A PRESENTATION on the work of the Mercy Ships was given at the latest meeting of the Droitwich Inner Wheel Club.
After a welcome by president Glenys Griffiss and the lighting of the candle of friendship, guest speaker Ruth Pole was introduced.
Ruth, a retired dentist gave an insight into the charity which was founded 39 years ago by American couple Don and Deyon Stephens.
It began with the Christian charity ship, Africa Mercy, originally a Danish car ferry, which was converted into a floating hospital with five operating theatres for surgery.
Mercy Ships delivers free health care to some of the World’s poorest people.
At the invitation of the host country it travels mainly to African countries to perform operations where no hospital exists.
At present it is in Cameroon but has visited 592 ports and is at sea ten months of the year.
Medical and dental professionals, cooks, teachers, mechanics, engineers and IT specialists all give their time for free, even paying their own on-board costs.
As many as 450 people live on board.
The work of the medical staff has changed the lives of thousands of African people.
Members, through pictures and short videos, were shown what life was like aboard the Mercy Ship which is a charity the Droitwich Inner Wheel regularly donates to.
Lesley Mackenzie, International Service Organiser, thanked Ruth for the talk and keeping members up-to-date with the Mercy Ships’ work.
The club sent £250 to the cause and that was matched by a generous donor.
