|
|
(EMAILWIRE.COM, September 23, 2009 ) Captain of the Africa Mercy Invites Maritime Volunteers to Take a Turn in Africa
Garden Valley, Texas - “I’ve always had an interest in the sea,” said Tim Tretheway. For two decades, Captain Tim Tretheway has served with the global charity, Mercy Ships, using his marine skills and passion for the sea to bring hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor. Through the operation of state-of-the-art-hospital ships, Mercy Ships provides first-class surgical care to developing nations.
The shipping world comes together this week to commemorate World Maritime Day. Mercy Ships takes this opportunity to highlight the contribution that volunteer maritime crew have made in using their seaman skills to serve others.
Tretheway joined Mercy Ships after the Anastasis, formerly a vessel in the Mercy Ships fleet, visited his hometown of Olympia, Washington, in 1987. Inspired by the vision and transforming work occurring onboard, he quickly joined the Anastasis crew as an Able Seaman.
Throughout his 22-year career with Mercy Ships, he has served onboard for field services in Central America, South America, and Western and Southern Africa. When asked about his volunteer work aboard the ship, Tim replied, “This work has made me realize that I don't have to be a surgeon to have an effect on the world." Tretheway has worked on four Mercy Ships vessels: the Good Samaritan, the Caribbean Mercy, the Anastasis, and the Africa Mercy, where he has been the ship's Master since 2008.
“We are looking for crew members with a desire to help others through their technical skills, a willingness to adapt to a very unusual maritime and multi-cultural living experience, and a vision to continue long-term,” said Tretheway.
Currently, there are a variety of needs on the Africa MercyÂ’s technical teams, including Senior Deck Officers and ratings, and engineers; a carpenter with a wide range of abilities is also needed. For many mariners, this experience will be very different from their normal ship routines, with much more time in port than at sea. They will be part of an international crew with different backgrounds and training. "Different ship, different long splice," Tretheway said. "I enjoy the diversity we have. We have a culture of safety, and we stay plenty busy in port. We will still be spinning up the radar, doing compass checks and keeping our charts updated. It's an adjustment for some, but why not savor that a little?" Tretheway concluded.
Serving with Mercy Ships is a unique and fulfilling way for maritime professionals to use their skills. “I would have never dreamed I’d be the captain of the world’s largest hospital ship,” said Tretheway. “I spoke to a maritime marine officer when I was young, who thoroughly discouraged me from any maritime career, saying there was no future or hope in maritime work. It kept me from pursuing a maritime career for several years, but I’m grateful God brought me back around to it. Being the captain on God’s ship is an amazing, almost overpowering, privilege,” concluded Tretheway.
The Africa Mercy is a fully-certified, ocean-going, passenger-classed vessel which meets all required International Regulations. Her volunteer crew comes from over 40 countries. Onboard are many opportunities for maritime professionals, like Tretheway, interested in using their skills to help others.
In March 2005, Tretheway married his wife, Sharon, whom he met while serving onboard the Anastasis. He and Sharon have a two-year-old son, Nathanael. They are currently living onboard the Africa Mercy in Benin, West Africa.
ABOUT MERCY SHIPS:
Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class health care services to those without access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries, providing services valued at more than $748 million, directly impacting more than 2.16 million beneficiaries. More than 1200 crew worldwide, representing more than 40 nations, are joined each year by 2000 short-term volunteers. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, health care trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort. For more information, click on www.mercyships.org
Hi-res photos and general Mercy Ships broadcast footage clips are available for download atwww.mercyshipsnews.org or upon request
Contact Information:
Kathy Gohmert
kathy.gohmert@mercyships.org
903.939.7019
Mercy Ships
Kathy Gohmert
903.939.7019
kathy.gohmert@mercyships.org 
Source: EmailWire.com
|
