Why Mercy Ships, why the Africa Mercy?

Ruben, Jona, Hannah, Elizabeth & Mirjam spelling out my name on the dock. 17 May 2014

Yesterday was my anniversary. The one year anniversary of disembarking the Africa Mercy. The interesting thing is that since that day I've been back onboard for a few days. Yup, I never thought that would happen. In this post I talked about it leaving a whole in my heart, but what really happened was I tried to get away from a calling on my life. The place I'm supposed to be. Through a period of doubting myself and wondering if I could make appropriate decisions I decided to go back to Mercy Ships. Looking back I can see that it was a time for me to realize who I was. Not just continuing on and in a routine because it is easy. Looking back I don't think I would pick another route. Going home, working in New Mexico, meeting great people. living with my parents for two months, being there when my niece was born and Christmas at home. I was able to do all of that while the ship was very uncertain of it's future. Ebola hit just over a year ago and the plans were changed, and changed, and changed again.

The question I'm brought to today is why Mercy Ships, why the Africa Mercy? I've tried to explain it before, words don't really do it justice. Even after almost three years it's a place that can't really be explained. The only way you can really understand is to come for a visit. But, today I'll try to give a you a glimpse.

The first time I heard about Mercy Ships in 2011 I watched a patient story, I'm pretty sure the guy was from Liberia. I can't find it to show you, but here's a video about Vernel from Congo.

Vernel from Mercy Ships on Vimeo.

Now imagine that everyday. I can work for a long time and it doesn't hit me emotionally what we do, but as soon as I see a video it sinks in. It's not that I don't know what's going on, because I do. I get updates 2-3 times a day. Every meal time chances are there's a nurse sitting at my table and when asking how things are going I hear about the patient in bed 9 on D ward or the lady that was just rushed into the O.R. because she started bleeding for an unknown reason. I see friends walking around with signs that they gave blood because we all know that there's a guy getting a large tumor removed tomorrow and he'll need a lot of B+ blood. 

Lives are being changed one after another, day after day. The community of believers showing the love of Christ through medical services and healthcare education. The impact will never be able to be measured.

It's not just medical either. The friend that was going to go out tonight, he can't because the freezers on deck 2 are malfunctioning and he needs to be on standby in case they stop again. Without the freezers we won't have meat to eat for the next two months. The overhead announcement that just went off at 2 A.M. for line handlers, that was because it's cyclone season. The seas are rough tonight and one of the mooring lines just snapped. Mooring lines are what keep us secured to the dock. Without them we would be drifting out to ocean or banging against the dock. The Super Bowl party I got to go to, yeah it started at 11:30 P. M. and yes, the Food Services Manager got up in the middle of the night so that we could have some good food for it. Mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, yes even jalapeno poppers. Because he understand how much it raises the spirit of the crew when they can gather together in the middle of the night to watch something that is so familiar to being at home. 

It's the people gathered from around the world, using their talents and gifts in unison for the goal of showing the love of Jesus through tangible ways.