Meet our International Crew: Nate Claus
Like most people, Nate Claus finished high school without a clear vision for his future. When he signed up for a Discipleship Training School (DTS) aboard the Mercy Ship Anastasis, he was hoping to learn more about God, get a taste of working overseas, and start to answer that nagging question: what was he meant to do with his life?
The five-month stint worked. Nate recalls his service with Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone: “I was exposed to poverty and the way other people in the world live. It gave me career direction – a programmatic way to help people.” Armed with this newfound vision, Nate entered nursing school back home.
It wasn’t long before he re-joined Mercy Ships: Nate spent the summer of 2007 working as an instrument sterilizer in the ship’s hospital. Those months in Liberia confirmed his choice: “I knew then that this was the kind of work I want to be involved with for the rest of my life.” But he did not immediately sign up for full-time service. After passing his nursing exams, Nate worked five years in California.
He continued to volunteer with Mercy Ships during his vacation time, serving in Togo, Guinea, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Madagascar. Over the years, his role with Mercy Ships began to grow. Originally a ward nurse on the hospital ship, Nate felt drawn to work with the screening team, joining full-time in Madagascar. Their unique role is to find and select the patients whose lives we seek to change.
Nate’s dedication and love for what he does enables him to face the sometimes heartbreaking “no” that he has to say to people we are unable to treat. Fortunately, we get to say “yes” many times and support patients on their journey to healing. More recently, he has stepped into the role of Screening Supervisor.
He brings gusto and imagination to his post: “I want to stay up late at night dreaming of creative ways we can improve the efficiency and safety in how we reach out to find and select patients,” he says, “I want to strive to improve our procedures and processes in order that they reflect the patient’s best interest.” Nate’s love for people and compassion for those in need shines through when he says, “I still view this job – this work we do as an organization – as the greatest privilege I have ever had … walking with others through this harrowing process of life and experiencing the vast spectrum of the human experience. The pain, joy, sorrow, laughter, anxiety, freedom, and adventure….[they] remind me that we are all connected. That deep connection… ultimately makes me want to work harder.”
Thanks for sharing with us Nate, the work of Mercy Ships wouldn’t be possible without volunteers like you!
Mercy Ships Welcomes Presidential Visit on board, in Toamasina Harbor
Presidential Visit: Malagasy president His Excellency Andry Nirina Rajoelina visited patients and volunteers on board Mercy Ships’ hospital vessel to see for himself the lives being transformed.
Day of the Seafarer: One Maritime Volunteer’s Story
On this Day of the Seafarer, Mercy Ships wants to honor all the people like Ishaka, volunteer assistant bosun on board the Global Mercy.
An Electrician’s Journey to Finding Purpose and Professional Growth
When Jean Jacques Diouf came on board for the 1st time, he’d packed his suitcase with enough supplies for one week. Learn more about his professional growth!
THE MSC FOUNDATION, THE MSC GROUP AND MERCY SHIPS INTERNATIONAL JOIN FORCES TO BUILD A NEW HOSPITAL SHIP
The new purpose-built hospital ship will expand the impact of Mercy Ships’ life-changing surgeries, anaesthetic care and surgical education for future generations of patients and healthcare professionals in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Woman Who Forged Her Way Through Walls: Florence Bangura’s Story
Florence’s journey from oldest to newest Mercy Ship came full circle when she met the Global Mercy™ in 2023, the same year that the purpose-built hospital ship began welcoming its patients on board. Today, you can find Florence, now 49 years old, down in the engine room as a hotel engineering assistant.
Transforming Sierra Leone’s Healthcare: A Vision for Safe and Affordable Surgery
As experts from the surgical and healthcare world gather for the 64th Annual Conference and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Surgeons in Sierra Leone this week, a profound dedication to advancing surgical knowledge and practice in the region is palpable. At the forefront of discussions lies the conference’s pivotal theme: access to safe and affordable surgical and anesthetic care in West Africa. This theme highlights the pressing need to address disparities in healthcare capabilities and capacities across the region, especially the critical importance of equitable access to quality surgical interventions.
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