With this KRB Update, I would like to share some experiences now that I am back in Madagascar and alongside the Africa Mercy in Toamasina.

* As I left Madagascar in mid-April, our hospital on the ship and the HOPE Center had not opened yet, so since my return, I have experienced great joy in seeing surgical patients and caregivers in the hospital to receive their healing.
* Able to join patients, caregivers, and local workers on Sunday mornings at the HOPE Center – the Bible story in the Malagasy language using the Simply the Story method with interaction with the patients.  Last Sunday, there was a time for those willing to share testimonies, which were translated into English for the crew attending.

* Attending a Celebration of Sight with ophthalmic patients as they return for their 6-week appointment – hearing some of their experiences and testimonies.  In 2024, a total of 157 patients received life-changing surgeries – adults and children.

* Hosting business partners and personal guests for visits to the Africa Mercy – usually a tour and the evening meal.  I have four groups visiting this weekend.
* Attending Malagasy Language classes – with 21 letters, only three tenses – past, present and future, no ‘to be’ verb, transportation, numbers which are read from right to left, and currency.

* Spending time with the crew who I knew from my 13 years on the Africa Mercy and new volunteers – I left my full-time life on the ship five years ago – November 2019.
*Spending time with local workers/day crew

* For my role as Port Liaison on the Country Engagement Team, I am meeting with the various leaders on the Africa Mercy to learn how things are, any changes that took place, whether other areas need changes, and coming alongside the crew on the Africa Mercy to coordinate services and activities.  I am also meeting with our local partners to ensure a smooth transition for the ship’s departure and time away, and then the vessel will return in early February 2025.  

Photo: the studio apartment at La Creole, where the Country Engagement Team is based in Toamasina.  Next weekend, I will move into a two-bedroom apartment.

Photo:  assisting our hospital with customs and logistics for donations to local partners – delivering a heavy operating room table to Bethany Hospital

Last Sunday morning, while at the HOPE Center, I observed an older woman with a cleft lip, a birth defect, so she has lived her entire life with this deformity.  Though just right in front of her was a mama holding a little baby boy – maybe around six months with a cleft lip also.  I tried to imagine what she was thinking and feeling in her heart – seeing this little one who won’t have the same life situation she had for decades, but he will get his surgery while so little, won’t have any memory, though his mama will remember all that took place.  The little boy is on the infant feeding program as he was underweight for surgery.  The older woman had her successful surgery on Friday and will soon be able to return home.  There is a no-photo policy, so hopefully, you can imagine what I observed on Sunday.   

Even though Mercy Ships is an international organization, a good number of crew are from the United States.  So, for Thanksgiving next week, it is not a holiday or day off.  However, the galley will serve everyone some traditional dinner food (turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, etc.).  Then afterward, there will be a gathering for those from the USA, and if we wish to invite other non-American good friends, they are most welcome.  We will have desserts and then a time to share and express our great gratitude as we gather together.

The Africa Mercy will depart in mid-December for its annual maintenance period in South Africa.  I will remain here in the port city working, making arrangements, checking on assets the ship is leaving behind.  Thankful that I will have a vehicle to use as I didn’t have one from last August when I first returned. 
I will spend Christmas and New Year’s here in Toamasina with local friends as I did last year.  After the ship departs, I will return to attending a few local churches.  

Praise:  * My Safe Return to Madagascar  * Surgeries ongoing on both ships  *  Training happening on both ships  * Lives being impacted  * Hope being restored

Prayers: * Recovery of surgical patients with the Africa Mercy before returning home
* Continued safety for all involved * Good health

Greetings to you all.  Another KRB Update to share what is happening with my service with Mercy Ships.  My season in Freetown, Sierra Leone has finished.  So thankful to report that all is going well there with the surgeries and the education and training on the ship and off the ship at the primary hospital in the country – focusing on anesthesia students and providers and nurses.  Mentoring is taking place on the Global Mercy in our operating rooms and with the simulation lab.
 
We have just complete a five day training in Saly, Senegal.  A time of coming together for relationship building – four team members, I had only met via Teams online and many sessions and group activities to better equip us for our duties.  Subjects included diplomacy (which I would love to learn more), transformational development, patient selection, programs, cross cultural interactgions, wins and challenges, Clifton Strengths, monitoring and evaluation, servant leadership and devotions daily.  They counted and we represented 16 nations for this training.  The Africa Services team includes all of us on country engagement teams in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana, and Madagascar. 
Two counselors joined to provide one-on-one member care, shared at a session, and spent time with us all.  Thankful that they are available to us over Teams as needed while we serve remotely.  As I move from country to country and ship to ship in my Port Liaison role, I truly enjoyed being together this week.

Photo:  Participants at the Team Training in Senegal

Photo:  Group Sessions with various scenarios – ie. Meeting with Port Director, Meeting with Dean of the medical school, and Meeting with Ministry of Health leaders related to patient selection.
 

Photo:  All but one meal was at the venue – for the meal out we took two small boats to travel to the restaurant with the specialities of fresh fish and seafood. 

I am en route back to Madagascar.  For Mercy Ships, geographically we focus on West Africa, Senegal is the farther north west, to Central and Southern Africa and to Madagascar – the East Coast – port city of Toamasina.  So my travels this week take me from one extreme side to the other. 
I remain so thankful for the opportunity and privilege to continue to serve.  I will take care of all port related activities, helping the Africa Mercy as she prepares to leave for annual maintenance period, for the time they are gone and then arrangements for their return in February.

Praise:  * Documents signed with the government of Madagascar  * Surgeries ongoing on both ships  *  Training happening on both ships  * Lives being impacted

Prayers:  * Additional documentation for customs with Madagascar  * Continued safety for all involved (I will move back into the same apartment building where I lived before) and good health.

Mercy Ships – Global Mercy – many activities are restarting here in Sierra Leone

Open Hospital on August 28th – the once-a-year opportunity for the crew to visit the hospital: wards, biomedical, pharmacy, operating rooms, sterile processing, patient selection, pre-operative, rehabilitation, low care unit, dental clinic, crew clinic, and other locations.  Many of our children living on board have shared how impactful their hospital visits were and when they had work experience opportunities -which are coordinated by the Academy.  Once the hospital opens, most areas are off-limits to the crew.  The hospital crew provides fun, educational, and interesting activities.  I enjoyed dressing as a second surgeon with our Captain as the primary surgeon – pulling out gummy bears from the abdominal area.  

Photo:  the state-of-the-art MRI machine in our hospital – no scan but rode the bed in and out listening to the recording (in Espanol as requested) – for our patients here, they have recorded the messages in the local languages so the patient understands.
 

Partners Welcome Event on August 29th – for Country Engagement Team we were greatly involved with the invitation of partners from the government, non-government organizations, businesses, churches, ministries, and others.  As Port Liaison, I had guests from the port, our agents, mayor’s office, waste removal, fuel providers, and others.  We expressed our thanks for the last field service and thank them for their continued partnership with us for the next ten months.  We were honored to have the First Lady of Sierra Leone as our guest of honor.     

Photos:  Program and with the Deputy Harbourmaster and Emmanuel Mendi, Third Engineer, from Sierra Leone.  

Photo:  First Lady of Sierra Leone sharing with all the guests and crew present
 

Prayer Walk in the Hospital on August 29th – all crew who were interested joined a group and went to three spaces in the hospital as we spread out as not possible to go to all locations.  While there, the crew that serve in that area shared some prayer requests with the group.  I was with Group #6, lead by Dan B, we went to the biomedical, rehabilitation, and pharmacy spaces for prayer.

First Patient Admissions – today, September 2nd – admitted to the wards on the Global Mercy in preparation for their upcoming surgeries. 

Prayer Walk – HOPE Center – September 2nd – to pray around the compound, in the rooms and common areas.  Most surgical patients and caregivers from the provinces will stay in the HOPE Center before and often after their surgeries before they are healthy enough to be discharged to return home.

Prayer for the Start of Surgeries—It is a tradition on the ships to pause on the morning of the first surgery. Normally, the Chief Medical Officer leads in a powerful prayer over the public address system, and we all agree with ‘Amen.’

First Surgeries for this seventh visit to Sierra Leone start tomorrow, September 3rd.  General Surgical Cases.  Most of all the surgical patients have already been selected by our amazing Patient Selection Team who conducted Patient Registration and Field Consultations in 12 locations around Sierra Leone.  The Global Mercy surgical team plans to provide over 1,400 free life-changing surgeries for the people of Salone from now till May 2025.  

Exciting time to be on board the Global Mercy.

Prayers:  * Successful surgeries for our patients, * All of our patients showing up for transport to the ship, * Our training participants being mentored in the operating rooms

In my next KRB Update, I will share some updates on the Africa Mercy also.

I am excited to share with you that on Wednesday 14 August, the Global Mercy has made her return to Freetown, Sierra Leone!  

I was at the port when the Global Mercy departed from Sierra Leone in mid-June for a brief annual maintenance period in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain to fulfill maritime law.  I continued to live in Freetown and as Port Liaison to make preparations for their return, primarily with the port arrangements, customs, and immigration.  

We are thankful to President Julius Maada Bio, who has invited Mercy Ships back to continue our work in the country. The next phase of free surgeries will include maxillofacial/head and neck, general, pediatric orthopedic, pediatric general, reconstructive plastic, and ophthalmic.   We’re also continuing ongoing training for staff at Connaught Hospital and students at the University of Sierra Leone.  

The Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby welcomed the ship back with excitement, saying, “I’m extremely happy that Mercy Ships honored the President’s call to stay longer to provide life-changing surgeries and train our healthcare professionals… I am excited about this possibility and very proud of the partnership with Mercy Ships,” he said.  He came for the departure and also back for our return.  We are grateful for the support of the Ministry of Health.   

Photo:  Taken from the bridge on the ship showing the starboard side as they approached Berth #3.  I’m on the dock, but too small in this photo : ) 

Photo:  View of all of us at the berth as we welcome the vessel.

Photo:  On the dock in my ‘uniform’ to ensure all is working well for the ship’s arrival.

During this ten-month field service, the plan is to provide over 1,400 life-transforming surgeries and continue training Sierra Leonean healthcare workers.

Please pray as we prepare to open the hospital and start bringing healing.

I moved into a cabin on board yesterday and am thankful for a hot shower, clean, comfy, adjustable a/c cooling, fast internet, BBC/CNN on the television, and just lovely space.  In my next update, I will include photos of my cabin and guest office, so stand by. 

The timing of my arrival in Sierra Leone was towards the end of the first full field service for Global Mercy.  I have been able to join many great events taking place onboard the ship, which I have thoroughly enjoyed:

 * Field Service Report by Hospital and Education and Training – successes and challenges

 * Celebration including the blowing of the ship horn when the last patient was discharged from outpatient care
 * Celebration of our amazing Day Crew (local workers) – big lunch, gathering in the international lounge, a big dinner, and then a party on the dock; many of the day crew have applied to serve again when the ship returns,

Photo:  Day Crew Celebration in the International Lounge of the Global Mercy 
Curious about the Day Crew – click here for a YouTube video  5:37 in length
Mercy Ships Daycrew Sierra Leone 2023 – 2024 (youtube.com) 
 *  Farewell to many long-term crew who are departing – including the managing director and his family 

 *  First 12th Grade Academy Graduation Ceremony on the Global Mercy – one student
 *  Final visits to one of the Mercy Ministries partners – Divine Heritage House, a children’s home outside of Waterloo, and others.

Photo:  Walking with the children to the area where we sang, heard a Bible story and played some games.  Including the song:  Bambelela – ‘Hold on to Jesus’ a chorus from South Africa with all the movements.  

I started driving Mercy Ships vehicles the day after I arrived (a vehicle we had in Liberia that we sent over when we closed down last year).  There are challenges with keke (tuk tuk), motorbike taxis (okada), large trucks and buses, pedestrians & only one functioning signal light – but we safely move about as needed.

Onboard, I am thankful to be able to use a visiting staff office for meetings with those on the Global Mercy, and reviewing previous reports and setting up meetings and making arrangements with our shipping agent and others for the vessel to depart. 

I am so grateful for the time reconnecting with friends who I have served with in the past on the Africa Mercy who are faithfully serving here.  I am meeting others face-to-face for the first time.  I enjoy sitting in the dining room on the ship and hearing people share their stories.  One day crew shared that he had been a maxillofacial surgical patient and now serves as a translator in Ward D where our maxillofacial patients stay.  He said he has been able to share his story and encourage the patients and their caregivers.  He is applying to return when the ship arrives back in Freetown.

Our surgical patient selection is in process here in Sierra Leone at 12 locations: eight locations in the interior and four locations around the capital city of Freetown. The dates are  18 – 28 June for registration, then field consultation, and then a schedule to visit the vessel in Freetown for nurse diagnostics, any lab work, or radiology, and finally, the surgeon selection for the hopeful ‘Yes’ for their surgery.

All the arrangements for departures took place, and the Global Mercy successfully left Freetown safely this morning. The Country Engagement Team and others were on the dock to wave good–bye, though we know the vessel will be returning in August.  

Sahr Keith

Greetings from the beautiful nation of Sierra Leone, West Africa

The m/v Global Mercy is finishing her first ever full 10-month field service.
This is the sixth visit of a Mercy Ship to Sierra Leone – the m/v Anastasis, m/v Africa Mercy (I was on board for this visit in 2011) and now with the m/v Global Mercy.  For time in Africa, when you add up all the days a Mercy Ship has been in a country, Sierra Leone now has the most days. 
I first visited the m/v Global Mercy when she was in Dakar, Senegal next to the m/v Africa Mercy.  Some current impressions: large, new, modern, shiny, clean, at times cold floating hospital.  The total crew capacity with our children is 641 – when in full operation they serve over 3,000 meals a day, dining room can seat 660 people, hospital on two decks with six operating rooms, 109 ward beds, 90 low care beds, simulator lab for effective training, 682 seat auditorium, 125 student Academy, gym, small pool, library, and so much more.
Check out my web site at www.keithbrinkman.com for the fact sheet with much details including technical details and about the Azipod propoulsion units on the m/v Global Mercy – available in English, Español and français.
Exciting News!!!  The m/v Global Mercy will return to Freetown, Sierra Leone in mid August after their annual maintenance in Tenerife, Canary Islands for another ten- month period.  

Photo:  With guests from the Aberdeen Women’s Clinic hosted by our Country Director, Dr. Sanda Lako

As I shared in my last update, I am in Sierra Leone on the Country Engagement Team serving as the Port Liaison.  So I am learning about the m/v Global Mercy and my responsibilities and duties as in some aspect it is different than for the m/v Africa Mercy and thus different needs and assistance.

As my role is off ship, I am living in a short-term apartment in a compound where Mercy Ships has two apartments.  I am with those from Global Patient Selection Team and the Education and Training team.  Others from Country Engagement are at the Team House about 10 minutes drive away.  Always hopeful at the apartment that we will have electricity and water and only a few mosquitos.  

Praise and Prayer:  ETA = Education, Training and Advocacy

Another update will come soon

Sahr Keith

“How di bodi”

Translation: How’s it going? This is a commonly used informal greeting in Krio. It’s a light-hearted way to ask about someone’s general well-being.  So I would not use this with the President or other officials, but I would use with patients, caregivers, day crew and local friends.

Though why I am sharing about Sierra Leone ….

I am traveling there this week to serve on the Country Engagement Team in Freetown (so living in town, not on the ship) as the Port Liaison and with the Global Mercy in her remaining weeks of field service and then her absence for maintenance and then return to the same berth for the additional field service.  I am learning that my position as Port Liaison is going to be a more like a roving position to where needed.

I already have my name in Sierra Leone – with the Kono people, first born son is Sahr and so we tried ‘Sahr Keith’ – but the ‘Keith’ became really only ‘ke’ – so I was called Sah-ke, but that is fine with me.  I have great memories of spending all of 2011 in Sierra Leone.  It is estimated that I will be there for a little over four months and then return back to Toamasina, Madagascar.  I was able to do my hand overs to those on the Africa Mercy before I left Madagascar. 

When I return to Madagascar in October, I will take care of things again related to the port, customs, and other assignments as they prepare to leave for maintenance in South Africa and then the planned return to the same port in early February. 

Currently, much is happening with the field service in Madagascar and I miss not being there.  Though this will give me the opportunity to learn also about the Global Mercy.

I appreciate the 10-months-in-a-country model and repeat visits to the same country, as relationships are so important.  You need time to build quality relationships with the people.  So I will see how things go with the ‘roving’ part of the Port Liaison position as I appreciate the quantity and quality of time building relationships where I am serving.  God is faithful and I am trusting Him.  

So my next KRB Updates will be from Sierra Leone.

Sahr Keith

It is official and announced last week.  Here is the link: https://www.mercyships.org/a-new-ship/ 
but I have copied and pasted all below.  Exciting Times !!!

Mercy Ships Announces Brand New Purpose-Built Hospital Ship

We are so excited to announce that we have joined forces with partners the MSC Foundation and the MSC Group to grow our fleet with another new, purpose-built hospital ship. This addition, to be built to similar specifications as the Global Mercy, will expand the impact of Mercy Ships’ life-changing surgeries, anesthetic care, and surgical education for future generations of patients and healthcare professionals in sub-Saharan Africa.

The agreement was finalized on April 8, 2024, during a meeting between the chairman of MSC Group and MSC Foundation, Captain Gianluigi Aponte, Diego Aponte, MSC Group President and Member of the MSC Foundation Board, and Mercy Ships Founder Don Stephens. This exciting new project is made possible by a generous anchor donation from MSC Foundation, reflecting the visionary leaders’ commitment to supporting access to critical healthcare for the generations to come.  

“I spent part of my childhood and early years in the shipping industry in the Horn of Africa, it is a region close to my heart,” Capt. Aponte, founder of the MSC Group. “I saw firsthand the challenges faced by many local communities there and this shaped my conviction that improving the availability of healthcare would bring real and lasting impact for them. It has been extremely gratifying to work with Don and provide this crucial support through his unique organization Mercy Ships, our partnership has reaped extraordinary results already and now we are on the verge of expanding their fleet to increase this support. I truly look forward to seeing this new ship set sail to help more communities across Africa.”  

Expanding Access to Safe Surgical Care and Education

The impact has already been significant.

Since Mercy Ships was founded in 1978, we have provided more than 117,000 transformational specialized surgical procedures. These surgeries include maxillofacial reconstructions, contracture release for severe burns, correction for orthopedic problems in children, cleft lip and palate repair, ophthalmology, and dental services.

Mercy Ships has also remained committed to boosting the capacities of its partnering healthcare systems through sustainably designed surgical education, training, and advocacy programs. Since 1978, our hardworking volunteers have provided additional training to more than 54,300 local professionals in their areas of expertise. 

With the addition of a new ship, which will be designed with a focus on designated training spaces, we will increase our capacity to collaborate with host nations in training and advocacy efforts.  

The need to accelerate access to surgical care and surgical education in sub-Saharan Africa remains very apparent. In his welcome speech at the recent West African College of Surgeons (WACS) conference in Freetown, Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh of Sierra Leone stated that the country is still grappling with 91% unmet surgical needs. Highlighting the progress already made, he urged collaborative efforts to tackle surgical deficits. 

Don Stephens, founder of Mercy Ships, confirmed our vision for serving African nations with safe surgical care and education: “The investment of many around the world towards a fleet of hospital ships will be enhanced by the future of our new purpose-built vessel. The mission of Mercy Ships to bring Hope and Healing is only possible by the generosity of our partners, volunteer crew, and the provision of God. Today, I am grateful to MSC for their support.”

The Multiplying Impact of Partnership

Operating hospital ships involves transporting large quantities of essential supplies across oceans and seas to continuously support surgical and training activities. MSC and Mercy Ships have been partners since 2011, with the MSC Group ensuring logistical support and container delivery of supplies to all ports of service. The infrastructure support and logistical expertise provided by its teams in Africa ranges from MSC’s local shipping agency and MSC and TiL terminals handling cargo to MSC and MEDLOG logistics, storage, and inland transportation services. In addition to this, MSC have provided extensive technical advice and experience in preparation for the new vessel, working with Mercy Ships to develop a design that will improve efficiency for the organization’s needs. 

Diego Aponte, MSC Group President and a Member of the MSC Foundation Board, said: “I have always been passionate about Africa and I was struck by the extraordinary and honorable nature of Don’s initiative when it was first presented, and these made me want to be involved in a significant way. Mercy Ships brings tangible and concrete support to thousands of families across the region, and with MSC Group’s major presence there we have a duty to give back to the local communities. This vessel is yet another milestone in our vision to support the African continent with achieving a truly prosperous and sustainable destiny.” 

Daniela Picco, MSC Foundation Executive Director, said: “We are extremely proud of our support for Mercy Ships through grant-making and in-kind donations and of the transformative impacts their free services and training have had on 18,000 medical professionals and community leaders, and 30,300 patients of all ages through 33,200 surgeries since 2011. When the discussion started with Mercy Ships’ founder Don Stephens to build a new ship together, I was delighted to facilitate this game-changing commitment to accompany Mercy Ships into the coming decades.” 

The Future Impact of a New Ship

Our new ship will feature living spaces to accommodate approximately 600 crewmembers and guests on board. Its hospital will span two decks and 7,000 square meters, featuring six operating rooms, a fully equipped laboratory, and state-of-the-art training spaces such as a simulation lab. This makes it possible for us to strengthen local surgical systems during our time in port, typically a 10-month field service. 

“This new hospital ship will bring state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to support the nations we serve,” Gert van de Weerdhof, CEO of Mercy Ships, shared. “This new vessel and her future crew will enable us to meet surgical needs while supporting host nations as they develop healthcare systems with their next generation of medical professionals.”  

********************

I will share more on the New Ship in future updates.

Plus I will have an updated KRB Update on me later this week.

God bless

Christos anesti | Χριστός ἀνέστη!  (Greek)
Alithos Anesti (Aληθώς ανέστη!)
‘He is Risen’ and in response, ‘Truly He is Risen’
On Sunday morning, in the International Lounge on the Africa Mercy here in Toamasina, Madagascar, the Chaplains started our service asking for our participation in sharing this proclamation: “He is Risen, Truly He is Risen.”  The crew spoke it out in over 25 different languages. I should have been quicker and shared it in Spanish/Espanol, as there was no crew from Spanish-speaking countries present.

Photo Caption:  Schedule for Holy Week on the Africa Mercy in Toamasina, Madagascar 

It is always an exceptional, impactful, and meaningful time of the year on one of the Mercy Ships for Holy Week / Easter —my last time was on board the Africa Mercy in 2019. Last week, I was grateful to stay in a guest cabin onboard for a few nights.  

On Thursday night, the “Interactive Walk-Through Experience for the Night Jesus was Betrayed” included entering a modified family cabin to hear the story of Passover, a time of Foot Washing ceremony out on deck 7, time at a table eating snacks – hearing readings from God’s word and prayer, then to the Crew Mess with Dr. Andrew Clark, our Senior Chaplain, for Holy Communion and then to a space created in the International Lounge to be the ‘Garden of Gethsemane,’ more Scripture reading and prayer.  This space was available Thursday night and all day Friday and Saturday for a quiet place.

Photo Caption:  Easter Morning in the International Lounge with my friend from Cameroon Kingsley

Following the Easter Service, an American missionary family here in Toamasina who are involved with us on the Africa Mercy conducted a baptism of his three children in the small swimming pool on board – so special to witness.  
Then an amazing feast was shared by all in the dining room – the best meal of the year.  

Photo Caption:  On Saturday, I hosted some dear friends, including AR, his wife, and his four-month-old baby boy – whom I got to spend time with on Christmas.