Dear Highland Park Fellowship Friends,

I’m writing to share that I will be spending a month in Sierra Leone this spring, leaving the Sunday after next. I’ll be serving as an Operating Room Nurse aboard a hospital ship run by Mercy Ships, a Christian charity that provides free surgical care to people in great need.

Mercy Ships is the only non-governmental organization in the world that operates hospital ships, staffed and funded entirely by volunteers. Their mission is to serve in the name of Jesus, bringing hope and healing to places with little access to medical care. I’m honored to play a small role in their work.

Sierra Leone is one of the ten poorest countries in the world, still recovering from an 11-year civil war. The average life expectancy today is in the late 50s—an improvement from just 25 years ago, when it was in the late 30s. People there do not take health or even survival for granted.

For most of my adult life, I’ve worked hard in healthcare, often reflecting on the suffering caused by preventable conditions—even in privileged places like the U.S. Life expectancy has been declining here for the last decade. I want to take part first hand in work that makes a real, immediate difference.

More than that, I believe every person has the capacity to thrive because we are all made in God’s image. I believe in helping those who truly need it, even when it requires sacrifice. I want the people I reach in Sierra Leone to know that I, and many others here at home, care for them just because they exist—not randomly, but intentionally, as an expression of faith and love.

I need your prayers. The work will be demanding. I won’t know anyone when I arrive. Nearly everything will be outside my control. While I’m excited and hopeful, I’m also nervous.

Practically, I’m giving up a month of pay, benefits, and personal comfort. I will need to cover rent, utilities, health insurance, and travel expenses. I believe this mission is worth the cost, but if you feel led to support me—whether through prayer, encouragement, or financial help—I would be deeply grateful.

You can reach me at davidxrichards@gmail.com and donate to my GoFundMe. Thank you for reading, for caring, and for being part of this journey with me.

With gratitude,
David Richards, RN, NRP