Dear Family & Friends,
Since starting this Blog, I have thoroughly enjoyed the many comments posted by various readers. As you probably noticed, I have deliberately avoided commenting on these comments over the course of this voyage. This was for several reasons – mostly; however, it was because I wanted people to be able to post their comments freely and without constraints. I didn’t want to overtly and intentionally encourage the posting of comments. In other words, I did not want readers to believe they were somehow obligated to comment. Nor did I want readers to think their comments would end up being “critiqued” by me.
I’m going to stray from this precept of mine to share with you a comment from my last post. This came from "Nenginin" in Chuuk who posted:
"We the people of Chuuk would have to agree with you when you said your visit to Chuuk was "amazing," but in a different perspective of course. Even after your departure today, we are still amazed when we think back to what you and everyone on the PP08 team did for the people of Chuuk. All of you must have heard so many 'thank yous’ and 'kinisou chapur', but I do not think we can ever thank you ENOUGH. We are truly blessed to have been visited by angels on their big white angel boat :) The sight of the beautiful Mercy in the Chuuk Lagoon will forever live in our hearts."
Wow! "...visited by angels on their big white angel boat." Not bad!!! And just a little humbling…to say the least.
We made it out of Guam – finally. I know you family members at home have been wondering about the folks who are flying out from this stop. It was just a little crazy; however, we finally managed to get everyone embarked aboard an airplane. Your loved ones should be home about the time this gets posted. We are down to just over 500 people aboard. It’s funny how we can have that many folks and the ship seems almost empty.
We have Hawaii in our sights. We’ll be there in about a week.
More to come…
Bob
Since starting this Blog, I have thoroughly enjoyed the many comments posted by various readers. As you probably noticed, I have deliberately avoided commenting on these comments over the course of this voyage. This was for several reasons – mostly; however, it was because I wanted people to be able to post their comments freely and without constraints. I didn’t want to overtly and intentionally encourage the posting of comments. In other words, I did not want readers to believe they were somehow obligated to comment. Nor did I want readers to think their comments would end up being “critiqued” by me.
I’m going to stray from this precept of mine to share with you a comment from my last post. This came from "Nenginin" in Chuuk who posted:
"We the people of Chuuk would have to agree with you when you said your visit to Chuuk was "amazing," but in a different perspective of course. Even after your departure today, we are still amazed when we think back to what you and everyone on the PP08 team did for the people of Chuuk. All of you must have heard so many 'thank yous’ and 'kinisou chapur', but I do not think we can ever thank you ENOUGH. We are truly blessed to have been visited by angels on their big white angel boat :) The sight of the beautiful Mercy in the Chuuk Lagoon will forever live in our hearts."
Wow! "...visited by angels on their big white angel boat." Not bad!!! And just a little humbling…to say the least.
We made it out of Guam – finally. I know you family members at home have been wondering about the folks who are flying out from this stop. It was just a little crazy; however, we finally managed to get everyone embarked aboard an airplane. Your loved ones should be home about the time this gets posted. We are down to just over 500 people aboard. It’s funny how we can have that many folks and the ship seems almost empty.
We have Hawaii in our sights. We’ll be there in about a week.
More to come…
Bob
6 comments:
My daughter, Ensign Lindsay Routt, RN, USN, is one of the "angels" who flew from Guam and is now home safely in Bremerton, WA.
Thank you for watching over her as she served as an active duty Navy nurse on the big white angel ship.
I have enjoyed reading your blog, and have shared the pictures with family and friends.
Jan Routt, Portland, Oregon
Hello Cpt. Wiley,
No better compliment than being called angels on a big white angel boat........., that's uplifting. I do admire you all for the hard work you are doing. I know, your assignment is not done yet, but soon :)
Hang in there and have a save voyage to Hawaii. I cannot wait to see my kiddo Daniela again, and meet with "angels" :)
Thanks for taking the time writing this blog.
Sincerely,
Renate Di-Do
"Angels".....for the less fortunate people like us, yes you're an angel that sail a thousand miles just to get here! In our situation your visitation is a big God's gift,we thank you so much and wishing that oneday you and your staff should come again here. Everytime we look at the sea....while there's water in the ocean....we know that the "White Angel Mercy Ship" sailing to help the less fortunate people like us.
Thank you and god bless!
Philippines
Captain Bob
Welcome home after a great mission that you and your crew just completed. As a Ret USN Vet., I am very proud of you and your crew for providing this much needed help and assistance to so many in the world that need it. I know that each and every person you came in contact with, that contact was the most important aspect of their lives that day. So many in America take for granted what we have and have NO idea what it is like to be sick and have no resources to get better. The projects your SeaBees have repaired of built mean so much to those people. I know that these same people will look daily to the sea to the day their "White Angel" returns to provide help again. I hope in the future I see this great "White Angel" when I am retired in the Philippines.
Now go home and spend some time with your loved ones as you ALL have earned your pay for the last 5 months.
Thank you for showing America and the US Navy cares.
John T. Van Warrebey
LIC (AW) USN Ret.
Well done, Ladies and Gentlemen, well done. A safe and speedy journey home.
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