PHOTO GALLERY CAPTURES HEART OF UNIQUE SEAGOING MINISTRY

THE HEART OF a remarkable ministry that takes a practical demonstration of God's love to the poor and needy has been captured in a special photo gallery spanning the globe and 20 years.

Mercy Ships Is... tells the story of Youth With A Mission's maritime division through poetry and pictures gathered in a striking coffee table book celebrating the ministry's 20th anniversary.

From welders in a Dutch dry-dock to dentists in an African village, the 174-page hard cover publication offers a kaleidoscope of images of the many aspects of Mercy Ships, which presents the "two-handed gospel" by twinning evangelism with medical and relief aid.

A striking shot of the prow of the Anastasis, flagship of the fleet, crashing through stormy seas off New Zealand features on the cover. Inside, calmer moments of prayer and surgery are among the parts of a typical day on board ship that are shown.

The pictures were drawn from the photo archives of each of the three-strong hospital ship fleet - the flagship Anastasis, based in Europe and Africa; the Caribbean Mercy, serving in Central America and the Caribbean; and the Island Mercy, which sails throughout the Pacific region.

Mercy Ships Is... was written by Paula Kirby, a former professional dancer from England who has served with YWAM for over 26 years. She sifted through some 80,000 slides and prints to cull the 350 - by around 35 photographers - eventually used in the 11-inch by 11-inch full-color book.

"It's not a history text," said Kirby, a writer in the communications team on board the Anastasis. "We wanted to try to capture some of the vigor, excitement and challenge of serving God - to show off the splendor and scope of a life abandoned to Christ. The book is not intended to exalt the organization, rather to honor the one who has called us to reflect his character."

Founded in 1978 with the purchase of a former luxury cruise liner, the Victoria, Mercy Ships' origins go back to 1964 and a YWAM outreach to the Bahamas. The islands were hit by a hurricane, and during a prayer meeting one of the YWAM group prayed about a ship that could bring help after similar disasters.

The idea stuck with one of the outreach leaders, Don Stephens, who went on to become President and chief executive officer of Mercy Ships. Over the past 20 years Mercy Ships workers have performed more than 5,000 onboard operations, treated over 100,000 patients in village medical and dental clinics, and delivered thousands of tons of relief materials.

Mercy Ships Is... produced by Mercy Ships International, PO Box 2020, Lindale, TX 75771-2020.

Return to: February 1999 News Index Page