Youth With A Mission charity ship, the s/v Ruach, has returned to its home port of Newcastle Harbour following a maiden medical and training voyage to Papua New Guinea.
The ship returned to the harbour and docked at Queens Wharf on Friday morning after its nine-month trip visiting remote islands around PNG.
Based predominately out of the Milne Bay Province, the ship and its crew provided marine training to PNG locals and established health care links for future medical journeys.
“We sailed to more than 10 different islands: conducting an educational outreach in partnership with the Milne Bay Provincial Department of Education,” YWAM Ships Newcastle managing director, David Stephenson, said.
“We taught over 3000 students on holistic health topics; providing communities with primary health care seminars and finally starting medical outreaches delivering medical equipment and assisting in reestablishing medical outposts in the remotest islands of the province, such as Kiriwina and Budi Budi.”
The 37 metre-long Ruach left for PNG in September last year. The sailing vessel was acquired by YWAM in 2016 from Europe and refurbished in Newcastle Harbour. The ship was made an ambassador for the city of Newcastle by lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes in 2017.
“We are proud to have the s/v Ruach as an ambassador for the city of Newcastle, taking the good work and will of our city across Australia and overseas,” Cr Nelmes said.
A fundraiser will be held at Harbourview Function Centre on August 30. Tickets are available on the YWAM Newcastle website.
