Logan Wiggins (center) used his skills to help provide eye screenings and medical relief in Togo, West Africa, as a member of Mercy Ships. (Photo Courtesy of Tom Bradley) One of the greatest things in life is inspiration. Sometimes you can find it in the strangest and most unexpected places. Logan Wiggins didn’t come to Togo, West Africa, looking for inspiration. However, it is one of many things he will take with him when he leaves the Africa Mercy. Mercy Ships, a global charity, hosts the largest non-governmental hospital ship and for over 30 years has provided free medical relief and sustainable development to the poorest of the poor.

As a senior pre-med student at the University of Texas at Austin, Logan wanted to spend his last summer travelling and doing something constructive. After the earthquake in Haiti, he saw a ship providing aide to those affected by the natural disaster. His first thought was that working for an organization like that would be an amazing experience. He immediately thought of Mercy Ships and began to study their website. Gleaning from the blogs of volunteers and patient stories, he learned that the entire ship was composed of volunteers who have sacrificed wages or used vacation time to purchase their own plane ticket and come to Lomé. Logan decided to apply for a summer position.

Logan explained, “The position they had available was Field Eye Team Coordinator. Eyes were an area I wasn’t too interested in, and I felt I might not be qualified to coordinate an entire team. But I saw this as a challenge and decided to accept the position.”

Logan left for West Africa a day after completing his final exams and had quite an adventure getting to Lomé. Flight complica- tions resulted in his arriving in Benin, the country bordering Togo to the east. Mercy Ships Receptionist, James Soumanou, picked Logan up at the Togo/Benin border.

“I’ve never been so happy to see my first Mercy Ships crew member. James was like my African angel – I gave him the biggest hug when I saw him,” Logan recalls.

As the weeks passed and Logan settled into his position at the field eye screenings, he began to change his view on eyes. At the screenings he always examined the children first … and over time, seeing them, became his favourite part of the job. He began to see sight restored by the ophthalmic team and noticed Mercy Ships physicians trained local surgeons in appropriate techniques and medical personnel in primary eye care and treatment so that eye care goes on even when the Africa Mercy leaves for its next field service.

When he was young, Logan was diagnosed with an eye condition called amblyopia. This condition gave him very poor sight out of his left eye – something he has dealt with all his life. In a way, he resented eyes because his eye problem had hindered him as a child. Once he began working with the children at the field eye screenings, however, he discovered that he connected with these patients.

“I looked at those kids in the same position I am in, and I was able to relate to them. I didn’t come here with a direction in medicine, but now I have one,” Logan said.

Not only has Logan found a direction in medicine, but he also may have found his calling as a medical missionary.

“I feel a desire to do missionary work,” he said. “And I would love to join Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone in Spring 2011.”

Many of Logan’s new desires in life have evolved out of his volunteer work with Mercy Ships. The people he has helped have shaped his idea of who he wants to become. Yes, inspiration comes in the strangest and most unexpected places.

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 $808 million, impacting more than 2.5 million direct beneficiaries. Each year Mercy Ships has over 1,200 volunteers from over 40 nations. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, health care trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort. Mercy Ships seeks to become the face of love in action, bringing hope and healing to the poor. For more information, visit www.mercyships. org.