Did you know that Papua New Guinea is #152 on the Human Development Index while Australia is #2? 5 women in Papua New Guinea die in childbirth every day, 1 in 13 children die before the age of 5 and someone dies from Tuberculosis every 2 hours — this is barely 600 nautical miles North of where I live in Townsville, Australia. 

We think it is time for a change and with a new YWAM Australia Medical Ship we can make that happen.

Since 2010, YWAM Medical Ships Australia (MSA) has transported medical teams into remote areas of Papua New Guinea to deliver vital healthcare and training.  In order for this life-saving work to continue, MSA needs to raise $5 million to finish paying for a new medical ship.

It sounds like an impossible figure, but we believe it is Possible to Overcome.

As a way of helping to make this possible, I have set a goal of changing 500 diapers in five months starting from the day our son is born.  This works out to 100 diapers a month or slightly more than 3 a day – which seems a bit daunting.  However, I expect the new guy will be able to maintain production – I just need to be in the right place at the right time and ready for action.

Often in Papua New Guinea I have wondered about how some of the basics of life actually work, like raising babies without diapers.  In many villages, old thin dish towels serve as diapers - which has made me grateful for some of the more ignoble modern “conveniences”.

Would you commit to give for every diaper I change in the next five months to help reach $25,000 toward the new medical ship?

If you give through this site, the money will go directly to YWAM MSA (so don’t worry the money won’t go towards our own personal diaper fund).  You can either give in advance (ie now) or send me a message to make pledge.  Every time I change another 50 I will post an update and you can give incrementally at that stage, or you can make a pledge on the basis that you only give if I complete the goal.