Ben
Born
in St.Albans England, I went to The Kings School in Harpenden and then to
Oaklands College in St.Albans. I studied media and IT for 3 years.
After college I decided to do a year out. Since I am a
Christian I wanted to do something for God. Not being sure of what to
do I looked through the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Go manual looking
for different locations to do a DTS (Discipleship Training School). This
didn't help as I was just overwhelmed at the different options. I then
went to church and talked to a long term YWAMer. He recommended Mercy
Ships. This is a ship based ministry which runs a number of hospital ships.
He said that it is one of the best DTS's since all the good speakers enjoy
going to the ship. So on that note I looked into Mercy Ships further and
decided to go for it.
In October 1999 I boarded the Mercy Ship Anastasis which
was in South Africa at the time. I then spent the next 3 months learning
more about God. The last 2 months was outreach which we then went out
and applied what we had learnt.
I went to the DTS expecting God would show me what he
wants me to do with my life. But came away realising that God had different
things in store. This was especially evident in my outreach, I was on
the Cape Town team. We went with the expectation that we would be doing
dramas and puppets etc.. But ended up having a prayer meeting everyday
from 9am till 12pm.
The outcome from DTS was that God wanted us to spend more
time in prayer rather than going out and doing what we thought was Gods
will. After my DTS I wanted to carry on what I had learnt, but didn't
want to fall back in old patterns. I decided to join Mercy Ships full
time.
I went to The Mercy Ships headquarters in Texas and spent
2 1/2 months working in the media department on the intranet. That was
the first time I met Anisha. She was doing her DTS while I was there working.
I only saw her once and she had very short hair and I didn't think twice
about her. Once I had joined the ship I worked in the IT Department and
then part time in the Communications doing video. Anisha joined the ship
not long after me and we began to get to know each other. This came to
the point at Easter 2001 when we stared going out. I then proposed to
her on Jan 4th 2002.
Once our 2 year commitment to Mercy Ships was over we
traveled to St. Albans to plan the England wedding/blessing ceremony.
Then off to the states for the proper wedding in Chicago. We married on
October 5th and were 'blessed' on November 2nd. We then worked and lived
in St.Albans for 2 years to just 'be married'. I worked in an accountants
providing IT support an Anisha worked as a foster kids to work program coordinator. We have been serving in Southeast Asia since 2015.
Anisha
Born
in St.Albans England, I went to The Kings School in Harpenden and then to
Oaklands College in St.Albans. I studied media and IT for 3 years.
After college I decided to do a year out. Since I am a
Christian I wanted to do something for God. Not being sure of what to
do I looked through the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Go manual looking
for different locations to do a DTS (Discipleship Training School). This
didn't help as I was just overwhelmed at the different options. I then
went to church and talked to a long term YWAMer. He recommended Mercy
Ships. This is a ship based ministry which runs a number of hospital ships.
He said that it is one of the best DTS's since all the good speakers enjoy
going to the ship. So on that note I looked into Mercy Ships further and
decided to go for it.
In October 1999 I boarded the Mercy Ship Anastasis which
was in South Africa at the time. I then spent the next 3 months learning
more about God. The last 2 months was outreach which we then went out
and applied what we had learnt.
I went to the DTS expecting God would show me what he
wants me to do with my life. But came away realising that God had different
things in store. This was especially evident in my outreach, I was on
the Cape Town team. We went with the expectation that we would be doing
dramas and puppets etc.. But ended up having a prayer meeting everyday
from 9am till 12pm.
The outcome from DTS was that God wanted us to spend more
time in prayer rather than going out and doing what we thought was Gods
will. After my DTS I wanted to carry on what I had learnt, but didn't
want to fall back in old patterns. I decided to join Mercy Ships full
time.
I went to The Mercy Ships headquarters in Texas and spent
2 1/2 months working in the media department on the intranet. That was
the first time I met Anisha. She was doing her DTS while I was there working.
I only saw her once and she had very short hair and I didn't think twice
about her. Once I had joined the ship I worked in the IT Department and
then part time in the Communications doing video. Anisha joined the ship
not long after me and we began to get to know each other. This came to
the point at Easter 2001 when we stared going out. I then proposed to
her on Jan 4th 2002.
Once our 2 year commitment to Mercy Ships was over we
traveled to St. Albans to plan the England wedding/blessing ceremony.
Then off to the states for the proper wedding in Chicago. We married on
October 5th and were 'blessed' on November 2nd. We then worked and lived
in St.Albans for 2 years to just 'be married'. I worked in an accountants
providing IT support an Anisha worked as a foster kids to work program coordinator. We have been serving in Southeast Asia since 2015.
Anisha
Life
began for me in May of 1981. I was the first of four children and the
only girl. Born in Texas, USA, I fully expected to live there forever
until in 1996 my family moved about 1000 miles north and settled in Chicago.
I was now a yank. I graduated high school and longed to move out into an apartment with my best friend. Instead, life took a dramatic turn and I left for Mercy Ships. I went back to Texas for my DTS. It was strange being back, nothing was how I remembered it. The buildings were in the same places and old friends still lived in the same houses. But I felt like a foreigner.
I left for Guatemala for an 8 week outreach. It was the most trying time of my life. Despite it all I felt more alive that ever. So I joined Mercy Ships as full time staff and left for the M/V Anastasis in Holland. I was to sail to Africa. A dream I never thought could be reality.
On the ship I fell in love with Ben. I had told my parents before leaving that they need not worry because I had no intentions of dating on board. I must not have been very convincing, they later said they suspected I may very well find a husband onboard. I shall let them have their "I told you so".
Through everything God has been ever present. A faithful friend. I would have collapsed along the way, refused to do what I was asked, or just gone home and quit if it wasn't for the steady friendship of my Savior.
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