Volunteer stories
People from all walks of life are seeking to find their purpose. And volunteers from across the globe are finding the answer to their WHY, by using their skills and talents, abilities and experiences to volunteer with Mercy Ships.
Medics, mariners, tradies, and many others who just want to help, are rolling up their sleeves to help bring a compassionate response to a world in need.
Discover more about their individual journeys serving with Mercy Ships.
Aly & Arnie Hall
Aly & Arnie Hall 30 years after she first volunteered on board as a nurse in Sierra Leone, Aly returns to Mercy Ships with her husband, Arnie. A different kind of sabbatical The Halls are usually pastoring at Manukau Baptist, but soon they will be full-time volunteers with Mercy Ships. For 8 weeks from August […]
Kuo Family
Kuo Family Fred and Maria, Lily, Connor and Asher are about to become crew on board the world’s largest civilian hospital ship. Volunteering with Mercy Ships The Kuo family will be full-time Mercy Ships’ volunteers for 2 years, from June 2023, as Maria serves as a Clinical Ward Supervisor. The family will be living on board […]
Ella Hawthorne
Ella Hawthorne, Ophthalmic Team Manager Ella’s role is vital to the hospital ship work. She not only set up the eye clinic on the new hospital ship Global Mercy, she now leads the clinical eye team on board. Why I volunteer with Mercy Ships. Every day in the Mercy Ships Eye Clinic looks a little […]
Rebekah Wilson
Rebekah Wilson, IT and Library Teacher Rebekah’s role is vital to the hospital ship work as she helps deliver quality education for the children of our international long-term crew – who could volunteer if this was not provided. The crew recognises how much they need each other, and that surgery simply can’t happen without a […]
The Huber family
Kylie and Dan Huber, and Hannah Kylie has volunteered in the operating theatres on three different Mercy Ships. On her last trip in 2006 she met Dan on board. Fast forward to 2023, and Kylie is the clinical supervisor for the operating theatres on the Global Mercy – and this time their daughter is with […]
Judy Harding
Primary school teacher from Dargaville