New Mercies

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. ...

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...

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 a...

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 c...

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...

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 h...

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 an...

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 h...

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 organi...

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 b...

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...

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 go...

Abdul Cole grew up in Sierra Leone as one of seven children. When the Africa Mercy arrived in his home country, Abdul had no idea that his life was about to be impacted. While waiting in line for two days, holding a place for his cousin to be seen by the Mercy Ships screening nurses, the trajectory of Abdul’s life was forever changed. At 14 years old, he decided he wanted to become a sailor. In this episode, Abdul shares the incredible story of his time in the port meeting Mercy Ships c...