Faith, Kindness and Care Aboard the Africa Mercy

For the past three years, Lynnfield native Alainie Costas, a nurse in the Mass General Hospital plastic surgery and burn unit, has been involved on an epic journey of health, hope and faith.

Costas, 34, has teamed up with the Mercy Ships program, a volunteer organization that charters huge ships and fills them with aid workers from all over the world to dock in third world nations and offer medical care.

Funded by family, friends and her local church, Costas boarded the Africa Mercy with 473 other crew members and set sail for Benin, West Africa in 2009. In 2010, the neighboring nation of Togo was the destination, and just recently, Costas returned from an April-August stretch in Sierra Leone, an African nation just recovering from the aftermath of a decade-long civil war.

“I oversaw care on the ward and we did a lot of skin grafting,” explained Costas. “I headed a team of fifteen nurses that I trained in wound care. The total crew of nurses came from over thirty-five different countries around the world.”

Costas said that Mercy Ships head to a different needy nation each year, but culture clashing in Sierra Lone was especially difficult because of religious and other barriers.

“Due to the civil war and the diamond trade that goes on in that region, the rebels did some horrific things to the villagers we aided,” stated Costas. “It was hard to even get the people to trust us because of all they have been through.”

Costas mentioned that voodoo is one of the most common spiritual practices in the part of Sierra Leone where the Africa Mercy was stationed. Natives with deformities, such as a cleft palettes, burns or other disabilities (the main medical issues Costas dealt with), were often seen as “cursed” by village Witch Doctors and therefore, became outcasts in their societies.

Costas even related stories she heard of babies born with disabilities being buried alive as they were thought to be filled with “demons.”

“Just to trust us was a big step for many people we treated,” said Costas. “There was a lot of beliefs people weren't necessarily ready to let go of in exchange for our care.”

Another big challenge for Costas and the Africa Mercy was dealing with the effects the rebels caused through not only physical harm, but scaring natives into becoming isolated and fearful of intruders.

“I saw first-hand the victims of war,” said Costas. “A lot of amputees, people with their legs or both hands chopped off by the rebels.”

Costas and the Africa Mercy overcame these struggles with kindness and their care.

“It was amazing to see people be welcomed back into their villages after we began to touch, to look these 'cursed' people in the eye and show no fear concerning their ailment,” explained Costas. “To really see people begin to understand we were there to help after they saw so much bloodshed was amazing […] It was physiological healing as well as physical.”

Although Costas' healing quest was arduous because of the background she and the Africa Mercy were stepping into, the ship itself provided a safe haven for patients and staff that blended cultural identities.

“Living on the ship is a bit difficult at first,” stated Costas. “There isn't much space and you share a cabin with up to four people. However, there is a lot of joys that come out of being that close too. Meeting different people from all over the world – everything really got blended into one. Friendship, work, religion, all your worlds are in one.”

Patch asked Costas why she dedicates herself to Mercy Ships year after year. Costas responded: “My faith gets me through. God is my strength that keeps me coming back. We just want to love these people. The people are so inspirational in what they deal with and how they persevere. I feel I get a lot more out of it for myself than the care I give […] It makes me realize what is really essential.”

Costas is currently back working in the plastic surgery and burn unit of Mass General, currently residing in Jamacia Plain. No doubt, as Africa Mercy gears up to ship out next year, Costas will again summon her faith, kindness and care to help those in need.

For more information on Mercy Ships, please visit their website at www.mercyships.org. The Africa Mercy and other Mercy Ships aren't just looking for medically trained volunteers either. People from all walks of life are welcomed to investigate their volunteer opportunities.

For more on Costas' travels with Mercy Ships, visit her blog at http://alainieinafrica.blogspot.com.