SPRING 2019 CLASS PROFILE
God gradually drew me to missions over several years. Part of my decision to pursue medical education was a hope to one day serve God through medicine. During medical school, I was inspired by reading missions books, interacting with missionaries at my church in Milwaukee, participation in CMDA, and attending the Global Missions Health Conference, but I did not feel a definite call to medical missions until the middle of surgical residency. There were three incidents within the span of a week that assured me of God’s call on my life: a spoken word during prayer, a friend's vision, and the still small voice of God speaking to my heart. The same verse kept coming up and every time it seemed to hit me square in the chest as if God spoke directly to me, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19). In obedience, I joined the World Medical Mission Post-residency program, not knowing where or how long God would call me to serve him. Now, after two years in Papua New Guinea, I will gladly continue serving God here or anywhere he calls me for however long he desires.
On a daily basis, I pray with patients prior to surgery and during clinic visits or hospital rounds. At times, the nurses and I will spend more time praying with and counseling patients with terminal diagnoses. We also have an excellent chaplain team that visits every inpatient and keeps a spiritual history in the chart. We have seen many patients come to faith or have their faith encouraged through these interactions. The chaplains also follow-up with the patients in their home villages and start many new churches every year. Outside of medicine, I also participate in local church services and outreach events.
Physical healing and compassionate care for patients treated
Spiritual impact for patients treated (hearing the gospel, having faith strengthened, or moving closer to a relationship with Jesus)
Support of Nazarene Health Ministries as a whole and specifically providing support for my surgical partner and other medical doctors as we co-labor together.
