NEWS

Wednesday 02/22/2012

UPDATE: Friend Ship Integrity returned home to Port Mercy from Honduras after delivering tons of equipment and supplies to help disaster victims and birth the new Sea Hawks Central America training program. The North American Sea Hawks remained on the island of Roatán to carry out the work of preparing for the new program while the ship sailed to the mainland to deliver temporary shelters, blankets and other emergency relief items.

In Sea Hawk team in Roatán has started to outreach into the community as they prepare to fit children for new eyeglasses and develop a soccer league at Friend Ships Village as a ministry to the youth.

Friend Ships Pearl and Divine Wind sailed from the US West Coast in mid February and will meet the team in Roatán where Pastor Bo Melin will conduct Pastor's training seminars aboard FS Pearl. Pastor Melin will be teaching principles of effective church leadership he has learned from 43 years of full time ministry, principals that lift the level of righteous leadership.

Monday 02/06/2012

UPDATE: Friend Ships Integrity sailed for mainland Honduras in order to deliver temporary shelters, heavy duty vinyl for emergency relief and blankets, new shoes, eye glasses and sports equipment. The team in Roatán continue to train and prepare for the Central American Sea Hawk program. Friend Ship Pearl is currently in dry dock in Los Angeles completing her restoration and we hope to sail this week with both Pearl and Divine Wind.

Tuesday 01/31/2012

UPDATE: The Friend Ships team in Roatán Honduras has made great progress in off-loading the ship, planting vegetables, growing fish and otherwise preparing the facility to birth Sea Hawks Central America. We were able to deliver warm clothing to be delivered by a ministry to impoverished people in a mountainous area of the mainland. We brought vitamins and dental equipment for a local clinic on Roatán and this weekend we'll deliver temporary shelters to help with flood vitamins on the West Coast of Honduras.

Monday 01/10/2012

UPDATE: Divine Wind's work in dry dock is complete and she on her way home for final sailing preparations.

The wonderful team that saw her through dry dock and are bringing her home for final preparations.

Sunday 01/01/2012

UPDATE: The Friend Ships vessel Integrity has arrived! After reaching land and getting things finished at the dock the Sea Hawks headed to the Village for Self Defense Training for the 1st year Sea Hawks were Dan and Courtney will explain self defense to 1st year Sea Hawks and put it into action.

Monday 12/26/2011

UPDATE: Friend Ship Integrity arrived in Roatan is loaded with a thousand tons of humanitarian aid and materials needed to birth Sea Hawks Central America! When the ship arrives this weekend, the crew will off-load the supplies and then break into various departments to produce food and construct facilities for the new students. By the end of January, Friend Ships Pearl and Divine Wind will start their long voyage from Los Angeles through the Panama Canal and onto Honduras before returning to the Port Mercy.

Friday 12/09/2011

UPDATE: This week, the Sea Hawks and Friend Ships crew continue getting ready for the upcoming mission to Honduras, with loading, cleaning, chipping and painting taking place on the ship Integrity.

Monday 10/24/2011

UPDATE: This week, the Sea Hawks are in Tyler, Texas participating in an effective outreach called Hell House, a Christian answer to the typical Halloween haunted house. It is a theatrical production that depicts the Christian message of accepting Jesus and going to heaven rather than descending into hell. As the reality of this choice is brought home to people through the graphic presentation, hundreds of people make a decision to follow the Lord. Our teams are honored to be a part of the effective evangelistic production.

Saturday 09/10/2011

Food service continues in Jean LaFitte, as several teams are sent out to homes for debris removal and to help people clean up. Yesterday one team worked at a cemetery that had gotten damaged up by the flood waters.
Some of the city residents came and set up a 56 “ TV screen in the Friend Ships dining area so our team could watch the Saints and Green Bay Packers game and some residents are helping us by bringing in big pots of gumbo! Our dining area has become a peaceful place for people to relax and talk, just as we wanted it to be. Our team is having an opportunity to talk to and pray with many people. At this time, because of the critical and immediate needs we see in Jean Lafitte and the vital part we feel we can play in helping and ministering to the people in this community, we have put plans on hold for North Carolina where needs are less immediate and other organizations are already working. Check back here for updates. Click here to see our current needs list. CURRENT NEEDS LIST: Friend Ships is collecting specific supplies for Hurricane and Relief Efforts.  Find out our current needs and how you may help touch lives.  Currently we are accepting supplies like Non-Perishable Food, hygienic supplies (new), cleaning products and supplies etc. Click here to find out more>>>

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Wednesday 09/07/2011

UPDATE: The team set up food service at City Hall in Jean LaFitte. We provided lunch to several hundred residents and sent teams out to help homeowners deal with the water damage they have suffered. The Mayor's office has been very gracious and provided us with a wonderful set up site and even a place to stay. The Sea Hawks were able to pack up their tents and port-o-potties and move into a nice facility with beds, restrooms and showers. We look forward to another full day tomorrow as the water recedes and more families are able to return to their homes.

Tuesday 09/05/2011

UPDATE: The team is working in Jean LaFitte, Louisiana area and finding that our help is greatly needed. The work so far has been sandbagging and food services. The Mayor has asked us to stay and help with the food services and clean-up work the residents have as the water has started to recede. The water rose as high as seven feet in some places and caused a great deal of damage. Many of the home owners are uninsured and must deal with this situation on their own.

Monday 09/04/2011

UPDATE: Flooding brought by Tropical Storm Lee has drenched South Louisiana where our home base, Port Mercy is located. Our area was spared the brunt of the storm but several communities south of New Orleans are having very serious problems with up to 7 feet of water in some areas. Friend Ships is deploying tonight to the city of Jean LaFitte, where one team will start sand bagging early Monday morning and another will set up to begin providing food service by lunch. A third team will be operating our rescue boat to help people who are trapped in their homes. Check back here for updates. Click here to see a more extensive list of the supplies needed. Click here to read past updates...

Thursday 09/01/2011

HURRICANE IRENE RESPONSE UPDATE: The Friend Ships advance team has completed their initial assessment of the situation in North Carolina that was created by last weekend's Hurricane Irene. We have decided on a location to provide food service on Hatteras Island in the southern Outer Banks. Some areas there do not yet have power and the road that connects them to the mainland has been extensively damaged.

A team of 40 Sea Hawks and their leaders will be departing soon from Port Mercy with our supplies and equipment that we will need to deliver to the site by boat. Because of the unique circumstances of this particular response, diesel fuel and gasoline will be our primary needs to operate equipment. We ask for your prayers for a fruitful mission and if you would like to contribute, fuel cards and/or finances would be a great help. Click here to see a more extensive list of the supplies needed. Please check back for updates as we hope to post daily video updates and interviews.

Picture: Hurricane Irene cut several new channels in Hatteras Island, destroying the road that connected them to the mainland.

Monday 08/29/2011

HURRICANE IRENE RESPONSE UPDATE: We are planning to respond to Hurricane Irene by providing food service where power is out and supplies hard to obtain. Our advance team is leaving today with the helicopter to check out possible locations that need our assistance in North Carolina. We are loading trucks and will send the follow up team later today or tomorrow. We'll have more details by late Tuesday.

Thank you for your consideration and for following the leading of the Lord. We can do nothing on our own strength. We must rely on the Lord and pray that He might touch hearts to help. Please check back for further updates >>>

CURRENT HURRICANE IRENE NEEDS LIST: Friend Ships is collecting specific supplies for Hurricane Irene Relief efforts.  Find out our current needs and how you may help touch lives.  Currently we are accepting supplies like Non-Perishable Food, hygienic supplies (new), cleaning products and supplies etc. Click here to find out more>>>

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Monday 05/25/2011

• Friend Ships final team returned home to Port Mercy. Work now continues for upcoming response efforts.

Monday 05/23/2011

• Some of the Friend Ships team returned home to Port Mercy while a small team remained in Morgan City to complete sand bagging and to go door to door to check and see if they can help families with preparations for potential flooding.
• The final team will head home on Wednesday. Thanks for all your help with our missions to Alabama and Louisiana.

Friday 05/20/2011

Locals join effort to fight floodwater (5/19)

Posted May 19, 2011 at 6:01 pm at American Press

By Taylor Prejean / AMERICAN PRESS

MORGAN CITY — Volunteers from Lake Charles-based Friend Ships Unlimited joined local volunteers to fill sandbags and help protect homes against rising waters in the Atchafalaya Basin following Saturday’s Morganza Floodway opening. Click here to read full article...

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Copyright American Press. All rights reserved.

RESPONSE CURRENT ONGOING NEEDS:
Fuel (gas) Monday 05/18/2011

Although our work in Alabama is complete for now, our hearts will long remember the special moments we had working there.  As the Friend Ships crew and Sea Hawk team provided food service, distributed tarp, helping to protect homes and vehicles and assisted individuals with clean-up, they met and prayed with many wonderful people. 

Wherever we go, the Friend Ships base camp hang a huge banner that says "From Jesus with Love".  The team was touched when they heard that as a young girl and her mother passed by, the girl saw the sign and asked her mother to stop because she wanted to meet Jesus.  The team explained to her that we work on the Lord's behalf and help people with their needs.  The girl was moved and emptied her piggy bank to give us all the money she had to help with our work.  A short time later, some of her precious funds were used to purchase ice that is now preserving the stores used to offer food to people. 

A man came to the Tuscaloosa site to receive tarp and told an amazing story of how he and his family huddled together in their bathroom and prayed fervently as the tornado approached, “Lord, we don't want to die. Please help us.”  Suddenly, the roof tore from their home and they could see the sky and debris swirling violently above them.  When it was over, everything of their home was destroyed except the bathroom where they were standing.  They were all untouched.  The man told the crew with emotion “I have seen the power of God!”

The crew wept as they were told a bitter sweet story of another girl who clutched the 14 year old dog she had grown up with in her arms as the tornado approached to protect him. When it was over, the dog had actually protected her by shielding her from an onslaught of glass that took his life and preserved hers. 

Early this week, the Sea Hawks and Friend Ships crew moved to Morgan City, Louisiana where work is in full swing as they help the community prepares for floods from the Mississippi River that are expected there this weekend.  The Sea Hawks are filling sandbags alongside local prisoners who have been brought out to help with the preparations.  They are able to minister to and pray with the men as they work.  Our teams also travel to the homes of disabled and elderly residents and help them protect their homes with sandbags.  And we are offering food service to the prisoners, the National Guard, city personnel and other private groups who have come in to help.

Thank you for your love, your support and your prayers!

Monday 05/17/2011

• Wanted to share this email we received:
• Dear friends,
  I am working with Temporary Emergency Services in Tuscaloosa, AL. I just wanted to brag on the team that came out to help us with the tornado clean-up efforts! Ya'll were wonderful to have around! All of you are very hard workers! I, and the rest of our organizations were very impressed by your team! Thank you so much for everything! You really made a difference!
  Thanks!
  --
  A. Wilkerson
  

Monday 05/16/2011

• One team has arrived in Morgan City Louisiana, an area that is expected to experience significant flooding as a result of the Mississippi River rising.
• The team will start with helping a local church in Morgan City with sand bagging and then respond as necessary as things develop during the week.
• The remaining Friend Ships response team finished packing up this morning to head to Morgan City as well.

Saturday 05/14/2011

• The Friend Ships team in Tuscaloosa continues to provide food service and prayer as they distribute tarp and help with home clean-up. Church groups are working alongside of us and have helped to provide for our needs. We are hearing wonderful, encouraging testimonies of how the Lord intervened to save people's lives as the tornado raged around them.
• The leadership is also looking into how we can help in Louisiana with the floods created by the Mississippi River rising.

Thursday 05/12/2011

• Thursday we received at the site in Tuscaloosa a semi truck load of heavy duty vinyl material donated by Seaman's Corporation that we will distribute to protect roofs and property.
• The second team of 30 departed today from Port Mercy with 4 trucks and 2 trailers loaded with tents, food, equipment and supplies. Once the team arrives in Tuscaloosa, we will set up food service and continue to help the victims of the recent tornados in whatever ways we can as we continue to evaluate the situation on the rising Mississippi River and how we can best be of help there.

Monday 05/09/2011

• The first Friend Ships Sea Hawk team arrived in Tuscaloosa on Monday and began to help the community with clean up and managing incoming donations.
  

Monday 05/02/2011

• Due to the severe tornado outbreaks across the Southern, Central, and Eastern United States, our assessment team left Sunday to determine if we could help those in need. The team sealed a location in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and in a few short days we will depart with our disaster relief equipment to help those who are hurting.
• We will send out teams door to door to distribute tarp and help with clean-up. We will set up a hospitality tent where the victims of the Alabama tornadoes can get refreshments and something to eat while our ministry team sits down with them and shares the love of the Lord. The breakfast items will enable us to send our teams out into the community prepared for the long work day with a good hot breakfast.
• We are in need of funds for fuel and other supplies.

Monday 04/18/2011

• The crew and Sea Hawks have been working on a big spring cleaning project at Port Mercy. We have had teams sorting and repacking items from containers into crates that are inventoried and stored in our new warehouse. We have also had teams working on cleaning and replanting the area around our large tent dinning area.
• The Sea Hawks have also been involved in several local events that included an evacuation drill with the city of Lake Charles and helping with a large Easter outreach with one of the local churches.
• In Los Angeles the team is getting close to completion on our two new vessels.

NEEDS LIST: If you would like to help obtain needed supplies or items that are currently needed throughout the various departments and locations of Friend Ships, please click on the following link for specific list for each location. Please email our resources department for details or questions on how you can help with these needs.

<<<Click here to open the Current Needs List >>>

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Monday 04/11/2011

• This week we continue to plan the upcoming mission to Honduras and the exciting ministry that our 76' mobile conference center, Pearl, will carry out once underway.
• Port Mercy continues to undergo a great clean up and organizing of the yard area and new warehouse.

Monday 04/04/2011

• The team in Port Mercy is currently carrying out a major clean-up and reorganization of the facility as the Los Angeles team continues to prepare our two boats for service. The Sea Hawks are taking training in Spanish and self-defense.
• We have recently sent two large chicken incubators that produce 46,000 chicken every six weeks to an orphanage in Mexico and have sent shipments of medical supplies to a clinic there.
• We continue to prepare for the Honduras outreach by planning a transition at our facility to solar power and gathering information and supplies for aquaculture and farming.
• Our humanitarian aid shipment to Japan is currently on hold because of complications created by the nuclear situation.

Monday 03/11/2011

• Last night, a powerful 8.9 "mega"earthquake occurred in northern Japan. Please pray for the people of Japan as they deal with the results of this disaster. Friend Ships is evaluating the damage created by the earthquake and resulting tsunami. We'll keep you updated as the best course of action for Friend Ships to provide help becomes clear. If you would like to provide support for this effort, click here to Donate.

Monday 03/07/2011

• This week our Louisiana Sea Hawk team ministered on the streets and during Mardi Gras activities in both New Orleans and Lake Charles. There they met many people anxious to learn about the Lord.
• The Los Angeles team ministered to nursing home residents as they delivered flowers. They continue to ready the boats for their trip to Port Mercy.
  
• We have found a facility in Los Angeles we would like to obtain to for our West Coast operations and have made an offer. We await the owner's response.
• We are starting to take applications for the Sea Hawks class of 2011-2012. If you would like to apply or know someone who is interested, please click here for more information.

Monday 02/21/2011

• This week we are starting Spanish classes throughout the ministry in preparation of our mission to Honduras in the Spring.
• Plans are shaping up for the voyage as we continue to work on our boats and carry on building projects in at Port Mercy.
• We have found a facility in Los Angeles we would like to obtain to for our West Coast operations and have made an offer. We await the owner's response.
• We are starting to take applications for the Sea Hawks class of 2011-2012. If you would like to apply or know someone who is interested, please click here for more information.

Monday 02/21/2011

• This week, we have made great progress on construction of our new warehouse at Port Mercy and other construction projects.
• In Los Angeles, we have located a facility that would work well for our west coast operations and will see if this is what the Lord has for now.
• The team in Roatán was blessed to have more than 50 local church volunteers come to help work on the building and grounds as they hosted a ladies prayer and fasting weekend.
• We continue to make plans for various outreaches including the Spring mission to Honduras where we will minister to people in need, have Pastor's Conferences, distribute goods and prepare for a future Central American Sea Hawk program.

Monday 02/14/2011

• This week we sent a team to the Pastor's and Leaders School in Phoenix to have the opportunity to let church leaders know about Friend Ships and the Sea Hawk program. It was a very inspiring conference.
• We are working on plans for the Honduras voyage in the Spring.
• The West Coast team is making great progress on preparing our boats for sea as we continue to look for a new facility that will meet our needs there.
• At Port Mercy, it has been very cold but we are making progress on the new warehouse with the help of a wonderful team of construction workers from the Mennonite Church and we have now shipped home or donated out to effective organizations the last of the equipment we took into Haiti to respond to the earthquake in January 2010.

Monday 02/07/2011

• This week we worked on our new warehouse at Port Mercy while the Sea Hawk teamed helped the local CERT organization with medical checks and bike safety training to school children.
• Self-defense training continues as one team headed to Los Angeles to help in the final preparations to get Divine Wind and Pearl ready to sail for Honduras and then onto Port Mercy. Another team headed for the Phoenix First Assembly Pastor's School to have the opportunity to introduce Church leaders to the Sea Hawk program and to Friend Ships.
• One of the crew also left for Haiti to finalize the shipment home of our equipment from last year's earthquake outreach.

Monday 01/31/2011

• This week we are working on a new warehouse at Port Mercy and various construction and reorganizing projects.
• The Village in Roatán is preparing for a children's outreach this weekend.
• The Los Angeles team is making great progress on Divine Wind and Pearl upgrades.
• We are still in search of our new base in Southern California and appreciate your prayers to find just the right facility.
• Next week, we are taking a team to Phoenix, AZ to attend the Pastor's School presented by Phoenix First Assembly of God and let churches know more about the Sea Hawk program. We are also making plans for outreach in New Orleans and Lake Charles for Mardi Gras in March and a voyage to Honduras in the Spring.

Monday 01/24/2011

• At the Friend Ships Village in Roatán hosted a youth seminar in January with 51 children between the ages of 12-16 and 12 leaders. The event consisted of teaching, worship and recreation. In the evening, they had wonderful times praise and thanksgivings. The Pastor reports that the Lord used this time to set the children on the right path of life, that many rededicated their lives or experienced a closer relationship with Him and that they enjoyed their time so much with the Lord, they did not want to leave the seminar at the close of the event!
• We just received word from Global Missions that the containers of rice and building materials shipped out from Port Mercy a few months back have arrived, been received and have now been distributed through many grateful Pastors who report that they were able to serve their entire community!
• Projects continue at Port Mercy and in Los Angeles as we gear up for upcoming missions.

Monday 01/10/2011

• Members of the Friend Ships team are making their way home after the lovely Christmas break. We continue to make progress on the repairs to our boats currently located in California.
• We are preparing to move from our long time warehouse in the Port of Los Angeles area and are looking for a new West Coast facility.
• Teri Shields and Murray Douglas will appear on Fox 29 (Lake Charles) on Saturday morning at 8:30 as they discuss our mission to Haiti.
• The Home School Channel and AFA (also aired on Sky Angel) have started to air our show "Ship to Shore" this week!

Monday 12/20/2010

• This week we have sent 2 loads of toys and blankets to Mexico along with making progress on many projects.
• The Sea Hawks successfully completed a training session in Simply the Story.
• The team in Roatán hosted a church conference at the Village.

Monday 12/13/2010

• This week the Sea Hawks team that was in California returned from a successful trip to work on Pearl and Divine Wind.
• Monday we begin Simply the Story training at Port Mercy.
• We received three reports from the weekend services being held this past month at Friend Ships Village in Roatán, Honduras. Over 100 children attended two youth services with many being saved and "healing's of the heart"! Also at a Women's Encounter many renewed their relationships with the Lord! Thank you Jesus.

Monday 12/06/2010

• This week we attended the WorkBoat Show in New Orleans where each year we get to meet and thank our wonderful maritime industry donors.
• We have also carried on with our many projects throughout Friend Ships, in each location.
• The Sea Hawks are training on heat welding the heavy duty vinyl we use for tents, disaster relief and many other purposes.
• We are looking forward to a Simply the Story training seminar we will have at Port Mercy the week of December 13th. Many of our staff will assist the leaders in training and are preparing for their duties.
• "Ship to Shore", the Friend Ships video series for broadcast will begin to air within the week on AFA Channel and The Home School Channel.

Monday 11/29/2010

• As our Port Mercy public relations team prepares to attend the WorkBoat Show in New Orleans, the crew and Sea Hawks have continued to work on various projects and outreaches. One of the outreaches on Saturday's was at a local middle school where the Sea Hawks helped with health screenings, sports, feeding and security for the event. Was a great turnout and all the team had fun.
• The food service class prepared a delicious pre-Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday evening and a wonderful local church had us all to Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday.
• The Los Angeles crew continued work on the sail and power boats then enjoyed Thanksgivings together. The Honduras crew are all doing great and on Tuesday, the Halls arrived home from Haiti.

Monday 11/22/2010

• Much has been accomplished this week in Los Angeles on the two boats we are preparing to sail to Port Mercy and organizing goods at the Friend Ships warehouse. The team there is having fun exploring Southern California and attending various local churches.
• Our Haiti Base mangers have returned home for now and Port Mercy carries on in full swing with construction projects, warehousing and upgrades to the facility.

Monday 11/15/2010

• This week we continued on construction and warehousing projects at Port Mercy while preparing to work with Global Missions to load 3 ocean freight containers to help children in Haiti.
• A small team of Sea Hawks along with crew member George headed out to Los Angeles to work on our two boats, Divine Wind and Pearl and by the end of the week, had made great progress on the work needed to prepare them for the trip to Port Mercy.
• Arla made another trip from Los Angeles to Port Mercy with supplies and is headed back to Port Mercy with another load. Ron is closing on obtaining his helicopter pilot license and bloodhound Clyde continues his training in New Orleans to become an official "tracker" of people in need.

Monday 11/08/2010

• This week, as Hurricane Tomas approached Haiti, our staff there distributed food, water, water purifiers, and kitchen supplies to Victory Christian Center to use in their work with orphans; building supplies, wheelchairs and sheets to Samaritan's Purse for medical and shelter outreaches and food, paper products, cleaning supplies and toys to Global Outreach, a ministry that specializes in providing water wells to impoverished people.
• The Honduras team continued to clean up in the aftermath of the storm that affected them earlier this month.
• At Port Mercy we made great progress on various projects as the Sea Hawks enjoyed instruction and ministry by Dr. Roger Siratt, Pastor Norman Thomas, and Pastor James Bertram. They also were introduced to Simply the Story (STS) by Dorothy Miller. STS is a wonderful evangelism and discipleship tool for literate and non-literate people that is being used around the world and we are looking forward to a full workshop of STS at Port Mercy in December to learn this method of ministry.

Monday 11/01/2010

• This past week we made progress in many areas including ship and vehicle maintenance, upgrades to our sailboats, construction, vinyl and warehousing projects. The transportation department delivered a load of beautiful shoes from Los Angeles to Port Mercy.
• On Saturday, the Sea Hawks were able to help with a local Harvest Festival. The helped with carnival games, pony rides, rock climbing walls, face painting and help in every area that had a need. They were a great blessing.
• The Roatán team hosted a women's conference prior the near-hurricane storm last weekend and the Port Mercy office prepared for a donation and shipment of 60,000 pounds of rice to Haiti.
• Next week, we look forward to a full spiritual time together with Teacher, Worship Leader, Evangelist and Sea Hawk Instructor, Dr. Roger Siratt who is returning for our 2nd three day seminar. And we are also blessed to receive a visit from Dorothy Miller, Founder and Director of the God's Story Project and Simply the Story. In mid-December, we are excited to be having a Simply the Story Training Session and in January, the Sea Hawks self defense teacher, Dan Bertin, will begin their training.

 

Monday 10/25/2010

• We were able to distribute goods from our base camp in Haiti to a ministry that works with orphans and earthquake victims. Goods distributed included drinking water, rice, beans and other food items, bleach, soap,wheelchairs, cooking supplies, blankets, tarp, water purification chemicals and portable water containers (to help with the recent cholera outbreak there).
• On Sunday, a powerful tropical storm passed by Roatán, Honduras just as it developed into a hurricane. Fortunately, it caused minimal damage to the island.
• At Port Mercy, the Sea Hawks helped out with an event to raise funds for Alzheimer's research and helped with worship at local church on Sunday. They are working together with the crew and much progress is made on many projects as we work to improve and development the home base facilities.