I recently had the privilege of going on a CMDA trip to San Lucas Nicaragua. This was my first trip with CMDA, and my first mission trip outside of the United States. We partnered with a local church and ran a health clinic for four days. We had several medical and dental professionals with us who were able to provide care, specifically OBGYN, Family Medicine, and Internal Medicine. We also provided a vision clinic as well as Vacation Bible School. I am about to start my last year of undergrad, so I mainly ended up helping with triage and VBS, but also was able to rotate to different parts of the clinic. I ended up being able to see the whole medical process from triage all the way to the pharmacy, which was a cool experience.
Since this was my first medical mission trip, I had many expectations going in. I knew that this would be a learning experience, and I anticipated that I would grow from it. I also expected to serve the church and the community of San Lucas. While those things did indeed end up happening, our whole team ended up being served and loved in a way that I was not expecting. Our translators and the locals doctors who came with us were indispensable, and ended up being the backbone of our whole ministry in San Lucas. We could not have done it without them. The local church that we came in order to serve and to love ended up serving and honoring us during the two services that we were blessed to be able to attend. This trip was such a privilege in every way, as I was able to both give and receive the love of Christ, and to be His hands and feet.
I had assumed that a medical mission trip would be eye opening, and it certainly was. I loved seeing and sharing the gospel with the local church. It was also good to have my “circle of concern” widened as I began to see the needs of those that are outside of the United States. I also began to see needs within my own culture, as we may have material wealth but a poverty in terms of joy. But most important was seeing and participating in sharing the gospel of Christ; to watch people come to faith and see their eyes opened and their hearts changed. That is what we are called to do as believers, and it is a privilege and a gift to be a part of that.
