6th April 2006 saw the commissioning service of the Africa Mercy in Newcastle. Many guests and dignitaries gathered including, Dame Norma Major (wife of former British Prime Minister John Major), Lord Ian McColl (House of Lords member & Mercy Ships UK Board Chairman) & Mrs. Joseph Boakai, (wife of the newly elected Vice President of Liberia).
The Africa Mercy dining room was transformed and gave us a glimpse of what the ship could look like when it is finished.
A gift of $120,000 was presented by Mrs. Peggy Campbell of Fullerton, California for the Africa Mercy School as a tribute to her late husband who died in 2005 and an African child named Abdulai. She gave a very moving account of how she came across Abdulai whilst watching a Mercy Ships video. She was touched by a scene of a doctor telling Abdulai that his tumour was inoperable, a similar experience to that of her husband.
A plaque was presented to the school inscribed with a scripture from Isaish 1v17 in the shape of Africa.
To see a video of the service click on this link below: