Resources

Aspiring cross-cultural missionaries must develop the capacity to personally hear from and obey God. This ability is supernaturally achieved through the Holy Spirit by cultivating life-giving habits. Among them are bible reading, prayer, service, and participation in the Body of Christ.

This session will be a quick review of common treatments for worms, Chagas disease, giardia and leishmaniasis which are all parasites more common outside of the United States. The brief discussion of the treatment of each of these infections will include medications, dosing, side effects and monitoring.

Most believers are familiar with Jesus’s command to share the gospel around the world. And for many Christian college students, mission trips have been a part of their spiritual upbringing and experience. But for those interested in global health care, medical mission trips for college students provide a variety of benefits. For example, medical mission trips can give college students valuable on-the-job training. Regardless of their specialty—medicine, pharmacology, nutrition, nursing, and so forth—medical mission trips give college students the opportunity to work with professionals in the field and to get a feel for what their future might hold. Whether traveling as a team or as an individual, medical mission trips for college students can be valuable. But even if a student is on the fence about pursuing a career in health care, medical mission trips can be great for volunteers. In general, this generation longs to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and a medical mission trip fits that bill perfectly. Whether they seek a clinical setting or have more interest in education or prevention, many students can find value in medical mission trips for college students.    Researching Medical Mission Trips for College Students Whatever their interest in terms of medical mission trips, college students need to do their research. The sheer number of sending partners and the opportunities provided by those partners require some careful study. You will want to find the best fit in terms of location, duration, cost, and specialty. The list below includes ten organizations with a history of providing medical mission trips for college students. But each one has its own requirements and standards. So, you will need to do more research to see if one of these groups—or another group—works for you. 1. Your Christian College or University. One of the best places to start in a search for a medical mission trip as a college student is to see what’s available close to home. Most Christian colleges provide opportunities for short-term mission trips, including some that could provide college credit. Some of those options include medical mission trips for their students. For example, both Lipscomb University and Liberty University offer medical mission trips for their students.  2. International Volunteer HQ. This organization provides opportunities for a wide variety of healthcare professions. IVHQ allows students to connect with their specialty, with the goal of providing basic health care to groups living in areas of the world where such care is lacking.   3. Samaritan’s Purse. This familiar and trusted organization is probably best known for distributing shoeboxes at Christmas. But Samaritan’s Purse also provides opportunities for college students to experience medical mission trips through its World Medical Mission.  4. International Medical Relief. Focusing on various areas of medical services, International Medical Relief provides opportunities for medical students and volunteers. The goal is to minister to underserved people, but a student does not have to be studying for a medical professional to find a place to serve. 5. Mercy Ships. This mission partner provides a unique experience for students interested in medical mission trips. Working on the premise that most of the world’s population lives near the sea, Mercy Ships operates floating hospitals. In addition, the cross-cultural experience extends beyond the medical ministry since the ship’s crew draws volunteers from all over the world. 6. Plan My Gap Year. Based in the United Kingdom, Plan My Gap Year has been offering medical mission trips for college students for over a decade. Volunteers can pick a plan that fits their interests, including those with limited medical training or experience. The trips last from two weeks to six months. 7. Medical Missions Outreach. This is another organization that encourages non-medical volunteers to participate. Medical Missions Outreach offers students clinical experiences, but the group also focuses on education and prevention. These short-term trips typically run from a week to 10 days. 8. Nursing Beyond Borders. This organization focuses on the roles of nurses, including nurse practitioners. The care provided includes medical, dental, and optical assistance. In addition, Nurses Beyond Borders primarily serves children, especially orphans. They minister in areas such as education, treatment, and disease prevention through a network of clinics and shelters. 9. Mission of Hope. Focusing on the Caribbean region, Mission of Hope serves southern Florida, as well as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The organization’s stated purpose includes transforming struggling cultures by meeting physical and spiritual needs through medical treatment, prevention, and nutrition. Mission of Hope provides mission trips for college students studying to be doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physical therapists, EMTs, and more. The trips, which last from one week to six months, support brick-and-mortar clinics, as well as mobile clinics. 10. Ssamba Foundation. Just as Mission of Hope targets the Caribbean, Ssamba limits its work to a particular region of Uganda. Working with a network of national hospitals, Ssamba offers treatment in smaller communities for diseases that commonly afflict residents in the area, including AIDS/HIV. Position placement is based on experience, so college students often shadow experienced doctors, along with taking part in various community initiatives. Ssamba typically asks for a four-week commitment, but it will consider shorter experiences on a case-by-case basis.   Reaching the World God uses all kinds of mission opportunities to share His message with a world that desperately needs to hear it. Medical missions are a vital part of His plan, which is why so many groups are involved in providing medical mission trips for college students. 

Are you a nurse? Are you a pharmacist? A doctor? A physical therapist? A medical professional? Then you ARE a Market Place Professional! Bring your job, spread the Gospel, live in air-conditioning, and pay your own way!

You could have been a doctor. You could have been a lawyer. You could have been a teacher, a computer programmer, or an accountant. You could have chosen almost any field or vocation. But you believe God called you to missions. That’s awesome and sacred. But there’s one question that still might be swirling around in the back of your mind: What is a reasonable missionary salary? Now, don’t get me wrong. I know you’re not in it for the money. You’re pursuing God’s call with all the right motives. But you’ve still got to eat and put a roof over your head, whether your mission is around the corner or across the globe. So, it’s fair to consider what a missionary gets paid.  But to start any conversation about the “what” of a missionary's salary, it’s good to understand the “how” of a missionary's salary.    Where does the money come from? Missions have changed and evolved over the centuries. While the message of the gospel remains the unwavering cornerstone on which everything is built, the specifics and logistics of sharing the good news of Jesus can be fluid as technology and culture shift. Still, across time, missionaries have found three solid income sources for their work. Of course, God is the ultimate Provider, but, in general, these are the channels for how missionaries get paid. 1. Sending agencies. These are the organizations that enlist and send missionaries into the world. Many are private agencies. Others, like the International Mission Board or Mission to the World, are affiliated with a denomination. But most play a role in how much missionaries are paid. Sending agencies generally provide some amount of salary or stipend. They also may help with securing things like travel and insurance. They may or may not assist with other benefits, like housing and retirement. Some agencies also help you plug into private resources for funding and missions education, which is another channel for these organizations to support a missionary salary. 2. Partnerships. When I was a kid, I remember going to church and seeing a large glass display case holding a map of the world. Postcards with a family’s picture were pinned next to various nations, indicating that they were missionaries to those countries. What I later learned was that these were missionaries a church supported financially. They are also called ministry partners. The idea of individuals and churches partnering with missionaries is as old as mission work itself. For example, Jesus and the apostle Paul each had groups who provided financial support for their work. As noted, sending agencies often can help you identify possible partners. They also can manage an account for you once the donations arrive.   22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome 23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Romans 15:22-24   3. Entrepreneurship. This is where you start a business that acts as the funding channel for your missionary salary and work. For instance, I have a friend who runs his own thrift store. People donate everything from clothes to windows to bed frames. He sells whatever he gets and uses the profits to pay for his mission trips around the world. Now, it might be tempting to think that this is a relatively new way for missionaries to raise money. But, again, it’s got biblical roots. The apostle Paul had every right to draw a salary from the churches he planted. But, instead of putting that burden on them, he also worked as a tentmaker to fund his mission work. He didn’t use the term “entrepreneur,” but that’s essentially the method he used.   What is a missionary’s salary? A quick internet search will yield all kinds of information about how much a missionary makes. What’s more, the numbers you see can vary wildly from one site to another. For example, one source states that missionaries can earn anywhere from $21,000 and $72,000 a year, with an average annual missionary salary of almost $44,000. That’s a pretty wide range! Some of the difference relates to what the sending agency provides, and some of it could depend on your level of experience or the benefits you receive. So, you’ll need to do some research to make sure you understand how much you’ll receive and how much you will be responsible for raising. Another thing to consider is how much it actually costs to be a missionary. The International Mission Board recently reported that it costs roughly $60,000 a year to support a missionary in the field. This number included things like salary, insurance, language training, education, housing, documentation, travel, and retirement savings. Of course, your specific number could vary, but it gives you an idea of what you might need to raise depending on how your sending agency is structured.   Something to remember Determining what a missionary makes and how you could make it work might seem like a daunting task. That’s fair. Like a lot of things related to mission work, it probably won’t be easy. But there are two things you need to remember. First, it will be worth the effort you put into the process. Obeying God’s call is always the best route because it’s the only one that provides true meaning and purpose in life. As I mentioned earlier, you could have chosen to pursue any number of careers; but if God has placed missions on your heart, you will never find satisfaction in any other job—no matter how much you get paid. Second, God is your ultimate Provider. That was Paul’s message in Philippians 4. He was absolutely grateful for the gift, but he knew that it all came from the hand of God. If the Lord has genuinely called you to missions, He will equip you for the task. And He will give you the missionary salary you need to get the job done.  

There are few things as thrilling to see as a group of local believers springing up where it didn’t exist before! In this session we will take an initial thought-provoking and inspirational look at church planting among unreached peoples around the world using current, real-life stories. We’ll also hear from everyday people who went out to minister to the healthcare needs of others, bringing with them a passion to see new communities of believers emerge and thrive among the unreached.

One of the great things we learned as a culture during the COVID-19 pandemic was just how useful online resources can be. For medical missionaries—or those who want to be involved in medical missions—doors to education can start with the click of a mouse. For many, medical missionary training online is possible and could be a great option for getting ready to fulfill God’s call on their lives.   Get Started With Medical Missions The first thing to consider when looking for medical missionary training online is your personal call. As a Christ follower, God has a purpose for your life. He wants you to be His hands and feet in practical ways across the street and around the world. Like any calling, determining if He wants you to be involved in missions takes discernment. Next, understand that you don’t have to be a doctor or nurse to be involved in medical missions. In fact, most online medical missionary training opportunities are designed for individuals who are not medical professionals. Specialties such as nutrition, disease prevention, and basic counseling can play important roles in promoting health and wholeness in many different contexts. Finally, there are a couple of things you can do as you prepare for your new adventure. First, immerse yourself in spiritual disciplines like Bible study, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. Connecting with God will lead you to your calling, while connecting with other believers can provide insight and accountability. You also should spend time focusing on self-care. Don’t be afraid to honestly ask yourself tough questions about your strengths and weaknesses, your motivations, and your fears. You can’t promote healing in others if you aren’t healthy yourself.    Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20   Top 4 Medical Missionary Training Online The final step toward online medical missions training is finding the right kind of program. Again, talking with others—especially other medical missionaries who have experienced what you want to pursue—can be incredibly valuable. You’ll also want to make sure the program you choose fits your theological and missional values. Many denominations and organizations approach medical missions—and, thus, medical missions training—from different perspectives. So, do some research to make sure your potential training program aligns with your beliefs and goals. Jesus’s ministry involved preaching, teaching, and healing. While you are not God’s Son, you can follow His model by promoting solid evangelism, ongoing discipleship, and compassionate health care through medical missions. Here are some organizations that provide some level of online training for medical ministry:   Community Colleges and Christian Universities. Perhaps the easiest way to receive online training for medical missions is to look into earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Local community colleges can provide basic training in important areas. Meanwhile, many Christian universities offer online programs that provide the theological training along with two-year or four-year degrees in areas such as nutrition or health science.   Wildwood Center for Health Evangelism. This Georgia-based program affiliated with Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) offers online programs in health evangelism. The program includes introductions to physiology and diseases, as well as nutrition, mental health issues, and various forms of therapy.   Med Missionary Training. This online program seeks to marry biblical principles with effective scientific research. The six-week course, also affiliated with SDA, emphasizes natural remedies and effective use of proper nutrition and diet.   Medical Missions Outreach. In general, this organization provides short-term mission trip opportunities for medical professionals and volunteers. Training is available for non-professionals, equipping them to assist doctors and nurses on the field. This could be an option for someone wanting a taste of medical missions or seeking to clarify their call.   The Need is Real We live in a world filled with hurting people. Some suffer from physical issues, while others are dealing with spiritual pain. Medical missionaries have the privilege of helping individuals address both struggles. That’s why it’s so important for those who sense a call to medical missions to find quality medical missions training online.  As you work through God’s plan for your life, remember to cover your experiences in prayer. Even the best training can never replace the role of the Holy Spirit and the call of Christ on your life. His blessing and His presence are a must for any missions endeavor (Matthew 28:18-20). Want to get involved in Medical Missions? Attend the 2023 Global Missions Health Conference or Get Started with Medical Missions.  

Dentists have a unique opportunity to minister to the dentally needy, both domestically and internationally. These opportunities enable us to honor Christ, who has called us to care for "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40), and our compassionate treatment can also open doors to tangibly communicating the love of Christ to our patients.

Despite the recognition that successful mentoring experiences are usually the result of intentional and committed relationships between mentor and mentee, there are still challenges in achieving consistent, positive outcomes for mission driven Christ followers in healthcare. Healthcare missionaries, whether domestic or foreign, face unexpected challenges, failures, and disappointments, both on and off the field of service, across a broad spectrum of life, work, and ministry. This talk will focus on the essential commitments of both mentor and mentee during the early career of cross-cultural workers who serve in diverse living and working environments.

Balancing too many roles, wearing too many hats. It's tough to be a missionary doctor mom...is it even really possible? Some helpful discussion to guide us into the life God wants for each of his daughters.

The average medical student graduates with over $241,000 in educational debt! This can seem insurmountable when trying to get to the mission field. But it's not! Come and hear about your options, and why student loan debt should not stand in your way of stepping out and following God's lead into missions. We will discuss how to limit debt, grant availability from MedSend, and federal programs that can dramatically reduce your monthly payment and even eliminate your student loans.

How To Proclaim and Deliver the Content of The Gospel Message, Which is, The True Saving Knowledge of God in Christ, to The hearts and minds of the Muslims Everywhere, so they could be Saved, and in a way they could understand through the power of the Holy Spirit.