WORDS Sam Walker

Setting sail for the world's forgotten ports

There is no doubt Cheryl Howatson is well travelled. She's visited about 25 countries in the last decade, but you're not likely to find them on any list of top tourist destinations. In fact, she says many Australians have never heard of some of the nations she's visited – they are among the world's poorest countries and include Latvia, Benin and Togo.

Cheryl spent an amazing ten years on board Anastasis, one of three hospital ships owned and run by Mercy Ships, an international Christian charity that provides medical care, relief aid and training to developing nations.

'I've always had a desire to help people and countries that are less fortunate than we are in Australia', she says from her Brisbane home. 'I was also interested in sharing my faith with other people and sharing what I know of God's love with them.'

Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships is an interdenominational organisation which attracts people of all ages and from all corners of the globe. Some are professionals and tradespeople— surgeons, nurses, engineers, mechanics, even chefs—others are students in their gap year, and some are retirees. But all share a common denominator – they want to make a difference.

For Queensland nurse Helen Walker, travelling is not about museums and galleries or cocktails on a beach, but about experiencing cultures. And Mercy Ships offered her an opportunity to embrace another culture, experience the reality of life in a Third World country, while also using her medical skills. 'Just being immersed in another culture is a life-changing experience,' she says.

Helen was on board Anastasis for three months while the ship was based in Benin, between Togo and Nigeria on the African west coast. And while she willingly gave a lot, she admits she also gained enormously.

She says about 5000 people turned up in the first week the ship was docked in Benin and part of Helen's job was assessing them to determine those people most suitable for surgery. 'It was really difficult having to turn them away', she says.

She saw examples of extreme poverty, disease and illness but was warmed by the outlook of these people, who knew no different.

'The African people are so resilient. They have nothing and yet their attitude is really positive', she says.

About 97 percent of Mercy Ships' staff members are volunteers. Brian Ross, national director of Mercy Ships Australia, says 27 Australians were at the coalface with Mercy Ships in 2004, with another fifteen volunteering in an office capacity.

'Everybody who comes with us wants to go back', he says.

The United Nations Human Development Index ranks nations from 1 to 177 (rich to poor). Liberia, a nation the UN invited Mercy Ships to visit, does not even make the list. Sierra Leone, a country Mercy Ships visited last year, is listed at 176. Australia is number three. 'That's why people get completely mind-blown', Brian says. 'They just see how much need is in those countries.'

The ships, equipped with operating theatres, hospital wards and dental facilities, are usually in port for about four months. Medical assistance includes dental care, burns treatment, operations on cleft palates and tumours, and orthopaedics. But the assistance doesn't end there.

'While that's all happening we send teams in to drill wells for clean water, build health-care centres, teach AIDS prevention, and teach agriculture and sustainable development', Brian says. 'We show God's love through the acts of mercy that we do.'

Michael Hughes might not know a lot about surgery but he's no newcomer to ships. He first went to sea as a deck hand in 1953 and climbed his way up the marine ladder. After a career that spanned the globe, he eventually retired to Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. But a few years ago he decided to dust off his uniform, put his decades of sea experience to use and volunteer with Mercy Ships. The 68-year-old served as second mate and safety officer on Anastasis for six months in 2003-04.

'It's fantastic', he says. He loved the experience so much he followed it with a six-week stint as ship's captain on board the Caribbean Mercy in 2005. And he is hoping he will have another opportunity to volunteer on board one of the three ships, which visit Europe, the Caribbean and Africa.

Michael loves the family atmosphere among the 300-plus volunteers on board the ship. But he is equally touched by the spirit of the local people and the huge difference the volunteers make to their lives.

'They trek for three to four days to get to the ship and the thing about them all is they always seem to have a smile on their face', he says.

Volunteers must be over 18 years and the minimum stay is two weeks. But some, like Cheryl, stay on for years. She started her decade of service as a receptionist.

She also worked as the ship's purser, getting customs and immigration clearances for the ship, its cargo and all people on board. Later Cheryl was also involved with the Disciple Ship Training School – a training program designed to help young adults learn more about God as well as developing nations. And her last four months, before leaving the ship in 2004, were spent helping communities set up adult literacy programs. 'It was an extraordinary experience', she says of the ten years on Anastasis. What did she get out of it? 'Tremendous growth in my faith and my relationship with God would be the main thing. Tremendous understanding and experience of people and lots of very good friends', she says.

For more information on Mercy Ships visit www.mercyships.org.au

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