Delta couple Irik and Cathie Mallie have left their home, their church, their jobs – all that they know in their world here in Canada – to literally head off into the wild blue yonder to volunteer onboard a Mercy Ship in West Africa for two months.

Irik, a chief engineer with years of marine engineering experience, and Cathy, a registered nurse, both offer skills that will stand them in good stead onboard the Mercy Ship Africa Mercy.

The hospital ship, which houses some 450 crew members and a full hospital with six operating theatres and an 80-bed ward, arrived in Benin, West Africa in February to begin 10 months of field service, treating poor patients free-of-charge and providing developmental programs in local communities.

Irik and Cathie joined the crew in the ship’s final weeks in Benin.

The Mallies are no strangers to offering their hearts and their hands to the needy in foreign lands.

Last year, their youngest daughter, Hannah, visited Sierra Leone in West Africa for three weeks with a group from Fraser Valley Christian High School.

While the school expanded their campus in Surrey, they decided to use part of the donated money for building a school in Kabala, an inland community in Sierra Leone.

The team from Surrey visited the community partners to evaluate what was done and how the money was spent. This year, Hannah plans to do a three-month stint in Mali with an orphanage and a mission school from Avant Ministry.

The Mallies’ oldest daughter, Christa, will also volunteer for three months as a Register Nurse in Nepal.

“We want to use the gifts which the Lord has given us in marine engineering and nursing to help provide for the people who are not as blessed as we are,” said Irik. “During my career as a marine engineer, I visited another ship-based ministry where I was impressed with the positive Christian faith I saw there. Mercy Ships offers the same opportunity for us to give to others in this way.”

With Mercy Ships’ mandate to provide physical and spiritual aid to the forgotten poor, the Mallies feel their role within the ship’s community will fulfill their dream to use their experiences, training and desire to serve God in a practical way.

The Mallies be aboard the ship in Cotonou, Benin until Dec. 21. Like their crew mates, Irik and Cathy are unpaid volunteers and, in fact, pay monthly fees to help cover the cost of room and board while they serve with the international charity. Such fees are raised through fundraising efforts by crew members.

The Mallies are members of Surrey Covenant Reformed Church where both have been involved in various capacities.

Mercy Ships is an international Christian charity using hospital ships partnering with land-based programs to deliver transformational health care and development projects at no charge to the world’s forgotten poor. The countries served by Mercy Ships are ranked as the poorest in the world by the United Nations Human Development Index.

Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries providing services valued at some$748 million, directly impacting more than 2.6 million people.

More than 850 staff and crew worldwide representing 40-plus nations are joined each year by thousands of short-term volunteers. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, community developers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort.

Funding for Mercy Ships is provided primarily through private donations. Volunteers serving on the ships and filed contribute monthly fees, enabling Mercy Ships to deliver medical and developmental services for a fraction of the usual cost.

For more information, visit www.mercyships.ca