Rita Oliver

My thing is Serving & Loving the Forgotton

I want to serve the forgotton, the overlooked & the sick (on Mercy Ships) & hope to spread that passion among other kiwis encouraging them to do same.

The nature of my goal

My passion towards the sick and the overlooked started when I was about 12, stuck in a hospital bed after having back surgery, (the first of 12 operations) seeing other children bed-ridden in hospital for months without a glimpse of a visitor, all alone. No child should ever feel alone or be alone, I felt helpless for them.

A few years later, I watched Patch Adams, now a massive role model of mine, true story about loving the unloved and the overlooked, making sacrifices, taking risks, just LOVING them. I want to be that!

In 2006, after having 3.5 successful years working at ASB Bank, a Business Account Manager at 21, I left for a trip to Bangladesh for a month - after seeing the poverty, the suffering and the need in such a place, after having my heart ripped apart and completely broken from seeing such a need for love and care to so many amazingly beautiful children in conditions no child should ever experience and such a lack of people willing to help, love and care.

I came straight back home and resigned to start uni in something that can help people in a way that changes lives. I knew it had to involve children.

Don Stephens, founder of Mercy Ships visited my church in 2008, right then I knew, I had to be on there, the work they do, I HAVE to be a part of it. Changing lives, just loving!