An opportunity to volunteer with Mercy Ships!

Hi everyone,

I’m Fiona Morgan and I am an experienced physiotherapist. For a number of years now, I’ve wanted to work with Mercy Ships.

Mercy Ships is a faith-based,” global humanitarian organisation which uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class health care services, capacity building and sustainable development to those without access in the developing world “. Mercy Ships recruits therapists, pharmacists, nurses, surgeons, doctors and admin staff from around the world as volunteers to work on their hospital ships.

They have been working in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, some of the poorest in the world. At the moment one of their newest ships, the Global Mercy, has just arrived in Freetown in Sierra Leone to work there for the next year.

I first encountered them when I was a final year Physiotherapy student at Stellenbosch University, at one of the job expos. Many organisations had displays up, but Mercy Ships was the one that caught my eye. Was it because they work predominantly within African countries or that they were a faith-based organisation? I can’t tell you. All I knew was that their vision and mission spoke to me.

Fast forward about 10 years later, and I finally decided to put an application in with them. The vetting process is very thorough (as you’d expect). Apart from making sure your professional qualifications are up to their high standards , and you’re medically fit to cope in this unique work environment, they also scrutinise your expectations and motivation for wanting to do this kind of work (many character references were asked for!).

My application was accepted but then covid hit and their whole operation was put on pause. I put it to the back of my mind, offering it up to God. Three years later, out of the blue, I received an email asking if I was still willing and available to volunteer. My answer, a very excited YES! I was offered a 3-month stint in their rehabilitation team from January 2024 on the Global Mercy in Sierra Leone.

Now I am faced with the need to fundraise, to be able to take up this opportunity. As Mercy Ships is purely a volunteer organisation and they put as much of their funding into the work they do, I will have to cover most costs on my own. These include obligatory medical expenses (blood tests, medical exams, and immunisations) , travel to and from Sierra Leone, crew fees for board and lodging on the ship, all personal expenses and my regular expenses while I’m away e.g., retirement fund, medical aid etc.

Here is where I hope you all come in!

In order to accomplish this, I need your support, both your prayers and your financial support. I have set up a GoFundMe account, with a breakdown of my estimated expenses to date below. You can also contact me via email for more info.

I will be regularly keeping in touch during my time on Mercy Ships via social media and newsletters so you can all journey with me on this great adventure and experience.

If you would like to find out more about the great work Mercy Ships does, please go to the following sources:

- https://mercyships.co.za/

- https://www.mercyships.org.uk/

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e639MXKorJw

My heartfelt thanks and love.

Fiona

Financial Needs (in US dollars)

Crew Fees: $200 per month (x3) $600

Personal Expenses while onboard $250 per month $750

Flights to and from Sierra Leone $2650

Travel Insurance $57

Medical expenses:

GP appointments x 3 $95

Immunisations $260

Blood tests $280

Chest x-ray $30

Malaria medication $30

Regular expenses in SA:

Medical aid: R2 756 per month $440

Retirement Annuity: R2500 per month $370

Sickness and disability policy: R762.76 per month $125

Car insurance: R170 per month $30