Maurel - gets his turn!

Three-year-old Maurel sleeps in a hospital bed onboard the Africa Mercy. His mother, René, sits calmly next to him, gently stroking his hand. Recently, Maurel underwent surgery to correct an unnatural outward curvature of his legs, more commonly known as bowed legs.

When Maurel was two years old, his concerned mother took him to a local hospital for treatment, where he was correctly diagnosed and approved for surgery. However, when it was discovered that René had a distant, wealthy relative, the hospital decided to increase the initially affordable medical bill to a sum exceeding $100, 000. Unable to afford this unreasonable amount, René and her little boy had no choice but to leave the hospital.

Months went by, and René heard rumours that a ship would be coming to Benin – a ship that offered free medical care. Hopeful yet skeptical, René was convinced when she saw a flyer detailing information about Mercy Ships. She was excited to see a photo of a child whose bowed legs had been corrected by a free surgery!

René made certain she was in the queue with her son on Screening Day. To her delight, Maurel was accepted for surgery. This time René was not questioned about her relative’s finances, nor was any amount charged.

Unfortunately, other obstacles arose. A close family relative was not willing to allow Maurel to have his surgery. He thought the offer of medical treatment was too good to be true. He feared that the surgery would not be done correctly and that Maurel’s legs would be completely crippled as a result. Why would doctors work for free? Surely their lack of pay was due to incompetence.

Such thoughts are understandable. In countries where hardship and struggle are a way of life and where nothing is free, it is hard to grasp the concept of love in action. But René held onto the hope of seeing her son walk properly, so she defiantly took Maurel to the big white ship for an operation.

René has no regrets. “Everything here is so good. I am really happy,” she says. Maurel is recovering nicely after a successful operation. Though it will be some time before the casts come off, he will be able to walk normally.

René’s dearest hope is for her son to be happy, healthy, and prosperous. “He will have a great future; he is very intelligent,” she says. “I told him before we came that he had to come see the doctor so he could get better – so one day he will be able to be a successful businessman.”

Thanks to Mercy Ships, René’s dreams for Maurel are quite reachable.

Story by Richard Brock
Edited by IOC Editing Team

Stories of Hope

Justine and Parra

The first dress ceremony during the 2009 Field Service honored two patients, Justine and Parra. Their smiles and their songs of praise were as bright and beautiful as the colorful new dresses they wore. It was a celebration of new hope and new life!

Justine and Parra received free corrective surgeries for obstetric fistula (VVF). This common injury is the result of obstructed childbirth with no medical intervention. In over 90% of the cases, the baby does not survive, and the mother becomes incontinent. As a result, these women are often shunned by their communities and even their families. They live in the shadows – hiding and suffering from overwhelming shame and trauma.

“Those who saw us laughed at us,” Justine said. “We were suffering.”

Parra’s journey to the Africa Mercy from a far northern region in Benin demonstrated both desperate need and immense trust. She sustained the fistula during the birth of her third child, who survived the delivery and is now almost a year old.

Parra speaks a tribal language unknown to any of the local volunteers that Mercy Ships employs as translators. Despite difficulties communicating, she trusted that God would watch over her. Her faith was rewarded when she received her free corrective surgery and was able to sing a song of thanksgiving to the doctors and nurses.

Justine’s fifth child died during a long, complicated delivery. A fistula developed, and Justine spent the next nine years closeted in her home. She sadly says, “Every day, I was very tired, ashamed, and people laughed at me.”

Justine’s husband tried to find a solution. He went to different hospitals in the nearest city of Porto-Novo. One – ironically called the Good Samaritan – wanted almost $200 US to perform the repair, an impossible sum in a country where the average income is only $50 a month.

Justine and her husband heard about Mercy Ships because her sister had surgery on a Mercy Ship a few years ago. So, Justine came onboard the Africa Mercy, and only a week later, she was healed and joyfully ready to go home. “I have so much to thank God for, that God has delivered me and that the doctors have worked very well,” she said. “I feel no pain in my body, and I feel happy in my heart.”

Who do I work with?

Staffing this year has been a challenge - thinking back to when we stared with 7 out 12 positioned filled and to now when although we only have 10 team members we are able to complete each and every task.

I am privileged to work with a dedicated and committed team of people and as we face the last 4 weeks of the school year I know we will be finishing well!

A Mother’s Hope for Maurel

Three-year-old Maurel sleeps in a hospital bed onboard the Africa Mercy. His mother, René, sits calmly next to him, gently stroking his hand. Recently, Maurel underwent surgery to correct an unnatural outward curvature of his legs, more commonly known as bowed legs.

When Maurel was two years old, his concerned mother took him to a local hospital for treatment, where he was correctly diagnosed and approved for surgery. However, when it was discovered that René had a distant, wealthy relative, the hospital decided to increase the initially affordable medical bill to a sum exceeding $100, 000. Unable to afford this unreasonable amount, René and her little boy had no choice but to leave the hospital.

Months went by, and René heard rumours that a ship would be coming to Benin – a ship that offered free medical care. Hopeful yet skeptical, René was convinced when she saw a flyer detailing information about Mercy Ships. She was excited to see a photo of a child whose bowed legs had been corrected by a free surgery!

René made certain she was in the queue with her son on Screening Day. To her delight, Maurel was accepted for surgery. This time René was not questioned about her relative’s finances, nor was any amount charged.

Unfortunately, other obstacles arose. A close family relative was not willing to allow Maurel to have his surgery. He thought the offer of medical treatment was too good to be true. He feared that the surgery would not be done correctly and that Maurel’s legs would be completely crippled as a result. Why would doctors work for free? Surely their lack of pay was due to incompetence.

Such thoughts are understandable. In countries where hardship and struggle are a way of life and where nothing is free, it is hard to grasp the concept of love in action. But René held onto the hope of seeing her son walk properly, so she defiantly took Maurel to the big white ship for an operation.

René has no regrets. “Everything here is so good. I am really happy,” she says. Maurel is recovering nicely after a successful operation. Though it will be some time before the casts come off, he will be able to walk normally.

René’s dearest hope is for her son to be happy, healthy, and prosperous. “He will have a great future; he is very intelligent,” she says. “I told him before we came that he had to come see the doctor so he could get better – so one day he will be able to be a successful businessman.”

Thanks to Mercy Ships, René’s dreams for Maurel are quite reachable.

Story by Richard Brock
Edited by IOC Editing Team


There are times when your own words are just not enough, and we are privileged to have gifted writer on board who put the stories into action!

15th of April - Marking our mark in Benin!

A group of us South African in front of the New South African Embassy on Wednesday the 15th of April after we proudly made our mark and voted. This was a proud moment as we were the first South African to vote in Benin. The SA Embassy staff have been a great support to us on the ship and they are very proud of what we are doing. A few weeks ago they came for a braai on board and next week we have been invited to the Embassy for Freedom Day Celebration on the 26th of April.



I even have the thumb to prove it. I was surprised to hear that no other countries 'mark' their voters. People think i have hurt my thumb, and when i tell they why they are very interested to find out. Even though it does not look very pretty - i wear it proudly!

23th & 24th of April - A weekend in Dassa

A few weekends ago we were invited by Daniel and Christian, two bother who work as Day Volunteers as Translators in the Hospital Ward. (Mercy Ships employs about 150 Day Volunteers in each country to serve along side us, as translators, deck hands, galley workers, trainers...) Kate and Suzie have gotten to know them well and they were keen to show us their home town Dassa, about 4 hours drive north of Cotonou. Dassa is known as the City of 42 Mountains.

We set out on Saturday morning all 11 piled into a mini bus and started our adventure. It was a beautiful drive through the outskirts of Cotonou and into the country side of Benin and a real privilege to be accompanied by Daniel and Christian who could tell us the ins and outs of what we were seeing.

On the road to Dassa, 200 km and 4 hours north of Cotonou, Benin

The town of Dassa, from one of the 42 hills (not quiet mountains).

We were invited by family of Daniel and Christian to share a local drink made from the mahogany tree - we all tasted it, but I did not manage the whole cup - very strong and bitter tasting.

Our faithful Mini bus that took us all the way with out breaking down. Every trip you take in Benin you expect at some point to break down or at least have flat tire - but we made it through the weekend with neither event taking place. In the background is the hotel we stayed at for the night. Before we started our adventure we booked at a hotel, but once we arrived and discovered a night club on the group floor and room could be rented by the hour we decided to look for somewhere else. We stayed at the very fresh and clean Ava Maria Guest House in the centre of Dassa.

Hippo Hunting at 7 am in the morning.... Suzie a Nurse from the UK was very excited that there was a village close to Dassa that was famous for it's hippos. So all of us joined in on her excitement and went with for a guided hippo hunt. After a 30 minute walk and much negotiating with the local village chief we sighted a hippo (we think).

The black spot in the middle of the river was the hippo, there were 4 of them but they were very happy to stay underwater and not show themselves. To be honest i was very happy to see them at a distance because the idea of being charged by a hippo was not appealing. Also i think as a South African I have seen plenty of hippos in my life time, and proudly boasted about our beautiful Kruger Park.

Before we headed home we needed to fill up with petrol (gas). In West Africa outside of the major cities there are very few gas pumps. Petrol is sold by the glass jar. It holds at least 10 liters many be more of petrol and is poured directly into your tank through a funnel. They do filter it through a piece of fabric as pour it. Petrol cost about 285 CFA per liter which is about R5, or 50 USc ( my very rough calculations).

Drive through shopping - as we entered the outskirts of Cotonou, we were strongly encourage by the street vendors to buy local products.

It was a very special week and a real treat to see the country of Benin through the eyes of Daniel and Christian and hear them speak proudly of their history and how far they have come as a nation over the last few years. A few short years ago Benin was ruled by a Marxist Government, but the new democratic government has made a big difference in Benin and process is visible and tangible for the people.

Saturday, 16 April - Bab's Dock

A few Saturdays ago a group of us piled in to a land rover and visited a very special place call 'Bab's Dock', which is a private dock on one of the fresh water lakes about 20 km from Cotonou. It was a day to take a break from the ship and get some fresh air and relax.

The last few months have been a very special time on board for me as there as has been a group of South Africans from Cape Town, although i never knew any of them well at home, I had heard of them or have mutual friends and can reminisce about the same places and situations. It was been a great support but also good fun. As all true South African are always game for an adventure or social gathering and we tend to take along whoever and go whereever there is something to do.

It has been so good to have some sort of balance back in my life after a season of 100% work focus last semester. I do not mind hard work, but it has been good to relax and get off the ship. I have found that it has help me gain perspective and keep the balance that is so needed when you live is community.

I share these adventures with you as they are part of my life as I serve with Mercy Ships. Enjoy!

A group of us waiting for the boat to take use to Bab's Dock. From left to right: Michal a Sterilizer, from Germany, Suzie a Nurse from UK, Sarah a Nurse from Australia, Kate a Nurse from South Africa and myself.

Traveling through the Mangroves Swamps to get to the lake.

Bab's dock with it umbrella's and hammocks was a very refreshing change from the day to day life on the ship.

Something you need to get used to in West Africa are the friendly lizards - they are everywhere! And they have not fear - they are harmless, but do look a little intimidating.