Until I met Linda Klufus and listened to her speak at the Barrhead Rotary Club’s luncheon last week, I had no idea what a Mercy Ship was.
Now I know better.
True, I work in an environment that gives me the inside track on a number of things but somehow this little tidbit got away from me.
Imagine a world where as you get older and your vision gets darker and your only prospects are relying on grandchildren to help you across the street.
You can’t ask your own children because they suffer from the same issues.
And, now imagine you have a horrific growth on your face, neck or abdomen that makes it impossible to eat or even breath properly.
Those are only two of the multitude of issues facing some of the poorest people in our world on a daily basis — issues we in Canada don’t have to worry about because we can visit the doctor whenever we get a scratch.
In Africa in particular, Klufus said there is one doctor for every 20,000 people requiring medical attention.
That’s the equivalent of more than four Barrheads.
And to think we gripe when we have to wait more than 20 minutes to visit one of the handful of doctors in our town.
How sad is that?
Honestly, I think I will be more appreciative of the abundance of services we have and I suggest, not particularly because it is also Canada’s 150th, that you think about all of the things we take for granted.
It’s not Christmas or Lent, but it’s a good time to do a little soul searching and send a little mental ‘thank you’ to the man upstairs.
Even better, Klufus said that if you aren’t a doctor, a nurse or some other medical professional but you want to volunteer your time anyway, you can.
She said the organization is always looking for cooks, plumbers, electricians, et cetera.
Personally, I think Mercy Ships is a wonderful charitable organization and one with a vision I can wholeheartedly support.
Maybe one day, when I’m a bit older, you’ll find me on the deck of one of those ships.
Kudos to Klufus and the others who do this kind of thing.
You are people who inspire.
