GARDEN VALLEY, TX (ANS) -- On Sunday, August 19, World Humanitarian Day raises awareness about humanitarian assistance worldwide – and especially about those people who put their lives at risk while serving others.

Gina Adjei with a young patient

In recognition of this special observance, the global charity Mercy Ships pays tribute to volunteer crew member Georgina (Gina) Achiaa Adjei (August 12, 1965- July 5, 2012), who served onboard Mercy Ships from 1995 until her death from cancer this summer.

“People take notice of a life filled with exuberant joy, a spirit of worship, and the genuine faith and knowledge that God is good, all of the time,” says former Mercy Ships Hospital Director Jean Campbell. “Georgina Achiaa Adjei lived just such a life.”

According to a news release, Gina first came aboard the Mercy Ships hospital ship, the Anastasis, in February 1995. She had just married crew member Lawrence Adjei, and she was joining him onboard. Gina initially served in the galley with the Food Services Department.

Lawrence and Gina made their ship’s cabin into a home, and in 2004 the pair welcomed their newborn son, Daniel Ashitey, with great joy and celebration. In 2005, the family transferred from the Anastasis to the newest hospital ship, the Africa Mercy. Four years later, the Adjeis welcomed a daughter, Esther Asheley, into their family.

The Anastasis

Gina served in several different departments onboard, beginning with food services. She later moved to the Outreach Department, where she was able to focus on sharing her love for Jesus with those she encountered when the ship was docked in West Africa. She also periodically served as a tour guide, welcoming guests and sharing with them the vision and purpose of Mercy Ships.

In her final years with Mercy Ships, Gina was a counselor with the Patient Life Team. She brought wonderful qualities to this role – her total devotion to God, her years of service with Mercy Ships, her deep understanding of the West African culture, and her great compassion.

African crew members play key roles in Mercy Ships. Ghanaian native Gina Adjei served onboard the ship with 16 crewmembers from Ghana.

Don Stephens being interviewed by Dan Wooding

When Gina first applied to serve with Mercy Ships in 1995, the following was her answer to the question about her calling: “I see God’s calling in my life as a blessing to others who don’t know Him. And to let my way of life and character attract people to Himself, for His glory also to be revealed.”

Mercy Ships Founders Don and Deyon Stephens say, “Gina more than fulfilled this calling. Her life goes on here on earth in all those she touched, be that fellow crew members, patients in the hospital, or untold visitors to the ships.”

Note: The following volunteer positions are currently available for the 2012 Field Service: Eye Teams: http://www.mercyships.org/positions/c/dental-rehab-and-eye-teams

For more information, contact a Mercy Ships Recruiter at 903-939-7000 or email jobs@mercyships.org

About World Humanitarian Day:

The General Assembly of the United Nations has designated August 19 as World Humanitarian Day, to raise public awareness of humanitarian assistance worldwide and the people who risk their lives in order to provide it. Every day, humanitarian aid workers help millions of people around the world, regardless of who they are and where they are. This year’s campaign theme, “People Helping People,” is about inspiring the spirit of aid work in everyone.

About Mercy Ships:

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class health care services, capacity building and sustainable development to those without access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries, providing services valued at more than $825 million, impacting more than 2.35 million direct beneficiaries. Each year Mercy Ships has more than 1,200 volunteers from over 40 nations. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, health care trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort. Mercy Ships seeks to become the face of love in action, bringing hope and healing to the poor. For more information click on www.mercyships.org or contact Mercy Ships Public Relations at us.media@mercyships.org or 903-939-7000.

Dan Wooding, 71, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 49 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and he hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on the KWVE Radio Network in Southern California and which is also carried throughout the United States and around the world. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries. Dan recently received two top media awards -- the “Passion for the Persecuted” award from Open Doors US, and as one of the top “Newsmakers of 2011” from Plain Truth magazine. He is the author of some 45 books, the latest of which is “Caped Crusader: Rick Wakeman in the 1970s.” To order a copy, go to: http://www.amazon.com/CAPED-CRUSADER-Rick-Wakeman-1970s/dp/1908728302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335474883&sr=1-1 .