When the Africa Mercy comes to a country, she is docked for about 10 months. It’s enough time to see many patients and take on some more challenging cases that a short term surgery group would not have the time or resources to complete. This is also a great opportunity to really invest in the … Continue reading Mercy Ministries

John Newton was a slave trader in the 18th century, but after a fierce storm on the sea, he came to faith in Jesus. After being a pastor for many years, he became a staunch abolitionist and wrote “Amazing Grace”. In the hymn he refers to the weight of great sin lifted by God’s great … Continue reading Amazing Grace

One of the lessons I treasure most from being a nurse is that people are people. The night before surgery is kind of scary. Getting a new IV hurts. The morning of surgery is busy. Everyone gets queasy (and maybe pukes) after surgery. Peeing in a bedpan is hard... especially the first time. Surgical incisions … Continue reading My Patients…

“Are you trustworthy yet?” my patient of several weeks asked me. “No. I’m not trustworthy until tommorrow,” I replied nonchalantly, “Does that worry you?” “Eh,” he shrugged, “As long as you give me my pain meds on time I don’t really care.” “Fair enough,” I nodded, “I guess you figure I haven’t killed you yet.” … Continue reading You’ll be fine…

I never thought I’d feel so accomplished after simply arriving somewhere, but when we landed in Conakry I wanted to jump out of my seat on the plane and cheer. As we got off the plane, the dozen or so of us on the flight and headed to Mercy Ships found each other. It was … Continue reading Made It!

"Honey, I think I have socks older than you. But there's no way you've only been a nurse for six months... you're so good!" Is being younger than socks a compliment? I smiled and shrugged. My patient was a charming old man more than three times my age. I enjoyed talking and laughing with him … Continue reading Zach

A story is told of a king who went to his garden one morning, only to find everything withered and dying. He asked the oak tree that stood near the gate what the trouble was. The oak said it was tired of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like … Continue reading A garden everywhere I go…

"We may be earnestly desiring to be obedient and holy. But we may be missing the fact that it is here, where we happen to be at this moment and not in another place or another time, that we may learn to love Him - here where it seems He is not at work, where His will … Continue reading Here and Nowhere Else

I started becoming interested in Mercy Ships in college, but even after I started my career on a general surgery floor... Mercy Ships sounded scary. It was this big, lofty, ambitious idea. A friend told me the founder of Mercy Ships wrote a book about how the ministry got started. I thought maybe if I … Continue reading We all start scared…

"You've got to be kidding. Erin, do you know how many shots you've given me?!?" My patient stared at me with his eyes wide in disbelief. He was a special one... the kind that asks what you'll be doing with the next few days off, not for the sake of small talk, but because he … Continue reading Shots.