Bill spent three months on the hospital ship, Africa Mercy. He got us involved as a church and the stories just keep coming. Here is one.

When Aicha was just 3 months old, her mother died and her grandmother, Mymoona, took her in. Without her mother’s milk, as Aisha grew, her legs began to bow outwards. She was basically malnourished.

“That was a very dark time for us,” Mymoona said. “My son was grieving the loss of his wife, and we had to try and take care of Aicha.” Mymoona and Aicha’s father prayed daily for a solution. But where could it come from?

For Aicha, it came in the unexpected form of a traveller to their village. “When he saw Aicha, he told us about a ship taking patients just like her and he urged us to go there,” Mymoona said. That ship was the Africa Mercy.

It was a glimmer of hope, but Aicha’s father took his precious little girl to the screening site to meet the volunteer nurses from the Africa Mercy. After her screening, Aicha was selected for the surgery the family had longed for. They were overjoyed.

Time has passed. Here is the child in bed on the hospital ship following the operation. Her hope and joy are obvious. Grandma says: “If Aicha’s mother could see her right now, she would be so very happy because, despite Aicha’s [many sorrows] , she has received the help she needed. Thank you!”

Mercy Ships are one of the four international mission partners that your PCC has chosen to support. Just look at these two photos. This is the difference your gifts have made. Could money be better spent?

Please return your pledge card to James, or respond online so we can continue to support Mercy Ships and their fantastic work.