Angel of Mercy Series by Lurlene McDaniel

Heather Barlow has always been idealistic, and now that she has finished high school, she's ready to make a difference in the world. After graduation, she joins a mission group on a hospital mercy ship sailing to Africa. However, Heather is unprepared to face the disease, famine, and misery she encounters. Ian McCollum is also among the medical staff in Uganda. Ian has left his native Scotland to help those threatened by a world of seeming indifference... moreHeather Barlow has always been idealistic, and now that she has finished high school, she's ready to make a difference in the world. After graduation, she joins a mission group on a hospital mercy ship sailing to Africa. However, Heather is unprepared to face the disease, famine, and misery she encounters. Ian McCollum is also among the medical staff in Uganda. Ian has left his native Scotland to help those threatened by a world of seeming indifference. When Heather meets Ian her heart races and she feels happy to be alive. But as the weeks pass, Heather finds her idealism vanishing; the refugee camps and orphanages are overcrowded, and misery is everywhere. Only Ian can see beyond the horror and help Heather understand that the world can be changed if people try to help those in need one by one. From the Hardcover edition. less

When Heather Barlow returns from Africa, the joy she felt during her missionary trip fades.  She's still suffering from unresolved grief over the death of her friend Ian, and now that she's back home in the United States, she feels directionless.  And while Heather has changed a great deal, her family has not.  She is discouraged to see that her sister, Amber, seems no more mature than when Heather left, her parents no less involved with a medical practice that caters to the wealthy... moreWhen Heather Barlow returns from Africa, the joy she felt during her missionary trip fades.  She's still suffering from unresolved grief over the death of her friend Ian, and now that she's back home in the United States, she feels directionless.  And while Heather has changed a great deal, her family has not.  She is discouraged to see that her sister, Amber, seems no more mature than when Heather left, her parents no less involved with a medical practice that caters to the wealthy. Heather's sense of purpose is renewed when she persuades her mother to travel with her back to Uganda to try to save the baby she rescued on her mission trip.  But when Heather becomes ill and cannot undertake the journey, Amber agrees to go in her place.  Now Amber must emerge from her sister's shadow to grapple with the age-old question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" less