VIDEO: Kiwis love to fly below the radar, hang out behind the scenes, and punch above their weight when they think no one is watching. But here’s a unique behind the scenes glimpse of those hidden Kiwis who volunteer, paid their own way, and pour heart and soul … Read More
Sitting in a makeshift classroom in the back of her house, nine-year-old Monique waited in darkness, listening intently to the sound of her grandmother’s voice going over the day’s lesson. She was homeschooled for the past three years due to severe cataracts and had to withdraw from school … Read More
High up Mt Manengouba in Cameroon, through rocky terrain and lush foliage, lies the beautiful village of Bororos. The journey to Bororos consists of a steep, uphill horse ride surrounded by craggy rocks with only wildlife for company. But two little girls, sisters Salamatou and Mariama, had never … Read More
The first time 14-year-old Julienne was called a “witch,” she was too young to grasp what the word meant. But she wasn’t too young to feel the sting of her own relatives’ rejection and to know that her condition made her different … an outcast. Julienne was just … Read More
Turn right twice, pull yourself over the stone stairwell … avoid children and stray dogs under your feet. Feel along the cement walls until your fingers touch the frayed rope railing. Follow it to the end of the path, turn left. Finally … home. Fifty-nine-year-old Aser Roger was … Read More
Catch a glimpse into the real life stories and the remarkable transformation in the lives of people who received free surgical care they could never have afforded. Mercy Ships served the people of Benin for a fifth field service from June 2017 to August 2017. Benin field service … Read More
“When I gave birth to Dorkas, she was a healthy baby,” recalled Nicole. “But the problems started soon after.” As she watched her firstborn constantly squinting, she became concerned. “I started to wonder what this could be,” she said. Her fears were confirmed and multiplied when, three years later, a … Read More
Liz Preston’s midwifery training in South Africa’s infamous ‘townships’ will always remain with her. Later, three years as Opotiki’s Plunket nurse, and more than a decade as an acute care nurse in Whakatane hospital prepared her uniquely for the challenges she recently encountered in Benin, West Africa. Ms … Read More
Juste is a larger than life character wrapped up in a four-year-old’s body. He doesn’t seem bothered by the lump on his head and already has a plan for when it’s gone. “After they do the surgery, I will become president, have money and buy a car!” Juste … Read More
The children’s mother Amina understood their dark struggle only too well. She too had been blind until the age of 13. Suddenly hope appeared on Amina’s horizon when the first Mercy Ship Anastasis docked in her nation of Benin in 2001. She was offered an unheard of opportunity … Read More
