apologise for that – my main excuse is that I my life has been changing so much that I have been unable to write anything down for you because I really wasn’t sure what was happening!

Since I got back here after Christmas (yes it has been that long since I wrote to you!) I had my birthday woo pah!! I am now the grand ol’ age of 28. Nothing really feels different, well apart from having more grey hairs and less hair altogether.

Actually on my bday I as told that my transfer application for the Anastasis was going through which made me jump for joy and also sad to leave Newcastle, MY ship and all my friends here. But I got all my vaccinations and some good sandals etc and got ready to leave. Then I was told that my transfer had been declined as they could not ‘justify my transfer’. Don’t ask me what that means but basically I was set to sail with the Africa Mercy again to Africa.

Then a week later I received communication saying that the Mercy Ship management want me to go and do a Discipleship Training School (DTS). This was not something I took well after being messed around with my transfer. After a week or so I decided if they want me to do it then it’s best I get on a do it – so I started looking into different YWAM schools around the globe and compared the costs. After some consideration I have decided to do a DTS in Australia, Perth to be precise. It will cost about the same as doing one in the UK but it will be a lot warmer and have a more diverse experience and teaching. Yeah and it will be a lot warmer and be nearer nice beaches than doing it in Derby!!

I am currently applying for a place on the April DTS and plan to leave the UK around the 25th March and get back on 15th September 2007. It will be 3 months Study then 2 and half months Outreach – probably somewhere around the Indian Ocean area.

Things change loads. When I get back I plan to be around the UK for a few weeks and then fly out to Africa to meet the ship in Liberia, fully going for it after my DTS experience.

Please could you pray for me through all this as coming to these decisions haven’t been easy and organising everything has been a major struggle. I also need a medical asap for as cheap as possible too! My Doctors are asking for £80 – not something I can easily afford!
Thanks people.

Keep in touch – Paul Waldron – Out there Some where.

Yes people change is good, I have to do alot of it!

2007-02-06T09:35:00.000Z

Yes, as I am sure you are aware things in my life are never what they seem and plans are always changing and yet again plans have been changed:-

The plan at the moment is to go to Australia to do a Discipleship Training School - I am currently applying to YWAM Perth - at the end of March. This is a 3 month school with a 3 month outreach (yes I finally get to go on an outreach!). Nothing is confirmed as yet as I am waiting for my final references but that is the current plan. The DTS finishes in September - where I will fly back to the UK and assess my situation - as to when I fly out to Liberia, to join the AFM.

Yes, so not Africa anymore but Australia?! what why I hear you asking. Well basically I have been told by the Mercy Ships management that they are no longer going to overlook my lack of DTS (you are not meant to work for more thatn 12 months in Mercy Ships without doing a DTS) and recommended that I should go and do one.

But why Oz? Well I checked out prices for doing one in the UK, US, Canada and Oz and they are are all around the same price (including the travel costs). And I always planned to go to the States and Canada after Mercy Ships so I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to see somewhere different. YWAM Perth has a really good reputation - plus it's a lot warmer than doing it in the UK!!!

But nothing is confirmed yet - so keep regularly checking for more updates!

Keep safe people.

New lifeboat onboard

2007-01-23T09:01:00.000Z

Our new 50 man lifeboat installed 22-01-07

Don't ask, just don't ask!!!!

2007-01-23T08:44:00.000Z

Yeah, again my plans have been changed.

After my last announcement where I was bouncing off the walls with excitement about flying out to Ghana to work on the Anastasis and finally get to do what God had told me I was going to do 9 years ago, things have changed. Doors have closed and obstacles have come in the way to prevent me from getting to Africa as soon as I had thought. Yeah, I know what some of you guys are thinking that have been reading this blog and know me for the last 18 months - you've heard this kinda thing before haven't you?!

So the current flexible plan at the moment is to carry on working in Newcastle on the Africa Mercy till it is finished and sail MY ship to Africa, whenever that will be. I kinda feel peace about this, as this is the ship I have been working on and it is MY crew that I know and love and I get to spend more time involved with NCLC – MY Church.

Please pray for me at this time as I settle back into the mindset that I won’t be heading for Africa as soon as I thought

The new dates for the ship is to leave the UK for Africa on Easter Sunday (which will be my 11th Bday as a Christian) and so we need to leave our current shipyard about 6 weeks before that.

We have our Inclination Test this weekend – which is a very important test to see how stable our ship is and how much Cargo we can carry to Africa – so please keep this in prayer. Then we will be having Sea Trials sometime late February. So yeah we will be having lots of exciting things going down soon.

One really exciting thing that has happened recently is that yesterday we installed our final lifeboats on the ship so I’ll have to get some photos on my blog of how the ship looks now.

Keep safe you all and yeah please keep in touch – in you haven’t got my contact details leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.

Love ya

Paul

January Update

2007-01-09T21:44:00.000Z

Yeah, well this was meant to be posted before the Announcement but I forgot!

Late December was spent at home with my folks for two weeks. It was such a great time of spending time with my family as I won't be here next Christmas. I saw relatives and old friends, which was a great time. I also managed to pop to the land of Wales for 3 days over New Year. Thanks for all those that put me up for the night!
Not many people spent NYE like me - in cold, rainy Wales under a Tarporline in a heated inflatable proper adult swimming pool!!! It was so fun, in the end I spent from midnight to about 2:00am sat in the pool, just chilling and enjoying every minute of it.

I started back working on the ship on my bday, but I recieved the best bday present - I was told that my transfer (that I requested and had denied before Christmas) was now being organised and I should expect to leave in possibly a month!!

Erm.............. wow. I was told that it still needs to go through some official channels and not to announce that I am going yet - so this is not an announcement that I am going but an announcement that I intend to go!!!!!

I can't wait to be doing what God promised almost 9 years ago that I was going to do "Go and provide clean water in Africa with Mercy Ships".

I'll let you all know what is going on my the day, but yeah please keep praying for me and the work here - I have lots to finish before I leave so it's going to be an interesting and stressing time but a great time too.

Now all I have to do is raise the funds to pay for my flight. But it'll be cool.

Love to y'all

Paul

Unofficial Announcement

2007-01-09T21:29:00.000Z

I am hopefully going to Africa in 4-5 weeks

A transfer to our other Ship the Anastasis is currently being organised.

It's still not official, but unofficial enough to send out a Bulletin.

So yes, it's 4-5 weeks of pure panic for me now as I try and sort out my life, get injections and anti-malarials and pack my stuff up, ready to leave my new home in North England.

Please keep us in prayer at this time.

But guys and gals I am so happy. But sad to be leaving this ship and not sailing it to Africa myself. and also to be leaving a really great Church and loads of great friends - some I'll see again in Africa, most I unfortunately won't. :~(

Love to all

Paulus

Some Photos

2006-12-07T21:58:00.000Z

Yes I have gone and dyed my hair again!!! also check out the top of the ear!
Yes that s me underneath the big afro and the right dodgy tache. The laydee next to me is Lorah the girl who does all my hair colouring. She does other stuff aswell!
Community meeting on the ship - that will be our large meeting room on the ship

November / December update

2006-12-07T21:51:00.000Z

Yes another majorly delayed update but this one is missing one big thing, an attachment. I recently changed computer and I haven't had chance to install Corel on my new one so until I manage to get a copy of it you guys will just have to cope with a standard email update without all the colour photos and pictures of the ship. I'll try and add some coloured text to make it a bit less black and white

Right time to crack on with the update.

Wow the last few weeks have been definitely different from my last 15 months. In particular I now have to follow my own orders, I get to carry a radio and a notebook and I have many more keys!! Yes I have been "promoted". I am now the man on the scene to look after the rest of the hospital installation and also to get the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration working and operating correctly. I now report to the Chief Engineer and the Executive Director. It's cool and I am getting used to answering lots of questions and I am learning so much more about AC and Refer and how to fix problems and how the whole system runs.

The current date we have for the Ship leaving is the 15th December. For us (Mercy Ships) we could sail the ship out on that date, all the engine rooms is finished (well apart from the oil/water seperation system - I won't go into that though) and the Deck guys have got the two main Lifeboats onboard - which makes the ship look great and ready for sea. The shipyard work is still unfinished with some controls equipment still not installed and the sprinkler system in need of some major alteration - both systems cruicial to the running of the ship.
We are currently aiming towards the 15th December and are clearing all the scrap of the ship and equipment that has been sat around and is unrequired, this is mainly due to the Inclination Test due to be held on Tuesday - this Test will ascertain how the ship sails and how much cargo we can carry onboard - so it's pretty important. After the Inclination Test the next stage is actually to perform Sea Trails, so it is getting exciting now with the finishing line coming closer.

It is seems that that ship will not be sailing to Ghana now and instead will be meeting the Anastasis in Liberia instead, which is a shame as I have heard so much good stuff about Ghana and I would really like to visit there one day.

Life in general is great. My health is good - I mention this as everyone up here is coming down with colds and flu. I have started attending a new Church. It is a plant from Hillsongs, London and is so friendly and is very supportive about what I am doing and I am getting chance to get involved in the Church as well as recieving on a Sunday. I am recieving such abundant blessings at the moment, especially in terms of finances, so Praise God for that!

I hope you are all really good, and I hope to write once more before Christmas - which is only 5 weeks away, how crazy is that?!!?!

Thanks for reading,

October comes and goes`

2006-10-26T09:26:00.000+01:00

A quick as a fox update just to update you people with what has happened in this crazy month.

Big news - I have been promoted!! I am now HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) Engineer. I am kinda ultimately responsible for all the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration on the Ship. This is a little scary as I have really only learnt about all the systems in the last few months and now I am responsible to keep it all going.

I am also in charge of finishing off the Hospital and looking after all the Medical Gas and associated systems. So this is no small task. I am really looking forward to it and everyone here is being very helpful and understanding that I feel a bit overwhelmed by this new task.

This month has also been one of the most exciting I have had for a while - we finally started both the large AC compressors - and they worked!! After taking them apart and replacing some parts personally, I was a little hesitant that they would ever work the same again - but they have and they seem to be running well - only time will tell. We also now have both the Refrigeration compressors running - so when we finally get some food onboard, we should be able to keep it cold.

Check out the photo below of an interesting James Hetfield (Metallica) type beard I tried out for one evening. Aparrently I looked like an American Biker or a Medievel Soldier!!

Till next time folks - I'll have a proper update with some photos that aren't just of me!!!

See ya, keep in touch

My theological view point expressed in Percent

2006-09-07T12:40:00.000+01:00

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan.

You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists.

Emergent/Postmodern
68%
Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan
68%
Reformed Evangelical
64%
Fundamentalist
64%
Neo orthodox
57%
Charismatic/Pentecostal
54%
Classical Liberal
46%
Modern Liberal
32%
Roman Catholic
18%

Early September Post

2006-09-06T16:26:00.000+01:00

Hey Peeps,

Just thought I would put a post up as I am running a little empty on work this afternoon- that just shows how much I love you all.

I only have two days left of work here. It's been 8 weeks working for Sandwell Borough Council. The job has been really nice, it hasn't been to stressful, but it has been challenging and really re-assured me that I know what I am doing in this line of work. Hey I was worried that I didn't have a clue about things.

I am so looking forward to heading back up to Newcastle next week. Infact it's going to be quite a crazy time over the next couple of weeks:
- I am packing all my stuff up the next two nights ready to leave next week.
- I am heading down to Bristol on Friday to see Mike Reddecliff and Tucker from my Uni days
then across to Cardiff for the weekend and going to be baptising some of the youth I worked with when I lived in St. Mellons - a really precious opportunity I could not refuse.
- While I am in Cardiff my Mercy Ships roommate Daniel is coming down and I'll show him the sights and sounds of the Welsh Capital and we'll both head back to Redditch for a day or two and then drive back up to Newcastle on Tuesday.
- I hope then to spend sometime with Rachel Cook and Rachel Wilson in Durham before one heads of back to the States and the other to University.
- Unpack my gear at the house then drive Daniel to Manchester Airport on Friday morning at some stupid time.
- Back to Newcastle and celebrating at the weekend and seeing all my Church buddies on Sunday morning.
- Then back to work at 6:30am on Monday morning. It's going to be a tiring week and a half!!

So yeah it's going to be pretty busy but am looking forward to it (I may have mentioned this already!)

Next time I update this blog I hopefully will be back on the ship and put up some photos of the progress since I left 3 months ago. I just hope it won't be to much of a shock that I no longer will be cooked for and my laundry done. I have a new roommate when I go back, a 19 year old South African, so I hope we get on okay.

keep safe peeps. thanks for tuning in and keep it all afloat.

P.

m/v Africa Mercy Update August 2006

2006-08-22T10:23:00.000+01:00

Well I thought my blog was due a textual update, enough of fun photos of friends and ship.

I have been working in paid employment now for 2 months. It’s been quite weird, going back to working for money rather than for what I enjoy, mind you is hasn’t been that bad. My first job in the factory for 4 weeks was pretty bad – I really was only going in for the money – but my new job working for a local Council I actually quite enjoy. It is mainly doing design work, helping them with a few different projects, from redesigning the gas network in High Rise flats, to a complete refurbishment of about 700 houses to a cooling system in a Golf Course Shop to a feasibility study for refitting a School Kitchen. The guys I work with are great and fun and days come and go quickly, but I am really missing work on the ship at the moment. I feel guilty about being away whilst there is still lots of work left to do, that I am not involved in. So yeah I am looking forward to get back up to Newcastle early/mid September to get back in my overalls, boots and hardhat (and don’t forget safety goggles) and be climbing the gangway once again back into ship life.

It’s been nice living at home though as well. I have managed to catch up with most of my friends who are still around the Redditch area and seen a few old school friends, some whom I haven’t seen in 8 years. It’s also been great to make some new mates whilst I have been around here to and get involved in a great Church here.

I have also got addicted to the myspace phenomenon, which has also been a great way of catching up with friends that I haven’t seen for a long while and I haven’t managed to catch up with in my trip down south and to Wales. Hope you guys are doing well.

Well I’ll have more ship updates once I get back and get involved in the day to day ship life again, but one cool bit of news. Next Christmas (not this Christmas) the ship will dock in the Canary Islands for about 4 weeks for the ships annual dry docking (which means a few weeks holiday for us- well we’ll need it after 12 months with out one!) so only another 450 days till I get to go on holiday!! It’s seems like I’ve missed out on going this year again! Poor old Paul!! Get out a little Violin!!
On that self absorbent note! See you guys, keep in touch and if you don’t know my email address, leave a comment with your email address on it (for Blogspot Users) or send us a message (for MySpace users) and I’ll get back to you. I’ll now be leaving Blogs at Blogspot and MySpace.

More Africa Mercy Photos

2006-08-16T13:19:00.000+01:00

The aft (back end of the ship) during engine tests (hence the wash coming out the back). Churning up the Tyne did not smell great either.

Rachel W and Rachel C, my two buddies who have both now left me (Rach W has headed to the Anastasis and Rach C has gone to Medical School in London).

It's me doing some work. Honestly, I am the one in the yellow hat (it says Paulus on the back to prove it was me) we are installing Mark (I think that was his name!) are installing the Head X-ray equipment. I wouldn't use it if I were you.

Finally some colour to my blog

2006-08-15T12:41:00.000+01:00

I have finally got round to posting some photos to my rather text filled Blog. They are mostly of my last few days in Newcastle before I left to come back for the summer

As you have guessed, yes this is the front of the Africa Mercy looking up at the Bridge. I could end up working the mooring lines on this deck or the Aft deck when coming in and out of dock, and no we are not allowed to do a De Caprio and Winslett "I'm the king of the world" scene. Yes I am in pain on this photo, some one would be poking my ribs and sweezing my touche. From left to right, Sam, Me, Debs, Dave and Daniel - my roommate.
This is happy Mercy Ships Crew. Matilda (Finance), Joe(Deckie), Isaiah(Projects), Rach W(Healthcare), Anique(Engineering), Me (in my comedy Cowboy shirt - only worn on 'special' occasions), Marcel (IT) and Daniel (Carpenter).
Beardy Daniel, Breaker Sam and Big Dave all posing and strutting. who could say no to any of these specimens?

Official Word on the AFM about leaving dates

2006-08-04T09:10:00.000+01:00

This is what has been released officially about the Africa Mercy and about how the work is going:

"As with any large construction project, the final work phase is always the hardest to accomplish. The main contractor is experiencing a number of difficulties including specialist equipment supply problems, additional demands from regulatory authorities, subcontractor delays in testing and certifying critical safety systems, and low manning levels in certain high skill trades. This has proved to make completing the last 10% of this project very difficult. We are all frustrated by these delays; however, until all statutory work complete, we cannot accept redelivery of the ship.

While we are waiting for the contract work to be completed, we are effectively utilizing the time and our own Mercy Ships crew to accomplish other less critical ship upgrades that we were not planning on doing until the ship was operational. This will save down time later on.

Stepping onboard the Africa Mercy today, you will see the huge amount of work that has been accomplished with the installation of updated navigation equipment, new cabins for the 460 staff, 6 Operating theatres, a 78 bed ward, lab spaces and all of the large pieces of equipment including a CT scanner, necessary to run a modern world class hospital. We are excited, knowing we are almost there and are in high hopes that we can be operational by the end of this year, and ministering to the people of West Africa early in the New Year."

So here we have it I should be in Africa in "early 2007".

Well I am hopefully going to continue working for my current job till 8th September then move back to Newcastle the following week. I was hoping to take a little break before I go back as I haven't had any downtime myself since I got back to Redditch but hey, maybe they'll let me have sometime off for Christmas.

My current plan is to work for Mercy Ships for 2 years when I go back in September. So probably working till September 2008. This may change dependant on my financial situation at that time but we'll see how it goes when I get there.

I'll have to post some photos soon, this blog has way too much text in it.

Keep safe guys.

Love ya all

Paul

temporary email: the boy waldron@ hotmail (dot) com (remove the spaces!)

June/Julys update

2006-07-23T15:15:00.000+01:00

This is a joint June/July update as I haven’t got so much to report back on.

Firstly what happened early June:

We installed some bed pan washers (poo drainers as they are called) on the hospital deck and I also installed two sets of Air Conditioning systems for the IT department as their poor computers were overheating.

We were having quite a bit of nice weather before I left the north and one Friday lunchtime the Deck crew invited me to join them testing out the life boats on the Tyne – how could I resist. Well it wasn’t like Gondolas in Venice, but it was two noisy life boat engines and lose flooring with our life jackets on. We got to practice man overboard techniques and rowing the boats with the Oars. But it was a great time out relaxing for a change!

Mid-June I moved back to Redditch (where my parents live) and I went job hunting for the first few days after getting back and started work in a factory just a mile from my folks house. It’s nothing spectacular – in fact its really quite unexciting – just using presses to make clamps for the Aerospace Industry. After 4 weeks I managed to get a much better job working for a Council helping them to prepare for a massive refurbishment of 700 houses. This mostly entails reading loads of Government literature and summarising it and then writing a project brief for them. This could be for 4, 6 or 8 weeks depending on how it all goes.

In the evenings I am spending time preparing presentations and writing letters to raise more funds so I can go back and work on the ship for a further 18 months and decorating my parents new house.

I popped over to Cardiff one weekend which was really great and managed to see a fair few of my old friends and talked at my home Church on Sunday morning. Thanks to Mark and Sue for letting me borrow their house for the evening to have friends round. It was really great to be home again, but I was very aware that I won’t be moving back there when my expedition is done.

I hope to be back in Newcastle early September now, but it all depends on this new job. So I’ll let you know how it goes in a few weeks time.

Cheers guys & gals.

Have a great summer.

Paul

Update May 2006

2006-06-06T09:27:00.000+01:00

Hey guys,

I know it seems like it was only two weeks ago that I sent my last update (well that’s because it was – a bit delayed on the communication front recently).

Right what happened in May eh? Well we finished installing all the pipework for the Medical Gas equipment. Now all we have to do is wire it all up and get it started (plus make a few adjustments and make sure it all works!). Oh and do my favourite of all other jobs – leak checking :-(!!

We also spent 2 weeks installing all the new water pipework for the Hospital Sterilizers. This as the name suggests disinfects all the hospital tools and equipment. This was cool to be back on the hospital deck and see the massive progress being made there. Most of the ceilings are now up and the temporary lights are coming down and the new installed ones are being used.

Also this last week we have installed the X-ray machines. We have two x-rays, one for full body and one for facial x-rays. We had a team of experts come in from the States and we got it all installed and working in 2 days. Not bad I think.

Right that’s the progress on the ship, now quite a few people have been asking what the news is that I mentioned in my last letter. Don’t worry I am now getting married or anything!! As 15th June I’ll be taking 2 months away from Newcastle and Mercy Ships to go back to my parents and get some paid employment. This last year has been more expensive than I budgeted for, as I have been living in the UK and not in the considerably less expensive Africa. Plus as I am staying on the Ship for significantly longer than what I previously expected, I need to return home and raise some more funds. I hope to get a temping job in a warehouse or factory for about 8 weeks and also to go back to Cardiff to visit my home Church and update them on what I have been upto.

It’s getting quite sad here at the moment as many of our crew here in Newcastle are heading off the Ghana to join our sister ship the Anastasis on her final Outreach. I am losing my house parents Robert and Susan and many of my friends. But it’s cool, there will be more technical crew coming in to continue the refurbishment. Plus there is now talk of Sea Trials for the ship so these next few months are going to be exciting (unfortunately I won’t be up here!)

So ta-ta for now from me.
And maybe see some of you guys when I return down south.

Paul Waldron – Project Team –Mercy Ships.

Aprils Update (yes a little late)

2006-05-18T23:15:00.000+01:00

(this is the text version of the latest update, you'll be recieving the full flashy colour attachement hopefully this weekend.)

DON’T WORRY I AM STILL ALIVE.

THINGS HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY HERE RECENTLY. BUT HERE IS APRILS UPDATE, IN A SLIGHTLY NEW FORMAT THAT HOPEFULLY EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO READ AND NOT TAKE THREE DAYS TO DOWNLOAD.

APRIL CAME AND WENT VERY QUICKLY. UNFORTUNATELY NO TRIPS TO DALLAS THIS MONTH. THE START OF THE MONTH THOUGH WAS VERY EXCITING FOR ANOTHER REASON THOUGH. WE HAD A COMMISSIONING SERVICE ON THE SHIP. WHICH MEANT THAT LOTS OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE TO THE PROJECT, MOSTLY SOME OF THE LARGE FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS OF THE SHIP REFURBISHMENT, WERE INVITED TO COME AND SEE THE SHIP AND HAVE A LOOK AROUND. IT WAS A REALLY AMAZING DAY AS THE SHIP DIDN’T LOOK LIKE A CONSTRUCTION SITE FOR ONE DAY AND ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE A PLACE YOU COULD LIVE AND WORK ON. SEE THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT TO SHOW ONE OF THE OPERATING ROOMS LOOKING OPERABLE.

ONE OF THE MAIN ANNOUNCEMENTS OF LAST MONTH WAS WHO WAS LEAVING THE AFRICA MERCY TO START OUR FIRST FIELD ASSIGNMENT IN GHANA ON OUR SISTER SHIP THE ANASTASIS. FOR THOSE I HAVEN’T EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO; BECAUSE THE AFRICA MERCY HAS BEEN DELAYED IN NEWCASTLE OUR OTHER SHIP IS GOING TO GO TO GHANA AND WORK THERE UNTIL THE AFRICA MERCY ARRIVES (THE DATE IS ESTIMATED AS OCTOBER 2006). ALL THE STAFF RELATED TO THE MEDICAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY ARE GOING AND MOST OF OUR HR DEPARTMENT ARE ALSO LEAVING. THIS MEANS THAT 1/3 OF OUR PERSONNEL HERE ARE LEAVING, TO BE JOINED FROM ANOTHER 200 STAFF FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE OUTREACH TO BEGIN, SOME FOR OVER 4 YEARS!

THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR ALL OF US, BUT ALSO A TIME OF ‘GOODBYE’S AND ‘SEE YOU SOON’S, WITH SO MANY PEOPLE LEAVING (INCLUDING MY HOUSE MA AND PA, SUSAN AND ROBERT) THERE ARE MANY CHANGES HAPPENING WITH OUR HOUSES, WE LOSE TWO AMERICANS AND GAIN A DUTCH WELDER AND A SPACE FOR A SHORT TERM CREW MEMBER.

ALSO IN APRIL I GOT TO TRAVEL AROUND THE SOUTH OF THIS FAIR ISLAND, OH I HAVE MISSED THE SOUTH (FINALLY LOCAL ACCENTS I CAN UNDERSTAND!). FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS I TRAVELLED TO BIRMINGHAM, WORCESTER, CHELTENHAM, CARDIFF, DEVON, OXFORD AND BACK AGAIN. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE OLD FRIENDS, WORK ON MY PARENTS NEW HOUSE, GO TO THE CELEBRATE CONFERENCE AND WORK ON THE PA AND SECURITY TEAM AND MOST IMPORTANTLY GO TO MY OLD UNI MATE MARTIN’S WEDDING. CONGRATS TO MARTIN AND RACHEL WILLIAMS.

THAT SHOULD BE ALL FOR THIS MONTHS UPDATE, BUT I’LL LEAVE WITH THE ANTICIPATION THAT I SHOULD HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT NEWS COMING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, SO KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR INBOXES. I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH A FEW PHOTOS FROM THIS LAST MONTH.

KEEP SAFE ALL,
VAYA CON DIOS

PAULUS

Update March 2006

2006-04-07T15:02:00.000+01:00

Hey People,
Welcome to the second installment of the new style updates.
This one has even got photos. Wow I hear you all cry out, Hope you enjoy it.
Nothing really much else to add apart from keep in touch and let me know how you are doing and what youare upto.
Keep Safe
Vaya Con Dios
Paul

An Complete Operating Theatre

2006-04-07T14:53:00.000+01:00

Hey guys,
Just a quick photo update.
Check out one of our Operating Theatres that was completed for a special commissioning Service when we had lots of dignitaries being shown round the ship.

If you take a close look at the photos, the Operating Theatre Lights and the dangling Medical Gas connections hanging from the ceiling and the Operating Table were all installed by my not so fair hands!

More photos coming soon.

Keep Safe People
P.

Latest Update Letter

2006-03-09T09:08:00.000Z

Hey there people,
Theres a few things different about this update: - the update is in a photo format- It is a monthly update
This is just a trial, I have tried to reduce thefile size of the attachment to something that those of you on dial up should be able to download it in about a minute.
If you have any problems please let us knowand I may try something different, next time (sorry for the very basic deisgn, I hope to make it look a little better next time)
I am also trying to write them now in a monthly format, just so I am not filling up your inboxes withmy little diary snippets.
So to those of you who has just joined the wonderous world of Waldron, welcome and hope you enjoy it.
Keep safe all,
Vaya Con Dios

Paul Waldron
Projects Engineer
Mercy Ships

(JUST CLICK ABOVE TO GET THE FULL IMAGE)

6:30am, waiting for our ride

2006-01-18T03:46:00.000Z

Just thought I would let you guys see what i look like at 6:30 in the morning!!!
This is us waiting for the Minibus to take us to work.
From the Left is: Amy, Isaiah, Me, Terry, Robert and Andy
Amy is a Carpenter from Canada
Isaiah works with me in Projects and he's from El Paso, Texas
I am me.
Terry is my boss and Isaiah's father.
Robert is my housemate (adopted Dad) and is a Welder from Texas.
Andy was my roommate for a week before Christmas, poor guy.

I'll put more photos up as and when I get them.

Paul

Some pop art for you folks

2006-01-18T03:13:00.000Z

A really cool one of Leia and some stormtroopers
Check out some of these paints that I found on t'internet, specifically Ebay.
Bullit
A storm Trooper - obviously
and A funky looking Han Solo

I am getting into this whole pop art thing - yes its 3:20am and I have nothing else better to so on my night shift.

Keep safe peeps.

Paulus

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 10 – 05-01-05

2006-01-11T15:10:00.000Z

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 10 – 05-01-05

Okay Peeps, guess who’s now Late-Mid-Twenties!? Yes me, turned 27 yesterday. Had a cool day, well it was a very ordinary day, except for we went to the local public house in the evening, Me and some really good friends from Newcastle and some close friends from Mercy Ships.

Welcome to those of you who recently asked to receive my newsletter, hope you enjoy.

Right back to the usual update subjects:

Ship News
The Main Generators are being tested and seem to be working great with all their previous issues resolved and we will probably be working 12 hour shifts for a week mid-January when they get load tested.
The shipyard have started back working on the ship after a 5-6 week interruption. Theres still a long way to go on most of the cabin furniture and the kitchen but we hope to get some major progress in the next few weeks.

What have I been doing?
We installed the washing machines and driers for the Hospital then this week we have started installing the major plant for the medical gas and have began pressurizing the refrigerant system – this is the system that everyone on the ship wants me to get right, because a ship in Africa without air conditioning is not a nice ship to live in – remember ships don’t have openable windows!

What else?
I got to go home for Christmas and New Year which was great as I got to catch up with loads of my family and friends and even popped back to Cardiff for 3 days for NYE. But my main trip back to the fair city in Wales will still be on the 19th-22nd January, so keep your days free Cardiff-types. I am free to be cooked for anytime over those days!! Hehehe. Venue for party still yet to be organised. As soon as I find out you will find out – please remember – it’s gonna be a pirate party so get your eye patches and parrots out and practice your best Johnny Depp “... drink up me hearties, yo ho ho" and “hazaa!!” (for Chantille)

Alls that’s left to say is that I hope you all have an amazing 2006, it’s sure going to be a new adventure for me and I hope for you guys too.

Have the best time till I speak to you next.

Paul of the Waldron Clan
Mercy Ships

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 9 - 14-12-05

2006-01-11T15:08:00.000Z

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 9 - 14-12-05

Hey people and welcome to another instalment of Paul’s little (but getting bigger!) trip away.
I hope everyone is keeping up with the goings on and not getting to bored of my consistent badgering of emails every fortnight.

Things are going really well here and I have had a great last two weeks. As you all should know by my multiple emails last week, I have been offered a place on the ship when it sets sail – hopefully April 2006. This offer comes on the condition I stay on the ship at least 18 months to 2 years and do a Segue (pronounced Segway) course. This is a 6 month class where I will get taught the basics on how to help change a society with regards to health and sanitary practices and other such helpful things that we try and teach the nations where we go.

Thank you to all those that responded to my previous email with congratulations and specially to those who have offered to support me with this expedition I am on.

Another item of great news, the day has finally come, where there are no leaks on the gas systems, they have been fully tested and now all complete! I can’t tell you how happy I am that I finally can stop going round squirting washing up liquid type junk on all the pipework connections!! We still have some brackets to add and some other minor things to finish but it’s now 95% complete. Now to begin installing the rest of the Hospital equipment, finishing off the Galley and all the other jobs we get to try our hand at.

Outside Mercy Ships, well, I have started a new sport! Its called Free Running or Parkour. If any of you saw the TV show “Jump London” or “Jump Britain” then you’ll know what I am talking about. It basically involves a cross between Rock Climbing and Running and Skateboarding-ish! Running around in an urban environment and jumping around obstacles. Sounds simple. Do some research (www.parkour.com) and find out it’s not so simple! Plus you don’t need to buy any equipment, it’s good exercise and it’s free to do! Lets see how long I can keep this sport up.

I am on night watch Duty again this week, which really confuses my brain and body about how much time I am sleeping and about when I should eat and how much. But also means I can catch up on paperwork and communicating with people. Also I got to play around with the Generators, replacing some of the bearings, with the engineers who were working late. So doing some 'proper' Mechanical Engineering.

Oh of those people resident in Cardiff I will be making a flying visit back to my favourite City on the weekend 21st January where me and Marv will be having a shared bday party. Venue yet to be arranged, but the theme is Pirates. I look forward to seeing you all there (well the Cardiffians anyway!)

Keep safe my friends.

From your ever obliging Messenger

Paul Waldron

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 8 - 30-11-05

2005-11-30T12:57:00.000Z

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 8 - 30-11-05

This is a very quick update.

Today is a great day.

As of 11:00 this morning I found out I have been offered a place as a long term crew member on the Africa Mercy.

I will be a as a Water Projects Worker in the Community Development Services Department, which means I will be heading out with teams to the far off villages doing water pumps and sanitation – which is what I have always wanted to do on the ship.

As you can tell I am well happy – bouncing off the walls would be an adequate description.

I have been worried since joining that I would only be able to serve on the ship for 12 months, but they have extended this term.

The Official Letter is below, as I am meant to send this out to all the people that I keep updated, so this means you!

Right thanks for reading and I hope you are having as good a day as me.

Vaya Con Dios

Paul Waldron
Mercy Ships

-----------------------------------------

November 22, 2005

To the friends and family of Paul Waldron:

Millions in our world today are starving to death, both physically and spiritually. Mercy Ships seeks to become the face of love in action, bringing hope and healing to the world’s poor. To accomplish our goals and objectives, we need staff with great diversity. Skills, talents, gifts, and callings must come from various sources; working together we bring the _expression of a loving God to all nations, offering the two hands of the Gospel to the multitudes as Jesus did during His time on earth.

In this regard, it is with pleasure and gratitude that Mercy Ships has welcomed Paul as full-time crew onboard the Africa Mercy. Paul will be filling a vital role in our Community Development Services Department, as a Water Projects Worker. We are fortunate to have Paul in this role and pray that his life will be blessed as he serves God in Mercy Ships.

How can you get involved? As with many charitable organizations, Mercy Ships asks crew to develop a support team. This allows donations to Mercy Ships to be spent directly on programs and outreach. May I ask you to prayerfully consider partnering in the work of Paul? A partner serves in several ways…

Prayer support. Prayer is key to the success of his ministry and must be the cornerstone to your partnership. Please commit to praying for him daily.

Financial support. Give generously to support his financial needs.

God has certainly given us many talented and committed people over the past years, and Paul fits into that category. He needs a solid support base to continue forward. The enclosed information will outline that process. Please contact Paul should you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Don Stephens
Founder/President

PAC

2005-11-30T12:55:00.000Z

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 7 - 21-11-05

Right first thing I have to do is apologise. It`s not bad. I am typing this on a French Keyboard. (Yes I am in France) and for some unknown reason the French have decided to really mess up the Keyboard by moving all the keys around on the keyboard! Silly French people. Anyway the reason I am telling you this is that my spelling maybe much worse today than it is normally!

Right now that that is outta the way, I can get on with letting you guys/gals know what episodes are going down in the life of the Waldron. Well it has been another 3 week period since I last wrote.

Well I haven't injured myself recently you'll be pleased to hear, I think the Shipyard Medic may be missing me!

The ship has actually moved twice since I last wrote. Well moved I use mildly! We got towed into the Dry Dock about 150m and then two weeks later moved back to the Tyne! Dry Dock is when the whole ship moves into a really large swimming pool, about 40 foot deep and 250m long, then all the water gets drained out and the ship is left sat on a few blocks of wood! A bit like getting all its wheels stolen! It's a bit weird to think that the ship is balancing on some wood, but thankfully it doesn't topple over, no matter how much you try and push it, I didn't try.
That week I was on night watch so at least I didn't have to check for water leaks coming onto the ship!

I managed to escape off the ship when it moved into Dry dock but when we left I offered my services as a Deckhand. So I got to help with the mooring lines which was a really great experience, even if very very scary. Thankfully none of the lines broke - which does often happen when moving ships, I've seen one break and it is not pretty. Basically you see a lot of people run like mad. A breaking line can easily slice someone in two! Also checkout the Blog on the link below to see a photo of my great leaning tower of mooring lines!

Then the rest of the time I have been completing the pressure testing of the Medical Gas. Yes I am still going and yes I am still not finished! To date I have got the three largest systems complete, so now it is just the two smaller systems to finish off. Thankfully.

General Shipyard updates/Answers to prayer.
Well after depressing two weeks of not seeing any work done on the ship as all the subcontractors were released due to contractual and shipyard finance reasons. We received news on Wednesday that there has been major positive progress made and they should all be starting work again this week. And they have kinda assured us that they should be finished by the end of March. Which will put all of our original plans back into action about the ship visiting London and then to Rotterdam in April before we go to Ghana and meet up with the Anastasis.

Having a few days out at the moment visiting Vicky in France. So spent Saturday in Paris and then the next few days in Orleans and back to Paris again on Wednesday to fly back to Newcastle. I love Easyjet!!! The French Architecture is amazing and they really know how to build Cathedrals.

Right keep safe my friends.

Keep in touch and incase you haven't recieved my txt already my mobile number has changed to: ********** I think! I'll still have the other one with me for another few months but will gradually use it less and less. The new mobile is on Vodafone but doesn't have any cross network minutes, so give us a ring as I won't be able to anymore!

Vaya Con Dios.

Paulus

The Leaning Mooring Line Tower

2005-11-18T07:33:00.000Z

Me and my mooring line pile.

See the two piles of rope next to it, those were done by a Deckhand, my rope pile was a bit, well, less professional!

This was the day I became a Deckie and helped when the ship moved from Dry Dock back to the Tyne.

Oh yeah also note the 5 week beard. It helped keep me warm on the freezing day.

Keep safe y'all.
Paulus

Me at work

2005-11-15T14:33:00.000Z

Hey, just thought i would quickly pop in and leave a rather pleased looking photo of myself stood next to some of our work in the hospital section.
I am srood next to some of the Medical gas trucking that we are currently installing. (just so you know that I am cheating, there isn't actually anything installed behind there yet, we are still getting round to it, but this is what it will look like when we have finished it!)

I became a Deckhand for the day helping move the ship from Dry Dock (where it has been for 2 weeks) to the usual wet dock of the Tyne river. I'll try and post some photos of the ship in dry dock later on.

Keep safe people, Vaya Con Dios.

Paulus - now floating again.

New Look to the Blog

2005-11-09T22:20:00.000Z

Had a bit of a change with the whole Blog thing.
It was looking to Dark and Dreary so I brightened it up with a bit white finish and some fancy poppy-up boxes on the top left.
Sorry for the massive photo of me that pops up if you float around the title bar a bit. I'll have to find some way of reducing it down!!

Righty.

Keep safe people, I'm off to bed.

Paul

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 6 - 29-10-05

2005-10-31T09:47:00.000Z

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 6 - 29-10-05

Well this update is a little late it is now the start of week 13 and quite a few things have happened over the last few weeks, now all I got to do is remember them all.

1. I went to Deb and Pete's Wedding down in Reading.
It was such a lush time, being able to catch up properly with lots of Cardiff folk and seeing one of my best friends getting married was a great experience.

2. I went on a 2 week demolition streak.
We had to remove all the gallery and servery equipment, remove some walls and remove all the screed flooring. This involved lots of sledgehammer action and loads of power tools! How excited was I!?! It was lots of very hard work and much aching after using a jackhammer for 3 days solid.

3. I got my first proper Mercy Ships Injury!
I was hammering a crowbar into a wooden wall and a saprk came off the crowbar. interesting I thought. then I noticed dark claret coming out the back of my hand, dripping on the floor. Ooops I thought. When I got to the Medical Centre the docter dude spent 10 minutes prodding into my hand trying to remove the shard of metal that had gone into my hand run under the skin and stopped just below the surface! Well its alot better now and think it will make a great scar!

4. I got my second Mercy Ships Injury.
Yesterday I was measuring some metal plates above my head and some metal filings fell off went under my glasses and into my eye! Darn. But went to the Medical centre again and the guy removed the tiny beasty much quicker than he removed the metal chunk from my hand thankfully.

5. Finally finished the medical gas installation.
Going back to work issues, we finally finished brazing the medical gas pipework and I started pressure testing the pipework today, which means going round to all the welded joints and squirting washing up liquid on it and checking for any bubbles coming out. This will take me about 3 weeks to complete. So please pray for patience and sanity for us! No seriously!

Other work things: Did some more CAD design work, drawing up some strengthener plates for the lights in the operating theatres. Worked on the Bridge! Yes Waldron is heading up in the world! We installed some rudder monitoring and navigation equipment.

Non Work things: Youthwork is going really great, making some great friends and really enjoying working with the Moshers and Goths and punks!! I am really getting involved with my church. I am part of the student welcoming team and also DJed at a Chill night which went really well. I am DJing again tomorrow night in town at an Alpha Course Supper.

Answers to prayer: The Visa situation is mostly resolved now and only a few Ghanian guys have got any issues.

Please could you people pray for the Shipyard workers. I may have mentioned this before but they are not working! like literally no work gets done at all ever!! I won't go to deep into it but please could you pray that they catch hold of the vision for the Ship and the good it will do, and also that the Shipyard management will be able to manage their people properly and effectively.

Also I am picking up a cold, sore throat etc - more like Man Flu! So please pray for health.

Thanks people.

Sorry for the long one today but it is a 4 weeker!

Also if any of you have excess tools that you don't need then please let us know as we are trying to get tool packs together for the people in Africa to maintain the pumps that we install for them. Well let us know if you have any ideas for tools or fundraising for tools!

Right definitely going now.

Vaya Con Dios

Paul Waldron

See the aptly named photo below:

Evidence that Paul W works on the odd occasion. This is me during the CT Scanner installation. If you zoom into it you may see mw completely soaked in sweat - it was a warm day! nice!!

Some photos of the ship - rather than of my hair!

2005-10-19T14:47:00.000+01:00

Hey here are some photos I have yoinked off the Mercy Ships Website so you kinda get the feel of what I am doing.

I'll hopefully have some of my own soon:

This is the ship - incase you hadn't realised.

Deck 7 - The is the main balcony area. Will be great in somewhere sunny, not so great here.

This is a photo of the hospital deck where I am mainly working. Yes there is a long way to go, but it's getting there.

This is her again.

She's pretty big.

Right now to write my latest update letter.

Keep safe people.

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 5 - 30-09-05

2005-09-29T04:28:00.000+01:00

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 5 - 30-09-05

Wow, 8 weeks, that's like 2 months - see my math skills have definitely improved since being here! It feels like I have been here much longer. I have made so many new friends, had so many new experiences and hopefully attained a few new skills along the way too.

Well first of all lets get on with what I have been up to the last 2 weeks work wise:
It's still the medical gas installation mostly. We have got almost all the high level pipework completed and brazed up now ready for pressure testing. Yesterday we started getting all the sterilisation equipment into position. It was another one of those occasions of having doorways only just bigger than the equipment. Things can never be easy here can they?!?!

Everyone here has been side tracked by the whole visa issue. Well we received great news today. One of our crew popped over to Rome (it was the cheapest flight around) and came back and they converted her visa into a unrestricted Seaman's Visa. So now everyone is booking flights out to Rome and Geneva for a couple of days and then coming back and having their Visas changed. Its cheaper that way rather than paying £350 per visa to be transferred by the Government, we pay £100 for a return ticket out the country!! Stupid how things like that work! So the ship is going to be pretty empty over the next few days as the Americans and Canadians go on their little jollies. Unfortunately things aren't that easy for our Ghanaian and Filipino brother and sisters. I am not sure of their exact situation but things have to be worked out slightly differently with them.

Right now for updates of what I am up to outside of the ship.
I have got involved with a great Church and met up with loads of great guys, who are really supportive with the Mercy Ships thing and are always asking what I have done that day and are excited to hear what I am doing. I have got involved with their Student events and am DJing at their "Chill" night on Saturday which will be very entertaining.
I am also really involved with a Youth Outreach called "Upper Room". It is a coffee shop based on the 5th floor of a deserted building in the City Centre. The Coffee Shop itself is a great place to hang out and is there for Rock/Mosher/Goth youth. The place is rammed full on Saturdays and pretty busy on Friday nights too. It is funny that I have been brought back to this scene once again after working with the St. Mellons (Chav/Sporty) youth for 3 years. I can get away with wearing baggy trousers and jumpers without people shouting "MOSHER!" at me.

On a final note:
I flew over Cardiff on Saturday and Monday as I popped back home and to see Vicky, who left for France on Sunday :-(. It was great to see what I call my home city again, but it made me remember how much I miss the place. As we were taking off from Bristol, we were so low that I could see St. Mellons and my old house so clearly, but I guess I'll have to get used to not being there now.

right, sorry for a long one today - it is 4:30am, I am on night shift and I got lots of free time!!

As Busta Rhymes would Say "Woo-Hah, I got you all in check!"
Keep safe People, let me know how you are doing.

To all the guys going to Deb's Wedding, I'll see you in two weeks! How exciting is that! The wedding - not just seeing me!!

Vaya Con Dios

Paulus
The Blue Striped One - oh yeah that reminds me I got the photos on my Blog now so check them out if you like!!

The photoos I promised in my Update

2005-09-22T16:16:00.000+01:00

Hey guys, I am hoping this post will contain some photos taken on my phone. but this computer is not happy.

The first is of my first "Funky" hair do. The blonde stripe going from the right hand side of my head then cutting across thee back of my bonce.

Below Shows the Obi Wan Kenobi Beard I was growing for 3 weeks. and also my new hair colour, The Stripe is now blue. I kinda miss the blonde.

A bad photo trying to show the top of my head with the Blue stripe.

So here you go guys, Waldrons abusing the fact that he doesn't have a job that he needs to look smart for. Next on the list is to add a blonde stripe again on the inside of the blonde stripe. The beard has also gone to a thin stripe running along my jaw line.

Keep safe my friends, feel free to leave any comments.

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 4 - 16-09-05

2005-09-17T20:16:00.001+01:00

Well I think this bi-weekly/fortnightly Waldrons news update could be the shortest it has been so far, you can all hope. We'll see how it goes.

First of all lets see what I have been up to:

The main thing I have got up to on the Ship is trying to finish the Medical Gas installation. It's all up in the voids now, just got to braze all the joints and thats the main distribution done then. Over the next few weeks we'll (Mark and Me) will begin to install all the lower level pipework and the distribution to all the beds in the wards.

Next week the X-ray and sterilisation equipment are coming from the States, they are currently in 4 containers somewhere in South England. So I am sure I'll be busy getting all that equipment installed.

Today I have been doing something that really only my old work buddies will understand. Record drawings. Yes drawing my own record drawings for all the medical gases installed. Don't see what Subbies have a problem with. Back doing the CAD stuff. Steve C, don't worry I got the layers correct, but think these guys could do with some help with their x-refs!

So now to what has been happening on the whole ship. We have had problems with Visas (not the credit card type) as all the non-Europeans on the ship require them to work on the ship but they all finish in 30th September, so we could lose all the Americans (not such a bad thing -hehehehe!! - Joke!), Canadians Filipinos and Ghanaians that are most of the work force here. I am not sure of the exact route and steps that need to be taken but I keep hearing about something called Articles that will save the day if we get them in time. So people, please pray that the Articles get sorted and that British Immigration are cool with everything that is going on.

I think thats probably enough this time around.

Next time I'll update you with the Youthwork I have got involved with, if I remember.
Thanks again to all those that reply to my emails with happy thoughts and encouragements. Sorry I can't reply to all of you but I'll really make more of an effort over the next few weeks to get back to you all. Mainly as I have to work night shifts on the ship security team for 4 nights, so will have plenty of time to try and email people between walking round the ship at stupid o'clock in the morning!

Oh yeah I'll try and upload a current photo of myself to my online diary as somethings have changed recently - lets just say hair dye, clippers and a lack of shaving have been utlized!

Keep safe you guys and girls.

Paulus
The Blue / Blonde Striped Boy

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 3 - 03-09-05

2005-09-17T20:15:00.001+01:00

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 3 - 03-09-05

Hey Peeps,

Hello and welcome to my third installment of what I am upto here in Newcastle. Don't worry this one will be alot shorter than issue two, which was an incredible size and I doubt many of you read all the way to the end. Let me know those that managed the trek the way through that email and survived.

I have been here 4 weeks now. it's been such a great time as those that have phoned us would have experienced when I rave about what I have been doing and how much I have been blessed living here.

One of the biggest blessings have been the group of friends I have been placed in. My first week was a bit of a struggle not know anyone. The second week was a little better. But since meeting some guys from Church two weeks ago it's been great. we have been going out at weekends, BBQs, going to the beach lots, been great. They seem completely on my wavelength - something of a miracle I hear some people say.

These last two weeks have been very exciting for the ship. Finished off installing the CT scanner and doing sample tests and everything seems to be working fine. This is the first major component to go in the hospital and you can really see the hospital section taking shape now.

Heard this week that the ship should be ready to leave dry dock late november to start sea trials. The techincal crew (including me) will be moving onto the ship around that date. The hospital installations should then be finished late December. And the ship itself should be ready for sail to London in April - where it will be officially opened by Queen Elizabeth and also a Danish Queen Margrethe II. Sail to Rotterdam for supplies late April. Then sail to Ghana in May for 10 months. At the moment it is still unsure on my role in everything, still think the Captians position would be pretty fun.

Right, a shortish email for a change.

Hope things are great with everyone back at home, and away.

Vaya Con Dios

Paulus

m/v Africa Mercy 19-08-05 update no 2

2005-08-20T07:43:00.000+01:00

Hey guys gals and others.

See living with 3 americans and now one Canadian has this affect on my langague. I have started extending my vowels, starting Saying Zee instead of Zed, having half a glass of ice in my pint glass before I pour in Coke which I never drank so much before! Every meal in our house seems to be sweet, never savoury. But there are some advantages. They can get me cheap stuff from the states sent over, the cultural differences (yes there are cultural differences between the US and the UK) are cool. They have even stopped saying pants when they mean trousers becasue I was getting all confused. But they have changes the spell checker on Word to English(US) so I apoloigse if some of my spelling is off.

So it's been exactly a week since I got here and sent you my first email update. thanks to the 20 or so people who took time to send me some good luck emails, sorry I probably won't have time to respond to you all individually but I will try my best.

Well tonnes have happened since then - surprisingly. Anyone visiting my blog has already had a preview of what I am going to write now, so please stick with me.

My first weekend I spent checking out this new city. Wandered round the city centre which is probably about 2 or 3 times larger than the fair city I left. then went to visit the MEtro sentre - a large shopping centre which has an indoor rollercoaster in it!! Found a cool church on sunday morning and evening which was quite friendly.

Monday morning at stupid time of 5:50, my alarm went off. made my lunch, which all my old workmates know I have never done before, unfortuantely I can't afford to buy stuff from the sandwich van every day. caught the minibus at 6:30. First thing we do every morning at 7:00 is have devotions. which normally we have a bible study or worship or someone gives a talk. It sets us up well for the day.

First thing I had to do was attend a safety talk. not the most interesting thing I have ever sat through, it didn't even have people getting burnt or sliced in half or showing people getting crushed by massive containers falling. the worst it got was when it showed someone lying on the floor at the bottom of some stairs. Boring!
Then had morning break at 9:00 till 9:15. First proper job was to clean up under Engine no. 6 where a considerable amount of oil had been spilt. easy job you may think but Ship ensines are not designed to have easy access and meant me and a colleague Matt had to become contorsionists to get through the mass of pipes and get the oil cleaned up so someone could come and Weld without a fire risk.

Then I spent the rest of the day moving spare engine parts from one side of the ship in the cargo hold down one deck, then into the stores. Another easy task you may think. well not when some engine spare parts weigh about 20kgs each and come in stupid shapes like gears and control units large pumps and are not easy to get down stairs let alone ship ladders.then once we got all of them we could lift we had to hoist the rest down to the engine room.

I had such a great day - came back feeling like I had actually done something good - and felt like I had done a hard days work as well and a little dehydrated.

The rest of the week I got to install medical gas pipework - which was a lot less physical work than my first day but more mind work trying to figure out how to get the pipes around all the bulkheads and structure on the ship. Something which I was used to sat behind a computer doing at my old job, but not used to doing it in practice. I was working with two guys Mark (from Winnipeg, Canada) and Dallas Logan (from Nevada) what a cool name though! I attempted at some Brazing which was cool, but I wasn't that fast and we needed to get it finished so I only did a couple of couplings. All this experience should be really useful for if I get back into my previous industry again.

Last weekend I went to a different church and meet tonnes of cool people and spent the afternoon playing gamecube and watching Cricket in the park.

This week has been the most exciting week ever. we have installed a CT scanner in the medical deck 3. 4 tonnes of equipment, fixing locations to the nearest 1/2 mm, had 9 people pushing the main gantry (or doughnut as we call it) through a doorway only 30mm bigger than the unit, up a step and onto screed that we couldn't run the gantry accross without 3/4" hardboard across it. We finished fixing most of the units this afternoon ready for 3 specialists coming from Texas on Tuesday to commision and set the CT scanner up.

I am going to the beach tomorrow for a new friends bday and then going to see High Contrast (a Cardiff drum and bass DJ/producer) playing at the uni here in Newcastle. Should be fun if I can cope staying up so late!

Well thats all me done and I have just realised how long this email is. What I will do is go back and highlight the key points in the email so hopefully people will read the main bits. Sorry for taking up so much time but I am really raving about what is going on up here and how much I am enjoying this new adventure.
Keep safe all.

Paulus 'the kid' - as my house mom calls me!

09-08-05 two days of working for Mercy Ships

2005-08-09T16:17:00.000+01:00

Just a quick up date to let you folks know what they have been getting me doing here in Newcastle.
My first thing on Monday morning at 7:00am!!! yes that means I have to get up at 5:50! there's a 5:50?! yes as I found out yesterday.
was devotions and praying for the day and our safety.
then I had our yard Safety talk - great.

Then my first proper job was to clean up under Engine no. 6 where a considerable amount of oil had been spilt. easy job you may think but Ship ensines are not designed to have easy access and meant me and a comp[anion had to become contorsionists to get through the mass of pipes and get the oil cleaned up so someone could come and Weld without a fire risk.

then I spent the rest of the day moving spare engine parts from one side of the ship in the cargo hold down one deck, then into the stores. Another easy task you may think. well not when some engine spare parts weigh about 20kgs each and come in stupid shapes like gears and control units large pumps and are not easy to get down stairs let alone ship ladders.then once we got all of them we could lift we had to hoist the rest down to the engine room.

I had such a great day - came back feeling like I had actually done something good - and felt like I had done a hard days work as well and a little dehydrated.

Today I got to install medical gas pipework all day - which was a lot less physical work than yesterday but more mind work trying to figure out how to get the pipes around all the bulkheads and structure on the ship. Something which I was used to sat behind a computer doing at my old job, but not used to doing it in practice. I was working with two guys Mark (from Winnipeg, Canada) and Dallas Logan (from Nevada - I think) what a cool name though! I think I will be doing this for the rest of this week, which is cool, but I did actually prefer the hard labour of being in the engine room.

Tonight I am off for a drink with a guy I met at Church on Sunday. I also have a new housemate today but he has travelled from the US for the last two days, so he is currently sleeping and haven't met him yet.

So yeah that is what is currently going on in the life of the Waldron.

I would love to hear what you are up to so please get in touch I miss you guys so much.

Stay Cool my friends.

m/v Africa Mercy update no. 1 - 05-08-05

2005-08-09T16:13:00.000+01:00

hey there guys/gals.

Well I am finally in Newcastle. Got here about 2 hours ago.

Nothing like I'd expected. the Ship is huge. I get to go on it monday. The dock is ... well....it's not like a day at the office which is what I am used to.

Getting kinda emotional now I have landed here and realised what I have left. Have already considered moving back 3 times since being here.

The flat I am staying in is lush. I am sharing it with a middle aged american couple called Susan and Robert. Not met Robert yet but Susan seems really great.

They are cooking me a meal tonight with some other Mercy Ships older couple who also seem really great called Kevin and ....... Err. someone. Not good around adults so this could be interesting. I will hopefully remember names as I have been introduced to about 20 people today and I think I only remember 4 names.

So here it all goes. 3 months (and hopefully more) of Mercy Ships - my big expedition starts here. Please keep us in prayer if you are of the praying orientation, it'll be really appreciated.
If you know of anyone who wants to be part of these email updates then please send me their email address and I'll keep them updated too. If you don't want to recieve these emails then please tell me and I will quit annoying you.

My Address for the next 3 months will be:
60 Gladstone Road
Hebburn
Tyne and Wear
NE31 2XD
and mobile is still (well you'll have to join my email list and ask)

Time to take Kassie for a drive and see whats around. Or I could go for a walk. Hmmm nah!
Keep safe bruvas and sisters

Paulus - the newest Geodie resident.
Mercy Ships.

Two weeks left in Cardiff

2005-07-20T15:14:00.000+01:00

So it's been two weeks since I finished work at Hoare Lea and it’s been a great time – I miss the 9-5 working day though and the structure of it.

For the first week I spent most of my time working on my car and getting all the equipment ready for my sound install – photos coming soon – in my car.
Then the second week I spent sunbathing and cruising with the top down. Also preparing for the last weekend – Christian and Michelles Wedding. For those that don’t know I was Bestman for my old buddy Christian – which was my first time in this role. I had such a great time being so involved in a Wedding and it was so relaxed and the day went so well. The speeches were good – I thought my Speech was read to much of my notes but people got most of the jokes and people congratulated me on the speech afterwards, so it was alright!

So things are going great at the moment. This week I have begun to pack all my stuff in my house to take away with me, and I have filled three massive bin bags full of clothes and 4 large boxes full of paper for recycling. This is going really well and I think that as long as I get a good stint of it done today I should be pretty much read to leave by the end of next week. Scary thought.

Even scarier is the amount of days I have left. Friday I am borrowing one of our minibus’ and taking a load of my junk back to my parents to store, then coming back in the evening to DJ my final set at Off The Shelf . then Saturday is Pete Bevans Stag day. Sunday is my final Church service in St. Mellons. Tuesday I have my leaving meal with the EZ36 family. Wednesday I travel to Evesham, Thursday I have my first preach ever at the Focus conference. This should be a very interesting talk! Friday I rest before I travel to Maidenhead to Hamfs wedding. Then travel back to Cardiff for my final Woody Bap Service, then go to Pete and Anamarias Wedding Reception.
Then Monday I have got my parents coming down with a van to finally move the rest of my stuff back home.
Tuesday I might try and get to London to see some London friends then Wednesday I’ll have my final day at home then head up to Newcastle on Thursday. Then look out Mercy Ships I am coming!

Best get back on with the packing. Keep safe all who are reading this. I’ll probably next update this when I am in Newcastle!

Ta da Peeps.

4 days of work and 5 weeks in Cardiff

2005-06-28T09:39:00.000+01:00

Check out the link to see the glorious Waldron mobile or bat-mobile as some people are calling it.

The Poser mobile"

I love it especialy driving round with the hood down. But I have noticed myself become more and more like a ponse driving this motor, looking around to see whos checking my car out. Ahh well it'l get it's own back in the winter - there is a little leak above one of the windows so when it rains - well u get the picture!

Just found out the Stag do I was organising has had to be cancelled - don't worry the Wedding is still going ahead - just trying to organise a group of people to meet at one place at one time takes more organisation and skill than me and the Groom possess. Damn it. Looks like my plan of gaffa taping the groom to a lamp post down the bay will have to wait. That is a lot nicer than some of the Stag weekends I have been on. Davies' "chaining up on the Severn Bridge" and poor Hankeys "Dressed up like a woman, taped to a wheel chair in the countryside" are a lot worse. I have been to a few really nice ones, like Pete Moons "everyone has to do a task as well as the groom" and Jon's "lets just have a great meal and then tape him in a phone box" or Miks' "lets just shoot each other again and again and again" and Anthonys "we're going up, then down then turned around then, spun upside down and loop da looped and then stop."

It has come to my attention how competitive I am. It's funny I am not competitive when I know I am rubbish at something like Football, Rugby, American Football & basketball, but when it comes to something which I think I should be good at like Beach Rounders or Halo I am so competitive that I almost start swearing and then I go off in a huff when I get out. Why is that? hmmm must be my Testosterone or something.

I'll have to start putting more photos in this blog, Should try and hook them into a photo album but not sure how to set one up on Blogspot.

it's only 5 weeks now till I move to Newcastle which is becoming a very scary prospect. I am gradually coming to terms with the fact the place I have been calling my home for 8 years is now going to be far far away, with my friends. I am trying not to dwell on these things too much.

Viya Con Dios - or however my little saying is spelt.
The Boy Waldron AKA Commotion

Lost the track

2005-06-09T17:19:00.000+01:00

I have now decided I have lost track with my life.
It's not that I have been more busy than normal (just the usual busy-ness) but I have had so much to think about recently that I have thought about nothing.

I have sold my house - another massive stepping stone on the way to Mercy Ships - to a great couple called Gary and Laura Twell. Many of you will know them, especially Gary as he has been my housemate for the last 6 months.

Work (9 till 5) stuff is going okay. Everyone now knows I am leaving and i have been left to try and 'tie any loose ends' before I leave. You wouldn't believe tangles I am in! We are going on a works night out tomorrow to see Lee Evans in the bay, which I am realy looking forward to, especially spending some social time with my 9-5 people which I don't do often enough. 15 working days left!

Today I decided I am selling my car. Great decision Paul as if you haven't got enough to organise and worry about. I will then buy a cheaper car and use the extra money for Mercy Ships and really try not to spend it.

Having brief communication with Mercy Ships and hope to join them in the first week in August, getting very close now.

you know when you get a tingling on you neck, I am getting it thinking about the future and the next few weeks. Lovin' it.

Till next time.

scary scary

2005-05-23T16:47:00.000+01:00

I handed my resignation in at work last week.
Very scary indeed.

Now everything is definitely going ahead. My house is going up for sale tomorrow. Please thouse of you reading who are praying people. can you pray for a quick and easy sale. need this to all get sorted asap, so things can get moving (sorry to use the pun).

My life really has been breezing by me recently, the usual EZ stuff going on every week, Bus has now been replaced by games in the park every week, you really don't want to be stuck in a double decker bus when it is so sunny outside.
OTS has been going great with more and more people attending our night every week. We had the Capoeira Allstars down a couple of weeks back. They are so darn impressive. I would love to have the skill and balance they have. It's a beautiful thing to watch.

Saw some old Housemates of mine on Saturday. Jenn and the Tucksta. So many great memories in that house. Tucker climbing up the stairs along the ceiling and the outside of the house was Tuckers climbing frame, chats in the Jenn and Em zone till 3:00 in the morning. Jules and Naomi of the top floor. Playing Mario Kart and some Stunt plane SNES game. it was a great house 1 minute from the union back door.

Tip - don't get suckered into feeling sorry for people playing Monopoly. ohhh poor Gary he's only got two train stations, okay you have Mayfair, I'll sell you Park Lane for £550. great (short term gain). oh no you now have 3 houses on each. oh no I have landed on them 3 times. Phil you are all ready bankrupt for landing on his properties twice. errrr. forget it. Exit Paul in mood!!! hehehehe!!

Only got 9 weeks left till I leave Cardiff.
only got 6 weeks till I have to do a Wedding Day speach
and I have to organise a stag day by then!!!! aargghhh!

Righty.

I'm outta here before my head explodes. keep safe people.

Monday achey breaky back

2005-05-09T09:56:00.000+01:00

Tip, if you have a back garden keep it undercontrol!
My folks and brother and I spent 6 hours yesterday chopping, mowing, sawing, clearing, lifting and bagging my garden.
We found at least 5 teddy bears, hidden by the dog, a set of fairy lights that been put in a tree by the previous owners at least 4 years ago, lots of dog poo and a path! this path was running along the side of the garden and had not seen daylight since I moved in!
Why all the work - well I am selling the house. So got valuers coming in tonight so tried tiding the house and garden. now all I have to do is not make a mess, which will be so difficult for me to do, but I'll try.

So what has happened recently. Well Xodus beach party was last week. Bit disapointing that no dogs were allowed on the beach, So me and Carly (da Dog) had to sit on the rocks all day, which wasn't so bad. It was great to meet a few new people and despite the on/off rain/sun I still managed to get sunburnt on my forehead. darn sun!

right back again in a day ro so to finisht this off

2005-05-04T12:13:00.000+01:00

Chloe on the Beach - how cool is she?

Another Monday, Another Blog Entry

2005-04-25T18:10:00.000+01:00

hey check me out:
Hot Or Not
Did it as a competition but never expected this score! Now don't go and ruin it for me, vote high!
Found a few other people that I know on here - very random.

Anyway to what I have been upto.
Well last Monday we had football instead of Mission Men - and I won! How on earth can I win at football I am rubbish - perhaps it's because I was playing against 14-15 year olds. "2 and through" in now my favourite sport. Well apart from BMXing.

Tuesday night Bus was alright. Thunderstorms and very wet . But quite a few soggy kids attended. We are getting alot more younger age kids (12-14) now rather than the older teens we used to get when we started out. In some ways it's good but in others they are harder to control and a little more hyper.

Wednesday night was a chill out night. tidying and ironing - Rock and Roll I know. then went to the Cinema and Watched "Sahara", which was a James Bond/Indiana Jones/Navy Seals extravaganza. Of course you can use a "Pirates of the Caribean" type cannon to destroy a Helicopter gunship!

Thursday night everyone dropped out of the meeting so took the dog for a wander round the estate. and then watched A Knights Tale a film I hadn't seen for a long time. Puurrrrrrr Jocelyn.

Friday was the usual relax then to BSB for OTS. it was a busy night with just me and Kovas on the decks. I enjoyed it apart from one of the decks going wrong and leaving me with a sound problem in the middle of my set. Sometimes you run the night and it really drags, sometimes it's as easy as pie. Friday was a good one.

Saturday, had a Blonde in my bed all morning. Shame she has four legs. Town to have a browse and then a boys night playing James Bond on the projector screen and then an early night, well an early night for me.

Sunday my folks popped down for my Moms Bday. I told them about me leaving in August, which went down okay. then curtain shopping for Ma and then Carvery. I could barely carry my plate back to the table and was heavy laden for the rest of the day. Great stuff. Ignite event in the evening with some of our youth.

This blog is gradually becoming my diary rather than a place of expressing thoughts, but at least it gives you readers an idea of what I am up to - busy but generally happy.

Hope you are all cheerful and happy. hopefully blast some thoughts out mid week. Go some brewing.

Vaya Co Dios

Long Time no Blog

2005-04-18T13:15:00.000+01:00

Well what has happened in the last 11 days?!

Me and the Davies took London by storm.
club unity

It was great to be in London Village, a very different scene to our normal residency. The bar itself is located in the city area, far from any sense of night action. Also unless you know where it is or have a very keen eye, it is quite difficult to find. But the bar itself is very impressive with fish tanks in the walls and long centrally located bar, one issue you can't see the dance floor from the DJ booth, but hey you can't have fish in walls and a good booth.

After getting there at 8:30 and seeing where the place is, we popped off to find a banquette or two. After a nice relaxed meal with Linda and Mark we returned to Temple Bar to find the venue rammed. a venue busy by 10:00 what is going on.

Well the night went well, the first DJ (Mal I think was his name) played some mellow house to get the good vibes going and then we a cheese Dj Owain on his CD decks for the laydees - and boy did he play a set for the ladys! Then Dark Mavis had a bash on the Technics going down to a warm reception by most but with the usual "can you play some cheese, please" from the older/more traditional folk there. After much ear bashing from the punters we let Mr Chart Topper have a go again to end the preceedings.

An interesting night. Was really good to see some old friends there. Cheers to Linda, Leonna, Lizzie and Pella for popping along. Sorry I didn't get much chance to chat to you guys. oh yeah and cheers to the Greg-meister for letting us ring him at 3:20 in the morning so he could let us into his house and sleep in his living room.

Sunday we (Mark, Linda and Myself) went to this amazing place called "Starvin' Marvin's" a tradiational American Diner. Bottomless Coffee and Pancakes for Breakfast please.
Movie at Jodie's place on Sunday night was relaxing - Man On Fire. strange that title - there weren't actualy any men on fire in the film. But there was an interestingly located plastic explosive - you'll know if you have seen the film.

The rest of the week passed by very quickly.
No MM's Cell on Monday.
Bus was good on Tuesday, usual mayhem on first side and responable on the second side.
Wednesday I was in a very vague and not very productive mood - Cell I was just not focusing with.
Thursday travelled back to Redditch before my Grandads funeral.
Friday - well the Funeral went well, nice things were said about by Grandfather. The family got on well and I found out lots of interesting information about my family history - especially that my granddad was one of 11 children and most of the others are in the States. So it could be cool to meet up with some family over there - will be doing a little research into Herlihy family history.
Friday night - headed to House of the Open Door for the Friday night meeting. it was cool to see some friendly faces that I last saw at Celebrate Conference only a few weeks back and some even older ones.
Saturday - tried to fix a computer but ended up busting it even more - they won't be asking me again! then drove back to Cardiff and bought a BBQ and had Jodie, Phil, Laura and Huw round with Gary for a bit of munch and an X-men movie xtravaganza.
Sunday - Went to Woodies in the morning and then drove to Swansea to have a meal with my EZ guys/gals on their way back from the weekend away I missed due to the funeral. I love my EZ team. Thanks to Houllie 4 shouting us the meal too. hmmmm Rib Eye Steak. Then came back home and rested in the afternoon during the storm happening outside. Watched Point Break. Top Movie.

And thats a review of what I have been doing.
For all those readers out there,
Vaya Con Dios

My new sign off.

Health News

2005-04-07T15:17:00.000+01:00

Visited the Doctor this morning - I should have gone 6 months ago but I really don't like Doctors - they are full of ill people, coughing and spluttering and sharing diseases.
And have a bit of examination and questioning the thing that has been worrying me for half a year turns out to be a terrible diet and rubbish eating pattern. So lots more fluids and proper meals for me now. no missing main meals and eating fast food - well reduced eating fast food.
I really haven't got into work this week, I have been sat here not really doing much, really struggling with motivation and urgency.
I got to get loads done this afternoon to make up for it.

Had an email today which has really confused me about what Catholics think about Mary and the Holy Spirit. Apparently the Holy Spirit is Mary's spouse and forever will be. It is completely off the wall for me to understand and so I think I'll give it to God to deal with and not worry about it to much, like it won't affect my Salvation or anything.

Got EZ36 prayer meeting tonight. Which I am really looking forward to. Going to be praying lots for my family after my Grandad dying. I love having a Christian Family here as they are being so supportive with everything that is going on. I love 'em.

right I got to get to the work I was talking about.

if you have time check out the forums on
xt3

so interesting chats and some cool people on there.

Commotion

Wednesday, some sad news

2005-04-06T15:59:00.000+01:00

I recived a phone call off my mom this morning saying my granddad, who was in hospital, had died early this morning, aged 95.
My grandad was a great guy, he had such an interesting life and liked telling stories of his childhood in Ireland. He had 4 children, my mom and 3 boys. He lived to a good old age, and only really suffered the last year or so with major ill health, but he was lonely since losing nan 12 years ago next week. He would have also liked to go at the same time as the Pope - him being a dedicated Catholic.
I will miss him loads and he will not go unforgotten.

If any of you are of a praying disposition, some prayers offered for the Waldron/Herlihy family would be really appreciated.

To Granddad James Herlihy.

Monday after Celebrate Conference 2005

2005-04-04T13:51:00.000+01:00

Well 12 days ago I left for Ilfracombe, Devon for the Celebrate conference with a long blonde streak running from forehead to neck in a Mohican stylee. I thought the hair style (if U can call it a style) was quite ironic (which I preceeded to tell everyone) - in that many people who wore a hair cut as stupid looking as this probably actually thought they looked quite cool. whereas I thought it looked more funny and humourous and that is how I wore it.
anyway enough about the hair.

Met up with the usual setup crowd of Andy G (Sir, chief, master and amazing father) and Phil( I drive a 4 by 4, but it's okay I live in Scotland) Dan (my lovely room-mate - girl and gadget magnet!), Julie (will do anything for anyone) Nicky (I will hug you to death you know), Rob (but I thought I did turn it down), Andy F (Spiderman and gymnast), Stu (I have some amazing wrenches for any possible purpose and I will tighten bolts so you will never be able to remove them again), Salv (I keep a rhythm, it's just way faster than you guys can play) and Keith (I will start work before you guys even wake up and I put up blacking out better than any man in this hall) - along with Enda (I can break you by looking at you, but I love you so thats just fine) and Peter (I will organise everything in my notebook and people will call me Enda all day!) with me creating the 13 setup team Disciples! Spent 3.5 days setting up a school hall and gym. And what a rig it was.

People who go to Celebrate often don't realise where they have their meetings is normally a school sports hall. I will try and get photos of before and after on da blog.

It is great before the conference as you have the same crew working away for many days in fellowship and prayer. Then U have the gradual arrivals of different communities coming to set up their rooms in the school - Sion Cross Purposes are great and friendly southern (mostly) bunch led by Clare and Matt and Martin and then you have the always jovial Youth Mission Team from Newcastle (soon to be my place of residence - possibly) led by Tony and Fr Dermot. Those guys are great fun - looking forward to hooking up with the YMT crew and maybe helping them in their youth accomodation centre.

Then suddenly Sunday comes about and all the punters turn up.

It was overall a good time - this year my role was to help the Steward chiefs Kirty Mac (an old friend, who talks from her heart) and Fr. Steve (but he's not a father) then I was helping Enda and Peter in the afternoons taking over the Caretaking of the school. I was less busy than previous years, having time to lie in in the morning but still help out at Mass. It left me with more time to do some youthwork around the school, but as much as I was around their was very few youth hanging out at the school with year. but had a chance to chat to a few locals about faith and dogs! Big up to "Starsky" the black Pitbull Labrador.

This year was also a bit unique as I actually chatted more to people my own age with 23-30ish group. this well was kinda interesting. Emily Hall (I'll start off my own stream then....and it's not a dating thing) and her crew of "just before middle-agers" had a few socials through out the week to try and bring together the uncatered for and often forgot about single and some non single age group. It was a bit difficult for me for interact intially with the guys that were in the group as they were all (I mean all) very different to the usual people I hang out with of this age group and I often ended up in silence as I struggled to find a common ground to build from, but after a deep chat with Emily, which I can't remember much of what it was about apart from it was challenging! I decided to give the group another go. I managed to get to another one of the socials (after being on the same beach as them and not finding them and missing a bring and share meal) and hey, it was a little better - at least Em kept me company, it was just a little difficult as I found I couldn't really add to the conversation and when I did I seemed to kill the conversation! Oh well it's probably me being paranoid, but it was great to hear testimony of a few of the guys there. I think I will stick with youth workers and clubbers, I don't tend to kill conversation so much.

It was great this year to get more time to speak to people this time, and got to know alot more people and chat to proper adults to about the stuff I am involved in and about Mercy Ships. It was funny on the first night as Sue Whitehead - love her - got me up on stage on the first night infront of everyone - to give me an easter egg to thank me for all the work I do and to say I won't be there next year because of Mercy Ships - no exageration over 60 people asked me about Mercy Ships and was able to encourage them.

It was great chatting to the permanent Stewards loads, hanging out with John (Drum and Bass Massive), Ron (Can i borrow your BMX?) and Alex (Beer sneaker!) and Becky (I rule, don't argue) - check out www.ezekielproject.com also Esther (Miss Latino dancing craziness) and Bori (I will smile all day if you like it or not) funny foreigners (in the nicest way!) Budi for teaching me about Catholism (none of which I understood) and Alex(2) for being a dude.

Then just as suddenly as the party started 6 days passed and it was time for everyone to go home. Then the mass 8.5 hours of getting every packed down and on the lorry. rushed, yes. Hungry, yes. tired, very. but done dusted and then Chinese food feast to end it all. Celebrate over for another year.

Celebrate 2005 brought up many issues for me in my faith this year. It is strange how you can act around a group of people (1500 people) one way as you know you only see them once a year and act completely different around people you spend the rest of your life with. At Celebrate I act like a complete tart and come across as all confident (sometimes/much of the time arrogant) and I also drink way more in that one week than I do in 6 months normally. Why is that? How can you be two people?
I was really challenged by this on the final night of Celebrate by my friend, Lizzie. Cheers Lizzie.

Maybe a little challenge for all of us.

Yeah, I found it a little lonely at Celebrate this year. I got on with all the people I worked with really well and I am so glad I had time to spend with them (the setup team and the stewards), I just found it hard to create great friendships with people I will only see once a year, which makes me think about perhaps going to more Charismatic Catholic events thoughout the year. Walsingham and Youth 2000 or Bright Lights perhaps. Perhaps it was lonely as I missed my EZ36 (www.ez26.com) and Reload (www.reload-uk.com) crew. To be honest I don't really know what was wrong with me this year, perhaps it was the realisation I can't get on with everyone.

Keep it safe boys and girls.

2005-03-21T16:23:00.000Z

Linda, Berrnice and Lorna - the Ealing Massive (note1: photo not taken in Ealing) (note2: Bernice doesn't live in Ealing either)

2005-03-21T14:46:00.000Z

Friends from Oak Hall holiday in Barcelona

2005-03-21T14:42:00.000Z

One of my favourite fotos ever

2005-03-21T14:36:00.000Z

Cassie, my parents dog

Sunday

2005-03-21T09:58:00.000Z

Late for church again, only 30 minutes, not bad really.

Went to the Park w/ Gary, Martin, Jodie, Will Chloe & Carly (the later two being dogs) had fun running the dogs round and booting footballs for them to chase. Then Will and Chloe got run down my a cyclist Mum. lots of whimpering and tears but everything was fine within 5 minutes. "Never work with Children or Animals" springs to mind.

Oh yeah forgot to mention yday - well done to Wales for the the Grand Slam victory, and well done to England for actually winning a couple of games. Better luck next time boys.

Then popped over to see my old friend Laura P. Cool chats and more dog walking ahoy.

Back home with two very tired dogs and then realised TEEN WOLF was on 5. great film. very 80s and great background music. Micheal J Fox eh? watchever happened to him?
Micheal J Fox

link there to find out.

Off 2 the Ty Mawr with Woodies (my home church) people. Cool to see some of the guys/gals back from Uni. Have found some people to do leopard spots on my head for the Conference. I think I am going to look like a fool.

Then sleep.

Saturday morning

2005-03-19T13:51:00.000Z

2 Hours on GT4, Cat and Jon round with Carly, and "Baby got Book" video from www.whiteboydj.com

Sorted!

Of to watch the rugby somewhere

In the beginning

2005-03-17T21:54:00.000Z

There was this post and it created a whole army of posts.
I thought creating this blog would be useful for when I go away for 12 months - doing what only Almighty God knows what.
It'll be like a diary - well except for other people can read it.

Well today - as like every other day - I am being rubbish at work and not really doing much. Feeling kinda tired after going to the pub with Hairy Dave, Anne, Tucksta, Max and Max's Friend. then got a kebab - always a bad idea but I was hungry. got to bed at 12:30ish.
and was my usual 5 mnutes late for work.

Right have to finish this post now as have loads to do this afternoon.

Later people

2005-03-17T16:31:00.001Z

Minger - Deceased 08/04

2005-03-17T16:31:00.000Z

Minger RIP oh U were so cute died 08/04

2005-03-17T16:29:00.000Z

Upstairs BSB

2005-03-17T16:26:00.000Z

Me doing my stuff 02/05

2005-03-17T16:21:00.000Z

Reload Boys and Neil, Doug and Lee

2005-03-17T16:14:00.000Z

My churches weekend away

2005-03-17T16:13:00.001Z

Friends and dogs who could ask or more?

2005-03-17T16:13:00.000Z

Wanna come to my party?!

2005-03-17T16:08:00.000Z

One of my flyer designs

2005-03-17T15:52:00.000Z

Yes me again!

2005-03-17T15:51:00.000Z

Me in a vest!

2005-03-17T15:38:00.000Z

Urban Sanctuary Offside

2005-03-17T15:37:00.001Z

Urban Sanctuary drivers side

2005-03-17T15:37:00.000Z

Deano 06/04

2005-03-17T15:36:00.003Z

Me with Mohican

2005-03-17T15:36:00.002Z

Smokey outside patio 0404

2005-03-17T15:36:00.001Z

Smokey ears up - 0404

2005-03-17T15:36:00.000Z

Smokey ears down 04/04

2005-03-17T15:29:00.000Z

Boaz 11/04

2005-03-17T15:28:00.000Z

Levi 10/04