Sad News. From Africa.

Hello,

It's been a sad week here. Because you guys have been walking this journey with me every step of the way, it is only fair to keep you informed. One of our crew members, Collin Carroll, lost his life on Sunday in a terrible drowning accident at a local beach. The currents here can be really rough, and there are no life guards. We know Collin is in a better place, but still cannot imagine the heartache his family is enduring. The community within the ship has come together beautifully to support those who were closest to him and pray for those suffering at home. Three of his closest friends here, who were with him on Sunday, are flying out today to join with his family and friends for services in his hometown in Texas. We are sending with them a book of our apologies to his family. Today would have been Collin's twenty second birthday.

Enclosed is an article from the newspaper in Collin's hometown.

Much Love,

Lindsay




Article published Jul 31, 2007
Rusk Man Dies On Mercy Ships Trip

By PATRICK BUTLER

Religion Editor

A volunteer from East Texas with Mercy Ships of Garden Valley died in Monrovia, Liberia, after he was pulled under water by severe ocean currents.

Collin Carroll, 21, of Rusk, had been swimming with friends Saturday and "apparently drowned" after rescue efforts to revive him failed, Mercy Ships officials said on Monday.

Carroll had been with Mercy Ships since June 8 and was working as a dental program coordinator aboard the Africa Mercy, a 500-foot, nine-deck hospital ship currently docked in

Monrovia.

Carroll was a 2006 Texas A&M graduate with a degree in biomedical sciences. He would have been 22 on Wednesday.

"Our entire organization is in mourning following this tragedy," said Sam Smith, a vice president with Mercy Ships. "We notified Collin's family on Sunday and offered any help we could and all the services at our disposal."

Carroll had been out having a day of fun, Smith said.

"Collin was on his day off," he said. "Our information is that he had gone to a popular beach outside of Monrovia with three other crew members. After lunch, they all ran into the water and the two men (Carroll and his roommate) went in further than the women."

The men soon encountered strong currents, Smith said.

"They were attempting to swim sideways out of 'riptide' as you do when caught in ocean currents," he said, "when a big wave came and dragged Collin underwater. He didn't come up."

Finally finding him in shallow water, the Mercy Ship crew members swimming with Carroll administered CPR, Smith said.

"It was sadly unsuccessful," he said.

COMMITTED

Carroll was a "committed, caring and concerned" Christian, active in his church and looking forward to his medical mission at Mercy Ships, said Carroll's pastor, the Rev. Lee Welch of First Baptist Church of Rusk.

"He was interested in the medical side of things," Welch said. "He even got a driver license in Liberia so he could pick up patients and get them to the ship for medical attention."

Carroll's parents, Jeff and Sandy Carroll, had offered to send Collin "anywhere in the world after graduating from Texas A&M," Smith said. "He chose Liberia."

On his 2007 application to Mercy Ships, Carroll wrote, "I have two options. I can start a meaningless job that I would soon have to leave to continue my education, or I can do something that will have a profound and meaningful effect on my life while glorifying God and helping those in need. I choose the latter."

The health care manager aboard the Africa Mercy, Jean Campbell, said, "Collin was a real strong person on our dental team helping coordinate operations and others who worked with him. He was a great encourager, a hard worker and a tremendous asset to our team. He will really be missed."

Solfrid Quist, executive director of the Africa Mercy, said, "Collin was always thinking about other people and put others first. He was caring and very concerned about others."

Welch said he was notified of the tragedy just before the 11 a.m. service at First Baptist on Sunday.

"Don Stephens, (founder of Mercy Ships) came down personally on Sunday to speak with Jeff and Sandy and give them the news," Welch said. "It was heartbreaking."

In a prepared statement to the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Stephens said, "Collin wrote the following words in his Mercy Ships application, 'Jesus is truly my outlook on each day. Jesus is my source of strength, my inspiration, and my ever-present friend. Without Him, I would be nothing."

"Collin chose Mercy Ships because we combine the doing of the good news with speaking the good news among the worlds poorest. Collin was feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger and visiting the sick - precisely the actions commended by our Lord in Matthew chapter 25. Jesus said those who do what Collin did would inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world."

It was an honor to serve with Collin Carroll, Stephens said.

"I speak for the entire Mercy Ships family when I say we were honored to have such a fine young man as a member of our Mercy Ships Crew. I pray his example in life would help to encourage all who knew him, to follow his lead."

Welch said, "Collin's parents just got the news no parent ever wants to hear. I don't know why this happened. I don't have any answers. I don't try to give explanations, because I don't have any. Our hearts are grieving for them and we're here for them."