eep within each of us is a desperate longing for love , joy and fulfillment . Whether rich or poor , healthy or sick , Christian or otherwise , there are no exceptions . Human hearts long to be filled .
YWAM Medical Ships ’ ( Singapore ) nurse , Nicolette ( pseudonym ), was no different .
Living across from a YWAM base in remote Indonesia , Nicolette would often gaze across the street and ponder over why our community was filled with joy , laughter , fulfillment and purpose . Her brief encounters with her YWAM neighbours left her intrigued and even slightly envious .
“ What makes all of you so happy ?” Nicolette had to ask .
The YWAM-ers obliged with a simple , yet profound answer : Jesus .
That was enough for Nicolette to walk away from her deeply entrenched Hindu world and turn to a perfectly loving Heavenly Father . She had found her home with a God who sets His children in a family of believers , who are called to love and lay down their lives for each other and for the Lord .
But it came at a price for Nicolette . Learning of her choice , Nicolette ’ s entire Hindu family rejected her categorically .
Yet , she held onto her heart ’ s deepest desire : God Himself . The same God whom she had seen clearly and experienced deeply through His children ; living and loving in a missional community .
Nicolette truly lived out the classic hymn : Love so amazing ; so divine , demands my soul , my life , my all .
Since then , she has remained faithful in YWAM for 27 years and now serves as a missionary in YWAM Medical Ships ( Singapore ). Nicolette ’ s story has become the unfolding narrative , vision and mission of this ministry : to represent the love of God through a loving community that brings healing to the unreached .
This spacious ship allows us to invite indigenous peoples to live with us as part of the crew on a floating home . We welcome them to join our community that loves the Lord , worships and prays , affirms and encourages , and works through conflicts and resolutions . Clearly , this is what it means to live out our call as a missional family on our ship .
In this setting the unreached meet the Lord .
We have had the privilege of watching lives transformed and healed , not merely through persuasive arguments for the Gospel but through the Word being lived out in love on a daily basis . We marvel at being able to evangelise , baptise and disciple in communities that have been historically hostile to the Gospel .
We were overjoyed when one of our crew ’ s relatives told us how Simon ( pseudonym ) had become more even-tempered , gentle and communicative .
Perhaps our weekly sessions of staff and crew affirmations , mutual apologies and reconciliations of personal and working relationships , had rubbed off on him a little . Or maybe it was the YWAM staff ’ s regular , late night discussions about the Gospel and the private heartfelt sharings of our own faith journey that had changed his heart .
In any case , we were as delighted as we were surprised one afternoon in 2017 , when Simon declared that he was ready to become a ‘ follower of Jesus ’ and insisted on being baptised . Understanding the gravity of his decision and the religious and cultural implications in this ‘ closed ’ society he lived in , we asked him to take more time to consider his decision . To which he replied , “ No need , I am willing to be baptised tomorrow !”
While the ministry function of YWAM Medical Ships ( Singapore ) is primary healthcare , dental treatment , health education and community development , the joy of helping hungry hearts be filled with the love of the Lord has been the wind in our sails since 2013 . Truly , the Lord sets the lonely in families ; in Him and the family of God , they find belonging .
YWAM Medical Ships ( Singapore ) is committed to represent God ’ s love through delivering critical healthcare services to the doorsteps of the most unreached communities on rivers and coastlines . We live and sail on medical vessels to treat , educate and empower all to live healthy and abundant lives .
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN SINCE 2013 :
• 15,000 patients seen
• 500 health education sessions conducted
• 300 volunteers received
• 10 YWAM Medical Ships staff and crew
• 5 villages
WHERE WE ARE GOING
Pray for us ! We believe that replacing our much loved and ageing river vessel with a new maritime-classed medical ship will allow us to expand our missional community on board with the local indigenous crew living alongside our YWAMers . We hope to build this new medical and training ship in 2018 and 2019 .
Get Involved ! YWAM Medical Ships ( Singapore ) is carried by the Lord Himself , as He calls the YWAM crew and their friends , families and churches to serve by smooth rivers and calm coastlines . We love to have volunteers from all walks of life on board .
Write to us at ships @ ywam . org . sg to get involved .
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