My medical missions trip to Moldova was incredible to say the least. I had graduated from PA school about two weeks prior to the trip and was so excited to be going. For me, it was a personal joy to be able to return to the country where I was born after having immigrated to the United States 20 years prior. After meeting our team in Rome, we flew to Moldova to set up our clinics (the first took place in Hirbovat for 3 days and the other in Anenii Noi for 2 days).
In the village of Hirbovat, there are very few paved roads, agriculture and farming is the major means of income, indoor plumbing is a luxury, and approximately 98% of the inhabitants are Orthodox. The major spoken language is Romanian. The village is home to predominantly middle-aged and elderly people who have a multitude of health issues ranging from the infamously prevalent hypertension to cirrhosis to genetic abnormalities like neurofibromatosis. Public health education and prevention is rarely utilized and a common theme among patients was non-compliance with medication until symptoms got severe, either because of personal preference or medication was too expensive. Anenii Noi was more developed and a majority of the inhabitants also spoke Russian, however the chief complaints were similar. We had several stations including public health/gospel sharing, triage, eyeglasses, and a visit with an MD/PA/PT after which they stopped by the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions.
I was initially overwhelmed with the multitude of worsening chronic health issues and was left with a feeling of helplessness as I knew the medications we had in our makeshift pharmacy may not be enough to help these people; I wanted to provide them with something that could take their ailments away. What I then realized was that a great deal of the hurt and suffering these people were experiencing was more than skin deep, than organ system deep, and much deeper than even the molecular domain. “I haven’t seen my children in years…” “I don’t have enough money to go to the doctor…” “my husband died five years ago and it’s just me, by myself now…” “I watch my daughter get abused repeatedly by her husband and I can’t do anything to help her…”
Hearing these testimonies showed me that no matter who or where we are or what circumstances we find ourselves in, we are always in need of hope, and that hope can only be found in Jesus Christ. Through prayer, I tried to connect with these children of God. I wanted them to know how much our Divine Creator loves them. While our team’s actions may or may not have made a large impact in the medical realm and may or may not have improved our patient’s health in the long run, we pray and hope that it made an enormous impact on the spiritual front. While everyday hardships in Hirbovat/Anenii Noi may be different than those encountered in the States, spiritual despair is not native only to Moldova; it can be found all over the world. I will always keep the people of Moldova in my prayers, especially the certain individuals whose stories and lives have touched mine. When I go into practice, I will continue to pray for my patients and I will continue to spread the hope of the Gospel, for our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
In the village of Hirbovat, there are very few paved roads, agriculture and farming is the major means of income, indoor plumbing is a luxury, and approximately 98% of the inhabitants are Orthodox. The major spoken language is Romanian. The village is home to predominantly middle-aged and elderly people who have a multitude of health issues ranging from the infamously prevalent hypertension to cirrhosis to genetic abnormalities like neurofibromatosis. Public health education and prevention is rarely utilized and a common theme among patients was non-compliance with medication until symptoms got severe, either because of personal preference or medication was too expensive. Anenii Noi was more developed and a majority of the inhabitants also spoke Russian, however the chief complaints were similar. We had several stations including public health/gospel sharing, triage, eyeglasses, and a visit with an MD/PA/PT after which they stopped by the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions.
I was initially overwhelmed with the multitude of worsening chronic health issues and was left with a feeling of helplessness as I knew the medications we had in our makeshift pharmacy may not be enough to help these people; I wanted to provide them with something that could take their ailments away. What I then realized was that a great deal of the hurt and suffering these people were experiencing was more than skin deep, than organ system deep, and much deeper than even the molecular domain. “I haven’t seen my children in years…” “I don’t have enough money to go to the doctor…” “my husband died five years ago and it’s just me, by myself now…” “I watch my daughter get abused repeatedly by her husband and I can’t do anything to help her…”
Hearing these testimonies showed me that no matter who or where we are or what circumstances we find ourselves in, we are always in need of hope, and that hope can only be found in Jesus Christ. Through prayer, I tried to connect with these children of God. I wanted them to know how much our Divine Creator loves them. While our team’s actions may or may not have made a large impact in the medical realm and may or may not have improved our patient’s health in the long run, we pray and hope that it made an enormous impact on the spiritual front. While everyday hardships in Hirbovat/Anenii Noi may be different than those encountered in the States, spiritual despair is not native only to Moldova; it can be found all over the world. I will always keep the people of Moldova in my prayers, especially the certain individuals whose stories and lives have touched mine. When I go into practice, I will continue to pray for my patients and I will continue to spread the hope of the Gospel, for our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
