‘It has hands down been the best thing I have ever done,’ Lauren concludes as she reflects on her three months onboard the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, Africa Mercy, currently docked in Senegal, West Africa. The Morrinsville the occupational therapist’s professional skills were stretched to the limit as she worked in the Mercy Ships rehabilitation team.

‘I went to the Mercy Ship to assist with hand therapy, but I have left with so much more than I could ever imagine,’ Lauren enthusiastically explains. ‘I was challenged professionally with conditions I had never seen. My entire caseload consisted of children, which was incredible, but also extremely difficult as I don’t generally work with children at home.’

Lauren’s years of work at Thames and Waikato hospitals in the hand therapy, and burns and scar management department prepared her for the extreme cases she would encounter in West Africa. Her skill set is vital to the successful outcome for the hospital ship’s patients who undergo operations onboard after their third-degree burns were untreated. In the developing nations Mercy Ships serves, there is little access to medical services; when accidents happen people often suffer life-long consequences. If a severe burn heals without medical care, scar tissue will form and immobilise the joint, permanently disabling the sufferer.

Free surgery to release the scars provides half the answer. Lauren and the rehabilitation team then work with the patients post-surgery to help them regain basic function; to walk normally, to hold a spoon, and even lift their arms above their heads – often for the first time in many years. Only then is complete healing within reach.

Lauren explains the life-long impact of the injuries and scaring for her plastic surgery patients. ‘Most of our patients had burn contractures to their hands, elbows or arm pits from a very young age, as young as two days old. They have had contracting scars for 3-20 years and had adapted to this way of life. They altered their motor patterns so they could function in everyday life.’

The 24-year-old was so impacted by her tour-of-duty that she has signed up to return in February for another four-month volunteer service. Lauren feels she grew personally as well as professionally as part of the international crew, ‘I was able to build relationships with patients, crew members and day crew that are so rich. I made new friends, was immersed in African culture, and learned a new language (very little, but enough to get by and have my patients excited that I would try). I was challenged spiritually in my beliefs, my reason. I was shown that love and people are more important than anything else. I went to Senegal for work, but I left with a richness to life that I will cherish forever.’

Mercy Ships spends 10 months each year in a West African nation providing free essential surgery for people living in in extreme hardship, and is crewed by medical, maritime and general volunteers from around the world.

‘Mohammed loves a hand hold and his favourite English word is Loz. He hates smiling at the camera. He loves his exercises the most of all of my patients, and will me and join everyone else’s treatment sessions as well as his own. He reminds his mum when it’s exercise time.

Video: Watch Gamai’s story

There is nothing more heartbreaking for a parent than watching their child struggle through basic tasks because of something they can’t control. Ibrahima knows this pain well, from watching not one, but two of his children suffer from an orthopaedic condition known as Genu Varum or bowed legs. This malady, often a result of malnutrition, causes the bones in the legs to bend outwards — making it increasingly difficult and even painful to walk.

For years, Ibrahima prayed for a way to take away his children’s pain, and in 2012 he heard the news that he so desperately needed. Mercy Ships had arrived in Guinea offering to provide safe and free medical care to those in need. During that time, he was able to bring his older son to the Africa Mercy to correct his legs — an answered prayer for Ibrahima.

Unfortunately, for his younger daughter, N’nady, healing was still out of reach. At the time, she was staying with relatives in a remote village deep in the rugged country and wasn’t able to travel to the ship in time for surgery.

Years passed, and while he was grateful for his son’s healing, Ibrahima felt both grief and guilt that he wasn’t able to provide the same for his daughter.

N’nady continued to struggle with her condition, and soon her pain became more than physical. N’nady was teased relentlessly and the mockery she faced caused

Ibrahima even more distress. ‘I fight for her every day. I tell the other kids off for making her cry,’ he said. ‘Everyone teases her.’

While it was difficult to see his daughter in pain, he never gave up hope that the ship would return and that N’nady would have a chance for healing. Six years later, the Africa Mercy returned to Guinea, and N’nady’s family rejoiced.

‘I’m so happy I can’t even eat… I’m so excited to see her healed,’ Ibrahima exclaimed.

The enthusiasm he felt must have been contagious because, after surgery, N’nady shot through her recovery at lightning speed tackling her rehab exercises with the same sweet, shy smile she always wore.

Emma, a physiotherapist from Havelock North, worked closely with N’Nady during her rehabilitation and says, ‘N’nady was a quiet achiever. She did all of her exercises with determination and grace and never gave up. N’nady also loved a hug or was quick with a smile, but when she came to rehab she was there to work and nothing was too difficult. I loved working with her.’

By the time N’Nady and her Dad left the ship to return home, many weeks had passed, yet Ibrahima looked years younger, sharing his overwhelming gratitude.

‘I am forever thankful to have two children healed on Mercy Ships,’ he said. ‘It has changed my family, and changed my life.’

Now, with N’nady’s legs straightened, it is easier for her to walk without being in pain or mocked. N’nady and her father both agree that she’ll be going back to school as soon as possible — although they have different opinions about what comes next. Ibrahima dreams of his daughter becoming a doctor, but N’nady dreams of one day becoming a tailor and making dresses. Whatever she becomes, N’Nady finds joy in knowing that her options are wider than ever.