New Mercies

Volunteer Hospital Director Keren Fuhrmesiter was happy working as a dietician in Australia when God started to prepare her for something new. She didn’t know what that was or how it would unfold but had two desires: she wanted to travel and live close to the sea. Volunteering for Mercy Ships, God has met both her desires. As Hospital Director of the Africa Mercy and soon for the Global Mercy , sh...

Bob and Sherilyn Cook can trace their Mercy Ships roots way back to when they were young teenagers at church in rural Colorado. Some of their friends in youth group, Don and Deyon Stephens, went on to marry and become the founders of Mercy Ships. Although Bob and Sherilyn have never served on board one of the Mercy Ships vessels, they are passionate about the mission and have dedicated the past fo...

Volunteer Chaplain Marty Schwebel was ministering as a pastor in California when he and his wife decided it was time to take their three sons and extend their ministry overseas. Marty had read about the need for chaplains in a Mercy Ships newsletter and he just knew this was where his family was meant to serve. They volunteered for five years on board the Africa Mercy and even though they’ve been...

Volunteer Accountant When Mercy Ships was serving in his home country of Cameroon, Moise jumped at the opportunity to master his English while working with Christians on board the Africa Mercy . Leaving behind a job as an accountant, he became a translator to help during the field service.  Moise enjoyed his time on board so much that when the ship left Cameroon, he joined as fulltime crew, this t...

Thomas Dubourcq first encountered Mercy Ships in 1991 when he was 17 years old and boarded the Anastasis to perform with his drama group. Little did he know this experience on board would not be his last. Eventually becoming a TV producer, Thomas sought to create a series about Mercy Ships and pursued the opportunity to film on the Africa Mercy . This meaningful experience led him to return yet ag...

Volunteer Nurse Nurse Sarah Loving saw purpose in her pain as God took a hard season in her life and through it, gave her a new calling. While serving overseas, Sarah developed a heart for justice and a desire to help those who did not have the resources to help themselves. When she heard about the mission of Mercy Ships, Sarah knew she had to get on board. In this episode Sarah shares how the Afr...

Volunteer Plastic Surgeon Dr. Tertius Venter just completed his 40th visit on board a Mercy Ships vessel as a volunteer plastic surgeon. His first visit aboard the Anastasis radically impacted him and changed his life. Leaving his private practice behind in South Africa, Dr. Tertius became a fulltime volunteer.   In this episode, Dr. Tertius shares about the complex surgeries he performs, the rewa...

Volunteer Orthopedic Surgeon With similar missions, CURE International and Mercy Ships have come alongside to partner together in many ways.   In this episode Dr. Rick Gardner, CURE International’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), outlines the beautiful partnership between Mercy Ships and CURE, the global need for timely, safe surgery, and how having a God-sized vision leads to a life filled with mira...

Heilke de Heer left her home in the Netherlands to board the Africa Mercy in Dakar, Senegal. She originally came as a receptionist but has willingly volunteered wherever there is a need. Currently she is serving in the communications department as a media liaison, enjoying meeting new people and giving them a taste of what Mercy Ships is all about.  In this episode Heilke shares how seeing love in...

Colton Dixon is a Christian artist and former American Idol contestant who is partnering with Mercy Ships to help share the mission of bringing hope and healing to people in need. Colton felt an immediate connection with Mercy Ships through his new hit song, “Build A Boat,” so he teamed up with Mercy Ships to create the music video which includes footage of the Global Mercy ® being built and featu...

Zodi Schwind moved on board the Africa Mercy with her family when she was 12 years old.  Growing up on the ship, she developed powerful insights that we often hear from adults. After graduating from the Mercy Ships Academy, Zodi headed off to college, pursuing a degree that was greatly influenced by her childhood aboard a hospital ship.   In this episode Zodi tells us how seeing poverty daily impa...

Volunteer Executive Assistant  Volunteering as a media liaison and later as the executive assistant on board both of our ships, Kate Pitchford knows just about everything regarding Mercy Ships! Kate had intentions to volunteer for just one year, but five years later is still on board making sure everything runs smoothly.   In this episode Kate teaches us the importance of “taking the seat” in the...

Volunteer Physical Therapist Alli Miller had been a physical therapist for seven years when she felt like it was time to take a break. Alli had long heard about Mercy Ships from her mom and decided now was the time to apply as a volunteer. Shortly after, Alli took off for Cameroon on her first field service. Her love for the children she cared for and the phenomenal crew that she worked with on bo...

Volunteer IS Specialist DK grew up in Kazakhstan, helping on the farm and learning electrical work from his father. With a passion for technology, DK later got his degree in informatics and then received a scholarship to study English in the United States. His host family in Pennsylvania shared about Mercy Ships one evening and DK applied to join that night! He had no idea that his life soon would...

Volunteer Teacher Susan Waldron entered college with the aspiration of becoming a doctor. But as her university studies were coming to a close, her path changed direction. Susan decided to use her science degree to become a high school teacher. A few years later, Mercy Ships entered the picture and Susan was able to combine her passions for teaching, science, and medicine on board a hospital ship...

When most of his colleagues were looking at retirement, Mike Kirchner and his wife felt that they still had a lot of miles left. Rather than retire, they decided to continue their career in the unique environment of a hospital ship. Mike was a high school biology teacher for 21 years in the United States and is now thrilled to be teaching Mercy Ships students who range from grades 6-12.   In this...

Volunteer Medical Supply Assistant As a civil engineer in Montana, Ben Stewart was enjoying his career. But, with many friends moving away or changing careers, Ben was motivated to make a change himself. Seeking to take a sabbatical, Ben recalled the advice of his aunt and uncle to go volunteer with Mercy Ships. Ben wasn’t how a civil engineer could contribute to needs of a hospital ship, but was...

Aby Diouf had completed her degree in English and was working on a Masters in translation when she heard that the Africa Mercy was coming to her home country of Senegal and would be hiring local translators. Aby quickly applied and was thrilled to be accepted to work on board, serving to bridge the language gap between patients and nurses and doctors.   In this episode, Aby reveals how working on...

Volunteer Electrician Justin Brunenkant was an electrician, but always had a pastor’s heart to care for others. When Justin heard about Mercy Ships and how he could use his trade skills as well as do pastoral ministry, all while living abroad with his wife and four children — it almost seemed too good to be true! So Justin took his family to live on board the Africa Mercy as he volunteered as the...

Volunteer Teacher Beth Kirchner had been teaching kindergarten in the United States for several years when an opportunity arose that matched her passions and love for overseas mission. Beth joined Mercy Ships in 2016 as a kindergarten teacher on board the Africa Mercy and has been living her dream ever since. In this episode Beth talks about the wild ride of teaching during a 17-day sail around th...

After being a traveling nurse for many years, Cara Stafford had a lingering feeling that God wanted her to use her nursing skills beyond the hospitals in the United States. Having heard of Mercy Ships, she applied and was accepted to come volunteer. The ship proved to be the perfect place to use all the skills she had acquired during her nursing career — from quickly making new friends to caring f...

Carys Parker boarded the Anastasis at only six weeks old and spent the next 18 years growing up on a Mercy Ships vessel. Daughter of Mercy Ships maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Gary Parker, Carys spent much of her childhood in the hospital on board, playing with patients and making new friends. In this episode, Carys shares the challenges and the extraordinary opportunities her unique childhood offered...

Ellee Rollins is a nurse who was raised overseas with her missionary parents and three siblings. It was part of her upbringing to care for others in need and share the love of Jesus. So, years later, when Ellee heard about Mercy Ships from a co-worker at the hospital, something just felt right about applying to go serve as a nurse on board. In this episode Ellee offers a glimpse into life in the w...

Dr. Mark Shrime, a volunteer surgeon with Mercy Ships, has recently published a book entitled: Solving for Why: A Surgeon’s Journey to Discover the Transformative Power of Purpose . In this thought-provoking book, Dr. Shrime shares his own journey through the medical field and his constant struggle with the desire to quit. But as Dr. Shrime began to solve for his own “why”, discovering his purpose...

Dr. Mark Shrime is an outstanding surgeon who has focused on head and neck surgical oncology throughout his career and is an asset to the Mercy Ships surgical team. Mark serves at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and lectures at Harvard Medical School where he has additional degrees in global health and health policy. Mark’s credentials and accolades are only superseded by his passion for...