Emmanuel thought he was just experiencing a toothache. But that pain gave way to a bump that grew to the size of his fist. Having heard about a ship that might be able to help him, Emmanuel prayed for the ship to come. His prayers were answered as the Global Mercy docked in Freetown, Sierra Leone — Emmanuel’s home country.  Emmanuel was the first patient in Sierra Leone to receive free surgery on board the Global Mercy. This surgery put to rest his fears and worry over his health.  In this...

This is the month of Advent when we reflect on Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. We will be sharing stories of God’s miracles that have changed the lives of four very special people. In December you will get to hear about the lives that have been transformed by the love of Jesus, shown through Mercy Ships volunteers.   This week we focus on Diarra’s story that brought JOY. Diarra was a young teenager when she experienced a toothache. Then a small bump formed in her mouth and soon that bump became a...

This is the month of Advent when we reflect on Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. We will be sharing stories of God’s miracles that have changed the lives of four very special people. In December you will get to hear about the lives that have been transformed by the love of Jesus, shown through Mercy Ships volunteers.  This week we get to hear Umu’s story that brought PEACE. Umu was born with a large tumor on the side of her face and neck that only grew bigger as she did. Her mother’s worry grew as...

Holiday Stories of Hope and Healing This is the month of Advent when we reflect on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. We will be sharing stories of God’s miracles that have changed the lives of four very special people. In December you will get to hear about the lives that have been transformed by the love of Jesus, shown through Mercy Ships volunteers.  This week we get to hear Samba’s story of HOPE. Samba was born with a cleft lip — a condition that occurs 1 in 700 births worldwide. Usually,...

Ria Bos grew up in the Netherlands and always had a heart for missions. After becoming an ICU nurse, Ria sought opportunities to use her skills to help those in need — that’s when Mercy Ships came into her story. Now, 10 years later, Ria is still volunteering, currently serving as our Director of Patient Selection.   In this role, Ria considers herself a bridge with one foot on the ship, working with our doctors and nurses, and the other on land, partnering with the ministry of health and...

Whitney Grant: Senior Director, HR Operational Effectiveness   One little Facebook video was all it took to start Whitney Grant on a journey that she never would have expected!  Happily working in her corporate HR job in the United States, Whitney was involved in her church and had a great community of friends — she was not looking for a major life change. But watching a Mercy Ships video that her friend posted on social media opened Whitney’s heart to something unexpected.  Whitney came to...

Caroline Mallory: Volunteer Nurse Caroline Mallory first heard about Mercy Ships in a book she was given when she was a teenager. Later, when she was about to graduate from college, a guest speaker from Mercy Ships came to her university and a new dream was born. Caroline knew she wanted to become a nurse and go serve on board. Seven years later that dream came true when she boarded the Africa Mercy in Senegal.  Now on board the Global Mercy, Caroline volunteers as a ward nurse and has...

Paula Pheasant - Volunteer Nurse Paula grew up shying away from the spotlight, with little desire to venture too far from home. But a radio ad she heard on the way to school one day gave her a one-minute look into Mercy Ships and opened her mind to adventures that she never dreamed of.   Paula Pheasant volunteers as the PACU (post anesthesia care unit) team lead on board the Global Mercy. Caring for patients as they come out of their surgery, Paula is able to witness their first reactions as...

Rachel Greenland - Volunteer Nurse An ad in a magazine led to a tour aboard the Anastasis, which led to volunteering with Mercy Ships for 20 years!  Nurse Rachel Greenland was made for this kind of work — where she gets to combine her faith and her professional skills to leave a lasting impact on those in need.  Rachel is now on board the Global Mercy, volunteering as the ICU Coordinator and nurse in the maxillofacial ward.  In this episode, Rachel shares what keeps her coming back year...

Lily Boeckel was given the book Ships of Mercy by Don Stephens, by her grandmother. It was a discouraging season for Lily in nursing school and she was thinking about quitting. This book opened her eyes to new possibilities that she had never known about and breathed new life into her education. Determined to one day walk up the gangway, Lily worked to gain a degree and experience to make that dream come true.  Volunteering on board as the nurse educator, Lily has the opportunity to meet...

Larry Mast is truly considered a hero of the faith, serving on the mission flied for over 59 years, 39 of which have been with Mercy Ships! As a young man, Larry dreamed of a life of outdoor adventure and followed that dream all over the world, sharing the hope of Jesus. Larry is one of the few people to have served on every Mercy Ships vessel and tells us which is his favorite in this episode.  Also in this episode, Larry shares powerful stories of God’s miracles, life lessons and his hopes...

Estevam Silva spent seven years growing up on the Africa Mercy, thousands of miles away from his home country of Brazil. His father is a mariner and whereas most jobs at sea mean leaving your family behind for several months, with Mercy Ships, your family comes with you! As Chief Officer, Estevam’s father brought his family to serve with him and afforded his children an opportunity to meet people from all over the world and be agents of hope and healing.  In this episode, Estevam shares some...

Remy was a teacher in her home country, The Netherlands, for 8 years when she began to feel that change was coming. Knowing about Mercy Ships, Remy didn’t realize there were volunteer teachers on board! She eagerly applied for a 2 year commitment and 11 years later, she’s still caring for children and families on board our ships.  With a passion for children’s development, not only academically, but socially and emotionally, Remy began to equip children for the transition to ship life and...

Trina Laidlaw studied to be a dietician, hoping to land a big job in a fancy hospital, but God had other plans. Working in a rural clinic for almost 10 years meant she learned many skills through seeing a wide range of patients in all stages of life that she would not have in a city hospital. However, Trina worried her rural experience was not enough to volunteer with Mercy Ships — she couldn’t have been more wrong!  Now in Sierra Leone for her third field service, Trina is excited to help...

Diane Rickard first joined Mercy Ships in 1982 doing public relations for the organization. Now, with a Mercy Ships history that spans 40 years, Diane says there has always been a strong sense of purpose and never a dull moment!  Why stick around for 40 years? From day one, Diane recalls, “The commitment, the vision, the uniqueness and the opportunity just all struck me — that it was something I was born for.”   Currently serving as the International Media Relations Manager, Diane helps share...

Sandra Lako was born in The Netherlands but grew up on board the Anastasis where she spent much time playing with patients in the hospital. What might be uncomfortable for some was normal for Sandra and she was not bothered by  the sights and sounds of a hospital.  Sandra later became Dr. Sandra Lako and has been practicing medicine now for over 17 years in Sierra Leone. In this beautiful country, she’s seen the need for safe surgery and medical care. But, she has also seen the resilience and...

Season 4, Episode 3 It was a family day trip to tour the Caribbean Mercy off the coast of North Carolina that changed Shawn Thompson’s life. On that tour, his parents felt called to leave North Carolina and serve with Mercy Ships. Shawn was only 2 years old when his family moved to Nicaragua to begin their Mercy Ships adventure.  After seven years in Central America, Shawn’s family moved to Texas to continue working with Mercy Ships at the headquarters. Having grown up around the...

Sierra Leonian, David Kpakiwa, had a tough childhood that would have discouraged most. But David was instead empowered by his circumstances and given a heart of compassion to help others in need.   When he heard about Mercy Ships and the work we do, David knew he had to be a part of this mission. From local worker to deck administrator, housekeeper to advance team member — David is now back in his home country of Sierra Leone, preparing the way for the arrival of the Global Mercy.    In this...

Season 4, Episode 1 In 2005, Nikki Aldum toured the Anastasis in her home country of South Africa. She had been teaching for several years and was happy in the classroom but walking up that gangway changed everything.  Soon Nikki came aboard to teach in the Mercy Ships academy and 17 years later, she’s still playing a vital role in ensuring the children on board our ships receive an excellent education. Currently serving from Texas as the Superintendent of Mercy Ships academies, Nikki brings...

Edna Semiti is the Director of Human Resources for the Africa Service Center. With this newly formed division of Mercy Ships in Africa, Edna is thrilled to be on the groundbreaking team that will better serve our crew and patients from the continent.    Edna grew up in both Tanzania and Kenya and comes to Mercy Ships with extensive education and experience. Most importantly, she longs to give back to her society all that she has learned and believes that God brought her to Mercy Ships for a...

Patrik Bergström has served with Mercy Ships since 1993, both on vessels and at the International Support Center. His time in both places has provided him with the compassion and understanding to bridge the gap between East Texas and West Africa.    Volunteering as Senior Chaplain on board the Anastasis, Patrik found immense joy worshipping in such a culturally diverse community. Five years on board equipped him to later serve as the International Chaplain. That job in turn prepared him for...

Martha Ashu grew up in Cameroon, one of seven children. Upon finishing her university degree, political unrest broke out in her country, forcing her to go live with her sister who owned and operated a restaurant. During that time, Martha helped her sister in the restaurant and this season laid the groundwork for the culinary journey Martha would embark upon.   When she heard of a ship coming to Cameroon, Martha decided to apply to work on board in the galley and some might say, “the rest is...

Michelle Wallace spent five years equipping crew to come on board with Mercy Ships. Mercy Ships has a unique model in that our volunteers pay to come serve! To cover room and board, each volunteer pays crew fees and this usually requires fundraising. As part of the FinACE team, Michelle helped to coach and encourage crew as they financially prepared to volunteer on board.   In this episode, Michelle explains the process of fundraising and why it is so valuable — not only to the person going...

In one of her university courses, Kimberly Ames was introduced to Mercy Ships. She was so moved by the presentation and knew she had to be a part of this incredible organization. Now serving as the Medical Sourcing Specialist for Mercy Ships, Kimberly claims that she has the best job in the organization!  In this episode, Kimberly gives insight into the recruiting process and the qualifications necessary for medical crew. She also shares the main questions most potential crew ask, her biggest...