Wednesday, June 1, 2011

staying in touch

People keep asking me how they'll be able to keep up with me while I'm in Sierra Leone, so I thought it was time to give y'all that information.

I WILL have internet access - there are computers on the ship, and I'll be bringing my laptop with me. So I'll be able to contact people through email and facebook, and will be posting updates to this blog. I will NOT be able to Skype or use any other video chat, or download large attachments. So just keep it to simple, old-fashioned emails, ok? And if you want to share any pictures with me, post them to facebook and tell me to look at them there, instead of attaching them in emails.

I don't have an international phone plan, so won't be able to use my cell phone for 6 months. The ship has a US based satellite phone system, and I think there are phones in the cabins. I'll just need to buy phone cards to use to call home.

Snail mail will be sent to the International Operations Center in Texas and then forwarded to the ship. Here's the address:

Ruth Daniel
Mercy Ships IOC
M/V Africa Mercy - Surgical Ward
PO Box 2020
Lindale, TX
75771-2020

I love getting letters, but just know that it could take several weeks for mail to reach West Africa. Also, don't send anything heavy unless it's really worth it, cause I'll have to pay $0.55 per ounce for anything over 1 ounce. Any packages that are sent will need to have a detailed list of all contents on the outside. Otherwise they'll be subject to inspection and/or refusal of shipment, and Mercy Ships could be fined. Click here for more staying-in-touch details, and for a list of hazardous materials NOT to send.

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