14. Ministry in 2025

It is our pleasure to update you on Island Reach and what we have achieved in the year 2025 with the grace of God and the support of global partners.

Thank you for your prayers and your continued support of the YWAM Ships Switzerland project - Island Reach in Madagascar. We are so excited to be able to share this update with you!

Those of us who made the delivery journey are looking back at photos and reminding ourselves where exactly we were at this time last year and what we were doing. It seems incredible to us, all the things we went through - the joys and the tears (at times), to get the ship there. The stories we share together are precious memories of all that God did to deliver Island Reach safely to Madagascar in time for Christmas 2024.

Malagassy Flag Approval

As you may be aware, there is a huge administrative process involved in welcoming a ship into a nation and transferring all of the paperwork and registration documents. This is a detailed process with many layers of approval needed. The team in Madagascar have done an amazing job of following through on everything and in March we finally received the authorisation for the Malagasy flag.

With this important step, the de-registration from the British Ships Registry and the Registration into the Malagasy Ships Registry, Island Reach was finally able to begin ministry within Madagascar and her islands.

Ministry In the Nation

Most of us have seen that the nation of Madagascar has been in the headlines over these last weeks. Island Reach is currently located far from the protests and the tension that have escalated in Madagascar when the military sided with the protestors against the president. With schools closing, roads blocked and curfews in place, there was some violence and also some lootings in the capital. Our ministry leader lives in Antananarivo with his family, please do pray for his protection.

The team and the ship are at some distance from all of this. They are safe and able to continue to serve in the Nosy Be region in the local communities there. They have been able to offer dental and medical help to hundreds on board the ship.

Before each mission there are administrative and communication requirements to attend to. Having given good advance warning to a community means that they can mobilise themselves to make use of the services offered as soon as Island Reach arrives. Please remember our administrators as they work alongside the medical staff and volunteers to serve the nation.

We thank God for all He is going to do over and above the medical care that we are able to offer to these coastal towns which have little access to healthcare. We know He will do more than we can even imagine.

After the registration of Island reach and the hiring of some essential crew, we had our first missions trip to Nosy Komba where we were able to serve this summer. A team of international volunteer medical and dental workers began the first medical outreach program. Five different nations represented onboard bringing Hope and Healing to the Nations.

During the month of August we were able to offer health care and first aid training onboard the ship, equipping local communities to meet some of their own needs. 

In September we had the opportunity to respond to invitations from two coastal villages in the region, Navetsy and Tafenambitsy. Sharing the gospel as well as serving the community with health and dental care is an important part of what we seek to do.

Looking Forward into 2026

Island Reach has been serving for more than six months now in the region of Nosebe and we are looking to move down to the port of Majunga. We trust the Lord for HIS timing for this move. In Majunga we would find ourselves more central and able to serve a more dense population. 

The national dental school is located here and it is the only place where you can train to be a dentist in the nation. It will be wonderful to welcome dental trainees on board and offer them the experience of working with us and with our international volunteers.

The national seafarers school is also located in Majunga and we are in discussion to take on intern mariners, giving them the experience and the sea miles they need in order to graduate from the academy.

During hurricane season we expect to work on routine maintenance onboard the ship. Already in 2025 we have been able to replace the water tank and repair the anchor winch which needed our attention in the summer.

Please pray with us:

For ongoing collaboration with local educational institutions. That together we can not only serve but we can also work together to enable the nation to take up the challenge of improved health and dental care for its population.

For the safety and security of the crew and all who sail with us.

That we would have an eternal impact with the communities in which we serve, as well as be able to offer them healthcare.

For the right volunteers to welcome as we seek to reach out into the nation, and for partnerships which impact and build bridges into the future

For Francis Adja, our team leader, and his family who live in the capital.

For the administrators, crew and medical staff who serve on Island Reach. This summer our captain lost his 18yr old daughter after a short illness - please pray for the family as they grieve.

We are so grateful to EVERYONE who has helped in every aspect of the project so far, without these sacrifices of your time, effort and skill - we would not be where we are with YWAM Ships Switzerland today.

Please contact us: info@ywamships.ch