Project MARC

Trip Logbook

Nelleke's 2005 Trip Reports

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~ First mini-Report ~

Port Vila, Vanuatu, June 24, 2005

Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,

Here we go again: year 2 of MOU 2 and three more years to go!
Henk and I will be leaving this coming Sunday and we will not be returning till the very end of this year.

In April a 40ft container with medical supplies was sent by Medeco in the Netherlands on behalf of Project MARC to Port Vila hospital on the new container ship "Mondriaan". This container has in the meantime arrived.
In May our own 40ft container was sent with the new mobile clinic "on board" and the medications and instruments needed for the various teams.
We have learned that the second ship, the one that goes from Auckland to Vanuatu, is delayed for a month. We are now trying, with the invaluable help of skipper Richard from Ranui, who lives in Auckland to get the container on a different ship, but the time frame is very small....24 hours for the transfer....
We ask for your prayers, candles and fingers crossed!

Yes we would love to hear from you!
Please do not use the above email address (and Henk's) from now until we are back home next year. Instead, send your short messages (no attachments please!) to meuzelaar@juno.com . Mail can be sent to Yachting World Yacht Rivendel II
PO Box 1507 Port Vila Vanuatu.
In emergencies we can be reached via the Iridium phone, using the SMS system.
Send an email using less than 160 characters to: [iridium phone number]msg.iridium.com (we monitor this phone every day).
Cees, our brother, can be reached at the home front (except during the month of August when he is joining us in Vanuatu) by email ceesusa@comcast.net or by phone 435-649-9355

More news will come from Port Vila once we've arrived.
Thank you all for your invaluable support and keep us in your prayers and thoughts!

Nelleke and Henk

~ Second mini-Report ~

Vanuatu, Port Vila July 7, 2005

Dear Family Friends and Supporters,

Henk and I have arrived safely at our "home away from home".
As always there were many potential problems but this time everything had a good ending, which makes for a very good beginning.

Our trip went without even the slightest problems; we stepped out of the plane at Bauerfield airport at nine in the morning and into the taxi with ALL our luggage.
We found Port Vila politically "stable" and preparing for the 25th anniversary of their Independence Day.
The weather is pleasant, with sunny, breezy days and cool nights.

We reunited with our beloved Rivendel and found her well taken care of, the damage from last year's storm repaired and ready to be our home again for the next half year.

A couple of "close calls" were all resolved. A crucial volunteer, and the only one who knew how to put the mobile lab together, canceled but was last minute replaced by 2004 volunteers Brian Renshaw (who flew in from the East Coast to take Roger and Beverly Harrie's indispensable eye screening course) and Dana Overacker (who quickly volunteered to study the assembly manual). Thanks a million Brian, Dana, Beverly and Roger!

The boat that canceled has been replaced by the Wharram catamaran "Moonwalker" (bringing back memories of Project MARC's first Wharram catamaran annex sailing clinic "Flying Angel" in 2001) and possibly by other cruising boats from who have offered help). But the biggest miracle has been the container.
When we left home we already knew that the ship from Auckland to Port Vila would be three weeks behind schedule. However, thanks to the efforts of our friend Richard Allen (skipper of Ranui) our container was placed on an earlier voyage of the same vessel (transfer time in Auckland 24 hours!) and as I am writing this the Southern Moana with our 40ft container on board has just steamed into Port Vila Harbor!!!

During a meeting with the Ministry of Health this morning I learned that also our Dutch container sponsored by Medeco that was stuck in Customs here for a month was finally cleared this week. We are wrestling through the usual paperwork but are doing this with a lot more joy.

Allan and Martha on "Siome" have been waiting for a weather window, and for the repair of the project dinghy "Red Baron", to leave the Bay of Islands in New Zealand, but were expected to sail yesterday.

Things couldn't be better here and isn't that nice for a change!
Thanks for prayers, candles and fingers crossed.
Our small flotilla will be leaving Port Vila on July 29th with the August teams.

Till then!

Nelleke

~ Third Report ~

Project MARC Vanuatu, Port Vila
Nelleke's July 2005 tripreport


Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,

After the initial strike of luck we are facing a lot more challenges.
Yet one more medical volunteer has cancelled for health reasons: Alex Dalzell from New Zealand sadly reports to have broken his hip, thus being unable to join us this year. Add to the list Rennie Malresres, our ni-Van volunteer, medical assistant and translator. Rennie reports having family problems and needing to look for a new place to live (he lives with his uncle in a part of Port Vila called "Beverly Hills") without him we will be severely handicapped for the upcoming negotiation of land to build the mobile clinic. What is going on? This year are losing volunteers due to serious illnesses and/or accidents left and right. We wish you all to get better Julie, Laura, Rich and Alex!

The process of tracking, handling and processing the container is -- as in other years -- slow and agonizing. It takes seven trips to the Ministry of Finances to get the required extension of the tax exemption without which the container as well as our medicine shipments cannot be cleared through customs.
I have to admit that, after six trips, I have become a bit impatient and therefore suggest to the male employee that, instead of going through this exhausting and time-consuming process every year, the Ministry should give an extension for the duration of the MOU (2008). First he pretends not to understand me, so I quickly compile a written request on a scrap of paper. Grumbling he says that he will try.
When I finally get the letter (in the end I "bribe" the girl who types the letter by giving her some clothes for her baby) the letter states that it HAS to be done EVERY year and that from now on the official request letter has to be delivered at the Ministry exactly one month prior to the expiration, followed by a threat: if I don't follow up they will discontinue the exemption...
Oops, I tried to interfere with the bureaucracy AND I am a woman.....
However I have the needed letter and now the customs clearing can proceed.
Between three different agencies, customs and the people on the wharf
It takes two full weeks before the container is cleared.
The 44 ft Project MARC container with hospital supplies from Dutch sponsor Medeco, which already arrived in April, is still in the process of being cleared, though the hospital badly needs the supplies. No surgery could be done last week because they ran out of sutures and other needed operating room supplies. Fortunately, our US Project MARC container with team supplies contains generous amounts of these and there is an enormous supply in the Medeco container. I offer my help to "push things through the American way" but the hospital manager decides that the Medeco container will have to go "the Vanuatu way..." in order to keep the peace among the various government offices involved.
Anyhow, we can now have a go at the US container....., or so I think.
The manager of the Wharf named Ian, has promised that the truck can carry the container to the hospital and just drop it off there. That is a very exciting and easy possibility for us. I make a few phone calls to arrange for the date. Showing up at the hospital there is no sign of the container however. And when I take a bus to the wharf, Ian informs me that he cannot do it because our container is 40 ft and only 20 ft containers can be moved through town......
So we have to go to plan B which is just like last year: on the side of the road!
Same story here: every day Ian promises it will be done we come to open it only to find the container still standing on the wharf. So I push again and just "post" myself in front of his office at the hot wharf, waiting until I see them move the container. Finally, in the afternoon a supervisor by the name of Michael comes slowly walking from the other end of the wharf. "So" he says "you wanem container move?" .... "Yes, that would be fantastic" I say, digging for the last bit of enthusiasm deep inside. "Mmmm" Michael says "it is Friday..." Yeah I was afraid so....
Then he has a bright idea. "Suppose we leavum here...?" Surprised I ask: "here on the wharf???? That O.K?????" "Sure" he says, clearly proud of himself "much mo betta fo you... much mo safe fo you...."
With all my might I try not to burst out in laughter. He is clearly too lazy to do the work on Friday afternoon and now makes it sounds like this is good for me.
Well, no objections: this time the bureaucracy is producing something good: much mo betta, indeed!

The reason why we get so little cooperation, as explained by Laurent, our friend and owner of the small French boat wharf, is that we are just days away from the 25th anniversary Independence celebration on July 30. July is not a good month for getting anything done; early July the ni-Van workers are already getting in the party mood and often don't show up for work. For that same reason he sends all his employees home for an entire week so they can celebrate.
I am really thrilled to hear that; it is now July 21st and our container needs to be emptied and transported before July 28th .... All offices and stores will be closed for the entire week with the exception of Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Sunday we go to a local Assemblies of God church with our good friend (and AOG missionary) Kay Rudd, accompanied by Phyllis from Salt Lake City (Jack, Kay's husband is still in Singapore for a worldwide missionary meeting). The service is inspiring with people singing and dancing. After the service Kay introduces us to one of the teachers of the Christian school where she does teacher training. When he hears our name he says: "ah.... you are the Roving Doctors....." I am stunned this HAS to mean that he has seen Robin Sip's documentary. When I ask him about it he says:" Yes I saw it at Silent World". "Silent World" is a luxury live-aboard scuba dive vessel and we have absolutely no idea who brought the DVD there (Allan and Martha?). As a result, several members of this Assembly of God church volunteer to help us with the container!

Next morning we start the process, waiting endless hours for trucks to show up
especially the hospital trucks (two old rust buckets) just about never show up.
We are constantly reminded of the July craziness....
Lepakoa the manager of Vila Hospital has not only given us the use of the hospital trucks but she has provided storage in one of the abandoned student nurse buildings. Since Siome still has not arrived due to a long streak of very bad weather, all the boxes and the mobile clinic have to be temporarily stored.
We are overjoyed to see that the entire mobile clinic has not been damaged. An uninvited "guest" jumps out of the food department; Rattus Norvegicus. Fortunately the damage is limited and easy to replace. The mobile clinic designed by Henk and built by University of Utah students will be transported to the hard-to=approach West Coast of the Island Espirito Santo.
It will be put together on a pad of cement, still to be made, during the month of August. The September team will live in this clinic and treat patients. The clinic will then be left there as a permanent village aid post, hopefully with trained local people.
Henk and I are both aware that this is a very difficult and extremely risky task and that we can do this only by God's grace. We are praying for mild weather but what we have seen sofar is worrisome. The weather does flip-flops and goes from cold and rain to very hot and humid days.
We get the container more than 50% empty with the invaluable help of Tom and Heather who are building the "Shekina house" (same concept as the Ronald Mc Donald house in the States) and Trevor and Jill, skippers of the catamaran SV Moonwalker.
Hundreds of boxes go through our hands and into the house and so do all the parts of the mobile clinic. But how to move the heavy barrels of chain for the new moorings....? Tom has an idea: the men form a line and drape the chain over their shoulders, just like the chain gangs of old. Tom walks in front and threatens everyone who comes close with the swinging end of the chain; it is quite a sight! By now we are all very sweaty and smelly and exhausted. Tom jokes that he'll make sure to be out of the country when our container arrives next year.... We are happy to leave him the five or six children's bikes in the container for the Shekina House.

Henk and I have are still living on Rivendel on the wharf (which means no toilet, no water and limited cooking). Most of the repairs were done during (our) winter but a couple things just happened. When the engine gets its yearly overhaul, the heat exchanger appears to have a big hole and when I get the new mainsail from the storage it appears that the rats have eaten a big hole in the sail.
And some small holes in our genoa... Now we have a "Holy" boat. Within an hour Eric the French sail maker arrives and we make plan for the repair, which can be done within a week. The heat exchanger will be soldered and then glassed over. Meanwhile, a new one will be ordered from Japan. We stay pretty stoic under all of this, we have learned to accept that this is part of every cruiser's live. For us, who also run a project the timing is always the big factor, as we cannot afford to sit in the harbor and wait for the new part. The old genoa finds a good destination pretty fast: solo sailor Tony who has just returned from Indonesia (where he saw lots of floating bodies in the ocean after the disastrous tsunami), ran his small vessel on a reef and lost all his sails. He is very happy with our old genoa and Eric the sail maker will fit it for his boat.
In the meantime, we have located our "lost" refrigerator module and that still has to be installed as well. This all takes many extra days but on July 18th, just days before my brother Cees will arrive, Rivendel is finally launched.

When Cees arrives it is very bad weather. He is surprised about the cool weather but is full of energy. Three days later with only the foresail and a crippled engine we make the short trip from Laurent's yard to the seawall in the Port Vila harbor.


Cees' help is very valuable now. Siome arrives the next day safe and sound but very tired from a heavy duty trip with a constant 30/35 knots of wind.
Jill and Trevor with the catamaran" Moonwalker" will be the Project MARC guardian angel vessel for the Banam Bay team. Jill is a nurse/midwife and skipper Trevor is an electrician. We are delighted with their contribution!
On the day we start loading the vessels a very experienced nurse by the name of Sally comes to Rivendel and wonders whether she can be of any help.
She and her husband Martin Peet, an engineer, are from Australia and have been trying for a while to hook up with an organization. They are received with open arms.
In quick succession the other volunteers are now arriving. On my birthday it is a complete madhouse on Rivendel. Not only do all the volunteers need to be briefed about their tasks and destinations but today all August team supplies need to be moved out of the hospital storage area and loaded onto the various vessels. Besides Siome, Rivendel, Moonwalker and Acropora, three Dutch cruising vessels have offered to take most of the load for North Ambrym. Thank you Witchcraft (Ellen and Jan), Faya Lobi (Michelle and Theo) and Electra (Ans and Gerrit)!
Many people congratulate me with flowers and cards for my 64th birthday, Martha -- besides co-skipper of Siome also an accomplished artist -- even brings a beautiful small painting.
Esther, our star student from the Maskelynes who has received a scholarship from Kate Calcutt to go to nursing school also comes by to discuss details about her future study and even Rennie has picked today to inform us about his cancellation. I've never seen so many people on my birthday....
Terry Berger, the dentist, arrives from Atjeh in a bitter mood, describing a very depressing post-tsunami scenario: no children left, they all drowned and nobody really cares about the future anymore...
Liane Farry, co-skipper of Ranui comes without Ranui this year and has offered to be the cook for the team in Sakao. She will also organize the kitchen in Sakao clinic and teach the local women how to cook better for the future teams.
Simon Watkinson, dental student as well as Sue Bibby, student doctor, comes in from New Zealand. Katherine (Kit) Roberts and Preethi Bhishma, student doctors from England, complete the August volunteer teams. Dana Overacker, technician from Salt Lake City and "rescuer" of the mobile clinic assembly process, flies in just hours before departure. Dana describes how he arrives in the middle of the night and has no hotel lined up. He asks the taxi driver to check a few places but the few affordable hotels do not have a night bell. The taxi driver finally offers Dana to sleep in his "home". In return Dana gives him his address in Salt Lake City and tells him he is always welcome there....

On the 29th of July Rivendel, Moonwalker, Acropora, Siome, and Electra all sail out of Port Vila. Witchcraft and Faya Lobi follow a few days later.
Unbelievable, all this support we are getting where it absolutely looked a little bleak. Henk and I are looking at each other with a deep feeling of thankfulness.
God is clearly looking after us and Project MARC.
May the show begin....

Nelleke.

~ Fourth Report ~

Vanuatu, August 2005

Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,

First of all my apologies for the belated reports. I have been sick for a number of weeks and had to go to New Zealand for diagnostics. Fortunately I am much better now and anxious to share all wonderful experiences with you!

Rivendel II sets sail with brother Cees and Liane Farry on board on July 29, as scheduled. Rivendel's task is -- like a doctor in the hospital -- to do the rounds and provide aftercare for the Ambrym, Banam Bay and Maskelyne areas.
Rivendel will be assisted in this task by Jill and Trevor on SV Moonwalker and Sally and Martin on SV Acropora as well as by my brother Cees and Liane and all the dedicated volunteers mentioned in the July report.

Siome's task this month is to assemble our first prefabricated "Mobi-Doc" clinic in West Espiritu Santo. On the way up North they will drop of both dentists (Terry Berger and Simon Watkinson) in Ambrym and unload medical and humanitarian supplies in the other areas. On top of all the Project MARC supplies, Allen and Martha have brought their own donations of clothing for the various areas and there literally isn't a place left to sit on Siome.....

This is a joyful report to write, God's amazing grace is shining through this entire month. Martha calls the clinic building" Mission Impossible" and we all agree that we need a miracle to make this happen.
The first hurdle to take is to find a suitably located plot of undisputed land to prevent future strife and trouble. Rennie, based on his experience last year, has warned me to be careful. When I ask him what exactly he means, he elaborates that people can get angry and threaten, maybe with knives.... We'll have to take this serious for the safety of all people involved. Allen and Martha come with the brilliant idea to take Chief Willie, a highly respected chief and landowner who has worked with Project MARC for several years in his own area -- the Maskelyne islands -- along on Siome to help negotiate with the Santo villages and landowners involved.
When Siome arrives at the West Coast of Santo the weather is semi-rough, but it is possible to land and start negotiations. Several villages now desperately want the clinic near their own village. They have all started to think after Project MARC's exploratory visit in 2004. However,Wusi, the village that wants it most, already has a small aidpost and there are many many villages high up the mountain that have no medical care at all. The problem there is to find a place that is flat enough and still within walking distance.
On Rivendel, in the Maskelynes we are anxiously waiting for the first news. All boats are equipped with an Iridium phone this year and with SMS ( "text" for you people on the other side of the globe) we are able to communicate at all times.
Three short rings make us both run to the Iridium : "Cautiously optimistic/hard going" the message reads. We breathe with relief: at least it doesn't say:"`Impossible...."
Two days later we get a break in the weather, Martin on Acropora sends us the forecast almost on a daily basis and we are holding our breath. Where we are in the Maskelynes the weather is good but that doesn't mean that it is the same further up North in Santo. We are just praying that right now all ten thousand parts of the clinic have been downloaded from Siome, onto the Red Baron, and have made it to land....
Another two days later we receive an answer to this prayer: "weather good, clinic between 6 villages ".
An agreement has been reached, the ground for the clinic is a flat beautiful spot at an elevation of 1300 ft (400 m) in the valley between Espritu Santo's highest mountain Tabwemasana and the next major mountain to the South: Lairiri. At least six of these isolated mountain villages now will have access to the clinic. We are elated!
Allen has decided to not use cement but wood instead for the foundation, which has pro's and con's but can always be corrected in later years. The only setback is that the walking distance to the clinic is roughly two and a half hours from the beach. Thus, transporting the prefabricated clinic is a heavy duty job. Besides Siome's crew: Allen, Martha and son John Paul with friend Michael , Myrna and Gene, Chief Willie and son Tassilee, and Dana from Salt Lake City there is an endless line of local villagers big and little that help carry tirelessly. Some of them even make the walk twice or three times....
And when all is said and done there are only four pieces of metal missing.....
It takes three entire days to assemble the clinic under the inspiring lead of Dana, who knows how the clinic pieces fit together, and Martha who makes sure that everyone is taken care of and is fed. All builders stay up the mountain during this process and sleep in huts. Only Allen stays on the boat as this still is a very difficult and dangereous place to anchor.
Then comes the last message: "Mission accomplished; everyone is on a high.... so beautiful here....." I can feel God smiling upon us....
Another " project baby" was born; baby brother to Fire Mountain Clinic, Shell Bay clinic and Coral Bay Clinic. The name given by local high chief Annie is JUNGLE MOUNTAIN CLINIC.

In the meantime "mom and dad" on Rivendel are checking on the progress of the other three and have almost nothing but good to report.
We'll start with the Maskelynes:
Nurse Sally and young doctor Sue have given the clinic a thorough clean. Liane has turned the kitchen inside out and the upper floor that serves as sleeping quarters for the volunteers. Kalo, contact person for this area builds a counter and a large cupboard and Liane is now ready to start spoiling this month's volunteers. She will also teach the local women how to cook with a little bit more variety so they can be the team hosts in the future. And when Liane runs out of butane gas she uses the "stove-in-a-can " and even cooks on a wood fire. I expect to find her completely discouraged but instead she shouts:" Nelleke you got to see how good I got at cooking outside..."
Fortunately the gas had not really run out, a mysterious " airlock" had occurred.Way to go Liane, thank you!
Cees completely reorganizes and cleans the storage area so we know what we have and where it can be found.
Sally and Sue further train village health workers Vincent and Minnie.They make good use of the "Flying Angel " catamaran built last year and visit several of the nearby little islands to treat patients there. Overall they are quite impressed with the level of knowledge shown by Vincent and Minnie, who have been training with Project MARC teams for several seasons now.
Bravo bravo, Coral Bay Clinic is definitely on its feet .
Maskelynes will always stay our "meeting place" as it is an easy and beautiful place for all the boats to get together using the three chain moorings now installed here. The rural training school I talked about last year is being built, its concrete foundation ready to receive the remainder of the structure. The first students are expected to enroll in May 2006.

Rivendel is on to Banam Bay, for long the weakest link, with few educated people,weak organization and devastated by last year's cyclone IVY.
Jake, our contact man here, is looking well. He looks confident and proud as he tells us that he and Lucy now have a little baby son named Massing. Jake says he has also adopted a different last name: Jake Steven Meuzelaar it is. Of course, we gladly welcome him into our extended family.
Nelleke (#1) now has a little baby sister named Annette. At home in Utah, Nelleke and Annette are mother and daughter; here in Banam Bay Nelleke and Annette are two darling little sisters! Annette I know you are very proud and you deserve it: everywhere I come I see little children eating Usana nutrition bars....
Nurse/midwife Jill and young doctors Kit and Preethi do a wonderful job here and are thoroughly enjoying their work. They visit all villages even the faraway village of Burbar (a 2 hour walk one way!) to visit Rosslyn and help her with the needs in her aidpost.
It is our strong impression that people here are waking up. New homes are being built, Chief Augst has started a library (Laebri blong Fartapo) and several villages have built wonderful kindies (kindergartens) with playgrounds. Henk and I are receiving one letter after another asking for assistance of some kind. The Rural Training Center in Lanfitfit is doing well and Welton's "first aid post" close to the school is blooming. We already met Welton this year in Port Vila where he is doing some more medical training with his older brother who is a local dentist. By his own initiative he has trained Miriam, one of his sisters, to replace him while he spends time in Vila.....
We have asked the docs to continue the annual Project MARC workshops for the women in general as well as for the "kastom midwives". Jill reports back to us that there was not a whole lot that they could teach the women anymore as there was already a high level of information about topics such as hygiene. However all the women want workshops about sewing and knitting!
The women now have their own nakamal built by Project MARC last year where they can meet. The Shell Beach Clinic, now with a government paid nurse, is doing just fine and next year there will be little that we can do even for this area.
But one story I have to tell you.... You may remember that 25 bicycles were dropped on the beach due to the late arrival of the container and that we quickly had installed a committee under the lead of Chief Augst to manage these bicycles and earn some money for the villages.
Henk and I have barely set foot on land or we get a letter pressed into our hands:
Dr Hings and Mrs Dr, it starts...... Two pages of pleasant complaining about his village not being represented in the committee..... We receive two more letters from different villages about this bicycle business and while I am snorkeling, two men from Remap village draw my attention. Hanging on to their wooden cano , in the strong surge, the men inform me that if we are selling the bicycles they want to buy them. Jake, our contact person, says he has decided to stay out of it whereas old Chief Augst has tears in his eyes and is clearly very dismayed about the entire situation. The next day at 2 at least fourty villagers and all the local chiefs show up for the "bicycle meeting"...... Henk and I are chuckling: maybe we should be discouraged about so much jealousy but we decide to see it as "increased business awareness", which is exactly what this area still misses.
We propose a new business plan for the bicycle project in order to give the area a second chance to manage this well without fighting... In the meantime, we have never even seen ONE bicycle..... (they all must be guarded closely somewhere).

While in Banam Bay we receive an emergency message from Sue and Sally in the Maskelynes. A women with an ectopic pregnancy needs to be admitted to Vila hospital. Her name is Erisan, she is 39 years old and this is her fourth pregnancy.
Henk gets on the Iridium satellite phone with Vila Central Hospital and with Vanair, the local airline, and finds out that that all flights to Port Vila are bypassing the Lamap airstrip on Monday. Nonetheless, Sue, Sally and Martin have already put Erisan on a backboard and, with several local porters, have left on the Flying Angel on their way to Lamap airport. Fortunately, Henk manages to get permission from Vanair to let the afternoon flight from Norsup make an emergency stop in Lamap. Another phone call to Lepakoa, manager of Vila Central Hospital, takes care of the ambulance that will pick Erisan up from the airport. Our Iridium phones again turn out to be life savers. Unfortunately, the Iridium phone carried by the team returning from Lamap airport is accidently dropped into the "salwato" and stops working forever, right after it has saved a life. So, now we are down to three Iridium phones; one each carried by the Siome, Moonwalker and Rivendel teams, whereas Acropora will have to manage with their vessel radio plus email connection
Our time in Banam Bay is up before we know, Jake insists to organize a little party for "mom and dad". If I pay the 600 vatu ($ 6) Jake will hire the village's new string band. Well that's a deal; for $ 6 I can just buy a glass of wine in the States, here it pays for an entire band.....
And surprise, surprise this band is really good. They play and sing their hearts out and when Rivendel's crew announces they really have to retire for the night the band plays: "I wish you a merry Christmas". Dancing, we go over the beach back to the dingy, I feel richly blessed and happy.
After we have left Jake asks Jill and her team: " what time are you guys going to bed".... the band only knows three more songs......

On my brother's birthday we sail to Ambrym, a rough bumpy ride with a failing engine, but when Cees catches a big dorado our day is good again.
All is good in Ambrym. Fire Mountain Clinic has just been officially promoted to dispensary status by the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and that fills us with joy and pride. Nurse Rose and husband Jacob have built a new house where patients can stay a few nights if necessary and the place looks well taken care of.
Douglas, our contact person and owner of the guest houses, has recently been appointed as the chairman of the Malampa Province development council, a very honorable position!
Our dentist is unfortunately not too happy, because of the lack of patients. Fifty patients were treated by him and he trained Village Health Worker Voivoi and beginning dentist Simon. Simon reports to have had a great time and so does Voivoi. Both of them sail back with us on Rivendel to out final meeting point in Sakao (Maskelynes). One by one all boats arrive here: Acropora, Moonwalker, Siome and Rivendel. We rendezvous in this unearthlybeautiful spot and exchange wonderful stories, stories that witness of braverie and fear of success and failure but through all the stories shines a bright light: the light of dedication and serving.
Here are a lot of people together who all have one thing in common: to serve their neighbor with all their hearts. And as a sign of all this love, during this night a baby is born in Coral Bay Clinic: little Sally sees the light under the caring eyes of nurse Sally and clinic hostess Liane.


Nelleke.

Thank you Peter and Virginia on SV Arwen for all your time, love and hard work
Thank you Carolyn and Brad on SV Kristiane for your spontaneous help to our project.
Thank you Laurent, Paul and Jean.... for the endless repairs of Rivendel.
Thank you Claire and Jenny for adopting Sangalai primary and Sangalai topup.
The tears were streaming out of the headmaster's eyes...
Pam and Suelin Hilbert thanks fo adopting Roline Aleck.
Thank you Grant Stegehuis for adopting Avock (Grant is 14)
Thank you Elena Stegehuis for adopting Meline Leslie (Elena is 16)
Thank you Allyson Vyfvinkel for adopting Rachel (Allyson is six)
Channa Vyfvinkel and Ken Murphy; together you adopted the Ranon school.
Ruud and Joke: the teachers of Aulua school have received their teacher uniforms and are delighted to know that 200 student uniforms will be coming nest year!
Sandra Drought: Chief Willie was delighted that Manuel was adopted by you!
Anouk Duron: thank you from Elder Lengkon for adopting Charles.
God bless you, all people of the Ist CRC in Salt Lake City who contributed money to help rebuild the Aulua church destroyed by cyclone Ivy; its people felt your love and care!

~ Fifth Report ~

Vanuatu, September 2005

Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,

Time seems to fly by, almost October already and another successful project month completed.
Henk and I are enjoying a few days of rest making time to reflect and write reports. It has been a very intense month with many complex tasks to be completed and many issues to deal with.

On the second of September three Project MARC teams are leaving Port Vila after having received their briefing the previous night.
The Jungle Mountain Clinic (JMC) team, consisting of returning Dr. Deirdre Duffy, team leader from Canada, Sandy Blankenship, nurse midwife from the USA, returning technician Brian Renshaw USA and village health worker Ester Danmelip from the Maskelynes, travels on Siome.
The exploratory team with team leader Dr. Adam Spivak USA and young doctors Francine Thompson and James Keegan from England plus Simon Townsend
from New Zealand, sail on catamaran Augustina.
SVAugustina, owned and skippered by Chris and Claire Kinzel and their five year old son Leslie, has offered to replaced Te Vaka (which canceled just before our departure from the USA). Heartfelt thanks goes to both of you Claire and Chris for stepping in at the last minute and taking care of this team for a month.
Team number three is our film team, consisting of Peter Brouwer and Sylvia Steiner from The Netherlands who were originally scheduled to sail on Rivendel. However, I am still recovering and need one more week to get my strength back before we can sail Rivendel again. Martha and Allen have offered to transport Sylvia and Peter on our behalf. Upon arrival on the West coast of Santo, fellow cruisers Sally and Martin on Acropora will host the film team for a few days till we arrive.
So it seems all problems have been taken care of and with rather hard wind Augustina leaves on the 2nd of September and Siome follows on the third. A week later Rivendel with a healthy "me" has an excellent sail and safely anchors in Cape Lisburn after an intense 36-hour trip.
,
In Cape Lisburn, one of the more quiet anchorages along the "Wild West" coast, we are reunited with Siome, Augustina and Acropora.
The JMC team has made the long trek up to the clinic, accompanied by the film team as well as the exploratory team. Adam, James, Francine and Simon want to see the clinic up top before starting their arduous task of walking along the very steep mountain trails to take stock of which villages are there and which have been deserted. Meanwhile, they will inform all chiefs and healthcare workers about the upcoming visit of the eye doctors and do prescreening where possible.
We are lucky to have such a strong team. For two and a half weeks they travel by foot through rugged mountains, frequently crossing streams and struggling over slippery mud trails just wide enough for two feet. They go places where not many "whitemen" have gone before.
Each day they start from their base "Augustina", Chris anchors where and when possible in places requested by Henk. Places that in turn were requested to be researched by the Ministry of Health. Often these anchorages are risky, rolly and uncomfortable. The landing and picking up with Augustina's skiff is an adventure suitable for Navy Seals. On one occasion with rough weather the entire team rolls into the surf and washes up on the shore. A week later, when the team needs to be picked up at the end of the day, the surf is so rough that the skiff cannot land and the team has to swim a short distance through the waves and clamber aboard of the wildly swinging tender.
From the anchorage they walk up to the villages to return at dusk to Augustina for a meal and a well deserved rest. On occasion they stay up in the mountains when the trek is too hard and too long to be finished in one day's time frame. The information they bring back is both incredible and invaluable. Nearly all mountain villages on Vanuatu's "tourist map" of West Santo appear to be no longer there! On the other hand, many new villages have been built that are not on the map.
Most of the mountain tribe families have come down to lower elevations, moving closer to schools and possible healthcare. However, the exploratory team reports a very poor water situation in most of the villages. Only one of the dozen or so villages visited, reports to have a running tap. Most villages are situated "near" (meaning a 10-20 minute walk) a river. Because of the presence of cattle high up in the mountains this water is unsafe and many incidents of toddlers dying from diarrhea are reported. Only a few villages do have a simple aidpost, but more often than not the aidpost is out of supplies and/or the aidpost worker has taken off.
Besides reporting and exploring, the team provides primary care whenever possible and replaces depleted medicin and supplies. Malaria, scabies, diarrhea, arthritis and tuberculosis are reported by the chiefs as the main health problems.
Although not reported by the chiefs as a "nambawan" problem, (remember that the status of the women is low on the totempole and that "pikanini" do not count at all) the reports of the exploratory team list many incidences of death during child birth and infant mortality.
Some of these mountain villages have small private schools. The Ministry of Education appears unaware of what is going on here and I am thrilled when I receive a request-for-support letter from the village of Sulemauri.

"I have started a school here and now have students in grade four" reports headmaster Thompson Lui, " the parents of these childrents have never been to schools. I have been trying to make awareness meetings with them to try to get them to understand the importance of education"
Can you send supplies next year.....

The status of the schools near the coast however is surprisingly good. Here all students appear to go to primary school and all parents make an effort to pay the school fees. However, because of the great distances -- the children have to walk from their mountain villages anywhere from 4 hours to 2 days. These schools are nessecarily boarding schools and realtively costly. From the school fees budget not too much is left over for the supplies. One school proudly shows a newly built library with only a few torn-apart books in it....
So, contrary from what we have done in prior years, we now do not need money for primary school fees here but desperately need supplies and books. After many talks with headmasters, chiefs and government officials it also becomes clear that there is a tremendous need for at least some children to get a secondary education. This province has a great need for educated young people who can be trained in the healthcare or the education sector.

Through the grape vine most villages have heard about Project MARC and the new mountain clinic and the team brings back several request letters for future support.
At the start of their mission the team reports to have felt a little uncertain, but the farther into the process and into the mountains the more motivated they become. The fact that our long-time friend and supporter Chief Willie from the Maskelynes is accompanying them, makes their entrance into each village a lot easier. Chief Willie has become our supervolunteer. Not only was he instrumental in last month' process of acquiring the land for the clinic but this month he is Project MARC's advocate as he enters each village and gives a speech in Bislama about the purpose of the visit and Project MARC's background. I speak enough Bislama to hear that his speeches are very accurate and to the point.
Village healthcare worker VoiVoi from the Maskelynes also treks along with the team full time and makes himself indispensable by translating for the patients while at the same time receiving further training from our doctors. "I now feel more certain about taking the patient history, making the diagnosis and giving the medicine" he tells me in excellent English.
The team completes their exploration treks with a detailed report that makes a deep impression on Henk and me. Congratulations, exploratory team, you surpassed our boldest expectations...... job well done!!
I am citing team leader Adam's comments during the exit interview: " it was an amazing experience,incredibly exciting, the sailing was phenomenal, great sharing of cultures and enormous adventure, that's what I came for...."

In Cape Lisburn, Peter and Sylvia move aboard Rivendel. They have been up to the clinic, stayed there and slept in one of the huts for a few days and claim to already have enough material to make their movies. Henk and I have requested a training movie for volunteers. Sylvia and Peter, with a lifetime of professional film producing behind them, have taken our request many steps further. They will make a small film to cater to sponsors as well as movies about the medical and the educational system in Vanuatu. Rivendel now turns into a movie studio as Peter and Sylvia start editing the many hours of film they have recorded.
At night we usually get to see the preliminary edited version which looks very exciting. After five days they decide to return to Luganville, not only has Sylvia developed a medical condition that makes a nearby hospital desirable but the editing process depletes Rivendel's batteries. Although they can be recharged by running our inboard diesel engine, but running the engine creates a lot of heat on top of the already hot and muggy climate.
The wind direction has changed so that long swells come into the anchorage and make Rivendel roll uncomfortably. Working on a computer all day long under these conditions is tough and I have never seen two people work harder than these two. How can we thank you; how did we deserve all this....
As I am writing this report, Peter and Sylvia have returned to The Netherlands or to Greece where their own boat Seacrest is berthed. We can't wait to see the end result. Dank je wel!!!!

The Jungle Mountain Clinic team, already handicapped by the absence of team member Rennie, has to do its job for this month without yet another very experienced person. Sandy, our nurse/midwife, almost makes it up the hill, but handicapped by"land sickness", she has to give up and take the long haul back onto Siome, faithfully waiting at anchor in front of the coast.
However, whenever we cannot quite put the pieces together it seems God always bails us out: Siome crew members Myrna and Gene offer to stay up the mountain and be part of the team. Myrna is and experienced physiotherapist and Gene can literally build and repair anything. We gratefully accept their offer.
A week after the team, (Dr. Deirdre, Esther, Brian, Myrna and Gene) has started their work, for Henk and me a wish comes true.
We have dreamed of being there up that mountain and in that clinic that we started building at the University of Utah more than 1 year ago. We have seen the pictures from last month but we have such a longing to really be there..... Unfortunately, it looks as if we cannot safely leave Rivendel alone at this rough coast with its uninviting steep cliffs and roaring ocean. Anchored at Wusi, a comparatively quiet anchorage, after three days we are nearly seasick from the constant swinging and hobbyhorsing while pestered by armies of obnoxious flies.
One afternoon, an angry looking local man dragging Martha and Wusi's VHW with him in a canoe, insists to come aboard Rivendel. He introduces himself as Juda and claims there is a land dispute on the land of the clinic. It belongs to his brother, so he says, and we have no right to have built the clinic there. When we don't immediately come with an answer he says in a provocative manner:" I am going to destroy it. I am going to...."
It is clear that this is a very angry person and that we have to take the threat serious. Henk's dry remark that this is a "mobile clinic" and that we can pick it up and put it somewhere else, if necessary, does not produce the desired effect. Martha, Henk and I take turns in trying to mellow him out and we are relieved when we finally produce somewhat of a smile on his face. It turns out that this man is a troublemaker who has many enemies and will not be allowed by the chiefs to cause any real harm. Just in case, though, the JMC clinic committee has already hired a "guard". That sure was our excitement for the day....
Then Skipper Allan on Siome, anchored just meters away from Rivendel, offers to watch Rivendel closely so Henk and I will have a chance to spend some time at the clinic. We accept reluctantly, put Rivendel on bow as well as stern anchors and jump into the heavily rolling dinghy. What looks like a beautiful ocean in many shades of blue, topped of by waving white crests , makes landing on the beach of the Sauriki valley a real adventure. Many locals have gathered to greet us and especially Martha who has gone into great lenght to establish contact and friendship with all the villages which is a great help for the team. They will walk with us and carry our luggage. It is truly a beautiful hike over small trails crossing rivers and streams and walking through a lush forest where an orchestra of birds provides a free concert for whoever wants to hear it.
And there it is.... our mobile clinic, placed under a canopy of Banyan tree leaves that provides plenty of shade. In the meantime, a kitchen hut has been built as well as a hut with bamboo beds for extra people to sleep. All systems and designs seem to work as intended with the exception of the water catching system. The gutters provided to catch the rain water cannot safely be used because the roof of the clinic is covered with droppings from all the birds in concert. An easy solution is found as a water system is already present and all we need is some extra lengths of pipes and a faucet to tap in the existing system.We are completely surprised by these mountain people. They are highly organized and each decision is made by the clinic council, whose members represent all surrounding villages. Chief Ani, though dressed in traditional loin cloth, is a modern man with a vision for his village. Besides well organized, these people are working very very hard. When Brian indicates something that should be repaired or built, it is already done before he can finish his sentence. Though the team is provided with all the food needed for the intended stay, every day local food is dropped off and delicious fresh bread is baked. The kitchen counter is stacked with bananas, pomplemouses, pumpkins and yams, more than the team would ever be able to eat.
Dr.Deirdre has done an outstanding job in organizing patient treatment and training . In the clinic a rigid schedule is maintained: time to treat patients and time to train the new village healthcare workers chosen by the villages. Roughly 200 patients are seen during two weeks time. By the end of these weeks eight future VHW's are trained far enough that they can carry out some simple tasks such as treating malaria, wounds and coughs. It is clear that they feel pretty shaky when the team is ready to leave and they are left on their own but once more thanks to Deirdre's encouragement and excellent organization, they are excited to tackle their new responsibility and eager to learn.
A wonderful farewell party (leave it to the Vanuatu people to organize a party!)
concludes our short visit and the work of the clinic team. In the afternoon a soccer match is organized: Vanuatu against USA/England/New Zealand/Australia. While the latter team narrowly loses the match, most of its team members have sprained or damaged some body part and are having difficulty to make the steep slippery descent the next day!
But of course we all make it sooner or later accompanied by half the village including Chief Ani in civilian, because he intends to sail on Siome.....
A long line of about thirty people is slowly making it down to the coastline.
People who have found each other, befriended each other and who have learned from one another. I see only laughing faces and when the teams bid their farewell I hear a lot of: "see you next year....."
It seems to be an army of people that has to board Siome with all their gear: the local people to go back to their villages and a few to sail on with Allan and Martha, the clinic team to go back to Santo in order to fly back home, the exploratory team to go back to Augustina waiting in the quiet anchorage of Cape Lisburn and Henk and I to go back to Rivendel anchored in the still rolly anchorage of Wusi. We are happy to be reunited with our home and find her safe and sound.
Hours later all vessels reunite in Lisburn and have a good night's rest before going back home.
Most volunteers fly from Luganville to Port Vila. Chief Willie, Ester and Voivoi as well as James and Francine, sail back to Vila on Augustina.
Siome and Rivendel remain in Luganville for the time being, getting ready for the eye surgery program.
More next month!

Nelleke

~ Sixth (& Last) Report ~

Vanuatu, October 2005

Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,

This project MARC season will be dedicated to midwife Julie, het
husband and her two children in remembrance of her desire to serve.
Julie, who was scheduled to be a volunteer in September passed away in
August.

Fiftysix eye patients have been selected by the exploratory team during
their arduous treks through the mountain villages in September.
Remembering the very first screening in Ambrym and how scared the
people were to come down from their villages and go on Siome to be
transported to the hospital, we have very little hope that ANYONE will
be standing on the beach of these remotest of all villages in West
Santo.
We are excited that Dr. Kasso, the first niVan eye surgeon trained by
the Fred Hollows Foundation, and eye nurse Colwin, his assistant in
Santo, have offered to go with Siome. Not only will they do a final
selection of patients who are eligible for cataract or pterygium
surgery but as locals they will be able to reassure the people. During
a visit to the office of provincial health manager Joseph Mape, a very
modern man with a strong vision, he gets so excited about the whole
idea that he decides to close his office and also make the trip on
Siome.
The next morning when Siome is on the dock taking on water and diesel,
he calls me on his mobile and sounds excited when he says: "Nelleke I
am already on the ship...."
Henk and I are thankful for this whole development. Not only do we love
the cooperation and interest of the local healthcare officials, but
Allen and Martha have vowed to stop at Sulemauri and bring the entire
team up the hill to see the new Jungle Mountain clinic. Apparently they
are in good shape, for all three of them make the long hike up without
problems. The clinic appears to be in good shape and, only ten days
after the Project MARC team has left, the neatly kept patient record
book shows over 100 patients treated by the newly trained village
healthcare workers!! Dr Deirdre this should make you very proud!
In the end of the two dozen or so patients selected for surgery, eleven
are courageous enough to go. One old woman from Tassiriki village
flatly refuses to go by ship. Luckily, this is one of the very few
villages accessible by truck and she can be transported to Luganville
hospital over land.
Great, this is a much better result than we had hoped. The niVan
medical team has had a very productive time on Siome and comes back
excited and with many ideas.
Henk has asked Dr Kasso to specifically evaluate the suitability of
Jungle Mountain Clinic for doing eye surgery there next year. Kasso's
answer is a decisive YES. That means with a few modifications to make
to the clinic, that the patients will n longer have to be transported
by ship or truck but that they can just walk to the clinic, receive
their surgery plus the otherwise so hard to execute postoperative care.
Joseph Mape asks us to pay an other visit to his office. First of all
he shows the digital pictures of the trip and the clinic on his
computer (I mentioned that he is a very modern man!) and the next issue
he wants to discuss with us comes as a complete surprise: he wants to
upgrade Jungle Mountain Clinic to a dispensary with a local nurse next
year..... We are impressed with his constructive thinking and planning
and what a great closure of a season!
We are also invited for a meeting with Dr. Vocor, friend and director
of the Northern Health provinces. We receive a big "thank you" the work
Project MARC has completed I would lie if I wrote that didn't produce a
smile on both our faces!

What a thankful moment when all the patients have undergone their
surgery and they can see again! One message that Allan sent at the end
of last season after the eye surgery program is still saved on our
Iridium phone.
The message reads:"Hi guys! All Good! 29 for breakfast. Everybody
happy:THEY CAN SEE! 1 man reading the newspaper! Love Allan and
Martha......

The time has come for Siome and Rivendel to part. Siome is sailing home
to New Zealand and on the way back spending some time in New Caledonia
and Rivendel will spend two weeks cruising to new places and then pay a
last visit to all "workplaces" to finish some last business.
Our two cruising weeks are wonderful and relaxing. We make it to the
island of Ambae, the famous Bali Hai from Michener and to the island of
Maewo. In Asanvari on Maevo we meet many boat owners who appear to have
an interest to help the project next year a visit to remember and very
worthwhile!

I Ambrym we are really DONE. At Fire Mountain Clinic all is well taken
care of and prospering by nurse/midwife Rose and her husband Jacob.
Melinda, with husband and baby, has returned to Ambrym and is making
plans to take up her work as aidpost worker again.The SSB radio we have
installed works so well that there now is contact on a daily basis
with other islands. Even contact with the Solomon islands seems to be
possible.
In Banam Bay all is well too. Shell Beach Clinic has an excellent
nurse, the aidpost in Lanfitfit is prospering and.... in Fartapo the
villagers have worked out the bicycle business....
But the biggest surprise is the story of old Chief Saitol. For those of
you who may not remember the story; In the past, because Banam Bay is
such a poor area, Henk had offered old Chief Saitol a used outboard
engine for his aluminum boat without an engine, on condition that the
boat would be shared to transport patients. After a test ride through
the bay with Chief Saitol and his family to demonstrtate the new engine
this is the amazing answer: "Dokta" he says "that boat is my business,
I will not share..." As a result the boat has been sitting in the
forest for an additional three years and the outboard is happily used
in the Maskelynes, leaving us shaking our heads in disbelief....
During a walk over the beach with the purpose to look at the
possibility for the locals to start and build a "yacht club" here, all
of a sudden Chief Saitol appears out of the bushes "Dokta...." he
pretends to be surprised... "Dokta" I will go 50/50" he then says out
of the blue. After three year Henk and I can hardly suppress a smile.
But what does he have up his sleeve...... "I will think about it" Henk
promises!

In the Maskelynes we are up for a surprise as well. Apparently, the two
major families on Sakao island Chief Willie Nombong's and Kalo Enrel's
have become engaged in a family feud. We feel a bit guilty as it
definitely has something to do with who has more power (received
through work for project MARC). Kalo and his family have been summoned
to move back to their island of origin Ulivio.To our dismay they are
already building a new house there.
Some members of the Nombong family do not approve of Kalo, who does all
the project MARC building to manage the 2006 catamaran and training
school plans. And without Kalo our plans will not materialize.....
Good thing we do have some time; we need all our energy and strategy to
work around this problem carefully with the two families. But after a
number of meetings all is well, the problem is buried and Kalo has
permission to stay the manager for the project. Pfftttt.....
Henk and I are invited for salu salu's,`dinners and presents by both
families as proof.
The next day we sail to Sangalai on Flying Angel II for a very
important mission.
For the second time we are trying to leave an Iridium phone on the
island with the purpose and the strong hope of more effective
communication with these remote islands, e.g. during the "wet" season
when we are in the USA.
We want to leave the phone with headmaster Jack Enrel and his staff.
Jack surprises us year after year with progress in his school. This
year as I mentioned earlier he has started a complete computer class
with five computers . Classes are given for young students as well as
adults and all is powered by a large generator. Chief Willie has
already announced to taking the class which starts next year March! We
have an intense session, instructing some of the teachers (Almonso the
science teacher for those of you who know him!) how to send SMS (text)
using the Iridium. This morning, here in Vila we have received the
first message from the school. This may not sound major to you, but
believe me THIS IS MAJOR!!!!
On a Sunday we leave for our last trip back to Vila. The trip isn't
easy (it never is against the wind) but we arrive safe and well in
Vila.

In the meantime Rivendel is taken out of the water and so are we. I am
sitting in a bungalow and it doesn't move...
But we are still close to the ocean so the transition of being
landlubbers again can take place peacefully.

Nelleke

P.S. We are receiving some comments that this all sounds too good, too
beautiful and like too much adventure....
In a way that is true because I am trying not to bore you with
personal mishaps and problems but of course those are there!
So here's what you don't read in the reports, the good the bad and the
ugly:

SIOME: Trip from New Zealand 10 days of 30/35 knots Crew is exhausted,
Allan is sick.
When the cyclone hits Allan and Martha receive an sms that their home
in Florida is flooded. From their crew members Myrna and Gene a
daughter is missing for two weeks they don't know whether she is alive
or not.
Martha, who last year was diagnosed with Dengue Fever gets a case of
Scabies this year (so do I!)
MOONWALKER: Trevor has Chronic Fatique Syndrom. The catamaran hits the
reef in Banam Bay. One day they can't get the anchor out, locals have
to come and dive on it.
ACROPORA: Develops a leak in the watertank and have to stop cruising
untill they can get it repaired

RIVENDEL II: Kisses the reef again when one of the moorings breaks,
after the manouvering one of the anchors is tangled (JeanPaul and Allan
dive on it)
I am sick for six weeks and have to fly to NZ for diagnosis. Henk get a
short blackout when it is hot) A hoseclamp breaks and floods the bilge
of our boat (and part of the harbor) with diesel .

We all are constantly sweaty, without the possibility of a shower or
washing our clothes, fortunately we all stink the same!
We all scratch, if not from scabies than from mosquito bites. We all
eat something wrong from time to time and get the runs. We have runins
with jellyfish, stingrays and sharks.....

Sounds more real? The good, the bad and the ugly.....
But I (and