In this podcast episode, Mark Turman discusses the importance of serving in the Christian faith, highlighting the work of Mercy Ships, an international ministry that provides surgical care to the world's forgotten poor. Raeanne Newquist shares her personal journey with Mercy Ships, detailing the transformative impact of their work on patients and the community. The conversation emphasizes the significance of restoring dignity and humanity to those in need, as well as the personal growth experienced by volunteers and their families.

The discussion explores the various roles available for volunteers, the unique family dynamics aboard the ships, and the spiritual impact of serving in diverse communities. Raeanne emphasizes the importance of prayer, the need for various skill sets, and the profound experiences that come from working in a global mission context.

Topics

• (00:00): The Call to Serve: Understanding Christian Service
• (06:02): Introducing Mercy Ships: A Unique Ministry
• (12:06): The Impact of Mercy Ships: Transformative Patient Stories
• (17:57): Personal Connections: How Mercy Ships Changed Lives
• (26:25): Transformative Journey with Mercy Ships
• (31:40): The Broad Scope of Service Opportunities
• (35:43): Family Life Aboard Mercy Ships
• (39:55): Commitment Levels and Volunteer Roles
• (44:00): Navigating Complexities of Service
• (48:29): Spiritual Impact and Community on Board

Resources

• Mercy Ships
• Facebook
• Instagram
• X
• YouTube

About Raeanne Newquist

Raeanne, her husband, and 3 children joined Mercy Ships in 2019. After leaving everything behind in Southern California, they boarded the Africa Mercy in Las Palmas and made their first sail down to Dakar, Senegal for their first field service. On board, Raeanne volunteered in the communications department and later in chaplaincy. Currently, Raeanne works in the Mercy Ships U.S. Marketing department. Raeanne is the host of the New Mercies podcast, is the voice of the Mercy Minute daily radio broadcast and serves as a staff writer.

About Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships, founded in 1978, operates hospital ships that deliver free surgeries and other healthcare services to those with little access to safe medical care. 

Mercy Ships bases its work from its two hospital ships, the Africa Mercy®, which went into service in 2007, and the Global Mercy® — the world’s first purpose-built civilian hospital ship—which began serving African nations in 2022.

Direct Medical - Mercy Ships provides safe, free surgeries on board its hospital ships, focusing on seven specialties: maxillofacial/head and neck surgery; reconstructive plastic surgery; pediatric orthopedic surgery; specialized pediatric surgery; general surgery; opthalmic; and women’s health. 

Education, Training, and Advocacy - Mercy Ships focuses on long-term, sustainable education and training across the surgical ecosystem, working to create lasting impact by increasing surgical capacity in host nations.

Since 1978 Mercy Ships has provided:

• 117,000+ Life-Saving Surgeries
• 541,000+ Dental Procedures
• 54,300+ Professionals trained in their area of expertise
• 2.87 million+ direct beneficiaries

About Dr. Mark Turman

Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.