Instruments of Mercy, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to giving back by ensuring that the instruments required for your medical mission trip are refurbished and in working condition.
Instruments of Mercy Help for Haiti Video
by Toney Peer, posted Aug 26, 2011 at 10:00AM
With the help of IMS, Instruments of Mercy refurbishes surgical instruments currently in the hands of medical volunteers serving on mission trips. Here is a video of a recent mission trip in Haiti where IOM had the pleasure of repairing the teams' instruments.
W. Miles Trip
by Toney Peer, posted Jun 14, 2011 at 2:00PM
James Crowe, a surgical instrument technician with IMS, is currently in Sierra Leone refurbishing equipment onboard the Africa Mercy on behalf of IOM. This is the third year IOM has sent a technician to assist Mercy Ships. Mercy Ships is a non-profit organization that provides thousands of life-changing surgeries each year, in the world's poorest countries, onboard the world's largest non-governmental hospital ship. The annual technician's trip, sponsored by IMS, is named the W. Miles Trip in memory of Willie Miles, the first IMS technician to travel to Africa. On his 2009 journey to Benin, Miles established the onboard instrument repair shop and refurbished thousands of instruments while the ship was docked in Cotonou, Benin. Miles perished in an ice fishing accident in January, 2011, but his legacy of service to the medically underserved lives on.
Below are James' updates from the Africa Mercy:
Letter from Scott Temple, RN - Africa Mercy
by Toney Peer, posted Jul 29, 2011 at 3:30PM
Dear Mr. Robinson,
It is a pleasure to be writing today to thank you and all the members of IMS for your dedication to providing excellent maintained surgical instruments. I have just completed a four week mission aboard mlv Africa Mercy as an OR Nurse and found it a pleasure to work with such well maintained instruments. Having IMS apart of the Mercy Ships team is truly a special blessing!
I also had the pleasure to meet James Crowe while he was onboard the ship. I was so impressed with his dedication to provide the best quality service product. It was also a special gift to have James in the OR collaborating with the surgeons and nurses. Working together at the point of care brought a new level of understanding that will allow us to continue to provide excellent care for our patients.
I am grateful for James and the whole team at IMS, for your dedication as teammates in the delivery of surgical care to the patients aboard the mlv Africa Mercy. If I can be of any assistance to your missions please do not hesitate to call.
Yours truly,
Scott J Temple RN
Surgical Services
m/v Africa Mercy, June 2011
Last Day on Africa Mercy
by James Crowe, posted Jun 24, 2011 at 5:15AM
It's 5:15 AM. This is my last full day here. I am grateful to be able to finish the job I volunteered for. I thank God for that. Truly his hand is at work throughout this ship. The difference being made in lives here is beyond what you can imagine. I am just an old country boy from Winston County, Alabama. Who would have ever thought I would be in West Africa (thanks to IMS, Gene and Debra Robinson and all the IMS family)? These last two weeks have been an incredible journey for me. I feel like a modern day Indiana Jones. I have been on a ship among people and children representing 36 countries. I have traveled in lands I never dreamed I could see (even if mostly from a plane). I have many new friends from around the world. I am very tired not just because of work, but trying to capture every minute and second of everyday- even tonight the beauty of rain and a thunderstorm for hours looking out the cabin windows. I will miss the opportunity to see and learn much more that is available. This may be my last e-mail for a little while as I will be very busy getting ready for departure. Thanks to all of you who have made this season in my life possible.
Sunday on Africa Mercy
by James Crowe, posted Jun 19, 2011 at 6:15AM
It is quite beautiful on the ship. You get up in the morning and look out your window at whitecaps across the Atlantic, knowing this water is touching the Gulf of Mexico. There is a lot of work to be done on the ship, and the crew is constantly volunteering for various tasks, such as scraping and painting, sweeping, and mopping the floor. Crew members sign up in groups to go speak, or visit the prisons and pray for the men or women. Most of the crew members pay to be volunteers on the Africa Mercy.
It's great to work alongside people of so many different nationalities. They build each other up and help each other with great compassion and respect. To my supervisor: Mike, I am going to sign you up for next trip. It would be great for you, and you would be a great help to them. There is plenty of work just on instruments, to be done, and a lot of time is involved.
It's Sunday about 6 am. It's time to get started, especially since I took Saturday off and played on the beach!
Shore Party to John Obey Beach
by James Crowe, posted Jun 18, 2011 at 11:00PM
Breakfast was served a little later than usual. Rosie (the riveter) came by and we had breakfast and fellowship. I met with the beach group. I saw Thomas in the dining hall, told him that I was going to John Obey Beach with the shore party. He decided to tag along. Rosie was already signed up. We had David, his wife Vivian and their two daughters (they handled all the arrangements). We had four more in our party. When we got there we talked to fisherman about some fresh seafood with chips and couscous. I have had a lovely, spirit-filled day. It is my prayer that I can do some catching up. I have been invited to sit in on several operations Tuesday in the OR. It is awesome to see the fruit from the vines and branches from the tree of life our Savior provides.
Repairing Instruments aboard Africa Mercy
by James Crowe, posted Jun 17, 2011 at 11:00PM
It's been busy. Have worked from 8am to 10pm just about everyday. On Wednesday I had to locate the machines and tools and set it up. The room was good with regard to room, lighting and water. Motors caused a little concern; but once we worked the fuses, everything went fine. I didn't set up all of the equipment as I'd need a second person to do "gold service." I would have to focus on the basics of sharpening, adjustments, and maintenance trip. People were friendly and helpful. They were all glad to see me. Ended the day working on the instruments for two surgeries scheduled for the morning. Days 5-7 will be more of the same, except a visit from the doctors and nurses on Thursday. They came down to thank me. I have been working on instruments for over seven years and this is the first time I've received direct feedback from surgeons and nurses. Next Tuesday I will get to observe procedures and see how they use the instruments. It's exciting to be so close to the surgical process, to get to see how the instruments we refurbished are used.
Enroute to Africa Mercy
by James Crowe, posted Jun 14, 2011 at 11:00PM
On the way to Freetown, Sierra Leone, we stopped in Brussels, Belgium. We had time for a couple of pictures, a coffee, and some croissants. No grits. We met some other volunteers heading to the Africa Mercy hospital ship. After a short stay, we boarded a Brussels Airlines Airbus A330 and took off for the next stop on our journey, Banjul, Gambia. The airline food started to change. I think we'll be shedding some pounds. Landed in Banjul around 3:30pm. Countryside looked hot and dry (and it's the wet season). Small city. This was a quick stop. Those of us going on to Freetown had to remain onboard while the plane was fueled and serviced. We lost BlackBerry connectivity when we landed in Sierra Leone. Once we cleared customs and picked up our bags, we were met by an agent of Mercy Ships - who was in a sea of people trying to carry our bags and help us - and hurried into a car and an SUV for the ride to the ferry. For the next four hours or so, we'd be in vehicles on rough roads, on a ferry (to Freetown) and in a Land Rover traveling through the dark, noisy, crowded city of Freetown. This is a poor country. Overcrowded (I'm told the city was built for 200,000... but between 1.5 and 2 million people live in it). We finally boarded the hospital ship, the Africa Mercy. The crew had dinner waiting and a comfortable bed. It has been a long trip. Our senses were overwhelmed. We have it good in the U.S. Tomorrow, we get to work.
Making a Difference!
by Toney Peer, posted Feb 11, 2010 at 2:55PM
With a motto of "Helping those who Heal," Instruments of Mercy, Inc. has reached out to assist in refurbishing equipment for medical volunteers traveling to Haiti. The organization has refurbished over 400 stainless instruments and repaired multiple orthopedic hand pieces that will travel with a team of medical volunteers from Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL, a group of medical volunteers with El Shaddai Ministries from Matthews, NC and Surgical Volunteers International in Texas.
Instruments of Mercy also located two power handpieces and a battery charger that will be evaluated for Dr. Randeep Kahlon's orthopedic relief team from Delaware who are currently in Haiti and sending another team next Sunday. Dr. Kahlon expressed his gratitude from Haiti: "Our team all cheered when I just told them your great news! Thanks again very much. It will be put to very good use, indeed. The need here is immense and continues as we move to ortho reconstruction in the next few weeks."
The organization expects medical needs in Haiti to continue for a long time and look forward to assisting future volunteers traveling to aid the earthquake survivors. If you are planning a medical mission trip to Haiti and have instruments that require service, please contact Toney Peer at 205-913-6032 or send an email to toneypeer@instrumentsofmercy.org.
Instruments of Mercy Offers Instrument Repair
for Surgeons Aiding Victims in Haiti
by Toney Peer, posted Jan 19, 2010 at 4:36PM
Instruments of Mercy, Inc.®, a nonprofit organization that repairs surgical instruments for medical mission teams around the world, is offering instrument repair at no cost to surgeons and surgical team members assisting earthquake victims in Haiti. "We've heard reports of surgeons having to use rusty instruments and hacksaws to amputate limbs," said Gene Robinson, founder of Instruments of Mercy and CEO of IMS, a surgical instrument management and consulting company. "This is an important area where we think we can help."
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Update from Africa: 4,700 instruments repaired.
"Not a bad week."
by Sharrie Robinson, posted Sep 30, 2009 at 9:30AM
In his first week onboard the floating hospital the Africa Mercy, IMS Red Technician Willie Miles (aka "Miles") serviced, modified, or inspected 4,700 instruments. Yes, 4,700. "Not a bad week," Miles quipped in an e-mail to friends and colleagues back home, Not bad, indeed. Some 7,000 surgeries are performed each year on the Mercy Ships vessel, dedicated to providing health care where it is not otherwise available. IMS sent Miles there in support of Instruments of Mercy, a charity that has stepped up to care for the ship's inventory of surgical instruments.
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Update From Africa: IMS Red Technician Willie Miles
Repairs Instruments Onboard Hospital Ship
by Sharrie Robinson, posted Sep 24, 2009 at 10:11AM
Intrepid IMS Red Technician Willie (aka "Miles") Miles landed in Cotonou, Benin, last weekend and began a life-changing stay in Africa. Miles is there to set up an instrument repair lab and refurbish surgical equipment on the Africa Mercy, the largest non-government-owned floating hospital.
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In The News...
by Sharrie Robinson, posted Sep 10, 2009 at 9:40AM
IOM's recent partnership with Mercy Ships that will bring IOM's charitable work in instrument repair to the ship was referenced in the September 2009 issue of AORN Connections.
"AORN president Patrick Voight, RN, BSN, MSA, CNOR, was able to volunteer some of his time recently on a four-day trip to Africa with Mercy Ships. Joining Voight on the journey was Gene Robinson, the president and CEO of IMS, AORN Foundation board member and founder of Instruments of Mercy (IOM), a nonprofit organization that restores and refurbishes medical instrumentation for healthcare providers on mission trips."
Instruments of Mercy to Repair Instruments Aboard
Mercy Ships' Floating Hospital
by Toney Peer, posted Aug 19, 2009 at 11:00AM
Instruments of Mercy®, a charity that secures surgical instrument repair for medical mission teams, now is assisting Mercy Ships®, whose hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, serves some of the world's poorest populations. The new partnership means that surgical instruments aboard the ship will be professionally restored for the first time in five years.
Instruments of Mercy / Mercy Ships Video and Photo Gallery
by Sharrie Robinson, posted Jul 17, 2009 at 4:45PM
Hi Everybody,
A video and photo gallery of our trip is now ready for viewing!
View The Instruments of Mercy / Mercy Ships Photo Gallery...
Instruments of Mercy Now Assisting Mercy Ships
posted Jul 17, 2009 at 4:30PM
Instruments of Mercy now is providing instrument refurbishment for the surgical teams that donate their time to Mercy Ships– a floating hospital that provides medical care in some of the poorest countries of the world. Last month, a team representing Instruments of Mercy visited the Africa Mercy off the coast of Benin, Africa, to determine the most effective way to help Mercy Ships in its live-saving mission.
This story was covered recently by Fox affiliate WBRC in Birmingham.
