Mercy Ships volunteers share experiences of medical humanitarian work

The podcast ‘De Wereld Rond’ features interviews with individuals involved in missionary and humanitarian work, specifically focusing on their experiences with Mercy Ships.

Mariska Lako discusses her journey from growing up on the Anastasis, the first Mercy Ships hospital vessel, to becoming a general practitioner. She reflects on how early outreach in Africa influenced her career path and her decision to practice medicine in the Netherlands and Belgium after experiencing a spiritual turning point during her medical training.

Deddy Kruize, a former surgical assistant, shares her experience of spending nine years working on Mercy Ships vessels. Her work took her to various African nations, including Togo, Congo, Madagascar, Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. She describes treating severe medical conditions, such as Noma, a bacterial infection that affects children in Central Africa, and recounts the emotional impact of helping patients like a young girl from Liberia regain her health and confidence.