Volunteering to serve onboard a hospital ship in Africa changes the volunteer in many ways.  Nurse Kayla Innis explains.

Nineteen-year-old Maryani told her Muslim family she’d had a dream about Jesus.  They threatened her.  She fled to a missionary family on another Indonesian island.

The room was filled with patients hoping and praying for a free surgery onboard our hospital ship.  Many of them had been waiting in line at the medical screening for hours – some, even days.  They were hungry but wouldn’t leave for fear of losing their only chance for help.

A mother sat at the foot of an empty bed on the Africa Mercy.  Her son was having surgery and the waiting was hard. She decided to read the Bible for peace and comfort.

Juliana, age 14, and her brother Fabian, age 12, locked their bikes to a post outside a Walmart in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But, when they came out, only a broken lock was left there!  How were they going to go home?

Many patients who receive free surgery onboard our hospital ship need post-operative wound care.  Seventeen-year-old Mamoona had a large mass removed from her face.  She was doing well … but she still didn’t smile much.

Our day-crew is a vital part of our hospital ship operation.  Day-crew members come from the countries we serve.  Listen as a crew member describes a special moment.

You can perform acts of kindness by yourself or in partnership with others.  One proud mom sent the following description of an act of mercy to a magazine.

Six-year-old Elina was recovering from surgery onboard our hospital ship.  She didn’t trust easily.  You see, she’d been held in a fire as retaliation for a family argument.  She’d suffered terrible burns.

Carolina is a Mercy Ships volunteer who developed a special bond with a six-year-old patient named Ruth.  The little girl had been severely burned, and her face was quite scarred.