After long flights and many time zones, we are in Freetown, Sierra Leone on the Global Mercy hospital ship. After collecting luggage and clearing passport control we worked our way to a small ferry boat for the 45 minute ride to the city. By now we have met the 10 other volunteers traveling in on the same flight.
Augustine and Samuel, two men from Sierra Leone that we have known for several years, met us at the ferry dock. It was very special to be welcomed by them.
We still needed to get checked in and receive the badges and orientation to get us started. It was a late night followed by an early all crew meeting the next morning.
More meetings and training today and another all morning session tomorrow. Then our first work shifts begin Wednesday. The galley and dining room serve 3,000 meals each day. We will be busy!
It is such a privilege to serve with so many kindhearted and dedicated people from around the world, and many more yet to meet.
We will be volunteering aboard the Global Mercy off the coast of Sierra Leone, West Africa. The ship has been docked at Freetown since August of 2025. We will be serving in the galley and the dining room, serving the 600+ staff on board. The ship ends its service in Sierra Leone in June of 2026 and we be sailing with the ship to the Canary Islands, where it will be in dry dock for yearly maintenance.
The Africa Mercy (now serving in Madagascar) and the Global Mercy (now serving in Sierra Leone)
Global Mercy at Freetown
The Global Mercy is one of two hospital ships, the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy. Onboard they are performing life changing surgeries to some of the poorest nations in the world. Sierra Leone does not have access to the to the kind of surgery that Mercy Ship provides free of charge. The ship is filled with state-of-the-art medical equipment and a volunteer crew of doctors, nurses, medical stall technicians, teachers, physical therapists and other caring people driven by mercy to help make the world a better, healthier place for all. (See Mercy Ships )
Below are Some examples of surgery performed on the ship. Photos are from the Mercy Ships website.
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This is Alyssa with one of her sweet patients.
We first learned of Mercy Ships when our daughter volunteered as a nurse in 2011 for eight months in Sierra Leone. We joined her there for two weeks on the Africa Mercy. We were able to experience life onboard the ship working in the housekeeping department for two weeks. Mercy Ships hires local dayworkers and through Alyssa’s friendships we visited some in their homes and visited a local church. We continue these friendships today.
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Thank you for following along on our journey! Please keep us in prayer that we would be faithful, kind and humble as we serve the Lord and the people we meet. More posts to come as we arrive and begin our service and as we meet with old and new friends in Sierra Leone! Tim and Kathy
The morning begins with our tour of Victoria Falls. It is an amazing, breathtaking site.
We visited an elephant rescue site to get an up close visit with the elephants. There were nine elephants being cared for. They had been rescued from drought conditions or from culling herds in some game reserves.
In the evening we had a farewell dinner and a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River.
We were greeted by the marimba band before our cruise. Abby, our tour leader joined the band for this number. WaterbuckAfrican OpenbillHippo
A perfect ending for our trip!
Thank you to Abby and Overseas Adventure Travel for a fantastic experience!
We leave Botswana by plane and bus and cross the border into Zimbabwe and the city of Victoria Falls. Abby, our tour leader, shows us around his city. We made a quick stop at his wife’s cosmetic shop.
Portia and the trip women
We proceeded to the Shearwater Hotel for lunch and free time to walk around. We walked to the historic Victoria Falls Hotel to see their amazing view!
Bridge and Falls from Victoria Falls Hotel
Home Hosted Dinner
Six of us are hosted by Gogo (grandmother) and her daughter and two granddaughters. We are served a meal of beef stew over polenta, pumpkin leaf peanut sauce over rice. Gogo and family were very happy to host us. She and the granddaughters sang a song for us.
This morning we drive to the water of the delta to have our ride in the traditional boat of the delta called a mokoro. But, on our way we have another afternoon drive amazing sighting of a mother leopard and her two cubs.
Male cub learning to eat Female cub waiting her turn.
On our way again, we spot a lion and her two cubs.
Now on the way to our mokoros.
Peaceful ride through the waters of the delta. Martial Eagle
We spent the afternoon earnestly searching for a male lion, but we did not find him.
The day ended with a traditional meal and singing and dancing.
This is another day of amazing wildlife viewing in the Okavango Delta. Here are photos from both our morning and afternoon drives.
Southern Red Hornbill White-browed WeaverSaddle-billed StorkRed-billed Oxpeckers on ZebraLilac-breasted RollerTawny EagleGiant Eagle-owl
Our guide, Fannah, finds a pride of lions that look full and contented. He observes vultures in the distance and he heads that way to see if we can find their kill and maybe the male lion. We soon find the remains of a baby giraffe.
Then we see a cheetah not too far from the lions. He seems a little nervous and doesn’t like the jackal staring at him. He is afraid the jackal will expose him. He chases after him. So fun to see wildlife in action!
We see a variety of animals everywhere.
Baby and mother ZebraLeopard hunting impalasWarthogMarabou StorkWattled Cranes
We had a huge rainstorm in the afternoon. After the rain, our guides track some African wild dogs. We chase after them in the safari vehicles and find where they had killed an impala. In mass they begin feeding voraciously.
Elephant familyBlue-cheeked Bee-eaterEgyptian Goose Southern Ground HornbillLeopard on the huntBaboonsBeautiful ImpalaBaobab TreeAfrican Sacred Ibis Giraffes and Elephants drinking from the Chobe River
Late afternoon we had an interesting talk about Botswana’s Shoot to Kill policy with poachers. We also had a visit from a Bushman who showed us how to start a fire with a stick and some grasses.
After breakfast we fly in the Cessnas back to Livingstone airport. We tour a bit of the city where most of the people live without running water or electricity. We had time to walk around their local market and I bought some fabric from these young men.
Local market
We enter Botswana by going across the Zambezi River on the new bridge. We are staying at the Baobab Lodge. Photos from our afternoon game drive.
Southern Ground HornbillGreater KuduZebras at Sunset
It’s now morning and we are off to our morning game drive.
Giraffe with Oxpeckers eating ticks Spotted Thick-kneeBaboonKudusOur view from the lodge with Zebras coming to drinkBaboonsSableFish Eagle
On the afternoon drive we found the leopards kill and the leopard hiding and of course more giraffe.
Afternoon activities included a walk to Namibia and the art of basket weaving.
Tim & Kathy Simonsen 