Chosen Children Ministries Hospital, Nicaragua

I recently had the joy and privilege of participating in a week-long medical mission trip to Nicaragua alongside fellow classmates and faculty members from the North Greenville University PA Program. My PA program participates in 1-2 medical mission trips to Nicaragua every year, apart from time during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a PA student, and more importantly, as a follower of Christ, this opportunity was invaluable to me. It is my hope and prayer that our trip also was a blessing to those we served and worked with.

We partnered with Chosen Children Ministries (CCM), a Christian non-profit organization with the mission of “making Christ known and bringing life changing transformation to men, women, and children in Nicaragua.” This organization serves in many different barrios near Managua and Leon. Their primary ways of service are church planting, short-term mission teams to deliver humanitarian, medical, and spiritual aid, provisions for basic needs in the community, and child sponsorship to support families. Our team stayed at a CCM compound in the city of Masaya and traveled to the Parcels community to complete our mission work. 

Upon arrival on Saturday, our team put together hygiene bags that included a washcloth, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, and razor. These hygiene bags were distributed to each patient the team saw during our clinic days. On Sunday, we attended church at the CCM-affiliated local church in the Parcels community. This was the church we held our clinic at throughout the week. The pastor delivered a simple yet essential message from 1 John 4 centered on the gospel. It was amazing to worship alongside fellow brothers and sisters in Christ from a different nation, language, and culture, just as Scripture describes in Psalm 86:9: “All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.” The remainder of Sunday was spent organizing the medications we would be giving out and medical supplies we would be using for the week.

We commuted to the Parcels community Monday through Thursday to provide medical care through the clinic we set up through the church. Locals from the community traveled to the clinic to be seen, which often consisted of whole families. Each day, our team split up and alternated between seeing patients in a provider role and being in support roles such as triage, pharmacy, public health, and team lead. Many patients had a variety of concerns pertaining to both acute and chronic conditions. Continuity of care can be somewhat maintained through a CCM full-time physician and other medical mission teams. Nonetheless, there is still a great need for medical care in the Parcels community and many other Nicaraguan communities.

On Friday, our team was able to enjoy a rest day before our busy day of travel on Saturday. This included some fun activities, including ziplining, visiting a local market, and enjoying traditional Nicaraguan cuisine at a local restaurant. We were also able to finish packing up our supplies.

This trip allowed me and my team to provide compassionate, Christ-centered medical care to an underserved community. While meeting physical needs, we were also able to encourage the local church and community members to know and love Christ. This often included taking time to pray for patients and their families after the patient visit had concluded. Our final clinic day was finished with our team, full-time CCM workers, and local church members thanking and praying for one another. 

The trip didn’t just affect the people we served—it also impacted me and my teammates. I was personally encouraged by how joyful and grateful the patients and local church members were, despite lacking many goods and services that I take for granted. The long-term presence of CCM in these communities, through child sponsorship, church planting, and ongoing short-term mission trips, enables lifelong evangelism and discipleship. This experience was a powerful reminder that, like Christ’s ministry, our work was not only for the present moment but also for nurturing long-lasting faith in the people and communities we interacted with. 

I am deeply grateful for the financial support provided by the Southwestern Medical Clinic Foundation, which helped make it possible for me to participate in this life-changing mission trip. This assistance gave me the opportunity to use my skills as a PA student to meet the medical needs of the Nicaraguan community while also sharing the hope and love of Christ. The scholarship not only allowed me to contribute to the physical wellbeing of the patients, but also to participate in the greater gospel mission of making disciples. This is something that Christ did Himself in His earthly ministry, and is something I strive to do for all my career as a future PA. This trip was a testament to the profound impact that financial support can having in allowing healthcare and spiritual outreach to work hand in hand, making a tangible difference in both the immediate and long-term needs of these communities.

Reflecting on this mission trip, I can truly say that it has contributed to my growth both professionally and spiritually. As a PA student, I gained invaluable hands-on experience in providing care in a resource-limited environment, learning to adapt and collaborate with others to meet the diverse medical needs of the community. Spiritually, it deepened my understanding of what it means to serve others in the name of Christ, reinforcing the truth that healing includes both physical and spiritual care. This experience showed me that serving others through healthcare as a believer is not just about medicine—it’s about compassion, love, and embodying Christ’s mission to point to Himself as the ultimate Healer who can meet our greatest need of salvation.