One thing that’s different about serving on our hospital ship is that the medical crew members can spend a lot of time with their patients.  Surgery and recovery often have difficult and painful moments.

Osman was only 11 years old when he suffered serious burns on his legs and feet.  A life-changing surgery onboard our hospital ship restored his mobility. Some years later, Osman became a full-time crew member.

Jon had enjoyed a wonderful week-long Caribbean cruise.  He’d taken some library books to relax and do the old-fashioned kind of reading.  But he accidentally left a book on the plane when he returned home.

Many of the patients who come to our hospital ship have lived in the shadows for many years.  Often friends and family have abandoned them.  Their physical abnormality is viewed as a curse.  But when they come to our hospital ship, they receive acceptance and something else that’s very special.  Listen to Michael Jones talk about it.

The little boy was wearing a Spider-Man shirt and crying.   He’d just been admitted to Crisis Nursery in Phoenix.  It’s a shelter that takes in young children who are victims of abuse and neglect.

A volunteer writer onboard our hospital ship wrote about a funeral she attended for her friend Christine. 

Kirstie Randall serves as the Medical Capacity-Building Director onboard our hospital ship, the Africa Mercy.  She wondered what hope and healing really looks like and wrote this beautiful response.

Long-term Mercy Ships volunteers go through our training program called OnBoarding.  It includes a field project in Africa.  One group painted an orphanage in Sierra Leone, where 40 handicapped children lived and attended school. 

Julio Diaz ended his subway commute to the Bronx one stop early – just so he could eat at his favorite diner.  But this night took a surprising turn.  Suddenly, a teenage boy approached and pulled a knife.  Julio handed over his wallet.

Mercy Ships crew member Marissa Hall was the first person to touch Julien when he came to the Africa Mercy for surgery.  He had suffered for years with a melon-sized tumor on his chin.  But, as Marissa explained, Julien also touched her.