For Real This TIme

(image credit: mercyships.org)

Above is the second new (real!) photo from Mercy Ships. The occasion? The AFM has passed her sea trials! (Read story) It's been a long haul, and it ain't over yet, but this is a big milestone. A big one, as opposed to the "hooray, the port side lightbulbs are all installed! Now we're almost ready!" sort of milestone. It's really getting closer. Congratulations to you Africa Mercy crew - and thanks for your long, LONG, faithful hard work.

It's finally coming true.

See the little lighthouse in the above photo? It looked the same, five long years ago:

(South Shields, England/Feb 2002/Canon S110)

My DTS used to walk out on that beach and say, Someday the Africa Mercy will sail out past this light under her own power.

You see that smoke coming from the funnel stack in the top picture? I love it. That's real.

One more sea-trials photo from Mercy Ships:

(credit: mercyships.org)

If you haven't been a personal part of this nine-year saga in some way, i don't know if you can truly feel the visceral joy in those people waving from the top of the bridge.

But there's always time, you know.

:)