When God Calls

The Calling: Stephanie’s Story

“[In Sudan], I was in the middle of testing a four-year-old patient’s hearing when it hit me that his profound hearing loss would keep him from hearing the gospel,” Stephanie recalls. “He lives in a place where there is not an opportunity for him to learn sign language and certainly no way for him to receive technology that might help him access spoken language (how can they believe in Him of whom they have never heard?).”

The Sudan trip was one of Stephanie’s first medical mission trips as a graduate student. “On that trip, a love for the people of Africa was born and  I began to get a picture of the need that existed there, she reports. “It was also the time when I started to see how the Lord might use my career for more than just a way to make a living.”

The seed of her future mission work was firmly planted, as this profound realization dawned on her. She began to pray about how God can use her in ways to significantly impact Africa— a love of the continent’s people had grown in her from the time of her first short-term mission trip to Mozambique. And, after her passion had been ignited, “each return to Africa [was] like kindling added to the fire,” she remembers.
The Keys to Support Calls to Mission

“… and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: ‘This is the way. Walk in it.”

— Isaiah 30:21

In the 25 year history of MedSend, we’ve been able to help so many health professionals like Stephanie answer the call. For our givers, their commitment is to also go on a mission of their own: a love mission. How do you send your love on mission? We have some suggestions:

Pray without ceasing.

“The further  I get into this journey, the more aware I become of the importance of prayer,” says Stephanie, who actively seeks prayer partners to support her during her mission assignment.

Joining a prayer team currently praying for those on mission, forming a prayer group through your church, or even taking time during your prayer time to pray for a healthcare mission worker goes so far in the journey of these courageous Believers.

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16

Provide Consistent Financial Support. 

One of the practical concerns of answering the call for a healthcare mission is the question of how to address financial obligations during service. MedSend was founded on the very real fact that many healthcare professionals who feel led to go on mission were unable to answer the calling due to significant educational debt. Providing regular gifts of financial support translates in huge ways to those who are on mission, and alleviates some of their concerns, as they are preoccupied by so much. Just as Paul said to the Philippians:

“I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:17-20)

As the Scripture says, the giving not only blesses the recipient, but also the giver.

Promote your faith by fulfilling the promise of the Great Commission.

Support of healthcare missions is a tangible expression of Jesus’ great commission. We are commanded to bring the Good News to all nations:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

-Matthew 28:19-20