Mercy Ships News From Ambassador

To Set Free & Be Set Free

2012-03-30T00:00:00-06:00

To liberate means to set free.

Set free from what? For millions in Africa that might mean freedom from imprisonment, bondage, oppression, social or economic constraints, discrimination or physical maladies.

This, in fact, is the daily mission of Mercy Ships.

Since my time at Ambassador it has been wonderful to learn of Mercy Ships and their mission of liberation. This mission is only possible because of partners like yourself!

When supporting an organization it can sometimes be tempting to look at overall, hard numbers in order to judge the impact being made. This means that since 1978 Mercy Ships has performed services valued at more than $834 million and impacting over 2.9 million people with over 563 port visits in 53 developing nations and 17 developed nations.

While these numbers are important, it's easy to forget the individual impact which is made upon every Mercy Ships patient. The ministry is performing liberating and life-changing services leaving each patient with new-found freedom on a daily basis. Even long after the Mercy Ship has once again set sail.

The theme of liberation was highlighted this month when Mercy Ships was featured by an organization called Sevenly: One Design. One Week. One Cause. You can watch Sevenly's presentation of their one-week partnership with Mercy Ships here!

Every purchase of a specially designed T (like the one pictured above) helps support a Mercy Ship. How encouraging that another organization came alongside Mercy Ships and provided power for a hospital ship for a whole day!

Thank you to Sevenly for the exposure and support and thanks to you for your partnership!

Blessings, Melissa Maudlin

P.S. - Keep in mind that the PSA we distributed earlier this month regarding the need for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to volunteer is still very much a reality! For more information visit MercyShips.org or here.

Smiling about dental work!

2012-01-25T00:00:00-06:00

Just a couple of years ago, I walked out of the dentist's office with a significantly lighter wallet. Unfortunately, yesterday I found myself in the same situation! I needed to get more dental work done.

Initially, I was extremely frustrated and annoyed. I thought I had taken good care of my teeth - why did I have to spend so much time and money (not to mention the stress and nerves) on my teeth again? It took some time, ice cream and some movies, but it struck me that I am an extraordinarily fortunate person!

Let me explain. Not only was I able to walk into the dentist's office the day after I realized I had a problem, I know that I will be able to pay off the dental costs (that my excellent dental insurance didn't already cover!) Unlike the millions of people around the world who have never stepped into a dentist's office, let alone afford a new toothbrush, I have dental care 10 minutes from my home. I am truly blessed!

A recent Mercy Minute radio feature drilled (pun intended) this message in for me! Akosua was unable to afford the most basic medical care for her eight-year-old daughter, who was suffering from the growth of a tumor. Thankfully, because of the free medical care provided by Mercy Ships, Akosua's daughter was able to receive the life-changing surgery she needed! This story made me thankful for my easy access to medical care, but also instilled within me a desire to care for those who are less fortunate than me.

Mercy Ships is working hard to improve the lives of thousands in West Africa. In fact, on January 5, the Africa Mercy arrived again in Togo for another six-month field service. Tens of thousands of people will line up in the hopes that they will receive the medical treatment that they so desperately need. For them, receiving an appointment ticket is like striking gold!

Just thinking about all the people who will receive the world-class medical care for free in the next months puts a huge (now more expensive) smile on my face. I'm extremely thankful that Mercy Ships is so diligently caring for the world's forgotten poor.

Thank you for sharing Mercy Ships message of hope and healing through The Mercy Minute. I have no doubt that some of your listeners, like me, may have had a bad day. Listening to stories of hope and mercy freely given helped perk up my attitude - and I'm confident that it'll do the same for your listeners!

KiYong Kim

Ambassador Advertising Agency

We Connect. Ministry and Media

Christmas with Lepers

2011-12-21T00:00:00-06:00

My favorite Christmas memory wasn't made in the comfort of my home or even in church - it was made in a leper colony!

For many years, my family joined a local church in Hong Kong the day after Christmas and visited a leper colony in China. We brought these men and women, each of whom were missing various body parts, gifts and shared the gospel message. The team of doctors and nurses that came with us treated their wounds and provided medical care. It was certainly a wonderful time for both the lepers and us!

What was most rewarding to me, however, was the love we were able to give the lepers. We looked at each person in their eyes (or eye), smiled and gave them a hug. At first, they didn't know how to respond. Within a few minutes, however, they were all smiling, laughing and hugging us back! Cast out from their home and forced to live far away from society, the thing they desired the most was to be viewed as a human being worthy of love.

John 4:19 says, "We love because he first loved us." Jesus came and showed us love. Because of this we can also show love to others and I believe that this is exactly what we did at the leper colony.

The reason why I love Mercy Ships so much is because they don't wait for Christmas to show love and kindness in this way. Serving the poor and destitute in Africa, the volunteer crew on the Africa Mercy don't only provide their patients with medical care, they love them! They are there to love each person they come in contact with and show them in tangible ways that everyone, no matter what their physical condition, is valuable - after all, Jesus came to the earth for everyone's sake!

When I listen to The Mercy Minute and the incredible stories of mercy, I am reminded of Christ's great love and mercy in my own life . . . and that causes me to want to share this love and mercy with others! The Mercy Minute, therefore, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to spread CHRISTmas cheer!

KiYong Kim

Ambassador Advertising Agency

We Connect. Ministry and Media

Smile!

2011-11-22T00:00:00-06:00

I love it when people smile because it makes me smile too! Studies have proven that smiling is contagious, helps relieve stress and boosts the immune system. This is in addition to the fact that smiling boosts my mood! (Check out more interesting facts about smiling here!)

This Thanksgiving, there will be more than 10,000 people in Sierra Leone who will be smiling more confidently than ever before because of the dental care provide by Mercy Ships! The 34,000+ procedures will not only give these smiling men, women and children a better smile, but a hope for the future.

I personally believe that The Mercy Minute is the perfect program for Thanksgiving. As I think about the 2.9 million people who have been impacted by Mercy Ships over the last 30 years, each of them with their own story, I picture their smiling faces in my mind . . . and then I smile as well!

Thank YOU for putting smiles on your listeners faces as you share the stories of mercy, hope and healing, as told on the The Mercy Minute. I pray you will have a most merciful Thanksgiving!

KiYong Kim

Ambassador Advertising Agency

We Connect. Ministry and Media

Merciful missionaries

2011-11-03T00:00:00-06:00

It occurred to me today that I am blessed with incredible health. I don't have any serious injuries or health issues. For this, I'm extremely thankful! If, however, I were to get into an accident, I have confidence that I would receive medical care from trained professionals in a timely fashion. Again, I am grateful for this!

A woman in Sierra Leone, however, had to wait for 30 years to get medical attention! Previously unable to walk because of severe burns to her leg, ankle and knees, this lady finally received medical care from a trainee plastic surgeon, Nicole Breitenfeldt, onboard the Africa Mercy (Click here to read her blog).

Thankfully, Nicole is not alone in providing care to the forgotten poor! The entire team of doctors, nurses, engineers, mechanics and others onboard the Africa Mercy are there because they whole heartedly agree with the mission of Mercy Ships: To bring hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor. This is why they volunteer their skills . . . and the results speak for themselves! The lame can walk, the blind can see, and hope is shared to the poorest of the poor in the world!

Recently I learned that a new staff trainee at Mercy Ships was there because they listened to "The Mercy Minute"! This was a wonderful reminder that stories can change lives - which will in turn, change more lives.

Thank you for partnering with Mercy Ships in bringing hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor! We couldn't do it without you.

p.s. You can Test your knowledge of Mercy Ships out to see if you can win "a Mercy-full Christmas" CD!

KiYong Kim

Ambassador Advertising Agency

We Connect. Ministry and Media