Sarah spent ten weeks onboard the world's largest charity hospital ship in the West African nation of Togo, working as part of the ship's eye team restoring sight through free cataract surgery to the people of that country. She was one of more than 400 volunteer crew members onboard, drawn from 40 nations, all travelling at their own expense and giving of their time and talents to provide a range of health and community development services to some of the world's poorest people.
"So I looked up Mercy Ships on the internet. I had always wanted to do something like that," she says. "But I found plenty of excuses until I discovered that Mercy Ships volunteers could go for any length of time from a few weeks to a lifetime. I had just finished doing some agency nursing and had money, so there were no excuses left."
"I thought I had a lot to offer, but God spoke to me through the people of Togo. It was really those people who actually gave something to me through their kindness, their faith, their joy and their love. I really wonder whether we or they have the better life despite their struggle to survive the pressures of daily life. The concept of keeping what money you have for yourself is not normal for the people of Togo. There is such generosity. They seem to regard themselves as just part of one larger family. What a way to live! Here we have money and food, but still see so many in our community ending up isolated, struggling, alone and helpless."
"There is little or no access to health care for most people in Togo, and when members of the eye team went out to assess and schedule patients for cataract surgery, the people were so grateful for any help given, even to having their blood pressure taken. It is a society with a very strong sense of community and family. A sick or frail person is helped by anyone passing, burdens are shared and much is given regardless of how much they have to give."
"What Mercy Ships is doing is so important. It shows the people that they have not been forgotten by the world. It is most 'hands on' in the area of health, with a range of free surgeries being provided to correct disability, deformity and blindness. Education comes later as local doctors and nurses receive training on the ship, and through the efforts of teams going out into the community. The ship, with its six operating theatres and 78-bed hospital, addresses such needs as helping people whose legs are bowed, children who cannot eat because of a cleft lip, those who have large benign tumours on their face or neck, women who have suffered obstetric fistulas as a result of obstructed or prolonged childbirth, and of course the many thousands blind because of cataracts."
Sarah is anxious to offer herself for service again. "It can be costly to do it on your own, but there are people willing to help financially. There is a need for a whole range of people to run this shipboard community – cooks, cleaners, marine staff, teachers, agriculturists and hospital staff. I urge everyone to give it a go, and if they can't, be prepared to give so the work can continue," she concludes.
Mercy Ships is a global charity that has operated hospital ships in developing nations since 1978 providing free health care and community development services to the forgotten poor. Following the example of Jesus, Mercy Ships brings hope and healing to the poor. Working in partnership with local people, Mercy Ships empowers communities to help themselves. The result is a way out of poverty.
The emphasis is on the needs of the world's poorest nations in West Africa, where the world's largest charity hospital ship Africa Mercy provides the platform for services extending up to ten months at a time. Mercy Ships works on land-based projects in Sierra Leone in partnership with other organisations, while teams also work in several nations of Central America and the Caribbean. Mercy Ships Australia, one of 14 international support offices is based on the Queensland Sunshine Coast. www.mercyships.org.au