Mission Opportunities for Occupational Therapists

While doctors are serving as missionaries around the world, they aren’t the only medical professionals in the field. Over the last several years, healthcare professionals like nurses have found a place and purpose in fulfilling the Great Commission, either on short-term assignments or as career missionaries. As a result, nurse mission trips have grown in both popularity and in opportunity. If you’re a practicing nurse, training to be a nurse, or just thinking about being a nurse, a mission trip for nurses could provide a wealth of professional experience, spiritual growth, and personal fulfillment.  In other words, a nurse mission trip might be exactly what you need. If you want to get involved with other nurses looking to serve on a mission, explore the Global Health Missions Conference.   Getting Prepared for Your Nurse Mission Trip Healthcare needs around the world are growing exponentially. That means the need for nurses and other medical professionals is growing as well, especially in underdeveloped and underserved areas. The potential of nurse mission trips to provide extra sets of hands can be a huge blessing to overwhelmed medical missionaries and local doctors on the field. And you’ll get the extra benefit of meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. But before you pack your bags, it’s important to examine yourself. Character traits like spiritual maturity, flexibility, teamwork, and humility are vital to being an effective missionary nurse—even on short-term experiences. In addition, you need to do some research to make sure you’re working with an agency that can make the mission trip work well for you, the professionals on site, and the patients you’ll treat. Many organizations rely on a set of seven standards of excellence for mission trips. This code of best practices can help you evaluate agencies, but it can also help you look into your own motivations. After all, the important thing is not so much that you go, but that you go for the right reasons and represent Christ well while you’re gone.   Check Out These 5 Mission Opportunities for Nurses If you’re wondering where to start with a nursing mission trip, you have plenty of options. In the list below, we’ve identified five organizations that can help you prepare for and participate in mission trips for nurses. Whatever part of the world pulls at your heart and whatever demographic you’ve been called to reach, you’ll likely find a fit on this list.    1. University nursing programs If you’re a nursing student (or a high schooler working through the college search process), there’s a good chance your school provides international opportunities for nurses. That’s especially true if you’re attending a Christian college or university. Many faith-based nursing schools combine medical education with an intentional missions focus, and nurse mission trips are part of the formula. For example, schools like Anderson University, Azusa Pacific University, Baylor’s Herrington School of Nursing, and California Baptist University each encourage (and, in some cases, require) a mission trip or semester overseas for their nursing students.   2. Nursing Beyond Borders The mission of Nursing Beyond Borders is to provide healthcare and education for children in some of the most desperate situations in the world. Their nursing mission trips include both team and individual experiences and allow nurses to work with professionals on site in a network clinics, orphanages, schools, and shelters. Their focus is on both healthcare and preventative education that empower kids and communities.   3. Coalition of Christian Nurse Practitioners As an affiliate of Christian Medical and Dental Associates (CMDA), the Coalition of Christian Nurse Practitioners offers a variety of services and benefits for the nursing community. They make nurse mission trips available through CMDA’s Global Health Outreach program. So, as a member, you could make a difference for God in a variety of locations around the globe.   4. International Volunteer HQ For more than 15 years, International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) has been connecting individuals with mission trip opportunities, including mission trips for nurses and other medical professionals. Some trips are geared toward high school or gap year students. Others cater to nursing students and professionals. So, regardless of your experience or skill level, you can find a nurse mission trip that meets your needs through IVHQ.   5. Nurses Christian Fellowship As a ministry of InterVarsity, Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF) is a professional organization and support network for Christ followers in the field of nursing. The group’s goal is to encourage nurses as they care for the whole person—body and soul. While NCF does not sponsor overseas travel, it does encourage mission trips for nurses. To that end, the group’s resources include some great articles and preparation materials for those going on nursing mission trips.     Be Jesus’s Hands and Feet In many nursing programs, graduating students take part in a tradition called “blessing of the hands.” The symbolism, especially for Christian nurses, serves as a reminder that they are called to minister to the needs of everyone in every situation. As believers, we call that being the hands and feet of Jesus. In a theological sense, every Christian’s hands are blessed to share the gospel with those in need. But nurses have a unique opportunity to fulfill that commission as they minister to people at some of the lowest moments of life. Nurse mission trips are one way you can extend your personal ministry while also enhancing your personal relationship with Jesus. By taking part in a nursing mission trip, you can be Jesus’s hands and feet to people who desperately need to experience His presence. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime that makes a difference for eternity.     More About Medical Missions Medical Missions serves to connect your professional skills and biblical calling to the largest database of healthcare mission organizations, professionals, and thought leadership. Join us at the Global Missions Health Conference to find your Medical Missions calling. Or, browse our full list of partner organizations to find the right mission for you.  

Mission trips change lives. Whether it's a few days or a few weeks, time invested on a foreign field can increase your faith and give you a heart for missions that lasts a lifetime. Even if you can't go yourself, you can encourage others with some thoughtful mission trip gift ideas. After all, mission trips mean leaving what's comfortable and normal. But while flexibility is the first rule of missions, you can make sure some of the basics are covered.     7 Mission Trip Gift Ideas It's awesome to consider the needs of missionaries. And sending a care package to someone who's serving on a foreign field is absolutely awesome! Of course, a lot of missionary needs will depend on the length and location of the journey. Spend time doing some research and talking with your missionary about what needs might come up. That also might help you avoid getting a mission trip gift that won't work at all. Having said that, a few go-to items stand out on most lists of mission trip gift ideas. Below, we've listed seven possibilities. None of them are fancy, and most can be found in minutes through a simple online search. But they all will enhance the experience—and faith—of your missionary! 1. Journal. One of the greatest ways to make a mission trip "stick" is to record the events and experiences as they happen. That makes a journal a great mission trip gift idea. Whether used as a daily diary or to reflect on spiritual milestones, a journal can keep the most important parts of the trip alive long after your missionary is back home. (Tip: Add a pack of nice pens or highlighters to the gift!)   2. Electrical adapters. It's no secret that most of the world delivers power differently than the United States. That makes adapters and converters a must. They'll need something to keep their cell phones, computers, and other electronics up and running. It's an extremely practical mission trip gift and one that your missionary—especially a first-time international traveler—will find invaluable.    3. A book about the nation they are visiting. Honestly, your missionary might already know a lot about their host nation. They may even have a heart for that particular culture or people group. But it also helps to know more about their destination. Plus, it reveals shows humility to keep learning.    4. Encouraging notes. This is an inexpensive mission trip gift idea, but its value cannot be overstated. Write a note for each day that your missionary will be gone, and place each note in a different envelope. That way, they will have a touchpoint from home every day of the trip. If the short-term trip involves weeks instead days, just write enough for one or two per week. (Tip: Make sure to include plenty of encouraging Bible verses to provide a lift on days that are tough.)   5. A backpack with supplies. Every world traveler needs a backpack, so that makes it a great mission trip gift. But you can go the extra mile by including some special items. On the practical side, you could pack a flashlight or a first aid kit. You could also add a water bottle with a built-in purifying system. But, most importantly, don't forget to include some of your missionary's favorite snacks and candy!   6. A foreign-language dictionary. Career missionaries take language classes to get ready for their assignment. While your short-term missionary won't have that kind of time or training, they can take advantage of a dictionary that helps them communicate with locals on the field. You can even highlight some of the most common phrases they'll need to know, like "thank you" and "good morning."   7. Something to leave behind. While your missionary may want to return with some souvenirs, it could also be great to leave something behind. This is especially true if they are living with a local family during the trip. It doesn't have to be fancy—maybe a game or a book or a toy—but it can open doors and make a lasting impression on the folks they are helping. It's a simple way to say "thank you" and to show love in Jesus's name.   Give the power of prayer Before He went back to heaven, Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). You can do that in three basic ways. First, you can go on a trip yourself. That would be a great opportunity to be Jesus's hands and feet, and it could help you see your faith differently even after you get home. Second, you can give. That could include financial support or words of encouragement to someone else on the field—like your short-term missionary. The mission trip gift ideas listed above are a piece of that puzzle! Beyond those, you can pray—and that may be the greatest tool in your mission's toolbox. Along with your mission trip gifts, promise to pray daily for your missionary while they're gone—and follow through on that promise. They will need it, and it can be a blessing to you as well. Prayer is something everyone can do, so make sure to give that gift to your short-term missionary. Discover Medical Missions. Medical Missions serves to connect your professional skills and biblical calling to the largest database of healthcare mission organizations, professionals, and thought leadership. Join us at the Global Missions Health Conference to find your Medical Missions calling. Or, browse our full list of partner organizations to find the right mission for you.