Mercy Ships has doubled down on their commitment to serve
It’s been a busy few months. Against a backdrop of sad headlines, Mercy Ships doubled down on their commitment to serve vulnerable people who cannot ‘stay at home’ or social distance – the poorest of the poor, who earn money during the day to feed their family that evening, often sharing small dwellings. In impoverished regions, healthcare systems throughout Central and West Africa were struggling long before Covid-19 threatened to overwhelm hospitals and medical staff. Our rapid response began with a donation to Senegal’s Covid relief fund and quickly ramped up with donations of over 70,000 PPE items to African nations, as well as infrared thermometers and ventilating machines. In all, Mercy Ships has helped 11 African nations that have the most fragile health systems. The African staff and doctors we trained over the last 3 decades are now leading the fight against coronavirus locally. Mercy Ships also launched a weekly online Covid-19 course for Key Workers in Liberia, Togo, Benin, DR Congo and Cameroon, to help nurses treat patients and we switched our surgical mentoring to video conferencing.
“Against a backdrop of sad headlines, Mercy Ships doubled down on their commitment to serve vulnerable people who cannot ‘stay at home’ or social distance...”
One of my favourite moments of hope and mercy in the midst of the crisis is the story of Eliphaz Essah (pictured), a Mercy Ships crew member and the head of our agricultural nutrition programme. He returned home to Benin to invent and launch a new infant feeding porridge, saving the lives of little children at a local orphanage. Eliphaz said, ‘Amongst the unknowns, I decided not to sit at home and do nothing, but to allow all the experiences of the last few years and the many things I have learned as Project Manager for the Food for Life Programme to shape my vision for this season and allow God to transform my circumstances.’
Personally, I’ve been leading on some Christian TV, radio, and magazine projects, including Christianity magazine articles and Premier radio spots. I’ve also taken on management of the staff who recruit and care for volunteers who join the ship as crew. I’m now working towards creating some more programmes for the TBNuk Christian TV channel in the Autumn. I’d value your prayers for this. Before that, in September (7th – 11th), I hope to be speaking on UCB radio about Mercy Ships, alongside other interviews and patient stories. Please do listen in and pray for our preparations. It is a very busy time, and it can be tricky juggling projects and priorities. Prayers for the family and our workloads would be valued too. Finally, please pray that our hospital ship can return soon to the African coast, to continue providing free surgeries, in addition to our Covid-19 response and work. Thank you.
Darren Richards
Head of Engagement. Mercy Ships UK.
