A Mapleton man is about to set sail on the adventure of a lifetime.
Tobias Grigat, a 39-year-old carpenter from just outside Drayton, has signed up to volunteer aboard the world’s largest charity hospital ship, Africa Mercy, from October to June.
He will be using his skills to help bring “transformational health care” to thousands of people, trip organizers state.
Grigat is a general carpenter and a crew foreman whose duties aboard the Africa Mercy will include general repairs of the vessel’s accommodations, including carpentry, flooring and furnishings work.
Though Grigat is not working in a medical capacity, Mercy Ships officials say “he is helping change the lives of the hundreds of patients who step on board.”
As ship carpenter, Grigat said he will be doing “anything from fixing bed frames to fixing porthole windows on the ship. They also have projects on land – but I don’t know whether I’ll be involved in them in any way,” he added.
“Last year I would never have expected to volunteer on board a hospital ship, but when the opportunity came up, it seemed like the perfect fit. I’m excited about it,” said Grigat.
He explained he will pay his own way to live and work among 450 international volunteers, including surgeons, nurses, teachers, cooks, engineers, agriculturalists and more.
He is raising funds to help play for his expenses. Donors can contribute at http://mercyships.donorpages.com/MERCYGIFTS/TobyGrigat.
Grigat learned of the opportunity from his boss’ son, Brandon Martin of Elmira, who recently went on a five-month trip with a hospital ship accompanied by his wife, a registered nurse.
Noting he will be gone for eight months, Grigat said his employers at Way-Mar Inc. in Hawkesville have been very supportive.
“I have great bosses, they support all kinds of volunteer work,” he told the Wellington Advertiser in a telephone interview.
Grigat, who has never even set foot on a ship, sets sail on Oct. 26. But first he will attend a week of Maritime Safety Training in Texas, a requirement for anyone living onboard a ship.
The Africa Mercy specializes in treating diseases and illnesses due to poverty and war, such as massive facial tumours. It also aims to help develop sustainable health care in Africa by helping to train African surgeons and medical professionals.
Each year the ship visits a different African country at the invitation of the host nation’s government, and spends approximately 10 months docked in the main port.
During the Africa Mercy’s 2015-16 stay in the port of Toamasina, Madagascar, Mercy Ships plans to provide over 2,200 surgeries for adult and child patients onboard, to treat over 10,000 at a land-based dental clinic, and provide holistic health care education to Malagasy health care professionals.
“The Africa Mercy would not be able to deliver health care services without its crew of exemplary volunteers like Grigat,” states a press release from Mercy Ships.
Mercy Ships history
An international faith-based charity, Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free health care services, capacity building and sustainable development 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 $1 billion, with more than 2.35 million direct beneficiaries.
For more information click on www.mercyships.ca.
