Denis Sassou Nguesso, the President of the Republic of Congo visited the Africa Mercy yesterday for the first time! The entire event turned out to be a big deal and actually quite the show. First of all, the event was moved up from Tuesday to Sunday, sending the preparation teams into chaos. Then the entire port area had a face lift with side walks being finished, walls newly painted, huge shipping containers moved out of the way. The day of the actual event, the whole port area was closed 2 hours before the president arrived until after he left, mid afternoon to evening. As crew on the ship we could watch his arrival from the dining room or upper outside decks and then listen to the program speeches from the dinning room tv screens...unless you were lucky enough to get one of a few seats in the international room where the president was speaking. After the program, there was a short tour through the hospital area, then down the gangway and President Nguesso was gone. It was a short visit considering all the preparation involved, but the Mercy Ship crew and the city/port of Pointe Noire did a great job to make the whole experience very memorable. I have a few pictures to share, but we were restricted in coming and going from the ship, where we were allowed on the ship, what we could wear, and most of all where to take or not to take pictures...pretty much no photos allowed. So enjoy :)
Watching from the "safe zone" through the dining room windows
Crowds wearing President Denis Sassou Nguesso tee shirts with his face on them...
and a live band with entertainment
Presidential motorcade arriving
Congo president greeting Mercy Ships founder Don Stephens
Watching the president's speech on one of the dining room screens...
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