People have a variety of reasons for volunteering with Mercy Ships.  But perhaps the main one is the chance to witness amazing transformations in the lives of our patients.

Fourth-grade teacher Madonna Kenser was teaching a lesson using an overhead projector.  Suddenly, she had an allergic reaction to a dry-erase marker.  Her throat began to close!  She stumbled across the room toward her desk, but she fainted. 

Honore had a decision to make.  His parents had died unexpectedly.  Now he was the young head of his family with funeral costs to pay.  And his fourteen-year-old sister Julienne needed a surgery that was offered free on a hospital ship.  But it was a long way from his area of Cameroon to the hospital ship Africa Mercy.

Mercy Ships provides free surgical care to people with little access to quality medical care.  Sometimes it’s hard for them to understand that there really aren’t any strings attached.

Judith Dullnigh of Austin, Texas, founded the Women’s Storybook Project in 2003.  It’s a nonprofit business that uses books to connect children to their incarcerated mothers.

The joy of serving onboard our hospital ships is watching the physical and emotional transformations of our patients. 

Jayce Crowder was born with a congenital defect that left him with only one hand.  He was in kindergarten when kids starting making fun of him. 

Susy served as a nurse onboard our hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, in Cameroon.  She pointed out the difference between being a nurse on the ship and a nurse at home. 

Angela McQueen is a math and physical education teacher at Mattoon High School in Illinois.  When she’s on lunch-monitoring duty, she walks laps around the cafeteria.  One day, a freshman pulled out a gun.

Is there anything harder than waiting for something you desperately need?