One type of surgery performed onboard our hospital ship is related to the eye, including cataract surgery. Volunteer ophthalmic surgeon Glenn Strauss is a big part of that program. 

On March 26, 1982, Emogene Cup was among the crowd gathered on a grassy site in Washington, D.C., for a historic event — the groundbreaking ceremony for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The black wall is inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 Americans who were killed in Vietnam or remain missing.

Army Specialist Christopher M. Harris died in Afghanistan… just days after he found out he was going to be a dad. His division — the 82nd Airborne — supported his widow, Britt. They even shot off pink confetti when they learned the baby was a girl. 

Our hospital ship provides a sterile, state-of-the-art environment that simply doesn’t exist in the countries we serve. And some of us, like eye surgeon, Dr. Glenn Strauss, remember when the Africa Mercy was first deployed.

Troy Yocum’s grandfather served honorably in World War II. But after he returned home, he suffered from symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and, sadly, took his own life.

The Servants On Wheels Ever Ready Ministry — or SOWERS, for short — is a group of volunteer couples in RVs who provide free help to nonprofit Christian ministries… like Mercy Ships. But the tables turned when a Mercy Ships staff member showed mercy TO a Sower at our International Operations Center in Texas.

Alan and his wife were missionaries in Sierra Leone. They’d been praying for God to grant them the desire of their heart: a baby. One day, they received an unexpected answer: a baby had been left at the hospital.

Rev. Samuel Appiah pastors a church in Ghana, which also operates an orphanage. The government said the church had to build more rooms before they could bring in more children. Pastor Samuel and his church went to prayer.

Sylla was broken-hearted when one of her twin babies died. To make matters worse, she learned that her surviving baby, Mariama, had cataracts and would probably be blind. 

I’m often amazed by the creativity people express in finding ways to make a difference. Marti Mayne wrote to a magazine about the unique way her sister shows kindness.