Continuing the Call to Serve
Patrik Bergström has served with Mercy Ships since 1993, both on vessels and at the International Support Center. His time in both places has provided him with the compassion and understanding to bridge the gap between East Texas and West Africa.
Volunteering as Senior Chaplain on board the Anastasis, Patrik found immense joy worshipping in such a culturally diverse community. Five years on board equipped him to later serve as the International Chaplain. That job in turn prepared him for his current role with Mercy Ships — Donor and Volunteer Service Manager.
In this episode, Patrik shares his journey that brought him to Mercy Ships, and what compels him to continue his work in the ministry. He also talks about his current role in his home country of Sweden and how his thread of chaplaincy continues.
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New Mercies Podcast Transcript
Welcome to the New Mercies, a podcast by Mercy Ships, where we’ll take you behind the scenes and on board our incredible hospital ships that are transforming lives all over the world. We invite you to join us each week as we sit down with our crew, patients, volunteers, and partners to hear their stories of life-changing hope and healing.
Patrik Bergström has served with Mercy Ships for almost 30 years. He was the Senior Chaplain on board the Anastasis, he served as the International Chaplain in Texas, and currently he serves as the Donor and Volunteer Service Manager in Sweden. Patrik’s years of experience and wisdom will inspire and encourage you. Here’s my interview with Patrik Bergström.
Raeanne Newquist:
Well, Patrik, welcome to New Mercies.
Patrik Bergström:
Thank you so much.
Raeanne:
Now I understand that your relationship with Mercy Ships spans almost 30 years. I’m really excited to hear from you today and I know our listeners are as well, because 30 years is a long time to be with an organization. And so I’m sure you have a lot of experiences and fun things to share. Patrik, why don’t you start by walking us through your Mercy Ships story that spans almost three decades.
Patrik:
It is a long time. And it’s hard to imagine that it’s been 30 years. And actually, my story with Mercy Ships probably started even a little bit before that in 1987. So that’s what 35 plus years, since I first actually applied to come to Mercy Ships. I sent for an application and I was working at that point or not working. I was doing my civil service for my country. And I was doing that as a fireman at an airport. So I was a disaster fireman at an airport. I was 20 years old. I saw a picture book that Mercy Ships, actually Youth With A Mission had put out and the centerfold of that picture book was a nice colorful picture of the Anastasis. That first ship that we had at Mercy Ships and my understanding at that point of Mercy Ships was that Mercy Ships was a disaster relief organization. Not right. That was what I thought. And then I put some things together in my head and I thought, well, I’m a disaster fireman, I’ll be perfect on that. So I sent off for the application. And I got a thick stack of paper that I needed to fill in. I don’t know what happened with that application, but I never sent it in.
But that was the first time I considered Mercy Ships. And then, you know, I moved on in life. And I ended up in seminary studying to become a pastor a few years later. And the strange thing was that I really enjoyed the study, it actually was really something that I enjoyed. But at the end of the time in
seminary, when you need to try to figure out what am I going to do next, I realized that I didn’t want to be a pastor, I was definitely not drawn to being in a church, leading a church. And I think one of the main reasons for that, at least that I have been able to identify, was that I just didn’t have that passion for missions, which may sound strange, you’re thinking, what have I’ve been doing for 30 years. But that was it. I just didn’t. And I don’t know why that was — maybe I had had bad pictures of missions when I grew up or so. But anyways, so when churches contacted myself and my classmates, wanting to recruit us to work in their churches, I said, No, that’s not for me. So then that just happened. Or I guess it was clearly God’s intervention in my life that last year in seminary, the Anastasis, happened to visit Sweden, on one of the PR tours, and we visited in Stockholm in Sweden, where the ship was we were there for other reasons. And I said to some of my classmates, well, would you like to take a tour of the ship? Because I was very interested, I still had this whole thing with that application back in my mind, and I was thinking, Boy, I’d really like to get on board. Some of my friends said, sure. Let’s go on board. And we got on board. And probably even before I got on board, as I was walking up the gangway, I knew this is where I’m heading. So once again, when I came on board, I asked for an application. And this time I actually did fill it out and send it down. So that was the fall of 1992. And then August 1993 I was doing my Discipleship Training School what is currently onboarding on board the Anastasis. So that was where it started. So that’s now yeah, 30 years ago, this August, actually.
Raeanne:
Did you come to realize that it wasn’t a disaster relief ship?
Patrik:
Yeah, at some point, I figured that out.
I went through that training on board. And I did think at that point, I’ll probably be with Mercy Ships for two years. That was my thinking. I know many people said they were coming for three months and then stayed for 30 years like Dr. Gary. But yeah, for me I was thinking about two years, then. And then I knew that if I wanted to stay long term, so to speak, I had to do the school and I have to say that maybe it felt a little strange — I had just finished four years of seminary training and then I had to do another adult Bible School straight on top of that, in order to qualify to, to work on board. But actually, that was one of the best times that I had. Because the Discipleship Training School on board did so much in my own life and my personal walk with Jesus. So I’m very grateful for that time. But I also met my wife during that time. And so I often say that my greatest gift that Mercy Ships has given me is certainly my wife, Diana.
She was working in California at that point, she’s American, and she came to the ship as well, at the same time to be part of the same Discipleship Training School. And the ship was in Lithuania at that time in Eastern Europe. And so she came from California, I from Sweden, and then we meet on the ship in Lithuania, which was amazing.
Raeanne:
Oh, my goodness. Now, what was your first job? What was your first role?
Patrik:
I had no idea what I was going to do on board. Because, you know, I didn’t even know that there was any role for a pastor.
So I applied and at that time, it worked a little bit different. You couldn’t even apply for a role like you do today. So at the end of your Discipleship Training School, you said, Yeah, I’m interested in coming back. And you could express your preference that maybe these couple of departments might be something that I would be interested in. They had one department called the Outreach Department, which was sort of an evangelism department. So I think I mentioned that one. And then also probably the Discipleship Training School department. And that’s where I ended up. So I worked there and my wife ended up in the same department. So we worked together, leading some of the training schools and some of those groups of students that came on board. So we did that for about a year, and then unfortunately, my wife, Diana, we weren’t yet married, she got sick. And she contracted chronic fatigue syndrome. So we realized that the pace of the ship and that life was not going to work. So we moved off and got married and settled in Sweden in the spring of 1995, then lived in Sweden for a couple of years. But we always thought that, you know, as soon as she got better, we would definitely return to Mercy Ships. So we took two years off, and then contacted Mercy Ships again, when Diana was feeling better, and ended up in Texas, then at the ISC. So we returned there.
At that point, I think what we did was we really sent off an email to some of the friends that we knew in Texas and said, Hey, do you have any use for us, and at that point, we got invited to work in chaplaincy in Texas. And that was when that journey in chaplaincy started. So the funny thing was, during those first couple of months on board the Anastasis in 1993, I knew that the chaplains office was there and I was thinking that well, you know, that role might work. But I was thinking at the same time that the guy that was the chaplain had been there forever and he was never going to leave.
Yeah, it took a few years. But then finally we were invited to work in the chaplaincy there. So we did that for three years in Texas, working with a man that I’m really grateful for. He became my mentor in so many ways. His name is Jack Hill. He was the international Chaplain then. So I became his personal assistant and Diana, my wife was working as a chaplain counselor there as well. And that was a fantastic time also, again, just kind of getting settled into the organization and learning really what chaplaincy was all about. I still remember so many times that Jack just invited me into his office. I was sitting on the other side of his desk and he just brought up things that he was dealing with and talking to me about them and he would ask what I thought and I was always amazed that he would even ask me. It was a wonderful way of learning and getting an understanding of also how Mercy Ships handled difficult situations. So I’m very grateful for his mentorship in that way.
Raeanne:
What do you think it was initially, when you visited the Anastasis that made you think this is it, I’m coming to do this? What part of Mercy Ships grabbed your heart?
Patrik:
Yeah, it’s a good question. I think, initially, it probably was a little bit of an adventure thing. I think that I’ve always enjoyed being on the sea and on the ocean and sailing a bit, you know, as a kid with my family. And so that sort of thing of being on a large ship and sailing around. That was something that drew me, definitely, but there’s so many people that have said, when they’ve walked on board our ships, there is something different that is there. And you know, I think clearly, it’s the presence of God that is just sensed when you walk up the gangway, and I believe God totally drew me to do this. I think that’s one thing that has often stood out to me and that I’ve been grateful for in Mercy Ships is there is a sense of realness. I think authenticity is the word that I’m trying to find. And I appreciated that and so many other people that I got to work with over the years. And that sort of confirmed, probably what I sensed and felt the beginning when I was there.
Raeanne:
What was a highlight for you?
Patrik:
In 2000, we moved back to the Anastasis and we were on board for five years. So I became the Senior Chaplain and Diana worked as chaplain counselor. And yes, it was from 2000 to 2005. And that was such a rich time. A couple of things that I think back. One, of course, again, I mentioned, that sense of adventure, I mean, what a treat to be able to be on board a ship that sails around the world. And we saw so many different things, so many countries. But also I still remember and experience what it was sometimes when we had our community meetings on Thursday nights on board the Anastasis. And we were worshiping God together. That sense of it, Diana and I’ve talked about it many times, it’s like a little taste of heaven, I think, where so many people from so many different parts of the world come together and worship, I treasure that.
And the other thing maybe just also being in the role as a chaplain afforded me so many opportunities to get to know people as well. And really in depth to get to know people from so many parts of the world. So many cultures, and people with so many different skills and all being willing to give of what they had to this work. And probably some of the my most treasured moments were going down to the engine room, at that time the chief engineer then said I could go freely down there and because he knew that I wanted to connect with the guys. So I often just walk down to the engine room and just ask them as they were down there working, you know what, what’s going on in your life, what’s happening? And what are you thinking right now and just meeting people in that setting. Super rich. So fortunate to be able to be in that role to be able to do that.
And I also think about a relationship that has been going on now for about 20 years that I’m very grateful for and that is with a army chaplain in Sierra Leone, that when we were in Sierra Leone with the Anastasis we did a couple of field services there in the beginning of the 2000s. And that was very close after the civil war so it was very rough. This man his name was Dominic Aruna chaplain in the Sierra Leonean army and we had a an evening on board where we invited local pastors to come and visit the ship and get to get to know what we were doing and so forth. So he came down, and for some reason we connected. And we have stayed in touch we visited several times, we had the opportunity to go visit when Africa Mercy was in Sierra Leone later on, and we have stayed in touch. And I got a message from him yesterday, where he was just telling me what he is doing right now and his work there in the army, and how he is impacting, you know, new recruits. And so when that I guess that’s one of the things with Mercy Ships that truly you do get to know people that you would never have had the chance to otherwise from all walks of life. So yeah, so I’m very grateful.
Raeanne:
The Global Mercy is about to go back to Sierra Leone. So it sounds like the Anastasis, the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy have all gone to Sierra Leone. I wonder if your friend will be able to connect with anybody on board?
Patrik:
Yeah, I hope so. I really do. And we actually have talked about it. And I think that when it happens, I’ll probably see if I can connect him with someone on board. So I hope that will be possible. Yeah, that would be really neat.
Raeanne:
Tell us about your time in Texas.
Patrik:
In the spring of 2005, we left the Anastasis and went back to Texas. And that was again, due to my wife’s health because her chronic fatigue continued. And it was a struggle during those five years. But it worked. And we’re grateful that we could be on board for those five years. But at that point, we realized that it wasn’t going to work long term anymore. So we went back to Texas then. And I was then asked to become an international chaplain to oversee the chaplaincy in Mercy Ships, which was a privileged to be able to do that, again, work with so many great people that have been in leadership of the organization. So yeah, so I did that until 2018.
Raeanne:
Can you tell us a little bit about the international chaplaincy position because I think it’s different than our chaplains on board and I’m not all that familiar.
Patrik:
Currently, Andrew Clark is in that role together with Dr. Gary Brandenburg. But the role of the International Chaplain is really to promote spiritual, emotional, relational well-being of the crew and staff and Mercy Ships. And that spans the whole organization, both the ships and the different offices around the world. As an international chaplain, you are also mentoring and supporting the chaplains on board the ships that sort of in a nutshell, what it’s about.
Raeanne:
Well, having worked on board the vessels and working in Texas at the International Support Center, it kind of seems like they’re two separate worlds, even though it’s the same organization working towards the same goal. But living in Texas is extremely different than living on a ship in West Africa. So how did your time on board equip you for working at the ISC and vice versa? How did your time and Texas teach you things that allowed you to serve better on board.
Patrik:
So I think probably the role as international chaplain was very much served by the fact that I had that I had that time behind me on board the ship. And I was able to be an advocate for the crew in some of the decisions that were being made in Texas, by leadership and that’s always going to be a struggle, it’s always going to be difficult to keep those worlds together and keep the needs of the crew and the needs of the organization and the needs of the programs that we’re wanting to produce all together in a way that that everyone is getting their needs met, it’s always going to be a challenge. But certainly, having lived on board, having been a crew member for many years, certainly brought an understanding to the needs of the crew. And then we also felt like it was very important for my wife and I to visit the ships regularly. So every year we spent about a month on board after we had left so that was a combination of sort of training new chaplains but also really continuing to stay connected with long term and senior leaders on board the ship in order to keep that pulse to keep an understanding of how things are going and what we can do better in Texas to support the ships and the crew in a better ways. Yeah, it’s one thing to having been there but unfortunately, you forget or you lose perspective. So for us, it was very important to also be able to go back and stay connected. We really treasured that time as well and felt like it was very important for us.
Raeanne:
I think that’s so valuable because it is true, you can easily just dive back into your life off ship. And you do little by little forget, you know, just what it’s like to be on board. So I appreciate that you guys were intentional about that. Patrik, what do you do now with Mercy Ships? Because I don’t think you’re in chaplaincy anymore. Is that right?
Patrik:
That’s correct. So in 2018, we left Texas, the reason for that was that my mom was diagnosed with cancer in Sweden, and we felt like, we really wanted to be close to family at that point. She actually passed away in March. So we had five years with her which was fantastic that we were able to, we’re so grateful that we made that decision to be able to be there for these five years with her. And when we departed in June of 2018, we were fairly certain that Mercy Ships was behind us, we had 25 years at that point of a Mercy Ships history. So I applied for a lot of different jobs back in Sweden, I started even before we left Texas, but I just didn’t get anything.
Yeah, I guess working in an international organization, it’s, you know, people have a hard time really figuring out what, what that means.
So I wasn’t really offered anything. But the director of Mercy ship Sweden, he knew, of course, that we had moved back to Sweden. And so he called me about a month after we came to Sweden, and he said, you know, are you still looking for a job? And I said, Yeah, very much so. And so he offered me a position. And the only issue was that the office in Sweden is about three hours away from where we live. So of course, the whole point of going to Sweden was to be with my family. So I said, you know, I’d be very grateful for the job, but I really can’t work. I can’t move. I can’t work, you know, at the office. And he said, Oh, no worries, you can you can work remotely. Great. So, so I started then, in August of 2018. And my role, there has been a combination of managing the donor services department and also sort of the Volunteer Services Department. So working both with giving our donors the care and the support that they need, not at all on the fundraising side, but more on the donor services side, but then also helping and supporting the people that apply to go to the ship. Giving them the care and the service that they need to successfully make the journey from Sweden, to the ship and back again. It’s been fantastic, I think I couldn’t have a better job. I feel like it’s a very, very good fit. And I really enjoy the combination of the two.
Raeanne:
And it’s so special too because you have all this experience, having been on board and working at the ISC that now if you’re helping new crew get on board, you’re just a wealth of information for them, you know, and firsthand experience. So I’m sure that is very valuable to those people who are applying not really knowing what they’re about to get into.
Patrik:
Yeah, I hope so. It’s it seems like it’s been helpful in several different situations, particularly I think, for those that are going for longer commitments, to be able to share with them a little bit more about what it is to live on board for a longer period of time. I certainly didn’t know what was ahead of us when we were leaving Texas, but God had a good plan.
Raeanne:
So now you mentioned when you first walked up the gangway that there was something that just captured you. And you mentioned it was just probably just the presence of God, you know, and the Holy Spirit drawing you into Mercy Ships. But now here we are three decades later, what compels you to stay? Why? Why Mercy Ships? Why do you continue to work with this organization?
Patrik:
You may understand this because you’ve also worked in chaplaincy. Sometimes over this period of time when I worked in chaplaincy, I did look at myself and I said, Why? Why do I stay in this organization?
Because, I mean, the truth is that, you know, we don’t always get things right in any organization. There are things that go wrong and people that get hurt. And as chaplains we often get into those situations and try to support and help. And sometimes those were tough situations that I wish, you know, wouldn’t have happened maybe. And sometimes in those situations, I’ll come back to that scripture in John, where Jesus is just finishing up a sermon, and he has been talking about a lot of difficult things. And a lot of people are leaving him. And they are saying, this is just too much, this is too hard. And Jesus is turning to his disciples, and He says, well, aren’t you going to leave as well? And they say, Well, you know, where should we go? You have the breath of life, you are why we’re here. And I think that’s sort of where I’ve ended up in those though days, when I’ve had those thoughts now and then well, why am I still here? Partly, you know, it’s so easy to think the grass is greener on the other side and thinking that’s better somewhere else. And I know it wouldn’t be I know that things would be probably very tough wherever you go. But in the end, I think that this is where God has me. And I believe that this is the path that Jesus has been leading on. And I’ve been very fulfilled. And this was never the life that I could imagine. I’m very grateful for it in so many different ways.
Raeanne:
Oh, that’s wonderful. Well, as we wrap up our time together, why don’t you tell us, how has your life been changed because of Mercy Ships? How have you been impacted?
Patrik:
I think it goes back to really what we talked about a little earlier about connecting with people from so many different places, I think that in those encounters with people from all over the place that you change. And I think that I’ve grown, and I’ve learned from other people that you don’t have to do things in a certain way or that what I’m thinking is not always right. And I do have to mention my wife in this because I hope I would have met her even if I wouldn’t have been in Mercy Ships, but she is probably the one that has taught me the most during this time. She encourages me to still be stepping out and being the person that God created me to be. And not holding back, not being timid. I think that was something that I struggled with before I came to Mercy Ships. There’s a verse in Timothy, where Paul is writing, you know, don’t let anyone look down on you because of your youth. And I thought that I identified with that a lot when I was younger, and probably at that time as well. I mean, I came to Mercy Ships when I was 26. So, I think that Diana has helped me to mature to grow and to really dare to be and to do things, probably that I wouldn’t have otherwise. And Mercy Ships has been the playground for that, or the laboratory for my growing path. I’m very grateful for being able to be and to become more of what God made me to be.
Raeanne:
I love that. Well, we are grateful for you. And we are grateful for your willingness to say yes and how God has used you to bless so many people I know as a chaplain, both international Chaplain but also a chaplain on board. You have just blessed countless lives, encouraging people and pointing them towards Jesus. So we thank you for almost 30 years of service with Mercy Ships and thanks for sharing with us a little bit about it today.
Patrik:
Well, thank you so much. I’m glad I could.
For more information about Mercy Ships, go to mercyships.org, and to keep up with the guests on New Mercies, follow us on Instagram at NewMerciesPodcast.