Medical Missions, anyone?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was wondering if anyone could give me any information on

Christian medical missions, such as have you gone on any? Would

you recommend it? How much does it cost? What organization

were you affiliated with? and length of time spent on the trip.

Thanks!

Specializes in Hospice, Critical Care.

I haven't done it personally but my mother has. She has been to Mexico, El Salvador, Chile, Brazil and the Phillipines. I will ask her which organization she was affiliated with (her church is Assemblies of God but I don't think the organization is affiliated directly with them). She had to do her own fund raising to go. The cost depends on where you go; it's cheaper to go to Mexico than to the Phillipines. Once she had been on a trip or two, it was easier to raise money. People knew her and she had slide shows to take with her to church groups, etc.

Most of her trips were about 7 days. The Phillipines was the longest at 10 days.

Mom loves these trips. She is chomping at the bit to do another one but she has a new career now...she got ordained last year and is the pastor of a small church in rural PA. It's hard for her to leave now for missions trip and harder still to raise money in the rural area she is living in.

People from our church who choose to go on Missions can usually hook up with a missionary that we support if they want. I'm sure if you wanted to get in touch with a Missionary and they can look into a place where they are where you can help out in the medical field, that would work out well. And in my opinion, it would be nice to get in touch with someone you support on a regular basis. We have missionaries all around the world!

Amanda :)

Hi there!!

I have only begun my nursing career, but have experience in third world countries. When I was 16 I went to Haiti, its the poorest counrty in the western hemisphere. In our mission compound we had a very small clinic and thats were I spent alot of my time. Being 16 not even out of high school yet I was able to assist in surgery, take TB tests, blood pressures and so on and so forth. It was the most amazing experience and of course one of my most cherished.

I was only there for about 13 days, I strongly suggest going on a short mission first to try things out. The people are amazing, they are so HAPPY!!! you wouldn't believe it! Although it was hard for me at the age of 16 to see some of things I saw, seeing pts you know will die even for little infections or crap that they just don't have to treat them there. Alot of unnesecarry deaths. And seeing mostly children you know won't make it. Another kinda weird thing is people would come who weren't even ill, yet we would prescribe vitamins and what not...they just needed to know someone cares.

This is how I developed a need to help people, it was always in me...but when I look back and I remember the friendships I made and my experiences at that clinic. If you have any specific questions I would be happy to answer them...I also have pics of my experiences I could send!

I went with lifeline Christian Missions based out of Ohio, there are only two places they will take people and that is Haiti and Honduras I have been to both although only did some little nursing in Haiti!

http://www.lifeline.org/

theres the website!!

Addy

[email protected]

+ Add a Comment