Work colleagues, Marg, Rita Anderson and Elaine McArthur, went at their own expense to serve with Mercy Ships on the Africa Mercy in Togo, one of the world's poorest nations. Marg and Rita served among the nursing crew, while Elaine worked as a housekeeper, helping to care for the needs of the 450 crew.
The story of the decision of the three to go started a number of years ago, when Rita Anderson heard about the work done by Mercy Ships from a volunteer who was being interviewed on the ABC's Sunday morning radio program Australia All Over. She then read a book by Mercy Ships founder, Don Stephens, and applied for a position as ward nurse when the hospital ship was in Liberia during 2007. Rita returned to Katherine and told her friends about the amazing surgeries being performed to correct deformity, disability and blindness, the range of programs carried out to improve the lives of people in West Africa, and the way many lives were changed.
"After two-and-a-half years working in the Northern Territory, I returned with two of my nursing friends this year," she says. "Most people in these nations of West Africa cannot afford to buy a pain killing tablet, let alone pay for surgery. Mercy Ships provides all of its services without charge."
"As a midwife, I also wept for women who through no fault of their own suffer from the most horrific obstetric fistulas during childbirth. When labour becomes obstructed they cannot get to medical care in time, often their pelvis is too small, or the baby presents in an abnormal position and then dies. Many such women are incontinent and are rejected and ostracised by family and friends, sometimes living for many years as outcasts."
"Truly, the blind see and the lame walk. Surgeons from around the world remove facial tumours and repair cleft lips and palates on people, who because of their disfigurement are looked upon as evil and have become outcasts. They cover their heads with scarves as they are shunned by society, but everyone has a right to look normal. Operations correct disabilities and restore sight to the blind. In Australia there is help for those in need of medical care, but in West Africa there is no Medicare."
Marg agrees. "It is great to see people from more than 40 nations of the world, including other African countries, coming together to provide such life-changing surgery to the people of Togo. While surgeries are carried out onboard the hospital ship with its six operating theatres, 78-bed hospital and state-of-the-art equipment, other volunteers are out in the community working on a wide range of health and development projects."
Rita Anderson says she hopes to be able to continue working as a volunteer in her semi-retirement somehow and somewhere. "The inequality in living standards from the developed world to the developing world is huge. Poverty, starvation, lack of adequate health care, contaminated water, corrupt governments and judicial systems appear to be normal for people living in the poor countries of Africa. What Mercy Ships is trying to do is to alleviate suffering and to restore people's self esteem."
Marg Grey says it is obvious what is being done is making a difference to the lives of many. "I am glad I went," 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.
On the web: www.mercyships.org.au